Lee Ha-nee caught running unregistered agency for 10 years
Actor Lee Ha-nee / Courtesy of Netflix
Actor Lee Ha-nee has come under scrutiny after revelations emerged that an agency she founded was operating without official registration for nearly a decade, raising legal and reputational concerns.
The controversy comes months after she was hit with a hefty 6 billion won ($4.4 million) tax bill, and follows similar cases involving other high-profile celebrities.
Hope Project, the company Lee established, acknowledged the issue on Monday.
A company official told the Hankook Ilbo, “We were not fully aware of the obligation to register as a pop culture and arts business operator and therefore failed to complete the process. After confirming the issue, we are proceeding with the required steps under expert guidance and will complete registration within the government’s grace period.”
Lee founded the company in October 2015, renaming it several times before rebranding as it Hope Project in September 2022. She remained listed as CEO and director until January 2023, when her husband assumed the chief executive role.
Under the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act, agencies must register with administrative authorities. Operating without registration can result in up to two years in prison or fines of up to 20 million won ($15,000).
Other stars such as Ock Joo-hyun, Kim Wan-sun, Sung Si-kyung, Song Ga-in, CL and Kang Dong-won were also found to have run agencies without proper registration. In response, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced a nationwide registration grace period running until Dec. 31, 2025.
Meanwhile, Lee faced public backlash in February after the National Tax Service imposed an additional tax of 6 billion won on her. At the time, her agency explained the issue as stemming from “differences in interpretation,” but the incident dealt a serious blow to her public image.
This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.