Cha Eun-Woo's tax evasion case is taking a toll on his ongoing military service. The ASTRO member, who's currently fulfilling his mandatory duties as a member of
the Military Band of the Ministry of National Defense, has been hit hard for an alleged large-scale tax evasion amounting to over 20 billion KRW (about $13.7 million). Soon after the scandal surfaced, brands and the advertising industry started distancing themselves from the 28-year-old K-pop idol-turned-actor. However, that's not all. Now, even the military has started taking stern actions against Eunwoo in light of the controversy. While the Korean star issued a public apology, it wasn't enough to keep his several collabs going. In the latest update, now even his military band assignment has come under review.
Military promotional content pulls down Eun-Woo's content
On January 22, reports surfaced that Cha Eun-Woo is allegedly involved in massive tax evasion. This was touted to be one of the largest additional tax assessments, including income tax, ever imposed on a Korean celebrity. While he was under investigation by the National Tax Service, the report further stated that the assessment is reportedly part of a tax audit conducted in July last year, days before he enlisted for his mandatory military service.
YouTube videos set to private featuring Cha Eun-Woo
Soon after, the fallout started impacting deals where he was the face of the product. After brand endorsements, military promotional content is also facing the brunt. Amid the ongoing case over income tax collection, The Chosun Daily confirmed that videos featuring Eun-Woo, which were uploaded to the YouTube channel KFN Plus operated by the Defense Media Agency, have been set to private. The military authorities further confirmed on January 28 that all content featuring him has been removed from the public list. These include four episodes of the series That Day in the Military Story that featured Eun-Woo after he enlisted.
Ministry of National Defence receives civil petition
Eun-Woo enlisted in July 2025 and started appearing in the series in December 2025 as a content reciter. But owing to the controversy, the episodes have been switched to private mode.
That's not all. Eun-Woo's military band assignment has also come under review after a civil petition urged the Ministry of National Defence to reassess his suitability due to the allegations. The ministry has forwarded the complaint to his unit's inspection office for fact-checking and further examination.
Request to reconsider Eun-Woo's military band placement
Allkpop reported that an informant filed a complaint on January 28 requesting that the ministry reconsider whether Private Cha Eun-Woo's placement in the military band was suitable. According to reports, fact-checking or investigation would be made, and a response or follow-up action would be decided after examining the facts and determining whether more steps were required.
About Eun-Woo's 'one-person agency'
Suspicion arose after Eun-Woo's "one-person agency" came under scanner which officials claimed was aimed at reducing income taxes. The singer had allegedly established a corporation in the name of his mother, which was inserted between Fantagio and the star. The contract was meant to provide support services for his entertainment activities, and his earnings were divided between Fantagio, the corporation, and himself.
