Kim Seon Ho's agency denies actor's shell company amid tax evasion allegations
Kim Seon Ho's agency, Fantagio, has defended the actor from tax evasion accusations.
According to South Korean media outlet Sports Kyunghyang, the Can This Love Be Translated? star set up a shell company in January 2024, registered under his name and home address in Yongsan district. The report alleged that Kim was registered as the company's CEO, and his parents, the internal director and auditor, who were supposedly paid salaries in the hundreds of thousands to millions of won.
Kim's father allegedly also charged personal expenses to a corporate credit card and drove a company vehicle for unofficial purposes. Such activities could be considered embezzlement or breach of trust under South Korean law, according to a report by South China Morning Post.
The supposed existence of the one-man corporation implied efforts to pad corporate expenses that would ultimately reduce tax liabilities.
In a statement released by Soompi, Fantagio said, "Kim Seon Ho is currently carrying out his activities under an exclusive contract signed with Fantagio in his personal capacity, and he is dutifully following all legal and tax-related procedures regarding his current contractual relationship and activities.
"We would like to make it clear that there are absolutely no issues whatsoever related to the contract or activities between Kim Seon Ho and Fantagio," the agency added.
Fantagio further said the one-person corporation mentioned in reports was put up for the sole purpose of "theater production and theater-related activities, and it was never created with any intention of tax avoidance or tax evasion."
Since business operations under the corporation ceased about a year ago, the company is supposedly in the process of being dissolved.
Kim Seon Ho settles liabilities
On Feb. 4, Fantagio released another statement clarifying the current status of Kim's corporation, as reported by The Chosun Daily.
"Kim recognized that the corporation's operation could lead to misunderstandings, halted its activities, and has not engaged in any substantive activities through the corporation for over a year. Fantagio has directly paid settlement funds to Kim as an individual since the exclusive contract date in February 2025," the agency said.
It added, "As a preemptive measure to correct his previous lack of understanding regarding corporate operations, Kim returned all past corporate card usage records, family salaries, and corporate vehicles."
In addition, Kim reportedly settled his personal income tax payments after paying the corporate taxes for funds settled through his corporation.
"Kim deeply regrets establishing and maintaining the corporation for over a year without sufficient understanding of its operations. He sincerely apologizes for the controversy," Fantagio added.
