Actor Kim Seon-ho Faces New Tax Evasion Allegations Amidst Career Resurgence

Actor Kim Seon-ho, who made a comeback after a hiatus due to a personal controversy in 2021, is once again in the spotlight with new allegations of tax evasion. His agency has denied these claims, stating, "The corporation was not established for the purpose of intentional tax avoidance or evasion."

On November 1, Kim Seon-ho's agency, Fantagio, addressed the tax evasion allegations, clarifying that "the one-person corporation was established for theater production and related activities, and was not created for intentional tax avoidance or evasion." They further explained, "However, since moving to Fantagio, actual business activities have not been conducted for over a year, and the closure process is currently underway in accordance with relevant laws and procedures."

Earlier on November 1, a media outlet reported that Kim Seon-ho had established a separate corporation at his residence in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in January 2024, under the pretext of performance planning, with himself as the CEO. His parents were listed as internal directors and auditors. The outlet suggested that the corporation was more akin to a special purpose entity for asset management and income distribution rather than actual business activities. It also alleged that there were indications of personal use of the corporate account and card, raising suspicions of tax evasion and fund misappropriation.

Meanwhile, Kim Seon-ho had previously withdrawn from all his entertainment projects, including variety shows and films, due to a personal controversy in 2021. He resumed his career in 2023 with the film 'The Childe' and the Disney+ series 'Tyrant.' Last year, he gained attention for his collaboration with singer and actress IU in the Netflix series 'You Have Done Well.' More recently, he gained popularity for his romantic role with actress Go Youn-jung in the Netflix series 'Can This Love Be Translated?' released on October 16.

Reporter: Jung Se-yoon, TenAsia yoon@tenasia.co.kr