Lyricists For BTS And SuperM Break Misconception That They Earn Huge Royalties
If you’ve ever wanted to become a lyricist for the money, it may be time to think twice! The August 21 episode of AYO‘s “Comment Defenders” brought in professional lyricists Lee Hee Joo and Kim Soo Bin from the music group Danke to speak about the industry.
Both lyricists had a lot to say about the comment, “I’m so jealous of you lyricists. The lyricist Kim Eana was just an ordinary office worker and now she earns 6 figures.”
Kim Soo Bin immediately stated, “I’m jealous too.” Despite laboriously working to finish a song, they seldom see much money from it.
The most common misconception for lyricists is, ‘You must get huge royalties’.
— Kim Soo Bin
As her partner explained, only the top 1% of people working in their field become known to the public. She likened it to working in a prestigious company but earning less than what people assume.
It’s not like you make as much as a CEO just because you work in Samsung.
— Lee Hee Joo
Working in the music industry may look glamorous, but it is not particularly rewarding. Kim Soo Bin explained that it takes hard work and determination to make it big.
Everybody who settled down in this field says, ‘Never quit your job until you take your place as a lyricist’.
— Kim Soo Bin
Moreover, despite writing lyrics for artists such as BTS‘s Jimin, NCT 127, IZ*ONE, ITZY, SuperM and more…
…they still have to work two jobs. Their large client portfolio is not enough to sustain their day-to-day needs.
We’re also working other jobs, not just songwriting.
— Lee Hee Joo
Ending with the words, “If you want to make a lot of money, you better find a different job”, they emphasized the need to work for passion and not royalties. Check out the full video below!
