Yoo Yeon-seok cleared of tax evasion ahead of 41st birthday, pays Dh 8.2 million penalty after double taxation error

In a recent turn of events, actor Yoo Yeon-seok has seen his tax penalty significantly reduced—dropping from a hefty 7 billion KRW to 3 billion KRW, following a reevaluation by the National Tax Service.

On April 10 KST, his agency, KingKong by Starship, confirmed, “After resolving differing interpretations of current tax laws, the National Tax Service acknowledged that Yoo Yeon Seok may have been subject to double taxation. The final assessed amount came to 3 billion KRW, which Yoo Yeon Seok has already paid in full.”

Providing further clarity, the label explained that since 2015, the actor has been actively producing content on YouTube as part of his broader entertainment career. To manage this expansion—along with ventures like the food service industry—Yoo Yeon-seok established an agency. However, the tax authorities initially sought to apply personal income tax to his agency's earnings, rather than corporate tax, resulting in the inflated penalty.

KingKong by Starship firmly stated that the penalties were not the result of any tax evasion. The actor, who will turn 41 tomorrow, has cooperated fully and settled all tax obligations without issue, according to the agency.