Kim Seon-ho Denies Tax Evasion, Says Family Company Is Being Shut Down

Kim Seon-ho’s team is pushing back against claims that he ran a family-owned company to dodge taxes, calling the allegations “categorically untrue” and insisting the entity was not created for tax avoidance.

On Feb. 1, his agency Fantagio said the actor is under an exclusive contract and “fully complies with all legal and tax procedures related to his work,” adding, “There are no issues regarding Kim Seon-ho’s contract or professional activities with Fantagio.”

A local outlet reported that Kim had registered a separate live-entertainment company at his Yongsan, Seoul address with family members listed as executives, raising the possibility that income may have been routed through the entity. The report likened the situation to fellow Fantagio star Cha Eun-woo, who recently received a sizable additional income tax assessment from Korea’s National Tax Service.

Fantagio countered that Kim’s single-member company “was established for theater production and related activities, not for tax avoidance.” The agency added that after Kim joined Fantagio, the company “has not conducted actual business for over a year” and is “currently in the process of closure in accordance with applicable laws and procedures.”

“We will continue to abide by all relevant laws and processes so the actor’s activities can proceed without unnecessary misunderstanding,” the agency said.

Riding fresh momentum from Netflix’s "Can This Love Be Translated?," where he stars as lead character Ju Ho-jin, Kim is currently preparing to return to the stage with the play "Secret Passage."

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)