ASTRO member and actor Cha Eun-woo will hold a photo exhibition in Japan.
On the 16th, his agency Fantagio told OSEN, "It is true that a photo exhibition will be held in Japan. The exhibition is a project for which a contract was already signed in August 2024 and is being carried out according to the schedule agreed at that time."
When asked whether it is possible to hold a photo exhibition while serving in the military, the agency said, "This photo exhibition is a business conducted by Fantagio, the agency that holds Cha Eun-woo's exclusive rights, utilizing the artist's portrait IP, and it is not a profit-making activity in which Cha Eun-woo, who is serving in the military, directly participates in his capacity as a service member," the agency said. It added, "We also confirmed this in advance with the Military Manpower Administration and were informed that there is no problem regarding military service."
According to the local Japanese organizer, Cha Eun-woo's behind-the-scenes photo exhibition "Afterimage" will be held from the 28th to May 12 in central Ginza, Tokyo. The exhibition is reported to feature behind-the-scenes photos of Cha Eun-woo's activities. Ticket reservations began on the 14th, and the price is 4,000 yen (about 37,000 won). On site, Cha Eun-woo–related merchandise will also be available for purchase.
However, Cha Eun-woo will not attend in person because he is currently serving in the military. He enlisted in July last year and is scheduled to be discharged in January 2027.
Meanwhile, the event is drawing attention as it is the first proceeding after Cha Eun-woo, who is serving in the military, faced allegations of tax evasion involving around 20 billion won.
In January, Cha Eun-woo was notified of a tax bill of about 20 billion won following a high-intensity tax investigation by the National Tax Service's Investigation Division 4. At the time, the National Tax Service judged that Cha Eun-woo, in addition to his agency Fantagio, split income with a corporation A established by his mother, Ms. Choi, and that corporation A was effectively a paper company that did not provide actual services.
The National Tax Service judged that Cha Eun-woo and his mother used the sham corporation A to reduce income tax of about 45% and manipulate the situation so that they would be subject to a corporate tax rate more than 20% lower than the income tax rate.
Cha Eun-woo is protesting the National Tax Service's findings. On the 22nd, his agency Fantagio said in an official statement, "The key issue in this matter is whether the corporation established by Cha Eun-woo's mother is subject to substantive taxation, and this is not a matter that has been finally confirmed and notified. We will provide explanations through legal procedures regarding the issues related to legal interpretation and application."
The agency added, "The artist and tax representatives will cooperate sincerely so that the procedure can be completed promptly. Cha Eun-woo pledges to continue to faithfully fulfill his tax reporting and legal obligations as a member of the public."
[photo] OSEN DB, SNS
[OSEN]