Once celebrated as one of the most loved actresses of South Korea and a symbol of the wave of Hallyu, Song Hye-Kyo saw its immaculate reputation crumble in 2014 when it was implicated in a tax evasion scandal.
The scandal that shocked Korea
On August 19, 2014, the National Tax Service of Korea revealed that the song Hye-Kyo had underestimated its personal income between 2009 and 2011, escaping taxes equal to 2.5 billion KRW. The revelation came after three consecutive years of sub-acting, during which Song Hye-Kyo continued his work and his public appearances without dissemination.
His agency initially claimed that he had no personal responsibility, blaming an accounting errors by a tax agent who had authorized to manage his finances. However, public indignation has grown, with many who accused him of having made excuses and of not being able to correctly supervise his finances.
Although Song Hye-Kyo rapidly paying for taxes, the repercussions was serious. Under an intense pressure, he kept a press conference, capturing himself deeply and apologize to the nation, promising that he never repeats the offense.
A lasting stain on its image
The accident remains the most harmful controversy of the career of Song Hye-Kyo. He had to face boycotts and the petitions circulated asking for his removal from the entertainment sector. It took years to start reconstructing his image, with the turning point coming in 2016 through the enormous success of Descendants of the sun.
However, the public has not forgotten. Whenever another tax scandal stops in Korean entertainment, the name of Song Hye-Kyo takes up again. Even his manifestations of wealth such as the purchase of a 9 billion krw luxury villa have rekindled the criticisms, with the netizen who derive his past evasion while they noticed his sumptuous lifestyle.
Despite the lasting stain on his public image, Song Hye-Kyo remains one of the most recognized actresses of Korea, his career is a complex mix of acclamation, resilience and disputes.
Sources: K14
