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More than 4,000 YouTubers in Korea reported income exceeding 100 million won

Published: 15 Oct. 2025, 11:10

[JOONGANG ILBO]

The number of YouTubers in Korea earning more than 100 million won ($70,050) has surged, surpassing 4,000 as of 2023, according to newly released tax data.

Rep. Cha Gyu-geun of the Rebuilding Korea Party, a member of the National Assembly’s Strategy and Finance Committee, said Wednesday that data submitted by the National Tax Service shows 4,011 YouTubers reported annual income exceeding 100 million won for the 2023 tax year.

That figure has steadily increased from 2,449 in 2021 to 3,359 in 2022, surpassing 4,000 in 2023 — a 63.8 percent increase over two years.

Among high-earning YouTubers, those in their 30s made up the largest age group for both men and women. Of the 4,011 YouTubers with income over 100 million won, 2,088 were men and 1,923 were women.

Among men, those in their 30s accounted for 1,065, nearly half of the total. They were followed by men in their 40s with 513 and those under 30 with 308. Among women, 896 were in their 30s, making up 53.4 percent. Those under 30 numbered 772, followed by 171 in their 40s.

The total number of individuals who reported income from YouTube in 2023 was 24,673 — a 52 percent increase from 16,228 in 2021. Total reported income from YouTubers rose from 1.078 trillion won in 2021 to 1.778 trillion won in 2023, a 64.9 percent increase.

“The industry is diversifying, and both the number of income reporters and total earnings are increasing every year,” Rep. Cha said. “The National Tax Service has stated it will investigate tax evasion by YouTubers who conceal earnings under the guise of donations, and it must continue cracking down to prevent blind spots in the tax system.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]