Tuesday, January 27, 2026

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Park Eunbin cheered for 'Cha Eunwoo to return in glory' ... What happens to his upcoming project 'The Wonderfools'?

SOURCE: 박은빈 "차은우 금의환향하길" 응원했는데…차기작 '원더풀스' 어쩌나

As Cha Eunwoo faces allegations of tax evasion amounting to around 20 billion KRW, his upcoming project 'The Wonderfools' is now facing problems.

Last year, the Investigation Bureau 4 of Seoul Regional Tax Office did an intensive investigation on suspicion of tax evasion. Recently, news reports revealed that he was notified of additional tax assessment of over 20 billion KRW, including income tax.

Cha Eunwoo, who is currently serving in the military, issued an apology on January 26 via his personal social media account, stating, "I sincerely bow my head in apology for causing worry and disappointment to many people through the various events related to me recently. Through this incident, I have been deeply reflecting on whether I have been strict enough in fulfilling my duty as a citizen of the Republic of Korea to pay taxes."

He continued, "I will faithfully cooperate in the upcoming tax-related procedures. Also, I will humbly accept the final decision made by the authorities and take full responsibility for the results." Regarding allegations that he enlisted in the military to avoid the controversy, he explained, "Although I'm currently serving in the military, it was definitely not a choice I made to hide from this controversy. Last year, I reached a point where I could no longer delay my enlistment. So, I had to enlist before the tax investigation was finished. However, I know these misunderstandings happened because of my own shortcomings. Therefore, I feel a deep sense of responsibility."

Cha Eunwoo is currently waiting for the release of Netflix's new series, 'The Wonderfools,' which is scheduled for release in the Q2 of this year. The series is a comedy-action adventure set in 1999, a time when apocalyptic beliefs were widespread. It follows the story of a group of ordinary neighborhood misfits who unexpectedly gain superpowers and fight against villains threatening the peace of Haeseong City. It is starred by Cha Eunwoo, Park Eunbin, Kim Haesook, Choi Daehoon, Lim Sungjae, and Son Hyunjoo.

Recently, Park Eunbin attended the 'Next on Netflix 2026 Korea' event and cheered for Cha Eunwoo by saying, "I don't think any other actor could play this role better than him. I believe he's doing well wherever he is. I wish we could've promoted this show together, but I'll work hard on his behalf as well. I hope he returns in glory. Fighting." However, now the tax evasion allegations are out, attention has now focused on whether this upcoming project will still be released or not.

Continue reading Park Eunbin cheered for 'Cha Eunwoo to return in glory' ... What happens to his upcoming project 'The Wonderfools'?

'Please send BTS a bit more often' ... Mexico's President makes an official request to President Lee Jaemyung

SOURCE: "BTS 더 보내달라"…멕시코 대통령, 이재명 대통령에 공식 요청 [왓IS]

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum revealed that she sent a letter to President Lee Jaemyung requesting additional shows for BTS' world tour concerts.

During a press conference on the 26th, President Sehinbaum said, "The world-famous K-pop group BTS are scheduled to perform in Mexico in May. However, I heard that many young people were unable to get tickets." She added, "About 150,000 tickets were sold in Mexico, but more than 1 million people wanted to go."

President Sheinbaum emphasized, "With 3 shows confirmed in Mexico City, I made a polite diplomatic request to the South Korean President to let BTS visit Mexico more often."

She added, "If additional shows are difficult, I hope that alternatives such as screening the concert on large screens could at least be permitted."

Meanwhile, BTS is set to hold a world tour with 79 shows across Asia, North America, Europe, South America, and Oceania. They will start their American tour on April 25-26 and 28 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, followed by concerts at GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City on May 7, 9, and 10.

Continue reading 'Please send BTS a bit more often' ... Mexico's President makes an official request to President Lee Jaemyung

Monday, January 26, 2026

"The original target wasn't Cha Eunwoo, but Fantagio" ... Even a former NTS investigator is stunned by the '20 billion KRW tax evasion'

SOURCE: "원래 타깃은 차은우 아닌 '몸통' 판타지오였다"..전 국세청 조사관도 놀란 '200억 탈세'[스타이슈]

Cha Eunwoo is making headlines every day for allegations of evading roughly 20 billion KRW in income taxes. Amid this, a former National Tax Service investigator-turned-accountant analyzed that the National Tax Service's original target was actually his agency, Fantagio.

On the 24th, Moon Bora, a tax accountant who used to work as an investigator at the Seoul Regional Tax Office, posted a video on her Youtube channel analyzing Cha Eunwoo's '20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations' case.

