According to OSEN’s report on January 26, Cha Eun-woo—currently serving in the military band—used his scheduled leave earlier this month and has already returned. Given that he has been enlisted for about 6 to 7 months, this break is assumed to be a regular vacation used for personal matters.
However, the timing of his leave drew attention. It occurred after the National Tax Service (NTS) had already notified him of a massive additional tax charge exceeding ₩20 billion. Just two weeks after he returned to base, the news broke, shaking not only the entertainment world but society at large.
Fantagio, Cha’s agency, previously released an initial statement but has since maintained silence, citing limited capacity to verify anything further. As a soldier, Cha Eun-woo is restricted from participating in entertainment activities, including issuing personal media responses. Yet, given the seriousness of the allegations, the public is curious whether he will address the situation—either via a brief statement through Fantagio or a personal message on social media to apologize and reassure disappointed fans.
Cha Eun-woo was under investigation by the Seoul Regional Tax Office even before his enlistment in July 2025. He was hit with a tax bill exceeding ₩20 billion—the largest amount ever imposed on a Korean celebrity.
The NTS reportedly believes that Corporation A, founded by Cha’s mother, signed a service contract with his agency Fantagio but acted as a paper company, providing no real services. The company’s registered address is allegedly that of an eel restaurant in Ganghwa-do, raising suspicions. Authorities claim Cha and his mother created this paper company to divert income, reducing Cha’s personal tax burden from a 45% income tax rate to a significantly lower corporate tax rate—by over 20 percentage points.
Furthermore, invoices issued by Corporation A to Fantagio were deemed fraudulent, leading to an additional ₩8.2 billion tax bill just from those false documents.
After receiving the tax notification, Cha’s side filed an objection and is currently awaiting results from a pre-assessment review. Fantagio stated, “The key issue is whether the corporation founded by Cha Eun-woo’s mother is considered a taxable entity. This matter is not yet finalized. We plan to clarify the legal interpretation and application through the proper channels.”
As the case develops, all eyes remain on whether Cha Eun-woo will break his silence and how this scandal will affect his image during and after his military service.
Sources: Nate
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