From being a theatre actor to becoming one of the most popular stars in showbiz with an ever-rising net worth, actor Yoo Yeon-seok has successfully made his mark in the Korean entertainment industry. Here’s taking a closer look at the actor’s fortune and his life beyond ‘action and cut’.
Yoo Yeon-seok’s acting career is defined by some of the best and most critically acclaimed titles. These include the highest-rated K-dramas and movies like Oldboy (2003), Re-encounter (2010), Reply 1994 (2013), Dr. Romantic (2016), Hospital Playlist (2020-) and When the Phone Rings (2024).
Yoo Yeon-seok also stunned theatre audiences as Hedwig, a genderqueer rock star rediscovering a purposeful life through music, in the 2024 South Korean adaptation of the musical Hedwig And The Angry Inch.
Talking about the highly anticipated season 3 of his hit series Hospital Playlist in an interview with The Korea Herald, Yoo said, “As far as I know, the third season will not come out anytime soon. It is because all the actors that played interns and residents in the drama became popular and are currently working on different projects. So, it is difficult to schedule the shooting for season 3.”
The actor will be next seen in the upcoming Park Chan-wook directorial No Other Choice. Apart from Yoo, the movie’s ensemble cast includes Son Ye-jin, Lee Byung-hun, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran and Cha Seung-won.
All about Yoo Yeon-seok: His net worth, career, brand deals and more
The net worth of Yoo Yeon-seok
According to K-media outlet Kdramastars, Yoo Yeon-seok enjoyed a net worth of USD 5 million in 2023.
While quoting an exact figure in 2024 seems challenging, it is safe to say that Yoo, who has had multiple leading roles to his credit, earns quite handsomely from his cinematic ventures.
A substantial portion of Yoo’s earnings also comes from commercials, luxury brand endorsements, theatre, musicals, singing endeavours and fan meeting tours. Additionally, the South Korean star has strategically diversified his financial portfolio by delving into multiple other sectors. These include his real estate investments and YouTube vlogs.
Career and filmography
Yoo Yeon-seok made his acting debut in 2003 as veteran actor Yoo Ji-tae’s younger counterpart in Park Chan-wook’s highest-grossing Korean movie Oldboy. Following this, Yoo took a hiatus and resumed his acting career in 2008 with two theatre plays — In The Burning Darkness and The Good Person of Szechwan. The same year, he also starred in Noh Do-cheol’s medical drama General Hospital season 2.
In the coming years, Yoo landed various other supporting roles in television shows like Soul (2009), Midnight Hospital (2011) and Tasty Life (2012). His role as Han-soo in the 2010 South Korean indie movie Re-encounter earned widespread critical acclaim and established Yoo as an actor of great calibre. The movie premiered at the 15th Busan International Film Festival, where Min Yong-keun won the Best Director, Korean Cinema Today: Vision section award. It also recorded over USD 71,763 at the box office.
Yoo landed his first blockbuster with the 2012 movie Architecture 101, co-starring Bae Suzy. A Lee Yong-ju directorial, it became one of the ten most-watched films in South Korea after its release. With over 4.1 million ticket admissions, Architecture 101 grossed USD 26,642,354 according to Box Office Mojo.
Yoo Yeon-seok became a household name overnight and landed an array of hit projects following the success of Architecture 101. These include A Werewolf Boy (2012), Born to Sing (2013) and Gu Family Book (2013).
Musical debut, Hospital Playlist and When the Phone Rings
The K-drama actor further showcased his versatility with the 2013 romantic K-drama Reply 1994. Directed by Shin Won-ho, it recorded an average finale viewership rating of 11.509 per cent and is one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history. For his performance as Chilbong, Yoo earned the Most Popular Actor (TV) nomination at the 50th Baeksang Arts Awards.
In 2014, Yoo Yeon-seok starrer Whistle Blower turned out to be a massive box-office hit. The movie, based on real-life Korean scientist, Hwang Woo-suk earned USD 12,628,888 at the box office.
The following year, Yoo Yeon-seok made his musical debut with The Passer Through Walls. Since then, he has been a part of an array of successful musicals, including Gentleman’s Guide to the Love and Murder, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Werther
Sharing his thoughts on why he delved into the world of musicals, Yoo said in a 2024 interview with Elle Korea, “I think it was a good choice to do a musical. I didn’t do it because anyone told me to. The fact that I am active in various fields gives me the image of an actor who enjoys challenges and seeks new things. In fact, I enjoy challenges. When I look back on 2015, I feel that way. How did I fearlessly choose a ‘song-through’ musical that consists of only songs and no dialogue (laughs)? I think I did it because I didn’t know anything, and thanks to that, I learned a lot.”
Additionally, the actor also has landed leading roles in multiple TV shows and movies such as Warm and Cozy (2015), Perfect Proposal (2015), Love, Lies (2016), Mr. Sunshine (2018), Hospital Playlist season 1 (2020), Hospital Playlist season 2 (2021), The Interest of Love (2022) and Vanishing (2022).
