K-pop idols often dress in luxury clothing from brand deals, but the reality of their careers can seem quite bleak.

Hyebin, the leader of six-member girl group Momoland, took to Instagram this week to dispel the illusion that every K-pop idol makes cash.

“It’s been more than 10 years since I became an idol,” he said in a video posted Monday. “A lot of people probably wonder how much money idols really make. It may seem like they make an incredible amount of money, but that’s not the case.”

Hyebin began the video with an explanation about how many idols, especially those who debut in medium or small agencies, start their careers with hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt.

Costs increase during the internship period that all K-pop stars must go through before their debut, including lessons, food and accommodation to practice renting rooms. Everything is “billed directly after debut” as a “postpaid system,” he said.

Hyebin added that reaching the top of the charts or being part of a popular group could mean that an idol is “still poor.”

“Generally, idols split all expenses 50-50 with the agency,” he said. Releasing a song means buying a song worth thousands of dollars from a songwriter. Making music videos also costs money, and idols bear the cost out of pocket.

“Every time we shoot a music video, tens of thousands of my own money disappear,” he says.

Even active idols who constantly participate in events and activities may not be making money. The average booking fee for an idol event is around $38,000, he said, but the company takes a 50% cut. Then there are managers’ salaries, gas, and the preparation needed for the event, such as hair and makeup, for which idols must also pay part of the cost.

And after all that, the profits are divided among the band members. Momoland had nine members at one point. Some bands, like Seventeen, have 13 people.

“Every time I participate in an event, I take home around 2 million Korean won,” he said. That’s about $1,300.

“The money that you worked until the end for is accumulated and then goes directly to investing in the next music video,” he said. “Then, boom, you’re back in the negative.”

“It’s a literal Dormammu infinite loop,” he joked, referring to the “Marvel” villain. “I’m telling you, the money did a 180 degree turn before it even hit my bank account.”

Hyebin acknowledged that some idols get rich, but the chances are minuscule. Only 1% of people who try to become K-pop idols manage to debut, and only the top 1% of those who debut make “real money,” he said.

K-pop is a multi-billion dollar global industry. In April, Hybe, the K-pop mega label behind BTS and peers Seventeen, reported its highest first-quarter revenue ever: 698.3 billion Korean won, or about $473 million.

Hyebin’s Momoland was one of the top girl groups in 2018. It disbanded in February 2023, when the members’ contracts with their previous agency, MLD Entertainment, expired. In 2025, six members of the group, including Hyebin, reunited to work together under a new label, but with the same band name.