She rose to fame after being discovered on SoundCloud by South Korea’s rap queen Yoon Mi-rae and never looked back. Yes, we are talking about K-pop star turned actor Kim Hyung-seo, aka BIBI. One of her generation’s most successful Korean celebrities, BIBI’s rising net worth is a testament to her illustrious music career, acting endeavours, brand deals and social media influence. Today, we take a close look at her life beyond stardom.
Since her debut in 2019, Korean star BIBI has impressed audiences by consistently delivering some of the most streamed K-pop songs in the last few years. Her music portfolio includes hits like “Animal Farm”, “Motospeed 24”, “Sweet Sorrow of Mother”, “Bibi Vengeance” and “Jotto.”
The singer-turned-actor has also landed leading roles in multiple Korean movies and TV shows over the years. These include popular titles Whispering Corridors (2021), Witch Hunt (2022), Hopeless (2023) and The Worst of Evil (2023).
Talking about her character Jae-hee in the 2024 K-drama Gangnam B-Side, BIBI shared in a press conference, “I wanted her to be a character who was truly tired of life. I wanted to show the traces of a life lived fiercely, not just for the sake of rebellion.”
All about BIBI’s net worth, acting debut, Coachella performance and more
A Libra born in the Year of the Tiger
BIBI was born on 27 September 1998. She is a Libra and according to the Chinese zodiac, was born in the Year of the Tiger.
The Tiger occupies the third position in the Chinese zodiac and people belonging to this year are deemed brave, strong-willed, outspoken, playful, artistic and enthusiastic.
K-pop star BIBI was born in Ulsan, South Korea
While she was born in Ulsan, BIBI spent most of her teenage years in Changwon, South Korea. She attended Anmin Middle School and later graduated from Busan University of Foreign Studies.
Her stage name is Naked BIBI
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, BIBI shared that her stage name is inspired by a naked baby because she wants “to be an honest musician, make honest music, and be her authentic self.” She also playfully added that her stage name is “[an invitation] to your lover too! ‘Get naked baby”.
BIBI was discovered by K-pop star Yoon Mi-rae
Yoon Mi-rae discovered BIBI through SoundCloud. Impressed by her self-produced songs, she signed BIBI under Feel Ghood Music in 2017. Yoon co-owns the Korean entertainment agency Feel Ghood Music with husband and rapper Tiger JK.
BIBI later revealed in a Teen Vogue interview that the reason her parents allowed her to sign with Feel Ghood Music was because they were huge fans of Yoon Mi-rae.
Talking about BIBI during her debut showcase in 2019, Tiger JK shared, “She has the talent of a genius writer.”
Music debut
BIBI officially debuted in the Korean music industry with the single “BINU” in 2019. In April 2021, BIBI released her second extended play (EP) Life is a Bi…., which peaked at #31 on South Korea’s Gaon Album Chart. The same year she also collaborated with 88rising for the single “The Weekend”. The song peaked at #29 on the Mediabase Top 40 chart, making BIBI the first Korean female soloist to achieve the feat. In 2022, the rapper released her first studio album Lowlife Princess: Noir.
Her 2024 single “Bam Yang Gang” tied with IU’s “Love Wins All” as the longest-charting #1 song on South Korea’s Circle Digital Chart.
Acting debut
BIBI made her acting debut in the 2023 South Korean neo-noir thriller Hopeless, where she played protagonist Ha-yan. Co-starring K-superstar Song Joong-ki, the movie enjoyed a special premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. According to the Korean Film Council, it grossed over USD 966,670 at the local box office and accumulated 135,178 ticket admissions as of 14 October 2023.
Additionally, BIBI’s performance in the movie earned her a nomination for Best New Actress at the Blue Dragon Film Awards. She later won the Best New Actress award at the Baeksang Arts Awards in 2024.
She plays call girl Jae-hee in the latest critically acclaimed Disney Plus series Gangnam B-Side. The drama marks her second screen collaboration with Korean heartthrob Ji Chang-wook, the first one being the 2023 action series The Worst of Evil.
She also stars as police officer Koo Ja-yeong in the November 2024 K-drama The Fiery Priest season 2.
K-pop star BIBI’s net worth
According to multiple media outlets including Social Blade, the net worth of BIBI is estimated to be around USD 1 million, as of 2024.
While quoting an exact figure seems challenging, rising K-pop star BIBI, who has been in the Korean entertainment industry since 2017, earns massively from her music endeavours, acting projects, concerts, brand endorsements, commercials and social media.
Brand deals and social media earnings that add to the net worth of BIBI
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Besides music and acting endeavours, endorsement deals with multiple high-end brands also contribute to the net worth of BIBI. These include Burberry, Gucci, Bulgari, A Twosome Place, Maison Kitsuné Paris, Samsung, Nike, Dear Dahlia, Fred Pizza, I AM SHAMPOO, NARS, Diesel and Qeelin.
Her fashion stints include cover shoots with prestigious magazines like Dazed Korea, Cosmopolitan Korea, Rolling Stone, Vogue Korea, The Pop Magazine, W Korea and Elle.
YouTube earnings too contribute massively to BIBI’s net worth. After the release of her 2024 single “Bam Yang Gang”, her YouTube channel @naked_BIBI reportedly garnered approximately 35 million views in November 2024 alone. According to Social Blade, her channel, which has over 1.34 million subscribers, earns USD 105 thousand to USD 1.7 million per year.
With over 3 million followers, BIBI is also one of the most popular K-pop idols on Instagram.
Coachella performances
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BIBI debuted at Coachella with her single “Best Lover” in 2022.
Reflecting on her time at Coachella Valley that year, BIBI said in an interview with media outlet Consequence (previously Consequence of Sound), “It was really overwhelming. But I loved it.”
In 2024, she set the Coachella stage on fire once again with a performance of her new song “Feeling Lucky” with K-pop star and GOT7 member Jackson Wang.
(Hero and featured image credit: BIBI/Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions
According to multiple media outlets, BIBI has an estimated net worth of USD 1 million as of 2024.
Rising K-pop star BIBI, who has been in the Korean entertainment industry since 2017, earns massively from her music endeavours, acting projects, concerts, brand endorsements, commercials and social media.
Some of BIBI’s most popular songs are “Feeling Lucky", "Animal Farm", "Motospeed 24", "Sweet Sorrow of Mother", "Bibi Vengeance", "Jotto" and "Best Lover".
Yes, BIBI has an YouTube channel "@naked_BIBI" with over 1.34 million subscribers as of November 2024.
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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.
