'Rocoking' comeback success actor Kim Seon-ho has again been embroiled in controversy. He is facing allegations similar to Cha Eun-woo, who faced the biggest crisis since his debut over tax evasion allegations, and a ripple effect is expected. However, Kim Seon-ho's side said the tax evasion allegations are not true.
On the 1st, a media outlet raised suspicions, saying there are signs that Kim Seon-ho created a family corporation operated separately from his current agency Fantagio and committed practical tax evasion.
According to the report, Kim Seon-ho created and operates a separate performance planning company registered at his home address in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Kim Seon-ho is the chief executive officer of the company, and his parents are listed as an inside director and auditor. The outlet said it obtained testimony that Kim Seon-ho used the company's bank to pay his parents monthly salaries ranging from hundreds of thousands won to tens of millions of won, and that the parents who received salaries from the company then transferred their pay back to Kim Seon-ho each month.
The report also said Kim Seon-ho's parents used the corporate-owned card to pay living and entertainment expenses and used a vehicle registered in the company's name. The outlet argued this appeared to be practical tax avoidance (tax evasion) through the company and said it seemed difficult to erase suspicions that it was a paper company.
Kim Seon-ho's allegations are drawing more controversy because they resemble the recent case in which Cha Eun-woo was notified by the National Tax Service of a tax bill in the 20 billion won range. Cha Eun-woo, who recorded the largest tax reassessment among entertainers, is accused of using a company established by his mother to distribute income and apply a corporate tax rate more than 20 percentage points lower than the personal income tax rate. Coincidentally, Kim Seon-ho and Cha Eun-woo are in the same agency.
In response, Kim Seon-ho's agency Fantagio said, "Currently, Kim Seon-ho is active under an exclusive contract with Fantagio in his personal name, and we faithfully comply with legal and tax procedures regarding the current contract relationship and activities. We clearly state that there is no problem regarding Kim Seon-ho's contract and activities with Fantagio," the agency said.
It added, "The single-person corporation mentioned in the report was established for theater production and theater-related activities, and was never set up for the deliberate purpose of tax reduction or tax evasion. However, after moving to Fantagio, actual business activities ceased about a year ago, and we are currently undergoing closure procedures in accordance with relevant laws and procedures," it said in an official statement.
Although Kim Seon-ho's side said the tax evasion allegations 'are not true,' the sensitive nature of the matter means a considerable image hit is expected. In particular, he recently received a good response for the Netflix series "Is This Love Translatable?" and was being praised for successfully making a 'Rocoking' comeback. While building a positive image, it is disappointing that his name has appeared in an unsavory allegation.
Kim Seon-ho earlier earned the moniker 'Rocoking' in 2021 by excellently portraying the character Hong Doo-sik in the drama 'Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.' He completed a lovely rom-com with Shin Mina and solidified his position as a leading actor. However, after the drama ended, personal life controversies erupted, and after a hiatus he returned.
Interest is focused on whether Kim Seon-ho can fully enjoy the 'Rocoking' comeback this time.
[Photo] OSEN DB.
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