Kim Seon Ho’s tax controversy is deepening after reports revealed he received entertainment income through his one-person corporation, drawing fresh comparisons to Cha Eun Woo.
According to industry sources on the 3rd, Kim Seon Ho received settlement payments for his acting work through a private corporation he established in January 2024 while signed to his former agency. The setup has raised questions over whether the structure was used to reduce tax exposure.
In South Korea, individual income can be taxed at rates as high as 49.5 percent, including local taxes, while corporate income is capped at 19 percent. Legal experts note that routing personal earnings through a corporation can be viewed as tax avoidance if the company lacks genuine business activity.
A former agency official said, “We simply deposited the money into the account the actor requested.”
Concerns have grown as the corporation’s registered address reportedly matches Kim Seon Ho’s home residence, fueling suspicions that it functioned as a paper company. Legal observers say income received through such entities may be classified as diverted personal income.
Adding to the controversy, Kim Seon Ho’s agency Fantagio previously stated that the corporation was created for theater-related activities and not for tax purposes. However, it was later confirmed that the company was not even registered as a public culture and arts planning business, a legal requirement for receiving management-related payments.
A legal expert commented, “The cases involving Cha Eun Woo and Kim Seon Ho point to a growing pattern where unregistered corporations are being used not as a formality issue, but as a tool for tax avoidance among high-income entertainers.”
Fantagio later acknowledged, “It is true that settlement payments were temporarily received through the corporation after it was established.”
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In the meantime, watch Kim Seon Ho in Catch the Ghost on Amasian TV for free.
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