How Much K-Pop Choreographers Get Paid, Revealed By A Former Idol

In many cases, music show performances can boost a K-Pop song up the charts, with listeners finding themselves drawn in by impressive choreography and dance skills. But with all the money great choreography can make for a company, how much of that do they actually share with the creators? In a new installment of her “IDOL INSIDER” series, former K-Pop idol Blady‘s Tina (now more commonly known as Christine Park or Park Soobin) divulged how much dance crews get paid to choreograph idol songs.

The work of a K-Pop choreographer isn’t easy. According to Christine Park, dance crews or individual choreographers must work to a tight deadline when creating sample dances for songs. Then, if they’re selected, they also need to spend time teaching that choreography to the idols in question. So, how much do they get paid for all this work?

The number may surprise you. Christine revealed that for creating the sample dances alone, K-Pop choreographers often get paid around $3,000 to $5,000 USD. However, that number can vary a lot depending on the status of the idol or group at hand. When working with the most famous idols, choreographers tend to ask for a higher sum. If the dance crew themselves are famous, that also drives up their choreography fees.

Another factor that influences how much choreographers make is whether the company decides to use their entire dance. In many cases, agencies ask for samples from multiple dance crews, then mix and match their favorite parts of each. In these cases, a choreographer or crew may be paid less.

As for teaching the choreography, Christine Park says it’s difficult to gauge how much dance crews make for holding classes. “Honestly,” she explained, “It’s way up and down depending on if you are a rookie or a higher up.” But if the amount they get paid for creating the dance is anything to go by, choreography can be a pretty lucrative gig.

Want to know more about the inside secrets of K-Pop choreographers? Christine Park also revealed how the relationships between dancers and K-Pop groups differ to the bond dancers have with soloists.

The Difference Between Dancers’ Relationships With K-Pop Groups Vs. K-Pop Soloists