On February 20, the Seoul Gangnam Police Station confirmed that they had received a formal complaint requesting an investigation into Honey Lee’s alleged tax evasion, embezzlement and breach of trust (Aggravated Punishment of Specific Economic Crimes Act).
According to the complaint letter, the allegations include: Honey Lee was imposed a tax penalty of 6 billion KRW, one of the highest in Korean entertainment history; Her company, Hope Project, was established with only 10 million KRW in capital but managed to purchase real estate worth 6.5 billion KRW within two years; Despite having no full-time employees from 2021 to 2023, the company reportedly paid 2.7 billion KRW in wages.
Additionally, the company’s address was found to be the same as the residence of Honey Lee and her husband, raising concerns about embezzlement and breach of trust. The complainant also pointed out that if the financial gains exceed 5 billion KRW, aggravated punishment could apply.
Previously, on February 17, a media outlet reported that the Seoul Regional Tax Office conducted an intensive tax investigation on Honey Lee and Hope Project in September last year. As a result, she was charged with approximately 6 billion KRW in income tax and other dues. This sum is considered significant even compared to other celebrities who have faced tax audits and penalties in the past.
According to the report, Honey Lee established the corporation Hanee Co., Ltd. on October 5, 2015, while she was under her former agency. The company later changed its name to Lee Rye-yoon Co., Ltd. in 2018 and to Hope Project Co., Ltd. in 2022. Until January 2023, she served as the company’s CEO and an internal director.
Currently, her husband holds the CEO position, while Honey Lee remains listed as an internal director. The report claims that in 2022, the Gangnam Tax Office discovered signs of possible tax evasion while conducting a non-regular tax audit on her former agency Saram Entertainment. This led to a tax investigation into Honey Lee and Hope Project in September last year.
Meanwhile, Honey Lee refuted allegations of large-scale tax evasion.
On February 17, her agency TEAMHOPE issued an official statement, saying, “Honey Lee fully cooperated with the tax audit conducted by the Seoul Regional Tax Office as part of a non-regular integrated tax investigation for corporate business artists.”
Her agency emphasized, “Under the guidance of her tax representatives, Honey Lee has always complied with legal procedures and fulfilled her tax obligations faithfully. The additional tax payment resulted from differences in interpretation between the tax authorities and her tax representatives. She paid the full amount, and this has no relation to any intentional tax omission.”
Despite the agency’s explanation that the tax penalty stemmed from “differences in interpretation”, public skepticism remains due to the sheer size of the amount. Many argue that even if it wasn’t intentional, such a large sum indicates a significant omission.
Criticism has intensified, particularly as it was revealed that a portion of the unpaid taxes was related to Honey Lee’s personal finances.
Public attention has also been drawn to her father, a former high-ranking National Intelligence Service official, who was fined 15 million won in 2011 for stock manipulation.