On March 25 last year, Marie Claire Korea uploaded a video titled “Cha Eun-woo Teaches MZ Poses” on its official channel. In the video, Cha Eun-woo participated in a lighthearted segment where he answered questions revealed by scratching lottery cards.
One of the questions asked, “If you could be reborn, would you choose being a 10 billion KRW tycoon or being Cha Eun-woo?” After reading it, Cha Eun-woo responded, “I would still choose Cha Eun-woo, with a ‘love myself’ mindset.” At the time, netizens reacted positively, calling his answer cute and humorous, praising him for choosing self-worth over money.
However, in the wake of recent tax evasion allegations, the same remark is now being interpreted differently. New comments have appeared on the video, with some netizens sarcastically writing, “So 10 billion KRW was pocket change,” and “Was that why it seemed so trivial?”
The controversy began after reports revealed that the National Tax Service had notified Cha Eun-woo of additional income tax charges exceeding 20 billion KRW. Authorities reportedly determined that Cha Eun-woo entered a management service contract with a corporation established by his mother in an effort to apply a corporate tax rate more than 20 percentage points lower than the top individual income tax rate of 45 percent. The tax office allegedly concluded that the company functioned as a paper corporation that did not provide substantial services.
On January 27, accountant and attorney Kim Myung-gyu commented on the case, explaining that the full 20 billion KRW does not represent unpaid base tax alone. According to him, the principal tax amount is estimated to be between 10 and 14 billion KRW, while the remaining 6 to 10 billion KRW consists of additional penalties.
As the investigation continues, public attention remains sharply focused on how the case will ultimately be resolved and how it may impact Cha Eun-woo’s public image.
k Sources: 네이트 뉴스
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