Singer and actor Cha Eun Woo has become embroiled in tax evasion allegations, and following the removal of various advertisements he modeled for, videos featuring him from the Ministry of National Defense have also disappeared.
After reports that Cha Eun Woo was notified of additional tax payments amounting to around 20 billion KRW, fashion, banking, and beauty brands that had selected him as a model swiftly removed his photos and related SNS posts, and set promotional videos to private, drawing widespread attention for their rapid “cutting ties” decisions.
Cha Eun Woo, who is currently serving in the military, had been actively participating in defense-related promotional content such as A Day in the Military. However, after the controversy, all videos featuring him have reportedly been removed from KFN, the Armed Forces Broadcasting Service operated by the Defense Media Agency.
The Ministry of National Defense’s apparent move to distance itself, despite Cha Eun Woo’s active-duty status, has drawn significant public interest.
On the 26th, Cha Eun Woo personally addressed the tax controversy. He stated, “As a citizen of the Republic of Korea, I am deeply reflecting on whether my attitude toward my duty to pay taxes was sufficiently strict,” and added, “I deeply feel responsible for the misunderstanding that arose from my shortcomings.”
He continued, “I am writing this after finishing my daily duties within the unit. Although I am currently serving in the military, my enlistment was by no means an intentional choice to avoid this controversy,” directly addressing speculation that his military service might have been an attempt to evade the issue.
Just one day after Cha Eun Woo mentioned his military status in his explanation, the defense-related content was set to private, prompting reactions from fans and netizens such as “The situation keeps getting bigger,” “This seems like the right measure,” and “It’s unfortunate, but what can you do.”
Previously, Cha Eun Woo was subjected to an intensive tax audit by the Seoul Regional Tax Office’s Investigation Division 4 last year and was later notified of additional taxes totaling around 20 billion KRW, including income tax. The National Tax Service reportedly viewed a corporation established by his mother as a “paper company” and determined that it had been used to reduce income tax burdens.
Regarding the controversy, his agency stated, “The matters currently raised are in the stage of fact-checking in accordance with tax authorities’ procedures, and both the agency and the artist are cooperating faithfully within the necessary scope,” adding, “Once legal and administrative judgments become clear, we will responsibly carry out any required measures according to the results.”
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