HYBE Reports Huge Gender Pay Gap in 2026: Why Are Male Employees Earning Over 3 Times More Than Women?
HYBE is facing scrutiny over a striking difference in its reported average employee compensation, with figures for the first half of 2026 showing that male personnel earned more than three times the average compensation of female employees.
The figures have drawn attention because women make up more than twice the number of employees at the company. However, HYBE has rejected the interpretation that its filings demonstrate a gender-based wage disparity, pointing instead to exceptionally high compensation received by a small number of male executives.
According to an analysis of HYBE’s half-year and annual reports filed with South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service, the company’s average compensation per employee reached 83 million KRW (approximately $60,000) during the first half of 2026.
That represents an increase from 54 million KRW during the same period in 2025. The reported figure includes unregistered executives but excludes registered directors.
A breakdown by gender, however, shows a much wider difference. HYBE reported 271 male permanent employees and 26 male contract workers, with their average compensation reaching 158 million KRW (approximately $114,000). Meanwhile, 603 female permanent employees and 54 female contract workers received an average of 49 million KRW (approximately $35,000).
The figures mean the reported average compensation for male personnel was more than three times that of female personnel.
Female Employees Outnumber Men
The difference becomes particularly notable when the company’s workforce numbers are taken into account.
HYBE had more than twice as many female employees as male employees in the reported period. Yet, the total compensation paid to male personnel was also substantially higher.
During the first half of 2026, male employees reportedly received approximately 45.77 billion KRW (about $33 million) in total compensation, compared with around 30.96 billion KRW (about $22 million) for female employees.
The gap has also changed considerably over the past year. While average compensation for female employees reportedly increased by only 2 million KRW, the male average more than doubled. Compared with three years ago, the reported average for female employees was actually 6 million KRW lower.
How HYBE Compares With Other K-Pop Agencies?
HYBE’s reported figures also stand out when compared with other major entertainment companies.
At SM Entertainment, the average first-half compensation was reported at 76.3 million KRW for men and 49.88 million KRW for women. YG Entertainment recorded averages of 68 million KRW and 39 million KRW, respectively.
JYP Entertainment showed the smallest difference among the four companies, with male employees receiving an average of 84.49 million KRW, compared with 68.18 million KRW for female employees.
While a gender difference was reported across all four agencies, HYBE’s gap was notably larger.
Highly Paid Executives Affect the Numbers
One major factor behind HYBE’s figures appears to be the inclusion of highly compensated male executives in the employee statistics.
Four unregistered executives, including COO Kim Tae Ho, CCO Park Tae Hee, CFO Lee Kyung Joon, and CLO Jung Jin Soo, reportedly received a combined 24.3 billion KRW (approximately $17.5 million) during the first half of 2026.
Their average compensation was roughly 6 billion KRW each, with stock-based rewards reportedly accounting for a significant portion of their compensation.
Because these executives are included in the employee statistics, their exceptionally high earnings can substantially raise the overall average for male personnel. This distinction is important because an average compensation gap does not, by itself, establish that male and female employees performing equivalent jobs are being paid differently.
HYBE Denies Gender-Based Wage Disparity
HYBE has pushed back against the interpretation that the figures demonstrate unequal pay based on gender.
A HYBE representative said, “There is no wage gap between employees based on gender.”
The company attributed the unusually large difference to one-time stock compensation awarded to a small number of long-serving executives, saying these payments disproportionately increased the reported average for male employees.
HYBE added that its “pay-for-performance policy is applied fairly regardless of gender.”
The company’s executive numbers also show that the number of female executives has been gradually increasing. According to its sustainability reports, HYBE had six female executives in 2023, nine in 2024 and 10 in 2025. Male executives numbered 29, 30 and 25 during those same years.
As a result, while HYBE’s regulatory filings reveal a substantial difference between the average compensation reported for male and female personnel, the figures alone do not prove that employees are receiving different pay for equivalent work. The company maintains that executive compensation and stock-based rewards are the primary reasons for the unusually large gap.
