Strangely enough, they're all connected as Shinhan Bank models. From NewJeans to actor Kim Soo-hyun and Cha Eun-woo, Shinhan Bank's brand-endorser risk is becoming a major talking point.
Recently, ASTRO member and actor Cha Eun-woo reportedly underwent an intensive probe last year by the Seoul Regional Tax Office's 4th Investigation Bureau over allegations that he failed to pay more than 20 billion KRW in income tax. He allegedly signed a management services contract with a corporation founded by his mother, allowing him to be taxed at the lower corporate rate rather than the individual income tax rate.
Regarding this, Cha Eun-woo's agency Fantagio stated, "We will actively clarify the issues related to legal interpretation and application through due process. We will faithfully cooperate so that the procedure can be concluded as soon as possible. Cha Eun-woo promises to faithfully fulfill his tax filings and legal obligations as a citizen." Still, the controversy shows no signs of dying down.
The sudden scandal also hit the advertising world head-on. Shinhan Bank, for which Cha Eun-woo serves as a model, set to private all ad videos and images featuring him on its official YouTube channel and social media. Amid this, what's drawing attention on January 23 across social media and online communities is the bank's lineup of past models.
Shinhan Bank picked actor Park Bo-gum as its model in 2019, NewJeans in 2022, Kim Soo-hyun in 2024, and Cha Eun-woo in 2025. But from NewJeans to Kim Soo-hyun to Cha Eun-woo, each has become the center of controversy for different reasons.
NewJeans declared contract termination last November, citing ADOR's failure to fulfill obligations. At the time, the members held an emergency press conference, stating they would end their exclusive contracts with ADOR and continue independently. However, after a legal battle between the members and ADOR, the court in the first trial sided with ADOR, ruling the exclusive contracts valid. More recently, ADOR said it notified Danielle of the termination of her exclusive contract, drawing attention to a potential reorganization of NewJeans as a four-member group.
While NewJeans dominated headlines due to conflict with their agency, Kim Soo-hyun became the focus of controversy last year amid allegations that he had dated the late Kim Sae-ron since she was a minor. As with the current Cha Eun-woo situation, Shinhan Bank removed all videos featuring Kim Soo-hyun from its official channels.
These stars—now grouped as the faces of the same bank—have all become lightning rods for debate. Online reactions include: "That lineup is brutal," "Their common thread is sky-high appearance fees," "At this point, Shinhan Bank needs an exorcism," and "Only Park Bo-gum survived."