Actress Park Shin-hye has come under public scrutiny after reports revealed that she operated a one-person agency for several years, raising suspicions amid a broader tax evasion crackdown within South Korea’s entertainment industry.
According to a February 27, 2026 report by Chosun Biz, Park managed a corporation named Ebenezer Entertainment from 2015 to 2021. The company’s registered address was reportedly her home, prompting speculation that it functioned as a so-called “paper company.”
The controversy emerges as tax authorities increasingly investigate celebrities who allegedly used one-person agencies to process appearance fees and reduce tax liabilities. The issue gained major attention following allegations involving Cha Eun-woo of ASTRO, who was previously accused of settling income through a similar structure and was reportedly hit with a tax surcharge of approximately ₩20 billion KRW.
Park’s current agency, Salt Entertainment, denied any connection between Ebenezer Entertainment and tax evasion practices. The company stated that it only became aware of Ebenezer’s existence after reading a 2016 article mentioning a donation made through the corporation. Salt claimed it immediately instructed Park to dissolve the entity at that time and emphasized that no activity fees were settled through the company.
“We were completely unaware that Park served as CEO of Ebenezer until 2021. Naturally, no settlements to Park were made through that corporation,” the agency stated.
However, documents obtained by Chosun Biz show that Park was listed as the representative of Ebenezer in a 2020-issued business registration certificate and served as CEO until March 2021. This timeline appears inconsistent with Salt Entertainment’s claim that it ordered the company’s dissolution in 2016.
Adding to the speculation, an anonymous industry official alleged that Salt may have processed payments to Park through her one-person agency. If verified, such arrangements could potentially raise tax-related concerns.
The situation has also drawn comparisons to actor Kim Seon-ho, who faced similar controversy in January 2024 over his own one-person agency while under Salt Entertainment. At the time, Salt explained that Kim had requested settlements through his personal corporation and that the company complied accordingly.
“It’s somewhat difficult to understand how a company that was aware of Kim Seon Ho’s one-person agency, which operated for just about a year, could claim not to know about Park Shin Hye’s case, which lasted for a much longer period,” an industry insider commented.
Further attention has been drawn to the fact that Ebenezer Entertainment reportedly supports the activities of Park’s older brother, Park Shin Won. The corporation also completed its mandatory registration as a Popular Culture and Arts Planning Business on January 19 this year — roughly four years after Park stepped down as its representative and months after the Cha Eun Woo tax controversy surfaced. Registration is legally required for companies involved in celebrity management and related activities.
As of now, no official investigation into Park Shin Hye has been confirmed. However, with tax authorities tightening oversight on one-person agencies across the entertainment sector, industry observers are closely watching whether further action will follow.
The unfolding case underscores the growing scrutiny facing Korean celebrities and their management structures, as regulators move to address potential loopholes in tax reporting practices.
You must be logged in to post a comment.