Executive Chef Average Salary in Korea (South) 2026
How much money does a person working as Executive Chef make in Korea (South)?
LOW
1.6M
KRW AVERAGE
3M
KRW HIGH
4.6M
KRW
A person working as Executive Chef in Korea (South) typically earns around 3M KRW. Salaries range from 1.6M KRW (lowest) to 4.6M KRW (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Executive Chef salaries in Korea (South) vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Executive Chef Pay Scale and Salaries in Korea (South)
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Executive Chef in Korea (South) range from 1.6M KRW (starting salary) to 4.6M KRW (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 2.7M KRW, half of the professionals who work as Executive Chef in Korea (South) earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Executive Chef in Korea (South) earn less than 2.3M KRW, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 3.1M KRW while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Executive Chef in Korea (South) compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 1.8M KRW to 2.4M KRW. About 20% of salaries are below the 1.8M KRW mark, while 10% fall within the range of 2.4M KRW to 2.7M KRW. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 2.7M KRW.
/food-hospitality-tourism-catering/executive-chef/median-and-salary-distribution-monthly-korea-(south)-executive-chef.jpg "Median and salary distribution Korea (South) Executive Chef monthly")
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Executive Chef / Korea (South)
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 1.8M KRW | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +34% | 2.4M KRW |
| 5 - 10 Years | +30% | 3.1M KRW |
| 10 - 15 Years | +21% | 3.7M KRW |
| 15 - 20 Years | +9% | 4.1M KRW |
| 20+ Years | +5% | 4.3M KRW |
/food-hospitality-tourism-catering/executive-chef/salary-comparison-by-years-of-experience-monthly-korea-(south)-executive-chef.jpg "Salary comparison by years of experience monthly Korea (South) Executive Chef")
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Executive Chef and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 1.8M KRW.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 2.4M KRW, 34% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 3.1M KRW, 30% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 3.7M KRW, 21% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 4.1M KRW, 9% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 4.3M KRW, 5% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Executive Chef / Korea (South)
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Executive Chef.
| High School | 2.2M KRW | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +68% | 3.7M KRW |
/food-hospitality-tourism-catering/executive-chef/salary-comparison-by-education-level-monthly-korea-(south)-executive-chef.jpg "Salary comparison by education level monthly Korea (South) Executive Chef")
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Executive Chef in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: High School
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 2.2M KRW.
Level 2: Certificate or Diploma
At this level, the average salary becomes 3.7M KRW, 68% more than the previous level.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Executive Chef / Korea (South)
/food-hospitality-tourism-catering/executive-chef/salary-comparison-by-gender-monthly-korea-(south)-executive-chef.jpg "Salary comparison by gender Korea (South) Executive Chef monthly")
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Executive Chef in Korea (South), the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 6%.
| Male | 3.1M KRW | |
| Female | -6% | 2.9M KRW |
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Executive Chef / Korea (South)
How much are annual salary increments in Korea (South) for individuals working as Executive Chef? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Executive Chef in Korea (South) are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% every 17 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 16 months.
/food-hospitality-tourism-catering/executive-chef/annual-salary-increment-rate-korea-(south)-executive-chef.jpg "Annual Salary Increment Rate Korea (South) Executive Chef")
Korea (South) / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Executive Chef / Korea (South)
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?/food-hospitality-tourism-catering/executive-chef/annual-salary-bonus-rate-korea-(south)-executive-chef.jpg "Annual Salary Bonus Rate Korea (South) Executive Chef")
47% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 53% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 5% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 53% | |
| No Bonus | 47% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Executive Chef / Korea (South)
The average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Executive Chef in Korea (South) is 17,200 KRW.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Executive Chef in Korea (South) is 8,970 KRW. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering | ||
| Airbnb Property Manager | 4.4M KRW |  +100% |
| All Rounder | 1.7M KRW |  -100% |
| Assistant Executive Housekeeper | 1.2M KRW | -100% |
| Assistant Food and Beverage Controller | 2.3M KRW | -100% |
| Assistant Food and Beverage Director | 5.4M KRW | +100% |
| Assistant Hospitality Manager | 5.5M KRW | +100% |
| Assistant Storekeeper | 1.1M KRW | -100% |
| Assistant Tour Manager | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Baker and Pastrycook | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Bakery Manager | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Bakery Superintendent | 1.9M KRW | -100% |
| Banquet Captain | 1.5M KRW | -100% |
