[TV Report = Reporter Choi Min-jun] While actor Kim Seon-ho is at the center of controversy due to suspicions of tax evasion that arose during the settlement process through a family corporation, a subtle change in mood was also detected in the advertising world. As suspicions spread, there is an interpretation that brands are preemptively ‘cutting corners’. On the 3rd, Beanpole, a clothing brand that used Kim Seon-ho as a model, made Kim Seon-ho's teaser image and video private on its official account. The content was released on January 30th, and has currently been deleted from the brand's official account and channel, but can still be viewed on Kim Seon-ho's fan account. Beanpole previously conducted a collaborative pictorial with Kim Seon-ho, and uploaded related images again even after the recent Netflix release, making this move even more eye-catching. This movement seems to be unrelated to the suspicion of tax evasion that arose after it became known that Kim Seon-ho had previously received payments from entertainment activities through a corporation under his family's name. It is reported that Kim Seon-ho established a performance agency-type corporation at his home in Yongsan-gu, Seoul in early 2024, registered his parents as directors, and received settlement money through the corporation. In the process, suspicions were raised that they were trying to avoid high income taxes, and controversy grew as it was even claimed that salaries in the millions to tens of millions of won were paid to parents. In response to this, Kim Seon-ho's current agency, Fantagio, drew a line, saying, "Currently, Kim Seon-ho is working under an exclusive contract in his personal name, and is complying with legal and tax procedures throughout the contract and activities." It was also explained that the corporation in question was for the purpose of producing a play and was not a paper company for intentional tax evasion or tax savings. An explanation was also added that after transferring to Fantagio, the actual business activities of the corporation have ceased, and the process of closing the business is currently in progress. However, the reason why the controversy does not subside easily is because the case of actor Cha Eun-woo from the same agency seems to overlap. In the past, Cha Eun-woo was also caught up in suspicions of tax evasion due to his income structure through a corporation established by his mother, and his advertising and image management suffered a major blow when it became known that he had received tens of billions of won in additional tax collection notices from the National Tax Service. Due to this, some in the industry are saying, “Isn’t Kim Seon-ho taking similar steps as Cha Eun-woo?” As of now, no official judgment has been made by the investigation or tax authorities, but it appears that the advertising industry has already begun to take cautious steps. Given the nature of the advertising market, where image and trust are important, it can be seen as a natural trend to start risk management based on suspicion alone. Attention is focused on what conclusion the controversy surrounding Kim Seon-ho will lead to in the future and how far the movement in the advertising world will spread. Reporter Choi Min-jun cmj@tvreport.co.kr / Photo = TV Report DB, Kim Seon-ho