Actor Lee Joon Gi has been hit with a massive tax penalty of ₩900 million KRW (~$670,000 USD), but he’s not backing down—he’s currently fighting the ruling through an appeal!
According to reports on March 19, the Seoul Gangnam Tax Office launched a tax investigation into Lee Joon Gi and his agency, Namoo Actors, in 2023.
The result? The National Tax Service (NTS) imposed a ₩900 million penalty, claiming tax irregularities. Lee Joon Gi initially requested a pre-assessment review, but when that was denied, he filed an appeal with the Tax Tribunal.
The issue revolves around financial transactions between Namoo Actors and JG Entertainment, a company Lee Joon Gi personally established.
In 2014, Lee Joon Gi founded JG Entertainment and later signed an exclusive contract with Namoo Actors.
Instead of paying Lee directly, Namoo Actors transferred his appearance fees to JG Entertainment.
JG Entertainment paid corporate taxes on the earnings.
However, the tax authorities weren’t convinced. They claimed:
These payments should have been considered Lee Joon Gi’s personal income, not corporate revenue.
Since corporate tax rates are capped at 24%, while personal income tax can go up to 45%, the NTS suspects tax avoidance.
The ₩900 million penalty was imposed because of this reclassification.
Lee Joon Gi’s team insists the tax ruling is unfair.
A Namoo Actors representative stated, "Lee Joon Gi respects the tax authorities' decision and has already paid the amount. However, this ruling is different from past tax practices."
They added, "The Gangnam Tax Office claims Namoo Actors should have paid Lee directly instead of JG Entertainment, but we followed advice from tax experts and acted within the law."
Meanwhile, JG Entertainment was co-founded by Lee Joon Gi and his father, with both acting as joint representatives.
With the legal battle ongoing, fans are keeping a close eye on whether Lee Joon Gi will win his appeal or have to accept the hefty tax bill. Stay tuned for updates!
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