Cha Eun-woo's 20 billion won tax reassessment shock → Kim Soo-hyun's alleged audio recording fabrication.. Top 5 trending topics selected by AI [First Half-Year Review ②]

*This content was translated by AI.

• [2026 First Half-Year Review] Top 5 Entertainment Incidents and Scandals Selected by AI Based on Buzz

The entertainment industry in the first half of the year was more turbulent than ever. From crimes involving the misuse of AI (artificial intelligence) to manipulate false information to successive tax evasion controversies involving celebrities, incidents and accidents that betrayed public trust occurred one after another, heating up the entertainment world.

Among these, the legal dispute between actor Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Se-ye, CEO of Garo-Sero Research Institute (hereinafter Garo-Sero), the controversy surrounding mass tax evasion by celebrities, privacy issues involving participants in dating programs, controversies on celebrity social media, and the wine substitution scandal at Chef Ahn Sung-jae's restaurant 'Mosu' are cited as major topics throughout the first half of the year. To this end, we utilized the AI model Gemini to comprehensively evaluate the public interest, impact, and public response of each incident, selecting the 'Top 5 Entertainment Incidents and Accidents of the First Half of 2026'.

AI selected the "controversy over tax evasion by celebrities," which included Astro member and actor Cha Eun-woo, actors Kim Sun-ho, and Yoo Yeon-seok, as the top trending topic by popularity.

Cha Eun-woo was at the center of the tax evasion controversy in the entertainment industry in the first half of 2026, which was ranked number one. In addition to him, numerous entertainers including Kim Seon-ho, Lee Min-ki, Lee Yi-kyung, Yoo Yeon-seok, and Ji Chang-wook were engulfed in controversy after receiving tax assessment notices ranging from tens of billions to hundreds of billions of won.

In particular, Cha Eun-woo caused a major stir when it was revealed that he had received a tax assessment notice from the National Tax Service in January last year for approximately 20 billion won. The National Tax Service determined that tax evasion had occurred through Company A, which was established by Cha Eun-woo's mother. Cha Eun-woo was reported to have operated under a structure where his agency, Fantagio, and Company A entered into a contract for services related to supporting entertainment activities, with revenues distributed among Fantagio, the company, and Cha Eun-woo personally.

The National Tax Service determined that Company A was unsuitable for performing entertainment management duties and served as a so-called "paper company" to distribute income without actual business activities. This means that aside from his existing agency, Fantagio, Cha Eun-woo entered into service contracts through a separate family company, thereby benefiting from a corporate tax rate lower than the 45th% personal income tax rate.

It was even revealed that the entity of Company A is linked to an 'eel restaurant' operated by Cha Eun-woo's mother, and it came to light that Cha Eun-woo had previously introduced the eel restaurant as a 'favorite local eatery,' further intensifying the controversy.

About three months after the controversy erupted, Cha Eun-woo paid all the taxes he was notified to pay in April. The actual amount paid was reduced to around 13 billion won, lower than the initially reported figure of over 20 billion won.

Kim Sun-ho, also under Fantagio like Cha Eun-woo, was embroiled in a tax evasion controversy regarding the operation of a one-person agency in February. The allegations claim that the one-person agency, established in January 2024, registered family members as employees without actual operations and used corporate cards, thereby processing income in an opaque manner.

Fantagio explained that it was due to inexperience in operating a private agency, and Kim Seon-ho settled the related costs and paid the assessed taxes. Additionally, the corporation underwent the closure procedure.

Meanwhile, Ji Chang-wook faced allegations that he was ordered to pay back taxes amounting to several billion won through an irregular tax audit conducted by the National Tax Service in June.

Spring Company, the actor's agency, explained that it has confirmed there are differing interpretations between the tax authorities and itself regarding whether income from the actor's entertainment activities should be attributed to the individual or the corporation under the principle of actual taxation. It further emphasized that since its debut in 2008, the agency has strictly adhered to relevant laws and procedures without any tax-related issues, prioritizing the faithful fulfillment of tax obligations.

In addition to these individuals, it was revealed that Yoo Yeon-seok, Lee Min-ki, and Lee I-kyung also had taxes reassessed, placing them at the center of the controversy.

