On February 27, a new episode of the YouTube channel “B-Class Studio” was released under the title “We Invited a Universe-Level Star Who Was Sleeping,” featuring Kim Hyun Joong on the segment “B-Class Hearing.” During the show, the hosts revisited his breakout role in Boys Over Flowers, which became a cultural phenomenon both in South Korea and overseas.
One host mentioned that the drama ranked No.1 in viewership at the time. Kim Hyun Joong, however, corrected the statement, explaining that while the series was extremely popular, the top-rated drama during that period was East of Eden on MBC.
Despite that clarification, there was no denying the explosive impact Boys Over Flowers had on his career. As it was his first major drama, the project propelled him to instant stardom across Asia. Reflecting on that time, he said, “Looking back, I don’t think I even fully realized how popular I was. I’d wake up and film a commercial, wake up and shoot something else. I couldn’t even go outside freely.”
When the conversation turned to money, one of the hosts commented that he must have earned an enormous amount. Kim Hyun Joong responded modestly, “I made a considerable amount.” Although another host suggested that he might not have known exactly how much he accumulated at the time because he was constantly working, Kim disagreed. “Of course I knew how much was in my bank account. There’s no one who doesn’t know that,” he said.
Kim Hyun Joong, who was 23 at the time, was asked whether he had earned around 10 billion won (approximately $75 million). Kim Hyun Joong replied, “It could have been more than that,” hinting that his total earnings may have surpassed the already staggering estimate.
Sources: Nate