Actor Lee Ha-nee and her husband have been referred to prosecutors on charges of operating an entertainment agency without proper registration for a decade.

The Gangnam Police Precinct said on Wednesday that it had indicted Lee, her husband Peter Chang and their company Hope Project without detention on suspicion of violating the Act on the Development of the Popular Culture and Arts Industry. The case was transferred to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office on Tuesday.

TeamHope, Lee’s management agency, said in a statement on Wednesday that Hope Project has now completed registration as a popular culture and arts planning business in accordance with the law, adding that it received its registration certificate on Oct. 28.

The agency said it would “faithfully comply with any related procedures going forward.”

Lee established the company under her namesake, Hanee, in October 2015. It was ultimately renamed Hope Project in September 2022. Lee remained listed as the company’s CEO and inside director until January 2023. The company is currently headed by her husband, with Lee serving as an inside director while also being signed to TeamHope.

Separately, Lee was hit with 60 billion won ($4.13 million) in additional taxes in September 2024 after the National Tax Service determined that income from her entertainment activities had been processed as corporate tax through Hope Project.

In March, Lee’s representatives said there had been no tax evasion, arguing instead that the tax authorities had imposed double taxation, and said the matter would be addressed through legal procedures.

A number of Korean celebrities were found to be running talent agencies without proper registration earlier this year, including musical theater star Ok Joo-hyun and singer Sung Si-kyung.

Entertainment companies in Korea with more than one employee are obligated to undergo formal registration. Failure to do so can result in criminal penalties, including suspension of business, fines of up to 20 million won ($14,300) or imprisonment for up to two years.


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.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]