"Top 1%, Annual Average 1.27 Billion KRW"… Earnings of YouTubers with 'Subscriptions, Likes, and Notifications' Revealed

YouTube logo. The photo is not related to any specific expression in the article. [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] It has been revealed that the average annual revenue of domestic media content creators, including YouTubers, exceeds 100 million KRW.

On the 12th, Kang Junhyun, a member of the National Assembly's Planning and Finance Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, disclosed income data of 'media content creators' and 'one-person media content creators' who filed comprehensive income tax returns for the 2020 tax year, based on data received from the National Tax Service.

Media content creation refers to businesses that upload videos on platforms such as YouTube and generate income through advertisements and other means. One-person media content creators similarly earn income through YouTube but do not hire separate writers or editors, nor do they own professional filming equipment or studios.

Previously, in September 2019, the National Tax Service established new industry codes for media content creation and one-person media content creation. This was to accurately identify the income of new types of business operators who produce video content and generate revenue on internet-based media platforms such as YouTubers and BJs. Before these industry codes were introduced, YouTubers were classified under 'other self-employment,' making it difficult to track their income.

According to the data, 1,719 media content creators filed comprehensive income tax returns for the 2020 tax year. Their reported revenue (sales) amounted to 176 billion KRW, averaging 102.43 million KRW per person. The income amount after deducting necessary expenses was calculated at 44.98 million KRW.

Among them, the top 1% had an average revenue of 1.27035 billion KRW and an income amount of 957.88 million KRW. The average revenue and income for the top 10% were approximately 513.13 million KRW and 306.13 million KRW, respectively.

In the case of one-person media content creators, 19,037 individuals reported income. Their average revenue was 14.49 million KRW, and income was 5.75 million KRW. The top 1% had an average revenue of 334.44 million KRW and an income amount of 168.90 million KRW. The top 10% had an average revenue of 99.28 million KRW and income of 43.24 million KRW.

However, sponsorship funds received directly into YouTubers' personal accounts are not included in the National Tax Service's taxable data, so their actual income is expected to be higher. In response, Representative Kang stated, "The National Tax Service must closely monitor the emergence of new industries arising from the transition to the digital economy and establish thorough tax base management measures for these groups."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.