As South Korea’s entertainment industry faces growing scrutiny over alleged tax loopholes tied to one-person agencies, Park Shin Hye’s past business dealings have come under renewed attention.
Industry sources reported on February 27th that the actress operated a solo agency, Ebenezer Entertainment, from 2015 to 2021. The company was reportedly registered at her home address during that time.
One-person agencies—companies established and run by a single celebrity—have recently drawn attention from tax authorities, who view the practice of settling activity payments through personal corporations as a potential method of tax avoidance.
The issue escalated after Cha Eun Woo was reportedly hit with a tax reassessment of about 20 billion KRW ($13.7 million) over similar arrangements. Since then, questions about other celebrities’ solo agencies have continued to surface.
Park Shin Hye’s current agency, Salt Entertainment, has denied any connection between Ebenezer and the broader tax controversy. The company said it only became aware of the corporation in 2016 after seeing a report about a donation made through it, and instructed that it be closed. Salt also stated it did not know Park remained listed as CEO through 2021 and that no payments were processed to her through the company.
However, corporate records show Ebenezer remained active until at least March 2021, with Park still named as its representative. An anonymous industry insider also claimed that settlements were processed through the solo agency.
Salt previously faced similar scrutiny in 2024 when Kim Seon Ho established his own one-person agency while still under contract. At the time, Salt said it handled payments that way at the actor’s request.
Ebenezer is currently said to support the activities of Park’s brother, Park Shin Won. The company completed mandatory registration as a public culture and arts planning business on January 19th, after the recent tax controversy began drawing widespread attention. The article published by the outlet that originally reported this information has since been deleted.
Several other stars—including Jeon Jong Seo, Hwang Jung Eum and Ock Joo Hyun—have also recently faced scrutiny over unregistered agencies.
The debate has since reached the National Assembly, where lawmakers held a policy meeting on February 27th. While participants acknowledged concerns that solo agencies could be used for tax avoidance, they also discussed the need for a taxation framework that reflects the unique structure of the entertainment industry.
In the meantime, watch Park Shin Hye in Flower Boys Next Door on Amasian TV for free.
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