Four of Korea’s most popular TV shows are at risk after popular host Kang Ho-dong abruptly announced Friday that he would “tentatively” retire from the entertainment industry due to public uproar over his evasion of tax.

Earlier, on Monday, Kang had apologized to the public for failing to properly declare his income, after being ordered by the National Tax Service to pay penalty taxes.

Kang has been one of the two most prominent hosts, along with MC Yoo Jae-seok, in recent years.

Before his announcement, Kang was the host KBS reality show “Happy Sunday: 1 Night, 2 Days,” SBS talent search program “Star King” and variety talk show “Strong Heart” and MBC talk show “Golden Fishery: Knee Guru.”

<YONHAP PHOTO-1716> 강호동, 연예계 잠정 은퇴 (서울=연합뉴스) 홍기원 기자 = 세금 과소 납부로 국세청으로부터 수억 원대의 추징금을 부과받은 개그맨 강호동이 9일 오후 서울 마포구 도화동 서울가든호텔에서 기자회견을 열고 입장을 밝히고 있다. 강호동은 이번 사건에 책임을 지고 연예계를 잠정 은퇴 한다고 밝혔다. 2011.9.9 xanadu@yna.co.kr/2011-09-09 18:45:00/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2011 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.>\r\nTV show host Kang Ho-dong at a press conference at a hotel in Seoul, Friday Yonhap News
강호동, 연예계 잠정 은퇴 (서울=연합뉴스) 홍기원 기자 = 세금 과소 납부로 국세청으로부터 수억 원대의 추징금을 부과받은 개그맨 강호동이 9일 오후 서울 마포구 도화동 서울가든호텔에서 기자회견을 열고 입장을 밝히고 있다. 강호동은 이번 사건에 책임을 지고 연예계를 잠정 은퇴 한다고 밝혔다. 2011.9.9 xanadu@yna.co.kr/2011-09-09 18:45:00/ <저작권자 ⓒ 1980-2011 ㈜연합뉴스. 무단 전재 재배포 금지.>\r\nTV show host Kang Ho-dong at a press conference at a hotel in Seoul, Friday Yonhap News

TV show host Kang Ho-dong at a press conference at a hotel in Seoul, Friday (Yonhap News)

It has been confirmed that “1 Night, 2 Days” will be aired until February 2012. Broadcasters have not said whether they will continue the other three shows with a new MC or scrap them.

On Friday, Kang held an unscheduled press conference, announcing that he would leave show business “temporarily.”

The Korean traditional wrestler-turned-entertainer said he could not give joy and happiness to TV viewers after causing public uproar over his “unintended” tax evasion.

He did not elaborate on how long his semi-retirement will be or whether he will ever be back.

The NTS said Kang had been under a tax evasion probe for five months. His lawyer and tax service provider raised a few objections to the NTS but they concluded that Kang paid less money in taxes than he was supposed to pay.

The sum of Kang’s additional taxes was not disclosed but news reports said he will pay hundreds of millions of won.

Before the tax evasion debacle, Kang had announced that he would leave “1 Night, 2 Days,” prompting speculation that he would move to one of the new “comprehensive programming channels” to be run by four major conservative newspapers.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldm.com)