On December 2, Chen Zhipeng issued a statement in response to the revelations of former employees, which caused an uproar on the Internet. In the statement, Chen Zhipeng admitted that he received the tax inspection notice in September 2022 and paid all the relevant payments in September 2023, but the amount was not as large as the former employee revealed. 
Regarding the former employee's accusation that he evaded taxes twice, Chen Zhipeng defended that the first back tax payment was not as high as more than 10 million as the former employee said. What's more, he accused the former employee of withdrawing from the cooperation because of his own negligence and will file a lawsuit over tax issues, saying that the former employee took the news out of context and made fictitious accusations against other allegations. Chen Zhipeng's statement concludes that he admits to paying back taxes, but firmly denies all other revelations, and at the same time says that he will take legal measures to protect his rights and interests. 
This response sparked a strong heated discussion among netizens. Some people expressed their understanding of Chen Zhipeng's back tax payment, thinking that perhaps it was the problems of the operation team that caused the tax dispute. However, the denial of other revelations made some netizens doubt Chen Zhipeng's explanation, thinking that he may not be ignorant. On social **, people have discussed Chen Zhipeng's statement, and some people bluntly said, "I don't believe what he said, he doesn't know the team's behavior from beginning to end." 
Chen Zhipeng, who once became popular again because of his fancy clothes, is now caught in a whirlpool due to tax issues. Once a celebrity is involved in tax issues, not only will his image be damaged, but it may also lead to greater legal risks. This incident has also triggered people's reflection on the internal operating rules of the entertainment industry, raising more concerns about celebrity disputes and privacy protection. 
This incident hit Chen Zhipeng's image again. In the entertainment industry, celebrities' every move has attracted much attention, and once negative news breaks out, the impact on the career is immeasurable. Chen Zhipeng was a member of the "Little Tigers" and has accumulated many fans with his performance in many movies and TV series. However, this time the tax problems and the revelations of the former employee have made people re-examine his public image. 
Netizens expressed their disappointment and doubts about Chen Zhipeng on social **. Someone said, "Listen to this, he was forced to evade taxes?"It's funny, it's the first time I've seen tax evasion so justified. There are also people who call for Chen Zhipeng to be **, believing that even if it is just "tax evasion", it should also arouse vigilance and let all artists take warning. 
The fermentation of the whole incident also highlights various problems within the entertainment industry. Whether it's tax disputes or the complexity of interpersonal relationships, people are beginning to question the real life behind the superficial glamour of celebrities. For the audience in the entertainment industry, this may be a warning, reminding everyone to look at the words and deeds of stars rationally while chasing stars, and to respect the personal privacy of artists. 
In this debate between celebrities and former employees, Chen Zhipeng's future direction has become the focus of attention. Whether he can get out of the shadow of this incident and regain the recognition of the audience will be a big challenge in the future. The various turmoil in the entertainment industry has also triggered social thinking and discussion on the relationship between celebrities and the public.