(Seoul, April 8) Cha Eun-woo, a member of the K-pop group ASTRO and widely known for his “face genius” image, has issued another public apology following a major tax controversy earlier this year involving approximately 20 billion KRW (about RM54 million). Currently serving in the military, he confirmed that he has ceased legal action and fully settled all outstanding taxes.
Initially, Cha had taken a firm stance against the tax authorities, even assembling a high-profile legal team in preparation for a legal dispute. However, his position has now shifted significantly—he has accepted the findings of the investigation and promptly paid all required taxes.
Public scrutiny has largely centered on allegations that Cha established a company through family members, allowing income that would typically be taxed at a personal rate of up to 45% to instead be taxed under a lower corporate tax structure. The debate surrounding this issue remains ongoing.
In his latest statement, Cha emphasized accountability: “If there were areas I failed to review thoroughly, that responsibility lies entirely with me. I will not use ‘I didn’t know’ or attribute it to someone else’s judgment as an excuse.” He explained that the company had been set up during a period of change and uncertainty in his career to create more stability, but acknowledged that there were shortcomings in how it was managed.
He concluded by stating that the incident has become a meaningful moment of reflection, and that he will move forward with stricter standards, taking full responsibility for his actions and decisions in order to rebuild public trust.
