*This content was translated by AI.
Singer and actor Cha Eun-woo, who is suspected of tax evasion worth 20 billion won, apologized himself and issued a statement. The agency also issued a second position and said it would be investigated faithfully. However, the public's response is colder and anger is growing. The public no longer seems to believe in his angelic face, as he is suspected of joining the military while undergoing tax investigation and posting an apology immediately after appointing a large law firm.
Cha Eun-woo posted an apology on his Instagram on the 26th. The apology came shortly after it was revealed that he returned to the unit after taking a quiet vacation and appointed a large law firm to prepare for a legal confrontation with the tax authorities.
Cha Eun-woo said, "I sincerely bow down and apologize for causing many people to be worried and disappointed by various things related to me recently. I am deeply reflecting on myself and reflecting on whether my attitude toward tax obligations as a citizen of the Republic of Korea was strict enough." It is not a "strict problem" of tens of millions of won, but an expression that does not fit the world's sixth-largest tax evasion figure.
Cha Eun-woo said, "I had a time to reflect on myself, thinking about what I should say first so that my apologies could be conveyed to those who were hurt by me. I was worried that the rambling writing might sound like an excuse or that I might cause fatigue, but I came to think that it is the right thing to do to speak and apologize for this issue myself," he said. "Now I'm writing this after finishing my work in the unit. I am currently serving in the military, but it was never an intentional choice to avoid this controversy. Last year, I couldn't postpone joining the military anymore, so I joined the military without completing the tax audit process," he explained.
Cha Eun-woo said, "I feel deeply responsible for this because it is also a misunderstanding arising from my lack. If I were not a soldier, I am writing this with all my heart, wanting to visit everyone who would have been affected by this incident and bow down and apologize. For the past 11 years, I was able to be in the position of "Cha Eun-woo" now because of the love and support you have generously sent me. Therefore, I am indescribably sorry to have caused great hurt and fatigue to many people who have worked with me who have believed in me and supported me so far." Tax evasion worth 20 billion won was lumped into "insufficient" and avoided as "sincere."
In addition, Cha Eun-woo said, "I will faithfully deal with the tax-related procedures that are going on in the future. In addition, he added the natural words, "I will humbly accept the results according to the final judgment made by the relevant institution and fulfill my responsibilities accordingly," and concluded, "I will look back on myself more strictly in the future and live with a greater sense of responsibility with a heart to repay the love I have received so far." This issue is not a matter of 'strictness', it is a matter of law. It is unlikely that there will be any more in return than paying taxes and additional fines that have been faithfully evaded.
As such, Cha Eun-woo is getting even more angry by releasing an apology that has no state or content as if it were written by an avatar.
The next day, the agency said, "We sincerely apologize for causing concern to many people due to various recent situations involving us and our artist Cha Eun-woo. We feel a heavy responsibility for the controversy caused by issues related to our company and our artists. The current issue is being confirmed in accordance with the tax authorities' procedures, and the agency and artist are faithfully investigating within the scope of their respective needs. If legal and administrative judgments become clear in the future, we will take necessary measures according to the results, he said. "However, we sincerely ask that you refrain from indiscriminate speculation, spread of unconfirmed information, and excessive interpretation of allegations and suspicions raised by some people."
After the appointment of a large law firm, a personal apology and an agency's position as if they were ready are drawing attention to Cha Eun-woo's move.
Various legal experts and accounting experts point out that Cha Eun-woo's tax evasion appears to be organized and planned tax evasion. In particular, it seems to be a "deliberate tax evasion" set by the fact that the corporation of Cha Eun-woo's successor has been changed from a corporation that was in good condition to a limited liability company (LLC). An expert said, "It appears that they did this to avoid external audits. When sales or assets grow, a corporation is obligated to be audited by an external accountant and disclose its books, but limited liability companies are not obligated to undergo external audits no matter how much money they make. The National Tax Service suspects it as a 'deliberate cover-up' because it is clear that it switched to a 'blind mode' with the intention of 'not wanting to show my ledger to others,' he said. Experts said, "It is still in the 'suspicious' stage, but the traces are too clear. The traces of "precise design" are too specific, he said. "Change to a limited liability company and wash the address (registered as a corporation in Ganghwa Island eel restaurant instead of Gangnam) are not simple mistakes, but they should be seen as "organized and planned settings" involving experts."
Earlier, the Seoul Regional Tax Office conducted a high-intensity tax investigation against Cha Eun-woo in the first half of 2025 and notified him of the additional income tax of more than 20 billion won. This is the highest amount ever imposed on celebrities. The National Tax Service said Cha Eun-woo and his mother, identified only by his surname Choi, used a trick to reduce income tax, which reached 45%, to apply a corporate tax rate that is more than 20% lower than the income tax rate by using a non-substantial company, DANI.
Under the current law, if the Act on Aggravated Punishment of Specific Crimes is applied, a portal tax of 1 billion won or more can be sentenced to life imprisonment or five years or more. However, if it is concluded as an underreporting due to differences in tax law interpretation or is defined as tax avoidance, it will be exempt from criminal punishment other than moral responsibility and tax collection.
Meanwhile, Cha Eun-woo is accused of tax evasion, the highest ever among Korean celebrities, so he is giving up Cha Eun-woo as a domino in various advertisements. The advertisements that used him are putting down Cha Eun-woo's face. Cha Eun-woo, who proudly posted advertisement examples in all fields, including finance, beauty, fashion, and education, lowered his face. The Ministry of National Defense also joined the campaign. On the 27th, a YouTube channel "KFN Plus" operated by the National Defense Information Service, a video of "The Story of the Army That Day" starring Cha Eun-woo was closed to the public.
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*This content was translated by AI.
