Many have defended the idol.
Koreaboo
1 hour ago
Recently, ASTRO‘s Cha Eunwoo was accused of tax evasion.
ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo
Eunwoo was notified by the National Tax Service that he owes over ₩20.0 billion KRW (about $13.7 million USD) in additional taxes, including income tax, on charges of tax evasion. The assessment is the result of a tax audit conducted before Cha Eunwoo enlisted in the military in July last year and is one of the largest additional tax assessments ever imposed on a celebrity.
The idol has denied the allegations through his agency, but has already faced repercussions.
Skincare Brand Removes Traces Of ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo After Tax Evasion Controversy
Now, unexpectedly, SEVENTEEN‘s Mingyu and the other 97-liners has been drawn into the allegations.
SEVENTEEN’s Mingyu
Both of the idols are part of the 97-line of friends and have often been spotted together outside of activities.
A photo of the idols has gone viral on X, showing them sitting at a cafe somewhere. The caption focuses on the face they’re sharing a drink and mentions Eunwoo’s current scandal.
He doesn’t pay 20 billion won in taxes, but at a café the two of them share just one drink.
— Post
On this vial post, other tweets mentioning the other members of the friend group, including BTS’s Jungkook and GOT7’s Yugyeom were mad.
이 남자들 뭐야
여자 밝히고 범죄 저지르고 탈세까지 하는 멀티태스커들이네 https://t.co/67nzGMbqoo pic.twitter.com/bR6LOU1YR7
— cindy (@minggii8j) January 22, 2026
치킨도 다 가져가서 한 입만 먹음 https://t.co/vSk32WTJEv pic.twitter.com/e4ZfDL44Em
— 밀이 (@staiawake) January 22, 2026
- These men are something else.
Chasing women, committing crimes, and even evading taxes — real multitaskers. - They take all the chicken for themselves and only let you have one bite.
The timing of the photos and incident were several years ago, which means they have no connection to his ongoing scandal. Many defending Mingyu specifically on the original post, questioning why he was brought into it.
새끼야 2018년이면 셉은틴 플디노예시절이야 ㅁㅊ 언제적사진을갖다가 쳐패고있음 우린 언제까지 잘못없이 처맞는롤이냐;;? https://t.co/7dOqhyq4wv
— . (@haniiiiham) January 22, 2026
허어억모시라???탈세를했다고라????가만히있을수없쥐~!!! 존나게 허겁지겁 독사진도 아닌 상관도 없는 민규랑 2018년도에 찍은 사진을 열심히 찾아내가지고 쿡쿡..햬냬먝걔~~~ https://t.co/EQbqYYsv9Z
— 마하 (@Maha_2119) January 22, 2026
mingyu doesn’t even do anything yet still get dragged. leave mingyu of out this!!!! https://t.co/1znLAFGQJ4
— ً (@coupdeeds) January 22, 2026
- You little punk, 2018 was SEVENTEEN’s Pledis slave era, are you crazy? Why are people digging up photos from that long ago just to drag them? How long are we supposed to keep getting hit for things we didn’t even do wrong?
- Whaaat??? He committed tax evasion??? I can’t just sit still~!!!
So they go frantically digging up a 2018 photo that’s not even a solo shot and has nothing to do with it, and start poking at Mingyu like ‘hehehe, gotcha~~~’