Kim Ji-woon Highest-Paid Director in the World
- By Carol Kearney
- Seoul
- Last updated on
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It's been a rough year for the director, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 62-year-old Kim Ji-woon has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid directors for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.
UPDATE 16/07/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)
Kim Ji-woon tops annual list of highest-paid directors
In 2024 it looked like the director’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Wednesday (July 15) that Kim is the highest-paid director in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between June 2025 and June 2026, a nearly $60 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 $275 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 Kim Burger” chain) in Seoul, a Football Team (the “Seoul Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderkim - South Korea), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Ji-woon) and a fashion line called “Kim Ji-woon Seduction”.
The ranking is significant for many Ji-woon fans, who have been waiting for his triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.
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