Monday Kiz's Lee Jin Seong reveals 20 years of copyright royalties

Singer Lee Jin Seong has revealed the music copyright royalty income he has accumulated over approximately 20 years. While he did not calculate the exact total himself, he explained that if calculated simply by assuming an average monthly receipt of 3 million won since 2007, the amount reaches at least 648 million won. Lee added that the actual cumulative total is likely higher when considering the steady digital music consumption of his representative songs and various usage fees.

On the 23rd, a video titled "20-Year Composer Lee Jin Seong's Income Revealed for the First Time" was released on Lee Jin Seong's YouTube channel, "The Real Lee Jin Seong (Monday Kiz)." In the video, while introducing his studio, Lee directly disclosed the economic achievements of his 20-year music career by discussing how the copyright royalties for the songs he has released have been generated.

When asked which songs generated the most copyright income, Lee cited "When You Call My Name Tenderly," "Autumn Greetings," and "You Can Say Our Love Has Faded." Regarding "When You Call My Name Tenderly" in particular, he explained, "It is still on the Melon charts. It has been there for five years." Although he did not calculate the exact amount, he identified it as a representative work that has earned significant copyright income due to the fact that it has been steadily consumed on music charts for a long period.

Copyright royalties are not determined solely by the popularity at the time of a song's release; income can continue depending on how consistently the music is consumed and used even after time has passed. In today's music industry, where digital music streaming is commonplace, the fact that past releases gain renewed attention or are consistently included in playlists itself becomes a long-term revenue base for creators. Lee's emphasis on the "ongoing" popularity of certain songs is not unrelated to these characteristics of music copyright.

More specific numbers emerged when asked about the total amount. After checking his payment history on the copyright association website, Lee stated, "I believe my first registration was in 2007." He continued, "'To Be Honest, I' also brought in a lot," explaining, "The payment history doesn't show the total lump sum received until now, but if we assume I received 3 million won every month, it's 648 million won."

The 648 million won figure is calculated based on the assumption of receiving 3 million won every month for approximately 18 years since 2007. Therefore, rather than a confirmed cumulative copyright royalty amount, the figure Lee disclosed is closer to a simple estimate based on a conservatively set monthly average. Since actual payments can vary depending on the timing, the songs, and the methods of music usage, it is appropriate to view this number as a minimum estimate presented by Lee rather than an official total copyright royalty.

An interesting point is that Lee Jin Seong himself set this amount quite conservatively. When the production team asked, "Isn't that too low?" he replied, "I set it low. Is there a need to set it high?" He then showed his characteristic relaxed attitude, eliciting laughter by asking, "Is there a reason to lay it all out so cleanly?" Even while revealing a figure in the hundreds of millions of won, he showed a calm reaction rather than exaggerated boasting.

For Lee Jin Seong, copyright royalties hold more meaning than mere side income. Since his debut with Monday Kiz in 2005, he has expanded his scope as a lyricist and composer alongside his activities as a singer. While acting as a singer performing on stage, he has also worked as a creator who directly makes his own music and participates in works with other singers, accumulating rights within the digital music ecosystem over a long period. While a hit at the time of release once determined a singer's recognition, in the streaming era, the "long tail" of songs that survive for a long time has become an important factor in forming a creator's economic foundation.

In particular, Monday Kiz is evaluated as a team that has built a unique position in the domestic popular music market since the 2000s by elaborately handling emotions of parting, longing, and love based on the ballad genre. Lee Jin Seong has also steadily released music, moving between team activities and solo work. The fact that representative songs are replayed even after several years and are repeatedly consumed in connection with specific emotions like seasons or breakups demonstrates a musical vitality different from short-term digital music performance.

Ultimately, the core of the 648 million won figure revealed by Lee Jin Seong lies not in "how much he earned," but in how the time of a creator who has been making music over 20 years is converted into economic value. While it may appear as if a certain amount accumulates every month, behind it lie the creation, recording, and release of numerous songs, as well as their repeated consumption.