According to Korean media, with EDAM Entertainment's total artist-related service fee of up to 33.6 billion won, IU alone may have received nearly 30 billion won. It can be said that the female idol is the main source of income for the company.
"While technically, service fees can include things like advertising, legal, and event management costs, these components are often very small," explains Noh Jong Eon, a lawyer at Jonjae Law Firm. For the purpose of long-term transparency, companies should clearly disclose that this amount of money is the artist's income."
EDAM Entertainment is a company under Kakao Entertainment, with a 52.5% stake. IU itself owns a 22.5% stake, becoming the third largest shareholder. The company is often considered a "one-member company", as most of its revenue comes from IU's operations.
EDAM reported total revenue of 74.9 billion KRW and operating profit of 6.1 billion won in 2023.
This year, IU continues her busy schedule with a role in the Netflix drama "When Life Gives You Tangerines" - When Life Gives You Tangerines - further strengthens her reputation as one of the busiest artists in the industry.
