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Cha Eun-woo pays $8.8M in tax penalties, petition filed amid military band assignment concerns

Published: 09 Apr. 2026, 19:06 Updated: 09 Apr. 2026, 19:29

Actor and singer Cha Eun-woo emcees the APEC summit gala dinner at the Lahan Select hotel in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Oct. 31, 2025. [YONHAP]

A petition has been filed calling for the military to review whether it is appropriate for singer and actor Cha Eun-woo to serve in the military band, following reports that he had paid about 13 billion won ($8.8 million) in penalties over unpaid taxes.

Since earlier this year, Cha has been facing tax evasion allegations after it was reported that he was subject to an investigation by the National Tax Service in the spring of last year. He was accused of evading taxes and was ordered to pay 20 billion won in unpaid taxes plus a penalty.

However, on Wednesday, Cha issued an apology and said he had paid the full amount on his Instagram account, without specifying the amount that he paid. On Thursday, local media reported that he actually paid 13 billion won, slightly more than half the initially ordered amount.

The tax imposed on Cha Eun-woo was personal income tax, and as overlapping portions of previously paid corporate and value-added taxes were refunded, the actual amount required to be paid was around 13 billion won, according to the report.

Following his payment, the petition was submitted through e-people, the government’s online civil complaint system, according to online communities on Thursday. The petitioner reportedly urged the Ministry of National Defense to handle the matter strictly "in order to protect the military’s honor, public trust and troop morale" and to act swiftly.

Given the scale and impact of the controversy, the petitioner argued that Cha's maintaining his current assignment could undermine trust in the fairness of the military and lead to a sense of relative deprivation among soldiers.

A petition regarding Cha Eun-woo posted on e-people, the government’s online civil complaint system [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The military band is a unit responsible for performing music at ceremonies and official events and boosting troop morale. It is also known for its high public visibility, with many celebrities serving in the unit.

“The honor guard and military band of the Defense Ministry are units deployed for major ceremonial duties, including government-hosted central events, national holidays, presidential events and state funerals, and they carry a high level of public visibility and symbolic significance,” the petitioner cited.

The petitioner further stated that “military service is an obligation, not a privilege, and that a soldier’s attitude and conduct are directly tied to the honor of the entire organization,” urging authorities to view the matter as a serious issue related to discipline and morale and to reassess the current assignment.

In response, an official in charge of the civil complaint system at the Ministry of National Defense said the case has been assigned to the inspection office and “measures will be determined after verifying the facts.”

Singer and actor Cha Eun-woo, who is completing his mandatory military service, appears in a promotional clip for the Defense Ministry. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

A similar petition was also filed in January, in which the ministry responded at the time that “personnel assignments are determined comprehensively," and no discussions were made regarding Cha's reassignment.

Cha posted on Wednesday on his Instagram, acknowledging that taxes had been imposed following a tax audit and said the full amount had been paid. Cha also apologized again through Wednesday's online post.

“If there were aspects I failed to fully review, that responsibility lies entirely with me," he said. "I will not avoid it by saying I didn’t know or that it was someone else’s judgment.”

Regarding allegations that a company established by Cha’s mother was a paper company created for tax evasion, Cha explained that the corporation was set up as part of efforts to “maintain stability in activities during a period of various changes and confusion.”

Cha, whose real name is Lee Dong-min, debuted as an actor in 2014 in the film “My Brilliant Life” (2014). He subsequently debuted as a K-pop idol on Feb. 23, 2016 as a member of the boy band Astro with its EP “Spring Up” (2016).

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [[email protected]]