One of the highest-rated K-dramas of all time, the last episode of Hospital Playlist season 2 recorded an average national viewership of 14 per cent. Meanwhile, the crime thriller Vanishing, directed by French film director Denis Dercourt, enjoyed a special premiere at the 26th Busan International Film Festival.
Yoo Yeon-seok plays Presidential Spokesperson Baek Sa-eon in the 2024 hit show When the Phone Rings. One of the most-watched K-dramas on Netflix, When the Phone Rings is #2 on the OTT’s Global Top 10 shows chart (Non-English) with over 44,00,000 views as of 23 December.
Luxury brand endorsements that add to the net worth of Yoo Yeon-seok
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Besides Korean movies and dramas, Yoo Yeon-seok has endorsed various brands and been featured in multiple commercial films (CF) and multiple luxury brand campaigns which adds to his ever-growing net worth. These include Valentino, Gucci, Loewe, Lancôme, Ami Alexandre Mattiussi, Tooth Note, Abib Cosmetic, Dewars, Kiton, CJ CheilJedang’s SPAM, LPGA Golf Wear, LG and Eddie Bauer.
In 2021, he became the brand ambassador of the Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer. In August 2022, Yoo made an appearance at Formula E’s Seoul E-Prix as TAG Heuer’s face at Jamsil Stadium in Seoul. In June 2023, he also attended the TAG Heuer Carrera 60th Anniversary pop-up exhibition at Shinsegae in Gangnam.
Additionally, the South Korean actor attended the Valentino 2023 S/S collection ‘Unboxing Valentino’ presentation in Seoul in March 2023.
Yoo Yeon-seok has also done cover shoots for various prestigious magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Esquire, Elle, GQ, Noblesse Men, Allure and Arena.
With over 3.5 million followers as of December 2024, Yoo Yeon-seok is one of the most popular Korean actors on Instagram. The Dr. Romantic star, who often shares his photoshoots and sponsored posts on social media, reportedly earns around USD 10,000 to USD 100,000 per post on Instagram. He also owns a YouTube channel @yoo_yeonseok with over 256k followers.
Expensive things owned by Yoo Yeon-seok
The Korean superstar is known for spending most of his wealth on prime real estate investments. According to K-media outlet allkpop, Yoo owns a USD 3,305,756 apartment in an expensive Itaewon neighbourhood and is neighbours with actor Yoo Ah-in and comedian Park Myung-soo.
Furthermore, Yoo loves investing his wealth in luxury cars. In his vlogs, the actor is mostly seen driving a stylish Land Rover Defender 110, which has a starting price of USD 60,800.
The K-drama star is also a proud dog parent of an English Setter, Rita. He adopted her from an animal shelter in 2021 after meeting her at an adoption drive. Rita recently made a cameo in Yoo’s 2024 show When the Phone Rings.
Personal life
Yoo was born Ahn Yeon-seok on 11 April 1984 in Seoul. However, when his father was appointed a professor of Civil Engineering at Gyeongsang National University, he accompanied his family to Gyeongsang-do at the age of six. He moved back to Seoul for studies at 10. During his elementary school arts festival, Yoo was part of a play, Firefly, and from then on he dreamt of becoming an actor.
After his acting debut as Yoo Ji-tae’s younger counterpart in Oldboy, Yoo Yeon-seok enlisted in the military in 2005 and served in the Air Force Department. During this hiatus from acting, Yoo pursued graduation from Sejong University with a degree in Film Arts. The Korean celebrity resumed his acting career in 2008 under the stage name Yoo Yeon-seok and soon became one of the most popular faces in the Korean entertainment industry.
In terms of his relationship status, Yoo Yeon-seok is single, according to his agency King Kong by Starship. However, he has been rumoured to have dated several Korean actresses, including Kim Ji-won and Seo Hyun-jin.
(Hero and featured image credit: King Kong by Starship/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions
According to K-media outlet Kdramastars, Yoo Yeon-seok enjoyed a net worth of USD 5 million in 2023. While quoting an exact figure in 2024 seems challenging, it is safe to say that Yoo earns handsomely from his cinematic ventures, brand deals, musicals and social media.
Some of Yoo Yeon-seok's most successful movies are 'Oldboy', 'Architecture 101', 'Vanishing' and 'Re-encounter'.
There's no information about Yoo Yeon-seok owning any businesses in the public domain.
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Written by
Sushmita Mahanta
Digital Writer (Growth) - Entertainment
Sushmita is a writer with a passion for crafting engaging and informative stories. An avid fan of K-pop and K-dramas, Sushmita mostly writes about Korean culture and entertainment. When not writing, you can find Sushmita dancing, reading, collecting books, learning about fashion, art, motion pictures, and appreciating BTS.
