Cha Eunwoo, a South Korean singer and actor from ASTRO, is once again under public scrutiny after reports that his last tax payment was much lower than what was first reported. This has led to criticism from online communities.
Earlier this year, the government looked into Cha for possible tax evasion. Initially, reports indicated that he owed over ₩20.0 billion KRW (approximately $13.7 million USD). Koreaboo reported that the case got a lot of attention because of the large amount of unpaid taxes and Cha's fame in the entertainment industry.
In a recent update, Cha apologized on Instagram and said he had paid all of his back taxes. He said he would obey the rules and take responsibility for what happened. Koreaboo reported that the statement included his comments that he "respects the procedures and decisions of the National Tax Service" and "has paid all relevant taxes."
He also added that he would "continue to make an effort to be someone who takes full responsibility for his choices and actions."
Later reports said that the final payment was ₩13.0 billion KRW (about $8.79 million USD), which was less than what was first reported. This difference became a major point of criticism among people who used the internet, especially on Korean community forums.
theqoo says that a lot of people on the internet were unhappy and didn't believe the smaller amount.
People on the internet didn't believe the news about the cut. "Can't believe he got a discount in the meantime LOL." Some people who commented on the outcome said it wasn't fair. "He really worked hard to get a discount on his taxes."
Others pointed out how much more the alleged evasion was than what normal people do. "He evaded taxes on an amount that normal people couldn't earn in a lifetime LOL." More answers stressed how serious the problem was, no matter how much. Tax evasion remains tax evasion, regardless of the financial implications.
There were also murmurs about the artist's public backing throughout the ordeal. "Why are people defending him?" Some comments brought up industry practices in the conversation. "We need to catch all the celebrities who set up corporations to evade taxes."
The matter is still under discussion on social media, where some are satisfied with Cha's apology while others demand accountability. With an increasing number of individuals in South Korea investigating the financial records of their stars, the case raises concerns about tax transparency.
Originally published on Kdrama Stars
