ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo, who is currently fulfilling his mandatory military service, has been spotted at a military band event — his first public sighting since the tax controversy, immediately drawing major attention.
Photos circulating on online communities and social media show Cha Eun-woo on stage at a military band performance held on the 23rd. In the images, he wears a full tuxedo, holds a microphone, and salutes the audience. As is customary for military band concerts, he appeared in formal stage attire and stood out even among the orchestra members. Reports say he also performed a song during the event.
This update is garnering even more interest as it’s the first time he has been seen since his recent tax scandal. Previously, Cha Eun-woo underwent a National Tax Service audit related to a management contract involving a family-owned corporation. News broke that he was notified of an additional tax assessment of around 20 billion KRW, sparking controversy. After a pre-assessment review and adjustment process, some double taxation was acknowledged, and the final payment was reportedly settled at roughly 13 billion KRW.
As the controversy escalated, Cha Eun-woo posted on social media on the 8th, saying, “I respect the National Tax Service’s procedures and results, and I have paid all related taxes,” bowing his head in apology. He added, “What hurts most is disappointing the fans,” and promised, “I will be more thorough to prevent anything like this from happening again.” His agency Fantagio also stated it would respond diligently in accordance with legal procedures.
Cha Eun-woo is currently serving with the military band and is scheduled to be discharged in January 2027. Separately, the Netflix film The WONDERfools, which he worked on before enlisting, will be released on the 15th of next month.