True Beauty star Cha Eun Woo faces $13 million tax probe, brands drop advertising campaigns- Here's what we know
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "True Beauty star Cha Eun Woo faces $13 million tax probe, brands drop advertising campaigns- Here's what we know")
Cha Eun Woo 's tax evasion case Photograph: (X)
Cha Eun Woo, a K-pop idol and actor, is reportedly facing allegations of tax evasion via a shell entity under his mother's name. Read more to know all about the case.
Renowned South Korean idol and actor Cha Eun Woo is under fire as he is reportedly facing allegations of tax evasion involving a company established by his mother. Reports suggest that he may have avoided 20 billion won ($13 million), and this has even led to many brands quietly pulling out or sidelining advertising campaigns featuring the star. Let's delve in to know more details.
Cha Eun Woo's tax-evasion case
According to several reports, Cha Eun Woo was recently notified by the National Tax Service Seoul Regional Office that he would owe more than 20 billion won ($13.6 million) in additional income tax following an intensive audit conducted in the first half of last year. Reportedly, the amount is believed to be the largest ever sought from an individual artist.
Reports suggest that the company functioned as a shell company that provided no substantive services to Cha and was allegedly used to distribute portions of his entertainment income under a corporate tax rate. This is lower than the top personal income tax rate of 45 per cent. Cha Eun Woo and his mother have reportedly been called for questioning by the tax authorities.
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Moreover, the investigation goes way back into the actor's agency, Fantagio, which was ordered in August last year to pay 8.2 billion won in additional taxes. An alleged scheme was uncovered by the officials, which involved the mother's company while examining the agency. Cha’s side has filed a formal appeal contesting the tax assessment.
Are brands avoiding Cha Eun Woo due to allegations of tax evasion?
Several companies have reportedly withdrawn advertising campaigns featuring actor and singer Cha Eun Woo following the tax evasion allegations. Shinhan Bank has already made Cha's ads private on YouTube and other social media platforms. While skincare brand Abib has also removed content related to him from Instagram and X. Other than these brands, Cha Eun Woo also represents Calvin Klein, LG Uplus, Saint Laurent and Norang Tongdak (a fried chicken chain).
All about Cha Eun Woo
Cha Eun Woo is a member of the South Korean boy band Astro and made his debut as a solo artist with the extended play Entity in 2024. He then made his acting debut in the film My Brilliant Life in 2018. He has also been part of several shows, including Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung (2019), True Beauty (2020–2021), Island (2022–2023), A Good Day to Be a Dog (2023–2024), and Wonderful World (2024).
Cha Eun Woo will next be seen in the superhero action-comedy show The Wonderfools. Created by Kang Eun Kyung, written by Heo Da Joong and directed by Yoo In Sik, the show will also feature Park Eun Bin, Kim Hae Wook, Choi Dae Hoon and Im Seong Jae, among others. The series focuses on the experiences of "flawed superhumans", who are unable to control their abilities and end up using them unintentionally. It is scheduled to release this year on streaming giant Netflix.
