In the last year, miss A's Suzy Bae has signed more than 20 contracts with advertising agencies, earning her the nickname "$10 million girl." She shot her first commercial in February 2012 and since them has endorsed products from companies that include Domino's Pizza, Canon, Nintendo, Reebok, Swarovski and the Korean Tourism Organization.
All of the contracts she signed last year are solo contracts that do not involve other members of miss A. Suzy now earns as much as actresses Yoo Na, Jeon Ji Hyun and Song Hye Kyo. Other actresses earn more for each endorsement but none of them have signed as many modeling contracts as Suzy has in the last year. She is now the number one commercial model among all girl group members.
What's the secret behind her sudden boost in celebrity?
Some say it was her debut in the successful film, "Architecture 101," which earned her the rookie award from the Baeksang Arts Award. She also won the 2012 KBS Drama Award for most popular actress for her role in the drama, "Big." She is currently starring in another drama, "Gu Family Book," as Dam Yeol Woo, Lee Seung Gi's love interest.
One of the advertising companies that contracted Suzy explained their choice by saying that normally idols just appeal to their limited fan base but because Suzy is both an idol and actress, she is recognized by a wider fan base and this makes her the ideal choice for a commercial star.
The agency said that," Even though the advertising industry constantly changes like the wind, Suzy is able to stand out."
It's a plus that Suzy projects a natural, innocent look. It also helps that she has a clean, scandal-free image.
Before singer IU got involved in a scandal last year, she was equally the darling of advertisers. But once the scandal broke, there was a lot of backlash and IU acquired anti fans.
IU, previously considered the "nation's little sister," tweeted a photo of herself with Super Junior member Eunhyuk in November. The photo looked like they were lying in bed together. IU said they were merely relaxing on her couch and are just friends. But the scandal did not die down. It affected her career.
Although she had no part in it, IU's scandal worked out to Suzy's advantage because her image has remained clean and scandal-free. That's what advertisers are looking for.
