SOURCE: [단독] 차은우 992字 입장 발표, 대기업 손절 못 막았다…뷰티·금융·패션·교육 이어 OUT (종합)
Advertising industry is starting to distance themselves from Cha Eunwoo, who is now facing allegations of tax evasion amounting to 20 billion KRW. Following beauty, finance, fashion, and education brands, even subsidiaries of large corporations are now choosing to 'cut ties,' showing how serious this situation is.
According to OSEN on the 27th, SSG.com has switched their videos that featured Cha Eunwoo, who was chosen as their beauty model last year, to private. While the company did not give a specific reason, but because this happened right after the 20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations, people assume it is because of the controversy.
This is not the first time brands have distanced themselves from Cha Eunwoo. Previously, the skincare brand Abib has set his ad videos and posts to private, followed by Shinhan Bank, Marithé François Girbaud, and Daesung Mimac, across the finance, fashion, and education sectors. Notably, even after Cha Eunwoo and his agency, Fantagio, released their official statements, SSG.com still made his ads private. In addition, the Ministry of National Defense, where Cha Eunwoo is currently serving, also set his content on the 'KFN Plus' Youtube channel to private.
Last year, the Investigation Bureau 4 of the Seoul Regional Tax Office investigated Cha Eunwoo for allegedly evading taxes through a one-person company started by his mother. It is reported that he worked under a contract where his agency, Fantagio, and his mother's company entered into service contracts, where his income was then distributed among Fantagio, his mother's company, and Cha Eunwoo himself.
However, the National Tax Service saw the one-person agency set up by Cha Eunwoo's mother as a paper company that didn't actually provide real service. The authorities judged that Cha Eunwoo and his mother started the company and split his income to reduce the personal income tax rate by applying a corporate tax rate which is more than 20 percentage points lower.
Regarding this, Cha Eunwoo's side stated, "The main issue in this matter is whether the company started by his mother is a real business that should be taxed. This is not a final decision yet. We will explain our position through proper legal procedures. The artist and his tax representatives will cooperate fully to finish this process quickly."
On the 26th, four days after the controversy erupted, Cha Eunwoo stated, "I sincerely bow my head in apology for causing concern and disappointment to many people due to recent issues. This incident has led me to deeply reflect on whether my attitude toward fulfilling my duty to pay taxes as the citizen of the Republic of Korea was sufficiently strict." Fantagio also added, "We will use this incident as an opportunity to review our artist management system once again and strengthen necessary measures to prevent similar controversies from recurring."
On the 27th, Fantagio released another statement saying, "We are currently checking the facts according to the tax authorities. Both the agency and the artists are cooperating with the investigation. Once the legal and administrative judgments are clear, we will take responsibility and carry out necessary measures according to the results. We kindly ask people to stop spreading speculation, unverified information, and exaggerated interpretation regarding claims and suspicions."
