Actor Kim Soo Hyun's agency, Gold Medalist, is facing scrutiny over suspicious accounting practices and unusually low settlement payments to its artists.
Kim, who rose to Hallyu stardom after the 2014 hit drama 'My Love from the Star,' co-founded Gold Medalist in 2019 with his cousin Lee Ro Bae (also known as Lee Sa Rang), who effectively controls the company. Despite its star-studded lineup and global success, questions have arisen about its ownership structure and financial transparency, particularly since its largest shareholder, Bareun No. 2 Investment Association, is linked to a firm under investigation for stock manipulation and tax evasion.
Audit reports show that between 2020 and 2024, Gold Medalist paid only about 670 million KRW (approx. 479,683 USD) in total settlement fees to its actors, a figure far below industry norms. Even in 2024, when Kim Soo Hyun’s 'Queen of Tears' became a global sensation and the agency earned over 20 billion KRW (approx. 14.3 million USD) in revenue, settlement fees reportedly capped at 270 million KRW (approx. 193,305 USD). Industry insiders note that most agencies pay out 80–90% of their revenue to artists, making Gold Medalist’s reported numbers highly unusual.
Gold Medalist has defended itself, stating that settlement payments are included in its service sales costs and are not required to be publicly disclosed. However, industry comparisons highlight the discrepancy. Agencies like EDAM Entertainment, home to IU, and ADOR, home to NewJeans, disclosed paying out tens of billions of KRW in settlement fees annually. Even Hook Entertainment, which has faced legal disputes with its artists, distributed nearly 80% of revenue to its talents despite recording losses.
These revelations have fueled concerns that Gold Medalist is not following standard industry practices, raising doubts about whether its artists, including Kim Soo Hyun, are receiving fair compensation despite their significant role in the company’s revenue and global influence.
While some Korean netizens responded with shock, others said it is not surprising, given all the latest controversies Kim Soo Hyun was involved in. They commented:
"I used to be a fan, but every time I forget about him, another scandal pops up. Must be humiliating for life."
"Seems like there are a lot of problems with one-man agencies lately. Saw other articles about it yesterday, too."
"The fact that there’s a paper company at all is shady. Why else would they need a shell company? It’s a way to move money around, evade taxes, or siphon off capital."
"Everything should be investigated. Too many shady things."
"The real issue isn’t settlements but how they raised the initial investment when founding the company. That’s the serious part."
"I don't understand how artists are paid so little."
"This is so crazy."
"There's no coming back from this."
"Everything about his company is fishy."
"They need to properly investigate his company."
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