On February 17, TEAM HOPE released an official statement clarifying that actress Lee Hanee (Honey Lee) has fully cooperated with the tax audit conducted by the Seoul Regional Tax Office as part of a comprehensive, non-regular tax investigation into corporate artists.
Earlier, Field News reported that the Seoul Regional Tax Office had conducted an intensive tax investigation into Lee Hanee and her agency, Hope Project, in September last year. The report claimed that authorities imposed a tax penalty of approximately 6 billion KRW (~4.2 million USD).
Suspicions of tax evasion emerged during a 2022 tax audit of Lee Hanee’s former agency, Saram Entertainment, conducted by the Gangnam Tax Office. Lee Hanee was under contract with the agency for about ten years, from 2014 to 2024.
While at the agency, Lee Hanee founded a corporation called Hanee Co., Ltd. in October 2015. This company was renamed Ireyun Co., Ltd. in January 2018 and eventually rebranded as Hope Project Co., Ltd. in September 2022.
The Gangnam Tax Office reportedly escalated its findings regarding Saram Entertainment to a higher authority, leading to the intense tax audit of Lee Hanee and Hope Project in September last year.
As a result of the investigation, Lee Hanee was reportedly ordered to pay approximately 6 billion KRW in taxes. However, her representatives firmly denied any tax evasion, stating that the issue stemmed from differing interpretations between tax authorities and financial advisors. They emphasized that there was no intentional tax omission.
Lee Hanee’s team stated, “Following the advice of our tax consultants, we have faithfully complied with legal procedures and tax obligations. The additional tax payment resulted from a difference in perspective between tax authorities and our financial advisors, and we have fully settled the amount.”
Meanwhile, Lee Hanee is set to make her comeback this year with the Netflix series 'Aema.' The drama follows the struggles of Jung Hee Ran (played by Lee Hanee) and Shin Joo Ae (played by Bang Hyo Rin), inspired by the hit 1980s film 'Madame Aema.'
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