Yoo Jae-suk Reacts to Tax Evaders' Remarks on 'You Quiz on the Block'

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Popular TV host Yoo Jae-suk expressed his dismay at the comments made by high-profile tax evaders.

On the October 1st episode of tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block,' Choi Young-hyun and Lee Seok-geun, investigators from the Seoul City Tax Collection Department, made an appearance.

Investigator Choi introduced their work, stating, "In accordance with Article 38 of the Constitution, we relentlessly pursue and collect unpaid taxes exceeding 10 million won." He revealed that since 2001, they have collected a staggering 4 trillion won in unpaid taxes, with this year's target set at 230 billion won.

Yoo Jae-suk expressed his surprise, saying, "If the target is 230 billion won, the actual amount must be even higher." Investigator Choi added, "The highest individual tax debt is around 3.3 billion won, while for corporations, it's approximately 7.6 billion won."

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Investigator Lee shared that tax evaders often say, 'What has the country done for me, why do they only take taxes?' Yoo Jae-suk was momentarily speechless and then responded with a wry smile, "I guess they mean it's frustrating to see their hard-earned money taken away as taxes."

The investigators also disclosed methods used by tax evaders to hide their assets. Investigator Choi explained, "They often have little to no assets in their own name, using tactics like fake divorces, transferring assets to family members, or setting up shell companies." In one case, a tax evader moved their address to an abandoned house and hid assets worth over 10 billion won under their spouse's name. After two years of investigation, the fake divorce was uncovered, and the taxes were collected.

Meanwhile, amid ongoing tax evasion controversies surrounding celebrities like Cha Eun-woo and Kim Seon-ho, Yoo Jae-suk's tax payment method has come under the spotlight. Yoo is known for opting for the standard expense rate (estimated reporting) instead of keeping detailed books to minimize taxes, paying approximately 4.1 billion won in taxes on an annual income of 10 billion won, effectively eliminating the risk of a tax audit.

Reporter Na-yeon Cho, Ten Asia nybluebook@tenasia.co.kr