It looks like the creator behind one of the Internet’s top webtoons is in hot water right now. If you read web-comics, there is a very good chance you have heard of True Beauty at the very least. The series is one of the industry’s hottest titles, but now its creator Yaongyi is under fire as she is now being investigated for tax evasion.
The situation came to light earlier this year as authorities in South Korea confirmed it was doing tax audits on several anonymous influencers. At this time, it was said a female webtoon creator was being investigated, but no creator in particular was singled out to the public. However, Yaongyi owned up to the investigation herself on social media this week.
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“On November 16, 2022, a tax investigation agent from the National Tax Service came and we faithfully abided with the investigation. Currently, there is a dispute over the legal interpretation of value-added tax for the publishing industry and the webtoon industry and we are actively explaining the situation with the help of professional accountants,” the writer shared.
On social media, fans were quick to question Yaongyi about the first report and its details. The original news piece in South Korea said the webtoon creator allegedly created a corporation staffed by family members in a bid to reduce their taxes. The report also suggested the creator rented luxury vehicles and purchased high-end goods under the guise of company expenses. On social media, the True Beauty writer has denied these allegations, and officials are still parsing through their investigationoverseas.
As for Yaongyi’s webtoon, True Beauty is still putting out new content, but it seems the scandal has impacted the comic in some way. The series just dropped a new chapter which fans rated as less than seven stars while True Beauty consistently earns nine or more stars per chapter. So as this case unfolds, fans will have to see how True Beauty bears the scandal.
What do you think about this latest webtoon scandal? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