Moon Bora explained that the main issue of this controversy is whether Company A, which was involved in the profit-sharing process, is real. She explained, "Splitting profits with a company is not a problem, but the National Tax Service sees Company A, which is owned by Cha Eunwoo's mother, as a fake company that doesn't actually do any works."

Regarding Company A's conversion from a 'Corporation' to a 'Limited Liability Company (LLC),' Moon Bora analyzed, "LLCs do not have the obligations to show their records to the public. They are not subject to external audits." She added, "The National Tax Service likely saw this as a choice to hide something and avoid being watched, rather than just a way to save on taxes."

She continued, "The original target was actually Fantagio, which is Cha Eunwoo's agency. while examining the books of the biggest 'body,' Fantagio, they found a huge amount of money flowing to an eel restaurant in Ganghwa Island, and discovered that it actually belonged to Cha Eunwoo."

She noted, "They threw a net to catch a big fish and ended up catching another huge one. Tax investigations are not something you can avoid just by being careful. If you leave a long trail, you will eventually get caught."

Recently, it was revealed that Cha Eunwoo was notified by the National Tax Service of an additional tax assessment of over 20 billion KRW, causing a major stir. It was reported that he underwent an intensive tax investigation by the Seoul Regional Tax Office in the first half of last year on suspicion of tax evasion.

Specifically, the National Tax Service believed that the evasion happened through Company A, which was established by Cha Eunwoo's mother. Cha Eunwoo reportedly worked in a way where Fantagio and Company A signed service contracts to support his entertainment activities, with profits distributed between Fantagio, Company A, and Cha Eunwoo himself. 

The National Tax Service believes Company A is a fake company used to split income because it's unsuitable to manage celebrities. They believe that Cha Eunwoo used his family-owned business in addition to his main agency to enter into service contracts, where he can apply a corporate tax more than 20 percentage points lower instead of the 45% individual tax rate.

Regarding this, Fantagio stated, "The main issue here is whether the company started by Cha Eunwoo's mother qualifies as a business that should be taxed. The case has not been finally confirmed yet. We will actively explain our position on the legal interpretation and application according to the law."

Meanwhile, Cha Eunwoo enlisted in the military in July of last year and is currently serving in the military band.

Continue reading "The original target wasn't Cha Eunwoo, but Fantagio" ... Even a former NTS investigator is stunned by the '20 billion KRW tax evasion'

Cha Eunwoo speaks up regarding the 20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations: "I didn't intentionally enlist to avoid this ... I will take full responsibility"

SOURCE: 차은우, 200억 탈세 의혹에 입 열었다 "군대 의도적 선택 NO…책임 다할 것" [전문]

Cha Eunwoo, who has been facing allegations of 20 billion KRW in tax evasion, has released an official statement.

On the 26th, Cha Eunwoo posted a long message on his social media, saying, "I sincerely bow my head in apology for causing worry and disappointment to many people through the various events related to me recently."

He continued, "Through this incident, I have been deeply reflecting on whether I have been strict enough in fulfilling my duty as a citizen of the Republic of Korea to pay taxes." He aded, "I worried that a long statement might sound like an excuse or even cause further fatigue, but I felt it was the right thing to speak and apologize directly regarding this matter."

Cha Eunwoo explained, "I'm writing this after finishing my daily duties at the military base. Although I'm currently serving in the military, it was definitely not a choice I made to hide from this controversy. Last year, I reached a point where I could no longer delay my enlistment. So, I had to enlist before the tax investigation was finished."

He also said, "However, I know these misunderstandings happened because of my own shortcomings. Therefore, I feel a deep sense of responsibility. If I were not serving as a soldier right now, I would want to personally visit and bow in apology to everyone who was harmed by this situation. I am writing these words with my utmost sincerity."

Cha Eunwo emphasized, "I will faithfully cooperate in the upcoming tax-related procedures. Also, I will humbly accept the final decision made by the authorities and take full responsibility for the results."

Continue reading Cha Eunwoo speaks up regarding the 20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations: "I didn't intentionally enlist to avoid this ... I will take full responsibility"

Cha Eunwoo → His mother, and now even his younger brother ... The whole family linked to the '20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations'



SOURCE: 차은우→모친 이어 남동생까지…온 가족 연루된 '200억 탈세 의혹'

As Cha Eunwoo faces the record-breaking 20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations, past broadcast appearances by his younger brother, Lee, are drawing attention again. 

Cha Eunwoo's younger brother, Lee, is famous among fans for his handsome looks comparable to his brother's and for being an AI expert who graduated from a prestigious university in China. Cha Eunwoo previously spoke proudly about his brother's background on tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block.'

