Frustrated SamzzumSam Investors with National Tax Service Free Services

Not Afraid of Service Competition
Concerns Over Perceptions That "Free Is the Norm" and "Paid Services Are Illegal"
Recent Investment Efforts Also Face Negative Impact

The National Tax Service (NTS) has started offering its own comprehensive income tax refund service for free, causing growing concerns among the private tax platform 'SamzzumSam' and its investors. Beyond market competition, there is worry that perceptions such as "free is the norm" or "paid services are illegal" might spread.

According to industry sources on the 2nd, the NTS officially launched its own comprehensive income tax refund service called 'One Click' on the 31st of last month. This service automatically calculates and returns refunds to taxpayers who missed out because they were unaware of the refund or how to apply. Unlike private companies, it is completely free with no fees.

Companies providing similar tax-related services are now facing difficulties. The industry-leading service 'SamzzumSam' is a prime example. There are concerns that this could negatively impact ongoing investment efforts. Both current and prospective investors are facing doubts and anxiety.

Javis & Villains, the operator of SamzzumSam, is currently raising about 40 billion KRW in investment at a company valuation of 410 billion KRW. A venture capital (VC) representative who invested in Javis & Villains said, "It can be quite fatal for the government to step in and offer a free platform while a legitimate platform business is operating well," adding, "It would be better if they imposed other business regulations rather than openly denying the business model; it’s somewhat frustrating."

The biggest concern is the spread of negative perceptions. If the public opinion shifts beyond "free is natural" to considering paid services illegal, it could impose widespread burdens on the business. It is reported that when Javis & Villains’ IPO failed last year, it faced criticism over conflicts with the professional organization, the Korea Tax Association, and uncertainties about business continuity. In such a situation, even noise itself becomes a source of instability for the business. Previously, the Korea Tax Association filed lawsuits and complaints against Javis & Villains, claiming its service was an illegal tax brokerage, but investigative agencies including the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office dismissed the charges.

Another VC investor in Javis & Villains explained, "The service and platform quality have been refined over several years by hundreds of people, so we are confident competing with anyone, including the NTS," adding, "We welcome fair competition in the market based on quality, but we must oppose any public opinion that assumes such services should naturally be free or attempts to brand SamzzumSam as illegal."

Meanwhile, SamzzumSam is the largest private tax platform in Korea launched by Javis & Villains. It provides simple tax services based on artificial intelligence (AI) and has secured 21 million subscribers. It was also selected as a prospective unicorn by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups. It has attracted about 43 billion KRW in investments from Atinum Investment, HB Investment, Capstone Partners, DSC Investment, Korea Development Bank, and others. In the first half of last year, it achieved its best performance since its establishment in 2025, with sales of 77.7 billion KRW and tax refund brokerage amounting to 637.8 billion KRW.