Lee Ha Nee is once again facing scrutiny over her one-person agency, just as reports emerge that she may star in a new drama alongside Park Ji Hoon, who recently joined the ranks of “10-million actors” after the box office success of The King’s Warden.
The renewed attention follows the March 8th broadcast of MBC’s investigative program Exploration Planning Straight, which examined the operations of celebrity-run one-person agencies involving stars such as Cha Eun Woo, Lee Ha Nee, and Hwang Jung Eum.
During the report, the program highlighted a well-known beef soup restaurant in Hannam-dong, Seoul, saying it is registered as a branch office of Lee Ha Nee’s agency, TEAMHOPE.
Lee Ha Nee’s agency quickly pushed back on the claims. “The address in question is not the headquarters but the location of a rental property,” the agency told Xports News, adding that it was registered as a branch through standard administrative procedures.
The agency explained that the restaurant had already been operating at the location for more than a decade before the building was purchased and that Hope Project has no business connection with the restaurant beyond a landlord-tenant relationship.
Lee Ha Nee bought the building in 2017 intending to use it as the company’s headquarters, but changes to lease laws meant the existing tenants could not be forced out, leaving the company to run the property as a rental business.
The actress previously drew attention in 2024 when the NTS Seoul Regional Office imposed an additional 6 billion KRW (approx. 4.1 million USD) in taxes after an audit. At the time, she explained the issue stemmed from a difference in interpretation of tax regulations, though the size of the amount sparked public criticism.
Meanwhile, Lee Ha Nee is reportedly considering a role in the upcoming tvN drama Promoter (literal title). The series is expected to star Park Ji Hoon, with Lee Ha Nee considered for the role of Shim Young Ja, a real-life figure who rose from a 1970s actress to become the world’s first female boxing promoter. Park Ji Hoon is reportedly a leading candidate to play a determined young boxer.
>> Lee Ha Nee’s Agency Setup Examined as Cha Eun Woo Tax Scandal Prompts Wider Celebrity Review
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