PUBLISHED ONAugust 26, 2025 9:47 AMBYKristy Chua
In his 34-year-long career, South Korean TV host Yoo Jae-suk has kept his tax record squeaky clean.
And on Aug 21, tax accountant Yoon Na-gyeom from the YouTube channel Tax-saving TV dived into how the 53-year-old has had "no flaws in his tax audit", as reported by AllKpop.
Yoon explained that most Korean celebrities choose to keep account of their business expenses as much as possible for tax deduction benefits.
Jae-suk, however, uses a method dubbed "estimated taxation" which applies the expense ratio set by the National Tax Service (NTS).
To better visualise the method, she elaborated: "Let's say a celebrity earns 10 billion won (S$9.2 million). With detailed bookkeeping, they may pay around 2.7 billion won in taxes. But with Jae-suk's method, he pays approximately 4.1 billion won. He willingly pays more to maintain transparency."
Jae-suk's move to utilise estimated taxation was a strategic one, as it eliminates unnecessary risks including accusations of under-reporting income, or manipulation of expense records. It also saves him time and reduces stress over documentation, allowing him to focus on his career.
Yoon concluded: "From a tax professional's perspective, Jae-suk may be overpaying rather than underpaying. It's a rare case where a public figure puts integrity above financial savings. He chose trust over money - and that's what truly makes him 'the nation's MC'."
On Aug 23, Yugyeom from K-pop boy band Got7 announced that he would begin his 18-month-long mandatory military service on Sept 29.
His agency AOMG stated that the 27-year-old would serve in the Army Band, of which his friends Cha Eun-woo from Astro and Jaehyun from NCT are also in. AOMG added the date and location of his enlistment ceremony would be kept private to avoid crowding.
In a handwritten letter uploaded on his social media platforms, the youngest member of Got7 wrote: "To our Ahgase who have been with us for 12 years, I wanted to tell you that I will join the military in good health for the sake of our country and do well.
"I'll be back safely without getting hurt, so please make sure to eat well and stay healthy. And when the moon rises, whether it be a full moon, new moon or half-moon, please think of me and listen to my music when you miss me.
"I'll miss you. I'll look at the same moon and think of you all, and I'll work harder to do better!"
In April, Yugyeom wrapped up his Trusty solo tour in. As part of a 2024 instalment of the tour, he performed at the Capitol Theatre in Singapore on Oct 5.
On Aug 24, Hong Kong former actress Mak King Ting took to Weibo to share how her husband, veteran Hong Kong actor Jackie Lui, suffered from a serious illness for two months.
The 59-year-old came down with bacterial pneumonia, which spread to multiple organs and caused his condition to rapidly deteriorate. He was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) where he spent 14 days and lost 18 kg.
He is currently recovering at home.
Jackie shared her post on his Weibo account, adding: "I was actually unconscious the entire time and didn't feel anything! But it was hard on my loved ones who worried about me. This time, I truly understand what it means to be back from the dead."
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