AI analyzed the reason for ranking the issue as number one, stating, "It is a matter that directly undermines social fairness, and income distribution and tax avoidance using a one-person agency and a paper company have caused significant feelings of deprivation among the diligent paying public."

In particular, regarding Cha Eun-woo, AI stated, "Cha Eun-woo adopted a method with clear intent, such as creating a paper company in his mother's name to distribute income. Although the agency explained that 'there was no intentional omission or tax evasion,' the scale of the additional taxes collected was sufficient to shock the public."

Furthermore, this recent wave of tax evasion controversies is interpreted as having sparked even greater public outrage because it appears not merely as the misconduct of one or two individuals, but as a widespread practice across the entire industry.

The second most talked-about topic identified by AI is "the legal dispute between Kim Soo-hyun and Kim Se-ye." Since last year, Kim Se-ye has consistently maintained through broadcasts such as Gaseyeon that Kim Soo-hyun dated the late Kim Sae-ron when she was a minor and bears responsibility for her death.

In addition, Kim Se-hee held a press conference on behalf of the bereaved family and also released materials claimed to be voice recordings of the late Kim Sae-ron and KakaoTalk conversations with Kim Soo-hyun.

However, investigative authorities determined that the voice recording file released by Kim Se-se was an AI-generated fabricated file, and that the KakaoTalk conversation between Kim Soo-hyun and the late Kim Sae-ron was also fabricated. Accordingly, the police applied charges including violation of the Sexual Violence Punishment Act, defamation, threats, and attempted coercion, and applied for an arrest warrant against Kim Se-se last month.

Subsequently, the court determined there was a risk of evidence destruction and flight, issuing an arrest warrant, and ultimately Kim Se-se appeared in court while in custody.

AI explained that it selected the case as the second most significant issue because it is "a case that materialized the era's fear of the misuse of AI technology." It further stated, "Beyond a mere scandal, the gravity of the offense lies in trampling an individual's reputation and attempting social execution. The court issued an arrest warrant, indicating that the substance and evidence of the crime are clear, and the case has sounded a major alarm for how to respond to crimes in the AI era."

In fact, Kim Soo-hyun is currently embroiled in a 3.9 billion won damages lawsuit filed by health supplement company Prombio. Prombio filed the lawsuit last May, claiming that Kim Soo-hyun's involvement in a private life controversy damaged the brand's image. In response, Kim Soo-hyun's side denied any liability for damages, stating that the allegations were untrue.

In this situation, Kim Soo-hyun is set to resume activities starting in July. His agency, Gold Medalist, announced that "Kim Soo-hyun will shoot a print advertisement for the Filipino fashion brand BENCH on July 14." Industry attention is focused on whether this ad shoot will mark the end of his hiatus and allow him to stretch his legs again.

Third place in the AI-selected trending topics was "controversy over the private lives of participants in a dating program."

In January, allegations surfaced that participant A, who appeared on SBS's "Cohabitation Blind Date," concealed their past as a mistress during the show. It was revealed that a court ruled in a lawsuit involving the mistress, ordering A to pay 30 million won in damages. In response, the production team issued an official statement saying they would remove the participant's footage. A denied the allegations, stating there was "some discrepancy with the facts," and hinted at taking legal action.

Recently, B, a cast member of Channel A's "Heart Signal 5," was also engulfed in allegations of committing an affair during filming, alongside revelations that they are a defendant in a damages lawsuit filed by an adulterous partner. While the "Heart Signal 5" side stated, "We are verifying the facts regarding the allegations and are taking the matter seriously," B continued to appear in subsequent episodes without being edited out.

Additionally, a post surfaced claiming that participants in the ENA and SBS Plus "I Am Single" special for divorced individuals concealed their divorce litigation process and falsely stated they had reached a consensual divorce on the show, sparking controversy.

The AI explained that it ranked the case third because it "undermined the core value of 'authenticity' in dating programs and thoroughly deceived viewers." It pointed out that "the fact that participants received court rulings for infidelity or continued dual lives during filming while pretending to be single in front of the camera and performed 'dating acting' is of very poor quality."

