As Kim Seonho became embroiled in controversy over allegations of operating a family company to avoid taxes, his agency responded by saying, "The company wasn't established for tax evasion." However, critics point out that the explanation is missing the point, as the agency remained silent on the most important details, including paying salaries to his parents and using the company credit card for personal use.
On the 1st, Kim Seonho's agency, Fantagio, stated, "Kim Seonho is currently active under an exclusive contract with Fantagio. He is faithfully following all legal and tax-related procedures for his current contract and activities. There are absolutely no problems with the contract or activities between Kim Seonho and Fantagio."
The agency emphasized, "The former one-person company mentioned in the report was established for theater production and related activities. It was absolutely not established with the intention of deliberately reducing or evading tax."
Earlier that day, a news report claimed that following Fantagio's Cha Eunwoo, Kim Seonho was also suspected of engaging in a tax reduction (tax evasion)' using a family company. According to the report, Kim Seonho started a performance-planning company in January 2024 at the address of his home in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and listed himself as the CEO.
The report further alleged that Kim Seonho's parents served as the director and auditor of the company. He was suspected of paying them salaries ranging from millions to tens of million of KRW and used the company's credit card for living expenses and entertainment. This led to criticism that the company may be a 'paper company' with no actual business activity.
Regarding the company, Fantagio stated, "Since Kim Seonho moved to Fantagio, the company has not done any business activities for about a year. The company is being closed down according to the law and regulations. We will continue to follow all laws and do our best to make sure his work continues without unnecessary misunderstandings."
However, netizens are showing a cold reaction, saying, "If there's no problem, why shut the business down?" "There's no explanation about his parents' salaries or using the company's credit card for entertainment spending," and "Is this a second Cha Eunwoo case?" Previously, Cha Eunwoo also faced criticism for not giving a clear explanation about why his company address was registered at his parents' eel restaurant in Ganghwa.
Meanwhile, Kim Seonho took time off in 2021 following a controversy regarding his personal life. He returned to activities in 2023 with the movie 'The Childe.' He recently made a successful comeback by topping Netflix's global rankings with 'Can This Love Be Translated?,' but this new 'family company' controversy is putting his career in danger once again.
