It was revealed that Hope Project, an entertainment agency founded by actress Lee Hanee, had been operating without registering as a pop culture and arts planning business for 10 years.
On September 22, the agency admitted, “We were not fully aware of the legal obligation to register, so the procedures were not completed. After confirming the issue, we are now working with experts to finalize the registration within the guidance period.”
Lee established her first company in 2015, later renaming it multiple times before becoming Hope Project in 2022. She served as CEO and board director until 2023, and currently remains as an internal director while her husband J holds the CEO position.
Under South Korean law, agencies must register with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; failure to do so can result in up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won.
Similar cases involving other celebrities have prompted the ministry to run a grace period for registration until December 31.
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