Actor Bae Pays Highest Income Tax in Local Show Business

By Kim Tae-jong
Staff Reporter

Actor Bae Yong-joon last year paid a total income tax of 9.7 billion won, Bae's management agency said.

The tax was calculated based on his income from 2005, which totaled 32.9 billion won. His income is the highest of those in the local show business.

About 90 percent of Bae's income comes from Japan, where he is affectionately called "Yonsama". But most income was from the sales of his character merchandises such as photo albums and figures, not from his work in commercials, TV dramas and films.

Last year, he earned 14.8 billion won even though he didn't appear in any films and television dramas. The money came from commercials and royalties.

Bae will make his comeback with the MBC TV drama, "The Four Guardian Gods of the King Taewangsasingi" ("The Legend"), which airs in May. It is expected to air on the Japanese broadcasting network NHK.

Co-starring actress Moon So-ri, the fantasy epic drama is a story about King Kwanggaeto, the 19th king of the Koguryo Kingdom.

The actor's managing agency BOF said that they will promote a tour package of the outdoor sets of the new drama shot on Cheju Island after the drama hits the air.

"Now most of Bae's income comes from Japan, but on a long term basis, we will work more actively to promote him in other countries such as China", a staff member of BOF was quoted as saying to Yonhap News Agency.