Amid allegations of tax evasion involving lead actor Kim Seon-ho, the Netflix original series "Is This Love Translatable?" held the global No. 1 spot for two consecutive weeks. However, Kim Seon-ho's risk has dimmed the luster of its box office performance.
On the 4th, Netflix's official site Tudum reported that "Is This Love Translatable?" recorded 4.3 million views in its third week after release (Jan. 26–Feb. 1), ranking No. 1 for two consecutive weeks in the global top 10 non-English TV shows category. It continued its box office momentum by appearing in the top 10 in 43 countries, including Korea, Japan, Singapore, Mexico and Türkiye.
In the second week after release, it recorded 9 million views and entered the charts in 60 countries. The romantic comedy chemistry between Kim Seon-ho and Go Youn-jung, overseas locations and the distinctive lines of writer duo Hong sisters spread by word of mouth, attracting global viewers' interest.
However, the mood cannot be purely celebratory. The recent lead actor Kim Seon-ho became embroiled in allegations of tax evasion after it was revealed that he had been receiving settlement payments for his activities through a single-person corporation established in the name of his family.
It was alleged that the corporation had his parents listed as inside directors, that salaries were paid through the corporate account and then transferred back to Kim Seon-ho, and that the corporate card was used for personal expenses. Because processing income as corporate rather than personal income creates differences in tax rates, the issue has escalated into a controversy over tax avoidance.
His agency Fantagio said, "The corporation was established for theater production and related activities, and it was not intended for deliberate tax reduction or tax evasion," and added, "The company has suspended business activities and is undergoing closure procedures." The former agency also drew a line, saying, "We only settled to the account requested by the actor."
Meanwhile, "Is This Love Translatable?" is currently available worldwide through Netflix.<
[Photo] OSEN DB / capture
[OSEN]