The fallout from massive tax evasion allegations surrounding singer and actor Cha Eun-woo is spreading beyond military promotional content to issues concerning military duty assignments.
Amid recent controversy over income tax reassessments, it was confirmed that videos featuring Cha Eun-woo that had been posted on the YouTube channel 'KFN Plus,' operated by the Defense Media Agency, have been set to private. According to military authorities on the 28th, four episodes of the "That day in the military" series that Cha Eun-woo appeared in have been taken down from the public list. Cha Eun-woo enlisted in July last year and has served as the storyteller for that content since December of the same year.
A petition asking for a reexamination of his military assignment even appeared on the national petition board. A user of an online community said they filed a petition asking that the suitability of Cha Eun-woo (real name Lee Dong-min)'s assignment to the military band be reviewed.
The author emphasized that the military band performs duties with high external symbolism, such as national anniversary events, events related to the president, and national commemorative ceremonies, and argued, "Considering the scale and ripple effects of the controversy, it could affect the fairness of the military organization and troop morale." The author also raised the need to reexamine the assignment, saying, "Military service is compulsory, and a soldier's dignity is directly connected to the honor of the entire organization." The petition has reportedly been received by the Ministry of National Defense and will be reviewed through the affiliated unit's inspection line.
Earlier, Cha Eun-woo posted an apology on his personal social media on the 26th, saying, "I am reflecting on my stance regarding tax obligations," and "I will faithfully comply with tax-related procedures." He also denied allegations of 'enlisting to avoid controversy,' explaining, "It was not a choice to avoid controversy."
However, he did not separately address the specific allegations related to the tax structure that have been raised, and while his agency Fantagio also issued an additional statement, reactions saying questions remain unresolved are still emerging.
Even amid this situation, calls for caution are also appearing online. Among internet users, many responded with statements such as "Let's wait since a final decision has not yet been made," "The facts must be sorted out first," and "We should be careful about excessive criticism when nothing has been confirmed," urging that procedures be followed.
In the end, whether or not the tax evasion allegations are true, they appear to have caused considerable damage to his public image. With the military promotional videos set to private and the petition related to his military assignment, the fallout from the controversy is expected to continue for the time being.
[Photo] OSEN DB
[OSEN]