On March 31, 2025, sports outlet Kyunghyang revealed insights from EDAM Entertainment’s 2024 audit report, highlighting the remarkable annual income of Lee Ji-eun, affectionately known as IU, who earned an impressive $20.4 million for the year.
The audit report, made public on March 28, indicated that by December 31, 2024, the total fees paid to EDAM’s artists amounted to 33.62 billion KRW (approximately $22.9 million). Moreover, EDAM reported an operating profit exceeding 6.1 billion KRW (around $4.15 million), with IU alone contributing to 74.9 billion KRW (about $51 million) in sales through her activities.
In addition to her strong earnings, IU holds a substantial ownership stake in EDAM Entertainment, with her holding approximately 22.5% of the company. Kakao Entertainment controls a majority share of 52.5%. Currently, IU stands as the sole active artist under the agency, as the other talent, WOODZ, is serving military duty.
Significantly, the majority of IU’s reported earnings are classified as “fees paid”or settlement fees. The audit specifies that her settlement fees reached an astounding $20.4 million, underscoring her immense value.
The term “Fee Dues”encompasses all payments made to artists, including settlement and appearance fees, and constitutes a major part of the cost of sales. Generally, most of these dues are paid out as settlement amounts to the artists themselves.
Legal expert Noh Jong-eon from Jongni Law provided insights to Kyunghyang, noting:
“The payment fee can be understood as the sum of not only the settlement amount paid to IU but also various other fees such as promotional fees, legal fees, accounting fees, event agency fees, etc. However, since these parts usually do not take up a large portion, it seems desirable in the long term for the agency to transparently disclose the amount of the settlement amount to the artist for the sake of operational transparency.”
The Global Impact of “When Life Gives You Tangerines”
Launched on March 7, 2025, the Netflix original series “When Life Gives You Tangerines,”featuring IU alongside Park Bo-gum, concluded its run on March 28, 2025. Set against the stunning backdrop of Jeju Island, this drama portrays the ambitious journey of Ae-sun (IU) and Gwan-sik (Park Bo-gum) as they navigate their dreams amid the evolving social landscape of South Korea from the 1950s to 2024.
Ae-sun is depicted as a fervent young woman aspiring to become a poet, while Gwan-sik represents unwavering loyalty, dedicating himself to the traditions of his island upbringing. Their story intricately weaves themes of joy, tragedy, and resilience through life’s complexities.
The series also follows Geum-myeong, Ae-sun and Gwan-sik’s daughter, on a path of self-discovery and love, culminating in her wedding to Park Chung-seob (played by Kim Seon-ho) in the finale. Furthermore, a key focus surrounds Eun-myeong’s challenging relationship with his mother, highlighting their emotional resolution and the understanding of sacrifices made by Ae-sun and Gwan-sik.
The narrative takes a poignant turn with Gwan-sik’s heartbreaking death at the age of 56 due to blood cancer, leaving Ae-sun and their family heartbroken. Despite facing his demise, Gwan-sik continues to care for his family, enhancing his wife’s comfort and safety before passing away—a testament to his enduring love.
In his final days, he fills Ae-sun’s dresser with hairpins, secures the windows with tape, and even arranges new locks for her safety. He also maintains a separate bank account where he saves all the monthly remittance of 100,000 KRW from Geum-myeong, intending for her to discover his enduring financial support after his passing.
Additionally, the series pays a touching tribute to the late actress Kang Myung-joo, who portrayed Bu Yong, including a somber musical piece during a scene with her character, serving as a heartfelt remembrance of her contribution.
Notably, “When Life Gives You Tangerines”reached the top of the charts in countries like South Korea, Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore, and secured top 10 placements in 37 additional countries, including the Philippines, Japan, and India. The series garnered six million views in its second week, solidifying its place at No. 2 in Netflix’s Global TOP 10 Series (Non-English) category, capturing audience engagement worldwide, particularly across Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, and Vietnam.
Fans interested in this captivating series can tune in to “When Life Gives You Tangerines”exclusively on Netflix.