Lee Chang-dong 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. 71-year-old Lee Chang-dong has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid directors for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 01/05/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Lee Chang-dong 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 (April 30) that Chang-dong is the highest-paid director in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between April 2025 and April 2026, a nearly $50 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-politician has an estimated net worth of $245 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 Chang-dong Burger” chain) in Seoul, a Football Team (the “Daegu Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderchang-dong - South Korea), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Lee) and a fashion line called “Lee Chang-dong Seduction”.

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

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