Honey Lee has recently been linked to a potential appearance in a new tvN drama, marking what some describe as an unusually fast comeback to the small screen. This comes after she faced multiple controversies, including tax-related disputes, alleged embezzlement suspicions, and operating a one-person agency without proper registration.
In September 2024, it was revealed that Honey Lee underwent a tax audit by the Seoul Regional Tax Office and was ordered to pay approximately 6 billion KRW in additional income taxes. At the time, her agency Team Hope stated, “The additional tax resulted from differing interpretations between tax authorities and tax representatives. The full amount has been paid, and this has no relation to intentional tax evasion.”
Despite the explanation, public sentiment remained critical. Many pointed out that while most entertainers operate under a single management agency, Honey Lee established a personal corporation and processed part of her income as corporate revenue, an approach widely perceived as a way to benefit from lower tax rates. The large amount of additional tax reportedly imposed also fueled public resentment and a sense of relative deprivation.
The controversy did not end there. Additional complaints were filed through the National Petition Portal, questioning how a corporation in which Honey Lee served as an internal director was able to purchase high-value real estate shortly after being established with minimal capital. Although police investigations concluded with no charges, the series of issues surrounding one celebrity contributed to growing public fatigue.
Furthermore, it was revealed that a corporation jointly operated by Honey Lee and her husband had failed to register as an entertainment management business, leading to the case being forwarded to prosecutors. Overall, critics argue that Honey Lee’s long-term operation of a one-person agency for personal convenience, coupled with administrative negligence and ethical lapses, damaged public trust. Despite this, she did not take a significant hiatus and instead continued her acting career without an extended period of self-reflection.
Honey Lee previously built a strong image through roles in dramas such as One the Woman, where she portrayed confident and justice-driven characters. However, the controversies surrounding her private business dealings have led to disappointment among viewers who once praised her upright public persona.
She is now reportedly considering a lead role in the upcoming tvN drama Promoter, in which she would portray South Korea’s first female boxing promoter an influential real-life figure from the 1980s boxing scene. The project, directed by Lee Jong-seok, centers on a hardworking genius boxer and the woman who plays a key role in shaping him into a star.
Public reactions remain divided. Some argue that casting a star surrounded by recent controversies in a human sports drama based on a real person could disrupt immersion, while others question whether her return to broadcast television is happening too quickly.
Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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