"Even Without Working for a Major Company, They're Enviable": Number of YouTubers Earning Over 100 Million Won Annually Surpasses 4,000

Total Reported YouTuber Income Surpasses 1.7 Trillion Won
Up 60% in Two Years... Those in Their 30s Account for Half

The number of so-called "billion-won YouTubers" earning over 100 million won annually in South Korea has surpassed 4,000. This figure has surged by more than 60% in just two years.

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According to data titled "YouTuber Income Status" submitted by the National Tax Service to Assemblyman Cha Kyugeun of the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee on October 15, 2025, the number of YouTubers whose total income exceeded 100 million won for the 2023 tax year was 4,011. This represents a 63.8% increase compared to 2021, when the figure stood at 2,449.

By gender, there were 2,088 men and 1,923 women, showing a similar proportion. For both men and women, those in their 30s made up the largest group. Among male YouTubers, 1,065 were in their 30s, accounting for nearly half, followed by those in their 40s (513), and those under 30 (308). Among female YouTubers, those in their 30s also made up the largest share at 896 (53.4%), followed by those under 30 (772), and those in their 40s (171).

The total number of people who reported income as YouTubers in 2023 was 24,673, a 52% increase from 16,228 in 2021. The total reported income during the same period rose by 64.9%, from 1.0782 trillion won to 1.7778 trillion won.

Assemblyman Cha stated, "The industry is diversifying, and both the number of people reporting income and the amount of reported income are increasing every year. The National Tax Service has announced that it will conduct tax audits if it detects tax evasion by YouTubers who disguise sponsorships and fail to report properly. Therefore, I urge the authorities to thoroughly monitor the sector to ensure there are no tax blind spots."