Although on paper Hitman Bang Sihyuk is richer than the owner of Sinsaegae Group, the latter's total assets are estimated as about $50 billion, give or take a few, because it owns choice real estate spots in all of Korea.
The owner, a daughter of the founder of Samsung, has two children, - the son , Chung Yong-jin, is best known as the ex husband of the actress Go Hyunjung but he is also known to be a flamboyant figure who has done some eccentric stuff.
The daughter is the mother of Annie Moon of All day Project.
I won't bore you with all the intricacies of Korean chaebols. Enough to say that Annie Moon's mother will control wealth which will be north of at least 10 billion, just above the total valuation of Hybe, with the whole subsidiaries and all that.
Thanks to Annie Moon, the idol rich list has become permanently obsolete since no one will ever beat her in terms of wealth.
Excluding businessmen like JYP and Psy, the richest idol of 21st century is estimated to be Kim Jaejoong, who owns some good pieces of real estate in Tokyo. Kim Jaejoong entered business, and now he also runs an entertainment company - the entire operating cost of Say My Name comes from Jaejoong's account.
Jaejoong is estimated to have a net worth of $200 million, but that pales before Annie Moon.
since JYJ was basically removed from KPop, the richest idol which did not rebel against the company is arguably Lee Jieun, the former owner of Edam Entertainment, whose net worth is probably around $100 million.
A lot of lists , which excluded people like JYP, Psy and Jaejoong since they are no longer active in Kpop and prefer to run their own businesses, put IU at #1 , above all BTS and BlackPink members.
However, if Annie Moon feels like seeing the former owner of Edam Entertainment for whatever reason, the latter has to drop everything and go and greet the richest Kpop idol which will ever exist, just like Rihanna, net worth about $2 billion, showing up for the wedding of Ambani's son, something I wrote about before.
Since Bang is poorer than Annie Moon, no BTS member will be richer than her as well.
At least that ends the KPop rich list, since if the really rich enters the room, everyone from Bang to JYP to YG to Psy to Jaejoong to IU has to defer to the richest person in the room.
