Well, that's minced meat compared to what some actresses in Hollywood make. Kim Tae Hee is considered a 'top star' so she makes $40000 per episode but the 'top star' of Hollywood shows.......*whistles*

@Ohhlie,

How much they are willing to pay a star depends on ratings of their previous drama, box-office receipts of their latest movies, their popularity as measured by the former and also response from netizens and the public, plus their image. That's the star's bankability.

A show featuring top stars get sold for big bucks to large and lucrative overseas markets, like China and Japan, and others.

If you think that $40K per ep is a lot, how about Lee Young Ae and Jeon Ji Hyun getting $85K, or Choi Ji Woo and Song Hye Kyo getting $60K or so? These are the biggest and brightest stars among K actresses. You can find big investors more easily when you have big names lined up for your project, more high value PPLs, more pre-production sales, etc.

That's why as fans, we want our fav star's drama to get fantastic ratings, cos that has a real impact on their pocket-books.

The top paid actors on Hollywood TV shows would get anywhere from $1 million to $1.5 million.

Charlie Sheen (Charlie Sheen!!!) got $2 million per ep for that crappy show "Two and Half Men."

Kelsey Grammer got paid $1.6 million per ep for "Frasier" and that was for 2002-04.

Tim Allen got $1.25 million per ep for "Home Improvement" and that was "way back" in 1998.

The "Friends" cast, Helen Hunt ("Mad About You") and Kaley Cuoco are the actresses who have gotten a million per ep.

Other actresses like Mariska Hargitay have gotten $500k per ep (which is pretty good for a larger, ensemble cast show).

Of course, the US market is a good bit larger than the South Korean market and the rights of popular US shows are sold around the world ("Prison Break" was more popular in Korea than the US).

Big reason why so many British and Aussie actors come to Hollywood and why Korean entertainers try to expand to the Japan and now China markets.

Surely it's nothing compared to their US counterparts, but probably it's the average in Asia.. In my country actors also get paid around $40k-50k per ep per drama and it has much more eps than your usual kdrama.

The money comes the most from advertising, PPL, and of course sponsors. Of course the network also give the funding, but not enough to cover entire production. Higher ratings means higher chance to get more ads and ads=revenue.

During Hyde Jekyll Me days, Hyun Bin is said to be paid 70% of the production money, so you can imagine how much production money goes to the stars.
Also, it doesn't mean the stars get the fat paycheck fully. Because the paycheck also for their entourage (manager, stylists, make-up artist, etc) and the agency.

I don't think people should skip ep. 9. If you are a kdrama fan, that wants to see a bit of heterogeneity and diversity in the largely homogeneous kdrama landscape, please don't skip ep. 9.

It also has a lot of heart and tense moments at the end.

I even won't even go as far as to call it slow, it was just a laid-back episode... characters were trying to take stock of where they were at, and what the next step should be. By the end, there was a catalyst that propelled the characters to take necessary action.

I also think its a bit strange to say the plot switched or was turned upside down as though it's a bad thing in stories... plot switches and twists lend unpredictability and suspense to a plot. I understand that it can leave one dissatisfied... but I believe that would be justified only if the story doesn't return to its original trajectory.

By the end of 9, YP did. So I wouldn't recommend skipping it...

You should read @Vgy7*uhb at number 13.1.1 in Yong Pal recap for ep 12. She put up a very strong case with comparison and analysis of 3 dramas which aired at the same time earlier this year - Healer, Hyde, Jekyll and Me and Kill Me, Heal Me. Their numbers were 8.6%, 5.5% and 10.1% respectively. Total 24.2%

Now compare this with Wed/Thurs dramas SWWTN 7.4%, Assembly 5.3% (avg of ep 1 - 18)and Yong Pal at 17.3%(avg of ep 1 -12). Total 30%. You can see that there's a difference of 5.8% more viewers in current group and it's all due to Yong Pal.

A similar pattern can be seen from the preceding batch - Warm & Cozy(7.4%), Masked Prosecutor (5.74%) and Mask(10.8%). Total 23.94%

(average numbers taken from wikipedia AGB nationwide)

Your statement only holds true if Yong Pal is 17.3% and the 2 competitors share the remaining 6.7%(take 24% - 17.3%) at 3.4% each. Then you can justify and say that Yong Pal took the lion share because the other 2 are dismal.

About the draw of the leads, I don't think KTH nor JW has the star power or fanbase like Jeon Ji Hyun and Kim Soo Hyun.

I know, right! :) im a little concerned about the workload since people have noted Joo Won looks extra sleep-deprived... but im really excited for the extension! Yaaaaaaaaaaassss!!!!

Hi @Affie, I am more of a logic type of person yet I have no problem grasping this drama.

When I watch dramas, I usually dial down my brain as Javabeans call it or suspend my sense of logic. Strangely for Yong Pal, I ended up doing the exact opposite.

For a start, I watch the show in my usual mode and enjoy the exhilarating ride. Occasionally, questions may surface. I mull a little, run over some scenes or dialogues and find almost all the answers to my questions. Some just needed to be uncovered in the next episode or as the plot progresses. It’s not perfect of course. Things I found unbelievable for example were YJ surviving the suicide fall, incompetent nurse serving the VIP clients but they were generally things which I could ignore.

My conclusion is that most kdramas spoon feed you or like you said, simple storyline, one major plot, one genre and therefore simpler to follow. Yong Pal is not baby food or romantic mush, you need to cut, chew and savor.

@casso. Hiiii. I think your concerns have been addressed more at the beginning of this comment thread. Do check them out. Good luck making a decision :)

@SS. Hahaha! I know right! It's normal. It's fine... let them be butthurt. It's not gonna ruin Yong Pal. It's not going to affect its ratings. These people are the exception to Yong Pal's rule (pun fully intended :) )

@SS. It's fine. Let them. Its not gonna affect Yong Pal's ratings one single bit.

They are just the exception to Yong Pal's rule. (Pun fully intended :) )

@SS 27
A certain Aesop's fable came to mind. It's about the fox that tried to eat grapes from a vine that he can't reach. Instead of admitting defeat, the fox denied that the grapes were desirable and scoffed that he doesn't want them anyway since they were probably sour.

Affie is right, let them be, such butthurt foxes won't hurt Yong Pal. ;)

@SS Claws and teeth, I think you no longer need it. ^^ As for me, I will just stuck out my tongue and wiggle it. :)~

Dialing one's what? Well, if I do that, I will not fully appreciate and understand what this drama is. For one, its not all action. You need to use your brain to understand what it wants to convey. The "dull" moments are actually full of information. And does this means, those who watched and made the ratings high, do not use their brain while watching. Ouch. What a poke on the Korean audience side. I do not think they are, they pretty much understand what this drama is, because for me its based on their own setting, what is happening around them and that makes it engaging to watch.. and see, extension. It just shows they like it.

Anyway, I will just sit, relax and watch this drama. Seeing Joo Won in two more episode is a real treat considering I have been waiting for a long time for him to be in my small screen again. Ahhh.. he makes me warm and hot all over. ^^

yes.. but what do you think will YJ be able to protect her throne?? now we know that hanshin group has dark secrets. (all we know there, hangshin may not be the only one..so i hope they will let go this.) and she will be charged for attempting murder of her brother and chief lee. just hope TH will turn it around. find that evidence that YJ has been drugged for three yrs by Dj..
I hope the end YJ will still be able to protect Th and maintaining her status as the CEo of Hanshin and TH will still be working as a surgeon and change the hanshin...what do you think?