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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] Allegations have emerged that South Korean actor Kim Seon-ho engaged in tax evasion through a one-person company in which family members were appointed as internal directors. In response, his agency Fantagio said the actions were “not intended for deliberate tax evasion,” though debate continues over whether the explanation sufficiently addresses the core issues.
On February 1, a local media outlet reported that Kim had established and operated a performance planning company registered at the address of his residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, giving rise to suspicions of tax irregularities. Kim is said to be listed as the company’s chief executive, while his parents reportedly serve as internal director and auditor.
According to the report, Kim allegedly paid salaries to his parents through the company’s corporate account, and the company credit card may have been used for personal expenses such as living costs. The outlet also noted that while the company listed real estate trading and leasing among its business purposes in addition to performance planning, it was not registered as a “popular culture and arts planning business,” as required under relevant regulations.
As the controversy spread, Fantagio released an official statement the same day, saying that Kim is currently active under an exclusive contract signed both in his personal capacity and through the agency, and that all legal and tax-related procedures connected to his contract and activities have been duly complied with.
Fantagio added that “there are no issues whatsoever regarding the contractual relationship or professional activities between Kim Seon-ho and Fantagio,” stressing that neither the agency nor the actor had engaged in any wrongdoing in connection with their partnership.
알파경제 Paul Lee 특파원(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
