WINNER’s Kang Seung Yoon has revealed how much he earned from songwriting royalties during the height of his hitmaking career.
During an appearance on the YouTube channel "Singer-Songwriter Jaein", Kang Seung Yoon spoke with Jang Jae In about writing WINNER’s 2017 hit *REALLY REALLY* and the royalties that followed.
When asked how much he had earned at his peak, Kang Seung Yoon explained that his royalty income once reached the 100 million won range.
He said, *“From ‘REALLY REALLY’ onward, the title tracks I released kept reaching No. 1. At the highest point, I received royalties in the 100 million won range.”*
He added that the strong income did not disappear immediately.
Kang Seung Yoon continued, *“For about two years, I was still receiving tens of millions of won a month.”*
The singer-songwriter also looked back on the circumstances that led him to write *REALLY REALLY*. He explained that WINNER was going through a difficult period following a member’s departure and felt pressure to return with a strong song.
He said with a laugh that he wrote it because he was *“struggling to survive.”*
Kang Seung Yoon explained, *“At the time, our company had so many successful artists, including BLACKPINK, BIGBANG, and iKON. If we wanted to make a comeback, our only option was to create a good song quickly.”*
He added that when *REALLY REALLY* became successful, his main feeling was relief.
*“When ‘REALLY REALLY’ did well, we were just relieved that we hadn’t failed,”* he said.
Despite the large royalty figures, Kang Seung Yoon noted that his overall income from idol activities was still higher.
He explained that earnings from concerts, advertisements, and other group activities brought in more money, although songwriting royalties were also a significant source of income at the time.
Kang Seung Yoon also noted that royalty income has since decreased compared to those peak years, as earnings depend heavily on how frequently listeners continue streaming and playing the songs.
