Lee Hye-young Highest-Paid Actress in the World

It's been a rough year for the actress, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 63-year-old Lee Hye-young has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid actresses for 2026 with an estimated $96 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 10/04/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Lee Hye-young tops annual list of highest-paid actresses

In 2023 it looked like the actress’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Thursday (April 9) that Lee is the highest-paid actress in the world, pulling in an astonishing $96 million between March 2025 and March 2026, a nearly $60 million lead over her 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 actress has an estimated net worth of $275 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat Lee Burger” chain) in Seoul, a Football Team (the “Seoul Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderlee - South Korea), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Hye-young) and a fashion line called “Lee Hye-young Seduction”.

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

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