Last November, Lee appeared as a speaker on the channel 'Sebasi Lecture.' He participated in the 'AI Summit Seoul & Expo 2025,' where he gave a talk titled 'AI Recipe: How the AI I created for my brother evolves into a brand verification tool.' The lecture drew even greater attention as it highlighted his relationship with the popular celebrity Cha Eunwoo. 

In an interview before the talk, Lee explained his work, saying, "Since I've lived a life that's somewhat close to celebrities, I naturally became focused on their concerns and interests. I felt not only celebrities, but the entertainment industry as a whole struggles with issues related to data feedback. I thought it would be good to make a solution that gathers such data." He added, "I've seen many celebrities suffer from hate comments. And now, we live in an era where many people are now becoming influencers. As more people are now exposed to media and receive a lot of attention, I'm working with the CEO of Unbound Lab to create a system that protects them."

However, as Cha Eunwoo now faces the largest tax evasion in the Korean entertainment industry with total of 20 billion KRW, the public is now looking at the brothers coldly, even criticizing them as 'hypocritical.' Reports indicate that Cha Eunwoo's alleged tax evasion involved not only himself, but his entire family, including his parents and younger brother. It was confirmed that his mother served as the CEO, his younger brother as the director, and his father was also listed as an auditor of the company. Additionally, the eel restaurant in Ganghwa Island that Cha Eunwoo frequaently mentioned as his 'favorite spot' turned out to be the registered address of his mother's company, Company A. It was later revealed that the restaurant was not Cha Eunwoo's 'regular restaurant to eat,' but a business run by his parents, sparking further controversy over alleged 'fake promotion.'

Recently, it has been reported that Cha Eunwoo has hired a major law firm to deal with the tax allegations, drawing attention to how the situation will unfold. 

Continue reading Cha Eunwoo → His mother, and now even his younger brother ... The whole family linked to the '20 billion KRW tax evasion allegations'
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'Shinsegae family' Annie faces an awkward situation after returning to school ... Asks fans to 'not send emails' after her Columbia University email was leaked

SOURCE: '신세계家' 애니, 복학 직후 난감한 상황…美 컬럼비아대 메일 유출에 "보내지 말라" [엑's 이슈]

On the 24th, Annie held a 'Study With Me' livestream to do homework and study together with her fans.

While focusing on her homework on her laptop, Annie said, "Everyone, there's something I need to talk about. Honestly, I know it's very easy to find my school ID." She added, "But if you send emails to my school email address, it becomes hard for me to find emails from my professors or important messaged from the university."

She continued, "The emails you send to my college email address are all full of kind and nice words, but if there's something you want to say to me, you can write it on the DayOff app or anywhere else. If you send things to my school email address, it becomes really difficult to check my college-related emails, so please send them somewhere else."

Annie also said, "If you know my school email address, that means you probably know my schedule too. If you see me at school and say hello, I will greet you back. But there may be times when I'm not in a great condition, so I ask for your understanding in advance." She then joked, "If you want to see me, you should study hard and get into Columbia University."

She continued to interact warmly with fans, saying that if any of them gets into Columbia University, she will give them her study notes. 

Annie is the granddaughter of Shinsegae Group Chairwoman Lee Myunghee and also the eldest daughter of Vice Chairwoman Jung Yookyung. She is currently majoring in Art History and Visual Arts at Columbia University, a famous Ivy League school. She has recently returned to school. As she attends the spring semester through May, the other members of her group plan to minimize downtime by focusing in various individual activities. 

Previously, when news of her return to school first came out, Annie said, "I was told early last year that I couldn't extend my leave of absence any further. I discussed it with the members and the company before making the decision. Also, I only have one semester left. I earned a lot of credits before, so I can graduate after just one more term."

Continue reading 'Shinsegae family' Annie faces an awkward situation after returning to school ... Asks fans to 'not send emails' after her Columbia University email was leaked
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Moon Sua shares a touching birthday message for the late Moonbin ... "My one and only big brother"

SOURCE: 문수아, 故 문빈 뭉클한 생일 축하…"하나뿐인 오라버니"

On the 26th, Moon Sua posted a photo on her social media account with the caption, "Happy birthday to my one and only big brother."

The photo shows Moon Sua and the late Moonbin during their childhood. Moonbin is seen holding his younger sister tightly with a warm smile, moving the hearts of those who saw the photo.

Seeing the post, Choi Yoojung commented, "Both of you are so cute, I could die~" while VIVIZ's SinB wrote, "This reminds me of how you two used to bicker when you were little kids."

Meanwhile, Moonbin, a member of ASTRO, passed away on April 19, 2023.

Continue reading Moon Sua shares a touching birthday message for the late Moonbin ... "My one and only big brother"