Global Breaking News - Friday, September 25, 2026

 Some famous athletes and entertainers earn millions of dollars every year. Do you think these people deserve such high salaries? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

These days, there is a controversy concerning the millions of dollars that famous athletes and entertainers earn every year. Some people say that these celebrities are overpaid and do not deserve such high salaries for what they do. On the other hand, others believe that the celebrities deserve it. I agree with the latter opinion because people have the right to earn as much money as they can as long as they do it legally, and because celebrities are paid what the market for their skills bring.
* controversy = 논쟁 / concerning = ~에 관하여 / million = 백만 / athlete = 선수 / entertainer = 연예인, 엔터테이너 / overpay = 초과 지급하다, 너무 많은 보수를 주다 / deserve = ~를 받을만하다 / salaries = 급료 / on the other hand = 다른 한편으로는 / latter = 후자의, 마지막의 / as long as = ~하는 한 /legally = 법률상, 합법적으로

First of all, in free democratic societies, people have the right to earn as much money as they are legally capable of. Some business people, doctors, and lawyers also earn millions of dollars every year. In a democracy, people have the right to earn money in exchange for their skills. When people have some talent and work hard to develop it, they have as much opportunity as anyone else to earn a large salary. Most celebrities and professional athletes worked hard developing themselves to get to where they are in their professions. As members of a democratic society, they have the freedom to do so. As long as celebrities are making the salaries legally, there is no reason why they should not receive large salaries.
* free democratic society = 자유 민주주의 사회 / right = 권한 / capable of = ~할 수 있는 / lawyer = 변호사 / talent = 재능 / professional athletes = 프로선수

In addition, celebrities and athletes are receiving what the market will allow. This is one aspect of capitalism. Entertainment is a business. A popular baseball team can bring millions, or even billions, or dollars into an economy. The players are the reason for the economic money flow, so that makes them and their skills valuable commodities. Furthermore, when a city has a successful baseball team, the entire city receives economic benefits due to the performance of the players. If celebrities or athletes perform poorly over an extended period of time, they lose value on the market and their salary will fall. Those are the rules of the open market.
* aspect = 양상, 면 / capitalism = 자본주의 / popular = 유명한, 인기있는 / billion = 10억 / money flow = 자금 순환 / valuable commodity = 소중한 상품 / economic = 경제의, 경제적인 / due to = ~때문에, 덕분에 / poorly = 좋지 못하게, 형편없이 / extended = 늘어난 / value = 가치 / open market = 자유 시장, 공개 시장

The skills of celebrities are another marketable commodity. Some people think these skills are not worth it. However, I believe that athletes and entertainers deserve these salaries because they have the right to earn as much money as they want as long as it is legal and they have the right to receive what they are worth in a free market society.
* marketable commodity = 잘 팔리는, 시장성이 있는 상품 / worth = 가치가 있다 / free market = 자유시장