Cha Eun-woo Pays Full Tax Bill, Apologizes for 'Disappointment and Confusion'

Cha Eun-woo, who is currently serving in the military, said he has paid the full amount following a National Tax Service assessment and issued another apology.

On the 8th, he posted on his social media, “I sincerely apologize to fans and many others for the disappointment and confusion caused by the recent controversy over my taxes.” He added, “I respect the National Tax Service’s procedures and results, and to prevent further confusion, I have paid all related taxes.”

In his statement, he said, “I had to be careful about speaking while the administrative process was underway, and I apologize for the delay,” adding, “This incident made me reflect on myself.” He emphasized accountability: “For any reason, I will not avoid responsibility by saying I ‘didn’t know’ or that it was ‘someone else’s decision.’”

He also directly addressed issues tied to setting up a corporation. “I established a corporation to continue my activities more stably, but there were areas I did not examine carefully enough,” he said. “That responsibility lies with me, not with my family or company.”

Cha Eun-woo previously acknowledged being investigated by the National Tax Service and appeared to be preparing a response, including retaining a major law firm. However, rather than pursuing an administrative lawsuit or aggressive appeals, he is understood to have corrected errors such as some duplicate taxation and settled the taxes in full to close the matter.

During the process, reports said the Seoul Regional National Tax Service initially notified him of an additional assessment in the range of about 20 billion won. After some duplicate taxes were corrected, the actual payment was reported to be about 13 billion won. According to Hankyung.com, he paid his personal income tax in full, while overlapping portions of previously paid corporate tax and value-added tax were refunded.

“This incident made me realize I need to take a hard look at myself,” he wrote. “What hurts and regrets me the most is letting down the fans who believed in me, our AROHA. I will review every part of my future activities with greater care and stricter standards so this does not happen again.”

He is currently serving in the military with discharge scheduled for January 2027 after enlisting in July 2025.

(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Kyung-youn)