Honey Lee has addressed controversy surrounding a "Hannam-dong gomtang restaurant" registered as a branch of her one-person agency, stating that the location is simply a rental property.
Her management side, Team HOPE, told Dispatch on March 9 that the address is not the agency's headquarters but a business site used for leasing purposes. According to the company, the location was registered as a branch through standard administrative procedures.
In fact, Honey Lee's one-person agency, HOPE Project, is officially headquartered in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul. Her husband, Mr. Jang, serves as CEO, while Honey Lee holds the position of internal director.
Explanation on the Building Acquisition
The company also clarified the timeline surrounding the building purchase. HOPE Project first attempted to sign a contract for the Yongsan property in 2017. However, the building owner passed away during the process, delaying the transfer of ownership until 2020.
The original purpose of acquiring the property was not real estate speculation. According to the agency, the plan centered on creating a multi-purpose cultural and arts space, including wellness business concepts and workspaces for content development.
Legal Changes Affected the Property Plan
During that period, regulations changed. The agency explained that existing tenants' leases continued to be renewed and maintained under Korea's Commercial Building Lease Protection Act.
As for whether the property's use will change once those protections expire, the company declined to give a definitive answer. "We originally acquired it for that purpose, but we will have to see when the time comes," the agency said.
Tax Investigation and Registration Issue
Separately, Honey Lee was ordered to pay an additional 6 billion KRW in taxes following an irregular tax audit conducted by the Seoul Regional Tax Office in 2024. She paid the full amount and has since filed an appeal with the Tax Tribunal.
She was also referred to prosecutors for operating her one-person agency without registering it as a popular culture and arts management business. Following the controversy, her side confirmed that the official registration certificate was obtained on October 28 last year.
