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South Korean actor Yoo Yeon-seok, known for his roles in Reply 1994 and Hospital Playlist, is reportedly facing a tax bill of around seven billion won (approximately PhP273.9 million or $4.8 million).

On March 14, Yoo Yeon-seok's agency, KingKong by Starship Entertainment, issued an official statement regarding the tax investigation, which was translated by Soompi.

The tax bill arose from concerns linked to the establishment of Forever Entertainment, an agency founded by Yoo Yeon-seok.

The agency stated that the tax issue emerged due to discrepancies in the "interpretations and applications of tax law between our tax representatives and the tax authorities."

"As this is not yet a confirmed or finalized decision, we plan to actively present our case through the proper legal procedures," KingKong by Starship stated.

The agency explained that the issue arose because the National Tax Service classified Yoo Yeon-seok's income from YouTube content, related businesses, and food ventures over the past five years as "subject to personal income tax rather than corporate tax."

"This resulted in personal income tax being levied on earnings that had already been fully reported as corporate income by his tax representatives," KingKong by Starship said.

"Yoo Yeon Seok has always prioritized fulfilling his tax obligations with integrity and will continue to abide by all relevant laws and procedures as a responsible citizen," the agency added.

As reported by The Korea Herald on Tuesday, March 18, this is said to be the largest tax bill "ever imposed on a South Korean celebrity."

Aside from Yeon-seok, other South Korean celebrities also came under scrutiny due to tax issues, including Lee Ha-nee and Park Hee-soon.

MEANWHILE, HERE ARE SOME OF THE PHILIPPINES' TOP CELEBRITY TAXPAYERS: