It was revealed that QWER earned just 1,200 KRW (approximately $1 USD) in their first settlement, despite their significant success.
On the September 3rd episode of the web variety show Have Breakfast and Go 2, QWER and Kim Gye-ran appeared as guests, where they discussed their first earnings since debuting.
Kim Gye-ran, a key figure behind the group's creation, mentioned, "We made this group at just one-tenth of the cost of traditional idols. The entire production was done for under 1 billion KRW (750,000 to 760,000 USD), and the team debuted within just six months, which is quite fast."
Host Jang Sung-kyu then asked, "Typically, it takes some idols up to five years to receive their first payout, and some even wait seven years. Were you successful with your first settlement?"
Kim Gye-ran hesitated and jokingly said, "You don’t have to answer that," sensing the tension in the room. Member Hina then revealed, "We received our first settlement 10 months after debut, but it was just 1,200 KRW."
Jang Sung-kyu, surprised by the amount, exclaimed, "Isn't this a slave contract?" Kim Gye-ran quickly deflected, saying, "This isn't an economic channel; it's a content creation channel," brushing off the question humorously.
Meanwhile, QWER is gearking up for the release of their second mini-album, Algorithm Blossom, which will drop on various music platforms at 6 PM KST on the 23rd of this month.
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