In June last year, Cha Eun-woo's brother made a surprise appearance on the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block,' capturing public interest. During the episode, 66-year-old senior intern Oh Chang-kyu was spotted walking with colleagues from an advertising company, and it was later revealed that he is Cha Eun-woo's brother. Fellow group members even commented that he is "more handsome with a smaller face" than Cha Eun-woo, further piquing curiosity.
In November last year, Cha Eun-woo's brother attended the 'AI Summit Seoul & Expo 2025' at COEX in Seoul as a speaker and also appeared on the channel 'Sebasi (15 Minutes to Change the World).'
He continued, "Having lived a life somewhat close to celebrities, I became focused on their concerns and interests. For example, they often ponder how to better communicate with fans. Not only individual celebrities but also entertainment and brand companies are concerned about data feedback. I thought it would be beneficial to plan a solution for collecting data."
He also noted, "I've seen many celebrities suffer from malicious comments. Constructive feedback should be accepted and used for growth, but there are too many excessive negative comments due to the abundance of media. We live in an era of personal influencers. I'm planning to create a system to protect those exposed in the media."
Cha Eun-woo enlisted in the army as an active-duty soldier in July last year and is currently serving in the military band. The tax levy notification was issued after his enlistment, in the latter half of last year.
During the tax investigation, it was revealed that a company established by Cha Eun-woo's mother, referred to as Company A, was involved in the structure between Cha Eun-woo and his agency, Fantagio. After Fantagio and Company A signed a contract for entertainment support services, Cha Eun-woo's earnings were distributed among Cha Eun-woo, Fantagio, and Company A. It is reported that his mother is the CEO, his brother is an internal director, and his father is an auditor of this company. The tax authorities consider Company A a shell company used to avoid high income taxes by applying corporate tax rates.
Fantagio, Cha Eun-woo's agency, stated, "The main issue is whether the company established by Cha Eun-woo's mother is subject to actual taxation. The matter is not yet finalized, and we will actively clarify the legal interpretation and application through proper procedures."
They added, "The artist and tax representatives will cooperate diligently to ensure the process concludes swiftly. Cha Eun-woo promises to fulfill his tax reporting and legal obligations as a responsible citizen."
Lee So-jung, Ten Asia Reporter forusojung@tenasia.co.kr