Actor Lee Ha-nee avoids indictment over unregistered talent agency
Prosecutors suspended indictment against actor Lee Ha-nee, her husband and their company over operating an unregistered one-person talent agency.
Actor Lee Ha-nee speaks during a press conference of movie "The People Upstairs" (2025) held in southern Seoul on Nov. 25, 2025.
YONHAP
Actor Lee Ha-nee, a former Miss Korea beauty pageant winner, has received a suspension of indictment over allegations that she ran an unlicensed one-person talent agency, legal sources said Thursday.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office recently issued the suspension to Lee, her husband surnamed Chang, and their company Hope Project on charges of violating the Popular Culture and Arts Industry Development Act.
A suspension of indictment is a prosecutorial decision not to pursue charges for trial despite finding sufficient grounds to establish an offense.
Hope Project is a one-person agency Lee established in 2015. Lee served as its chief executive officer and internal director until January 2023. Afterwards, her husband has served as CEO while Lee has remained an internal director.
Under the legal framework, those who engage in talent management businesses must register with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Hope Project, however, operated without registration until allegations surfaced. It later completed the registration process in October last year.
The Seoul Gangnam Police precinct referred Lee, her husband and the talent agency in question to prosecutors without detention in December last year. Prosecutors ultimately decided to suspend the indictment.
"We were not fully aware of the registration requirement," Lee’s agency said at the time. "We have now completed all necessary procedures and will continue to cooperate faithfully with any remaining process."
Hope Project is also the company linked to the controversy over Lee's roughly 6 billion won ($4.06 million) tax reassessment.
The Seoul Regional Office of the National Tax Service conducted a non-routine tax audit of Lee and Hope Project in 2024 and imposed about 6 billion won in additional taxes.
Tax authorities determined that earnings from Lee's entertainment work should have been reported as her personal income rather than the company's revenue.
BY PARK JONG-SUH [[email protected]]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
