Suh Kyung-bae’s net worth over time
Only dates with a published estimate are shown. Nothing is filled in between. Tap or hover a bar to see the source.
See the numbers as a table
| Date | Estimate | Source |
| 2019 | $3.7 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019 |
| 2020 | $3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020 |
| 2021 | $4.1 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021 |
| 2022 | $2.5 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022 |
| 2023 | $1.8 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023 |
| 2024 | $1.3 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 |
| 2025 | $1.2 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025 |
| 2026 | $1.6 billion | Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026 |
| Oct 2026 | $1.5 billion | Forbes Real-Time Billionaires · Forbes real-time estimate |
Where the money comes from
These are the main sources of wealth named in the reporting we cite. No published source breaks the total into exact amounts, so we do not show percentages.
Suh Kyung-bae’s fortune in real-life terms
Based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimate above. Median full-time U.S. pay is $65,416 a year ($1,258 a week, BLS, Q2 2026), before taxes. Typical (median) U.S. family net worth is $216,100 (Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances).
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Suh Kyung-bae has an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Suh Kyung-bae profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is down from a peak of $4.1 billion.
Suh Kyung-bae is a South Korean businessman and chairman of Amorepacific, the country's largest cosmetics and skincare maker by revenue. He was born on January 14, 1963. He earned a business degree from Yonsei University and an MBA from Cornell University's Johnson Graduate School of Management. He is married with two children and lives in Seoul.
Amorepacific was founded by his father, Suh Sung-whan, in 1945, but its roots go back further. Suh's grandmother sold camellia oil as a hair treatment across the Korean peninsula. Of six children, Kyung-bae was the only one interested in the business. He joined the company in the 1980s and took over as CEO in 1997, then guided its expansion around the world. Under his leadership the family business became an international brand.
How Suh Kyung-bae makes money
Suh's wealth is tied to his stake in Amorepacific. The company sells cosmetics and skincare across Asia and beyond. It has gained from the Hallyu wave, the boom in Korean pop culture that has swept Asia and the U.S. and turned Korean beauty products into a global trend. Forbes once named Amorepacific one of the world's 100 most innovative companies.
The company has long been creative about selling. In the 1960s it hired women to sell products door to door on commission, and some of them had lost their husbands in the Korean War. Suh has won praise for his leadership. Forbes Asia named him Businessman of the Year in 2015, and in 2017 Harvard Business Review and INSEAD ranked him among the world's best performing CEOs.
How Forbes has valued Suh Kyung-bae
Forbes valued Suh at $3.7 billion in 2019 and $3 billion in 2020. His fortune then rose to $4.1 billion in 2021, his peak, as demand for Korean beauty products stayed strong. After that came a long slide. Forbes put him at $2.5 billion in 2022, $1.8 billion in 2023, $1.3 billion in 2024 and $1.2 billion in 2025.
The trend turned in 2026, when Forbes estimated him at $1.6 billion on its World's Billionaires List. As of October 20, 2026, its real-time tracker showed $1.5 billion. His estimate moves with Amorepacific's share price, so changes in demand for Korean beauty products show up quickly in his net worth.
Career and money timeline
- 1945
Suh Sung-whan founded the company that became Amorepacific.
- 1997
Suh Kyung-bae became CEO of Amorepacific.
- 2006
He received the Légion d'honneur from the French government.
- 2015
Forbes Asia named him Businessman of the Year.
- 2016
He set up the Suh Kyung-bae Foundation to fund scientists.
Suh Kyung-bae net worth FAQ
What is Suh Kyung-bae's net worth?
Suh Kyung-bae's net worth is an estimated $1.5 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Suh Kyung-bae profile (October 20, 2026). It is an estimate, not an official figure.
How did Suh Kyung-bae get so rich?
The main sources named in the reporting we cite are: Cosmetics.
Is Suh Kyung-bae a billionaire?
Yes. Forbes Real-Time Billionaires estimates Suh Kyung-bae is worth $1.5 billion.
How has Suh Kyung-bae's net worth changed?
The earliest published estimate we track is $3.7 billion (2019, Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019). The latest is $1.5 billion (October 20, 2026).
What does Amorepacific sell?
Amorepacific makes cosmetics and skincare products and is South Korea's largest cosmetics company by revenue.
Sources
- Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Suh Kyung-bae profile (October 20, 2026)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2019, Suh Kyung-bae profile (March 5, 2019)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2020, Suh Kyung-bae profile (April 8, 2020)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2021, Suh Kyung-bae profile (April 6, 2021)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2022, Suh Kyung-bae profile (April 5, 2022)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2023, Suh Kyung-bae profile (April 4, 2023)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024, Suh Kyung-bae profile (April 2, 2024)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2025, Suh Kyung-bae profile (April 2025)
- Forbes World's Billionaires List 2026, Suh Kyung-bae profile (March 10, 2026)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Usual Weekly Earnings (Q2 2026) (July 2026)
- Federal Reserve, 2025 Survey of Consumer Finances (median family net worth, Table 4) (October 2026)
- Background facts: Wikipedia, Suh Kyung-bae (accessed October 28, 2026). Used for career facts only, never for figures.
Every number on this page is an estimate published by the source named next to it. We never fill in years with our own guesses. How we handle estimates.