Can Cha Eun-Woo's Old Instagram Post On Eel Restaurant Land Him In Jail? Legal Community Discusses Tax Evasion Case

Cha Eun-Woo's tax evasion case has triggered debate and discussion about its probably repercussions and penalties the ASTRO member might suffer. The K-pop idol-turned-actor is accused of running a "one-person

agency" in the name of his mother, which eventually turned out to be the eel restaurant owned by his parents. This has led to a 20 billion KRW (about $13.7 million) tax evasion for which Eunwoo is currently under investigation by the National Tax Service. As the case continues to deepen, an old Instagram post by the 28-year-old has surfaced, which the legal community believes could land him in jail. Eunwoo is currently serving his mandatory military duties, but his enlistment has also come under scrutiny.

Largest tax retroactive charge on a Korean entertainer

On January 31, Korean media reported attorney Kim Jeong-Gi's comment on YTN Radio regarding Cha Eun-Woo's ongoing controversy. Kim discussed the case on Lawyer Lee Won Hwa's Case X-File about the tax bill imposed on the Korean celeb. Kim noted that Eunwoo's case was "the largest tax retroactive charge ever imposed on an individual entertainer in South Korea." He also claimed that this was "among the highest amounts globally."

Cha Eun-Woo to face criminal prosecution?

Estimating Cha Eunwoo's income scale was at least 100 billion KRW (about $68.9 million), the lawyer stated that if the case went beyond a simple tax miscalculation, it could lead to criminal prosecution for the idol. He noted that "Not only Cha Eunwoo's mother, who is the head of the corporation, but Cha Eunwoo himself, as the actual beneficiary, could be investigated as an accomplice and subject to punishment." This meant the key issue in this case was who actually led and approved the tax evasion.

Old Instagram photo could bring trouble

Kim even pointed at the particular Instagram post shared by Cha Eun-Woo from an eel restaurant, which he claimed could become a legal issue. "During trial, it could serve as circumstantial evidence that the corporate entity was deliberately concealed. Hiding the family-owned nature of the restaurant and promoting it as a favorite spot not only deceived the public but also inadvertently proved that the location was not actually an office."

Eel restaurant relocated

It was earlier reported that when an on-site inspection was conducted at the eel restaurant in Ganghwa on January 26, it was revealed that the company completed an address change on the very same day and has since left the Ganghwa jurisdiction.A Ganghwa County official told Ilgan Sports, "There was no office, furniture, or any facilities necessary to carry out business operations... We also could not confirm any facilities required for office work, making it difficult to view the space as being used as an office."On the day the on-site inspection took place, an application was submitted to change the address of Cha Eun Woo’s limited liability company to the Gangnam District Office, and the relocation was processed that same day," the Ganghwa County Office representative added.