It was also stated that the production team's failure to verify the participants, along with their insistence on broadcasting the program and their irresponsible attitude even after the controversy, could undermine audience immersion and cause displeasure.

As the practice of relying solely on the popularity of ordinary participants while neglecting verification continues, the credibility of dating programs is also wavering. Critics point out that production teams must conduct more thorough verification to prevent participants' private lives from sparking controversies of deceiving viewers.

The controversy ranked fourth in AI-generated buzz is "Chef Ahn Sung-jae's restaurant Mosu swapping wines."

In April, a controversy arose over wine pairing services at Mosu Seoul, a restaurant where Ahn Sung-jae serves as the executive chef. A netizen claimed that instead of a 2000 vintage wine that should have been served with the ordered dish, a 2005 vintage product, approximately 100,000 won cheaper, was provided. In response, Mosu stated, "We sincerely apologize for the confusion caused by inaccurate guidance and for failing to provide sufficient explanation during the response process."

Ahn Sung-jae also stated, "As the owner chef who bears unlimited responsibility for the incident, I promise to manage it thoroughly and ensure complete safety," offering his apology once again. However, on the same day the apology was published, a new video was uploaded to Ahn Sung-jae's YouTube channel, leading to negative public opinion. Consequently, the YouTube production team announced a suspension of uploads, stating they would take time to reorganize the channel for the time being.

The AI that ranked the issue fourth analyzed the reason for the controversy, stating that it was because "consumer deception hidden behind the highest authority and perfectionist image of 'Michelin' was exposed."

Consumers seeking fine dining expect the highest level of service and trust from the brand and chef commensurate with the high costs they incur. However, the approach of offering different wine vintages, receiving criticism, and then resorting to excuses was criticized for effectively undermining consumer trust. Given that Ahn Sung-jae had rapidly risen to prominence with a meticulous and strict image through broadcasts, it was pointed out that "the depth of disappointment felt by the public is even greater."

This controversy is cited as a case demonstrating that a star chef's reputation and buzz alone cannot meet consumer expectations. It once again confirmed that basic service quality management and crisis response capabilities are crucial competitive advantages in restaurant operations. As star marketing expands across the food service industry, there are calls for service levels and responsible post-incident responses that match brand value to be supported alongside such marketing efforts.

Finally, AI selected "controversies surrounding celebrities' SNS" as the fifth most talked-about topic.

The first half of the year in the entertainment industry was marred by continuous noise stemming from stars' careless social media posts and behavior. In April, travel creator Kwak Tube was embroiled in controversy over allegations of violating the Anti-Graft Act after publicly revealing that his wife, a public official, had stayed at a high-cost postpartum care facility funded by sponsorship. Kwak Tube's side clarified that it was a private contract with no connection to official duties, and subsequently donated 30 million won to support unmarried mothers.

Actress Ki Eun-se also sparked controversy over an emotional confrontation after posting a message saying "I hope the world was warm" along with a photo of Gong (President) on her SNS, despite her agency having apologized in April for residents' complaints about parking and cleaning due to interior renovation work.

Actor Kim Bin-woo faced criticism after offering the absurd excuse of "I'm on the first floor" when he received complaints about loud partying and music during a late-night TikTok live broadcast in May. Broadcaster Ahn Seon-young, who arrived late to the IELTS test center in June and missed the exam, faced backlash for her unapologetic attitude of blaming the organizer for not recognizing the rule violation, and subsequently issued an apology.

AI stated that the reason it ranked the issue fifth was due to the subtle sense of privilege among stars who have lost their ability to empathize and their responses that deviate from common public sense. It further pointed out that social media platforms, which serve as communication channels with the public, were used solely as tools to promote their own interests or to complain about grievances. Critics noted that the repeated occurrence of "copy-paste" apologies, posted reluctantly only after the controversy escalated, has caused significant fatigue among the public.

Social media is a space that expands a star's influence, but it also carries public responsibility. These are cases that demonstrate how repeated explanations that fail to resonate with the public and emotional responses can lead to a loss of trust. The more famous individuals are who have gained influence through public love, the more urgently they need a mature attitude that first considers the social impact of their actions.

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*This content was translated by AI.