| Banquet Manager | 2.1M KRW | -100% |
| Banquet Server | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Bar Attendant | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Bar Manager | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Bar Supervisor | 1.8M KRW | -100% |
| Barista | 1.6M KRW | -100% |
| Bartender | 1.6M KRW | -100% |
| Bellman | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Beverage Manager | 3.3M KRW | +100% |
| Bistro Attendant | 1.4M KRW | -100% |
| Buffet Chef | 2.5M KRW | -100% |
| Buffet Host | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Buffet Manager | 2.8M KRW | -100% |
| Butcher and Slaughterer | 1.1M KRW | -100% |
| Cafeteria Assistant | 1.4M KRW | -100% |
| Cafeteria Manager | 2.4M KRW | -100% |
| Cafeteria Supervisor | 1.8M KRW | -100% |
| Cake Decorator | 1.4M KRW | -100% |
| Casino Shift Manager | 4.5M KRW | +100% |
| Chain Store Customer Support | 2.1M KRW | -100% |
| Chef | 2.5M KRW | -100% |
| Chef De Cuisine | 3.4M KRW | +100% |
| Club Manager | 4.6M KRW | +100% |
| Cluster Director | 6M KRW | +100% |
| Cluster Revenue Manager | 4.8M KRW | +100% |
| Cocktail Server | 1.4M KRW | -100% |
| Coffee Shop Manager | 4.6M KRW | +100% |
| Concierge | 1.2M KRW | -100% |
| Confectionery Baker | 1.6M KRW | -100% |
| Conference and Sales Coordinator | 2.4M KRW | -100% |
| Conference Services Manager | 2.8M KRW | -100% |
| Cook | 2.1M KRW | -100% |
| Corporate Sous Chef | 3.6M KRW | +100% |
| Corporate Travel Consultant | 3.5M KRW | +100% |
| Croupier | 1.7M KRW | -100% |
| Culinary Assistant | 1.1M KRW | -100% |
| Culinary Associate | 1.1M KRW | -100% |
| Culinary Tour Guide | 3.2M KRW | +100% |
| Demi Chef | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Dietary Aide | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Dining Room Supervisor | 2.3M KRW | -100% |
| Dishwasher | 1.1M KRW | -100% |
| Duty Manager | 2.9M KRW | -100% |
| Events Coordinator | 2M KRW | +100% |
| Executive Chef | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Executive Pastry Chef | 2.3M KRW | -100% |
| Fast Food Cook | 2M KRW | +100% |
| Fast Food Shift Supervisor | 2.2M KRW | -100% |
| Fine Dining Cook | 3.6M KRW | +100% |
| Fine Dining Restaurant Chef | 3.4M KRW | +100% |
| Fleet Manager | 6.5M KRW | +100% |
| Food and Beverage Manager | 4.9M KRW | +100% |
| Food and Beverage Trend Analyst | 3.2M KRW | +100% |
| Food Consultant | 4.1M KRW | +100% |
| Food Photographer | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Food Policy Analyst | 3.6M KRW | +100% |
| Food Safety Auditor | 3.4M KRW | +100% |
| Food Safety Compliance Manager | 3.6M KRW | +100% |
| Food Safety Coordinator | 2.8M KRW | -100% |
| Food Server | 1.2M KRW | -100% |
| Food Service Director | 4.6M KRW | +100% |
| Food Service Manager | 5M KRW | +100% |
| Food Service Sales | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Food Service Worker | 1.2M KRW | -100% |
| Food Stylist | 2M KRW | +100% |
| Food Sustainability Consultant | 3.7M KRW | +100% |
| Front Desk Agent | 1.6M KRW | -100% |
| Front Desk Clerk | 1.4M KRW | -100% |
| Front Office Manager | 2.7M KRW | -100% |
| Gastronomy Consultant | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Guest Service Executive | 4M KRW | +100% |
| Guest Service Representative | 1.7M KRW | -100% |
| Head Chef | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Head Concierge | 2M KRW | +100% |
| Hospitality Director | 7.7M KRW | +100% |
| Hospitality Technology Specialist | 3.2M KRW | +100% |
| Hostess / Host | 1.5M KRW | -100% |
| Hotel Desk Clerk | 1.5M KRW | -100% |
| Hotel Maid | 1.1M KRW | -100% |
| Hotel Manager | 7.3M KRW | +100% |
| Hotel Revenue Manager | 4.6M KRW | +100% |
| Hotel Sales Manager | 5.2M KRW | +100% |
| Hotel Service Supervisor | 4.2M KRW | +100% |
| Hotel Staff | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Inventory Coordinator | 1.6M KRW | -100% |
| Kitchen Manager | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Kitchen Staff | 1.3M KRW | -100% |
| Kitchen Supervisor | 2.2M KRW | -100% |
| Line Cook | 2.4M KRW | -100% |
| Luggage Porter | 1M KRW | -100% |
| Molecular Gastronomist | 3.6M KRW | +100% |
| Motel Manager | 4M KRW | +100% |
| Pastry Chef | 2.1M KRW | -100% |
| Pastrycooking and Baking Assistant | 1.4M KRW | -100% |
| Personal Chef | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Production Operator | 2M KRW | +100% |
| Quality, Health and Safety Coordinator | 2.3M KRW | -100% |
| Receptionist | 1.5M KRW | -100% |
| Regional Restaurant Manager | 5.7M KRW | +100% |
| Restaurant Manager | 5M KRW | +100% |
| Restaurant Server | 1.2M KRW | -100% |
| Room Reservations Manager | 5M KRW | +100% |
| Room Service Manager | 4.8M KRW | +100% |
| Sous Chef | 2.6M KRW | -100% |
| Special Events Coordinator | 3.1M KRW | +100% |
| Supervisor of Food Services | 3.2M KRW | +100% |
| Sustainable Catering Coordinator | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Sustainable Tourism Consultant | 3.4M KRW | +100% |
| Tour Consultant | 3.5M KRW | +100% |
| Tour Guide | 2.4M KRW | -100% |
| Tour Manager | 3.1M KRW | +100% |
| Travel Agent | 2.5M KRW | -100% |
| Travel Consultant | 3.7M KRW | +100% |
| Virtual / Augmented Reality Tourism Specialist | 3M KRW | +100% |
| Waiter / Waitress | 1.2M KRW | -100% |
| Wedding Planner | 4M KRW | +100% |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in Korea (South) is 6% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 3.8M KRW | |
| Public Sector | +6% | 4M KRW |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Executive Chef in Korea (South)?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 2.7M KRW and 3.1M KRW. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Executive Chef in Korea (South) ranges from 1.6M KRW to 2.3M KRW. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios.