Singer and actor Cha Eunwoo from the group ASTRO has been embroiled in a tax evasion scandal involving ₩20.0 billion KRW (about $13.8 million USD), raising suspicions that his agency Fantagio may have played a central role in orchestrating the scheme.
On the 24th, the YouTube channel “Korea Lawyer 2043” released a video titled “The Crisis of Genius Cha Eun Woo.”
In the video, lawyer Lee Ji Hoon analyzed the tax evasion allegations, stating that such actions would have been difficult to carry out without the agency’s assistance. He emphasized, “We need to scrutinize what the corporation established by Cha Eunwoo’s mother did to support his entertainment activities.”
Lee pointed out, “The corporation’s registered address is listed as an eel restaurant located on Ganghwa Island, so we must consider whether they have the capacity to support Cha Eunwoo. Even someone unrelated would find it hard to accept that the address is an eel restaurant.”
He further stated, “They must provide evidence of actual entertainment support activities such as schedule management and contract handling. It’s also suspicious that after the tax evasion allegations surfaced, the address was moved to Gangnam and the company converted to a limited liability company.”
Amid these points, Lee speculated that Fantagio might have been involved. “This is just speculation, but it seems Fantagio designed the tax-saving structure. Fantagio gave part of the money that should have gone to Cha Eunwoo to the corporation. Both Cha Eunwoo and the corporation are aware of this, but without Fantagio’s help, it wouldn’t have been possible,” he said.
He added, “This kind of thing can’t happen unless Fantagio was either completely deceived or complicit. Since Fantagio is responsible for financial settlements, it makes no sense for them to give money to a company that hasn’t done any work. I believe Fantagio played a role.”
Meanwhile, regarding the tax evasion allegations against Cha Eunwoo, Fantagio stated, “The key issue in this matter is whether the corporation established by Cha Eunwoo’s mother is effectively subject to taxation. This matter has not yet been finalized or officially notified, and we intend to actively clarify the legal issues through proper procedures.”
Fantagio also added, “The artist and tax representatives will cooperate sincerely to ensure the process concludes quickly. Cha Eunwoo promises to continue fulfilling his tax reporting and legal obligations faithfully as a member of the public.”