Hong Sang-soo Highest-Paid Director in the World

It's been a rough year for the director, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 65-year-old Hong Sang-soo has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid directors for 2026 with an estimated $58 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Hong Sang-soo tops annual list of highest-paid directors

In 2023 it looked like the director’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (March 19) that Sang-soo is the highest-paid director in the world, pulling in an astonishing $58 million between February 2025 and February 2026, a nearly $30 million lead over his closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The Korean director-screenwriter has an estimated net worth of $185 million. He owes his fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. He also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Sang-soo Burger” chain) in Seoul, a Football Team (the “Seoul Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wondersang-soo - South Korea), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Hong) and a fashion line called “Hong Sang-soo Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Hong fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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