On June 2, Ji Chang-wook’s agency, Spring Company, released an official statement following media reports that the actor had undergone a non-regular tax investigation by the Seoul Regional Tax Office earlier this year.
The agency apologized for causing concern but firmly denied allegations of deliberate wrongdoing. “There was absolutely no intentional income concealment or illegal tax evasion,” the company stated.
According to Spring Company, the dispute stemmed from differing interpretations of tax law regarding whether income generated through Ji Chang-wook’s entertainment activities should be attributed to him personally or to his corporation under Korea’s principle of substance over form taxation. The agency explained that it fully cooperated with authorities throughout the investigation and submitted all requested documents transparently.
While acknowledging the difference in interpretation, the company stressed that Ji Chang-wook has consistently fulfilled his tax obligations since his debut in 2008 and has complied with all relevant regulations and procedures. Spring Company added that it respects the National Tax Service’s findings and will pay the reassessed taxes according to the required procedures without delay. “We will further strengthen our tax and accounting management systems to prevent similar issues from arising in the future,” the statement said.
The clarification comes after reports claimed that the Seoul Regional Tax Office’s Investigation Bureau 2 conducted a special tax audit of Ji Chang-wook in March and imposed additional taxes amounting to several billion won following its review.
The report stated that tax authorities reviewed the actor’s tax filings and expense processing records during the investigation. In the process, officials allegedly identified issues requiring further examination, resulting in an additional tax assessment reportedly worth tens of billions of won. However, the exact amount has not been disclosed.
The report comes amid increased scrutiny of tax-related matters in South Korea’s entertainment industry. Recently, actor Lee Min-ki was also revealed to have paid additional taxes following a tax audit. At the time, his agency explained that the issue stemmed from differing interpretations of tax regulations regarding corporate expense processing and emphasized that there was no intentional tax evasion or concealment of income. The agency added that all assessed taxes had been paid in accordance with legal procedures.
Meanwhile, Ji Chang-wook recently returned to audiences through the film Colony, directed by Yeon Sang-ho.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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