Song Joong-ki Highest-Paid Actor in the World

It's been a rough year for the actor, but at least he has his millions of dollars to ease the pain. 41-year-old Song Joong-ki has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid actors for 2026 with an estimated $82 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 12/10/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Song Joong-ki tops annual list of highest-paid actors

In 2024 it looked like the actor’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, he was back on top. People With Money reports on Sunday (October 11) that Joong-ki is the highest-paid actor in the world, pulling in an astonishing $82 million between September 2025 and September 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 actor 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 Joong-ki Burger” chain) in Seoul, a Football Team (the “Daejeon Angels”), has launched his own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderjoong-ki - South Korea), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Song) and a fashion line called “Song Joong-ki Seduction”.

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

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