Im Siwan’s K-Drama Gains Popularity Amid ASTRO Cha Eunwoo’s Tax Controversy
ASTRO Cha Eunwoo is facing a massive tax scandal — and it just got way bigger.
The Seoul Regional Tax Office’s Investigation Bureau #4, known as the “Grim Reapers of the business world,” hit Cha Eunwoo with a staggering ₩20 billion KRW ($13.8 million USD) in additional taxes.
This is reportedly the largest tax assessment ever against a Korean celebrity. The investigation revealed Cha Eunwoo’s mother set up a single-person agency, which the tax office says was used for tax evasion. The whole family got pulled into the probe.
My Daily
In 2025, Investigation Bureau #4 launched an intensive investigation into allegations that the K-Pop idol engaged in tax evasion through a single-person agency established by his mother, ultimately notifying him of an additional ₩20.0 billion KRW (about $13.8 million USD) in tax. This marks the largest assessment ever imposed on a celebrity, based on the results of a tax audit.
The timing has fans turning back to Tracer, an MBC 2022 K-Drama about the National Tax Service. The show stars idol-turned-actor Im Siwan and highlights a fictional bureau similar to the one investigating Cha Eunwoo.
OP from theqoo
[A state-certified expert who hunts dirty money is coming!] A place some people fear more than prosecutors or judges—the National Tax Service. Known colloquially as the ‘dumping ground,’ Taxation Bureau No. 5, this is a fast-paced, cathartic investigative thriller that follows the ruthless, take-no-prisoners exploits of a hardened operative who has ended up there, stopping at nothing.
The Central Regional Tax Office’s Taxation Bureau No. 5 depicted in the series is similar to the Seoul Regional Tax Office’s Investigation Bureau No. 4 (a fictional name is used).
Fans are praising Tracer hard, saying Cha Eunwoo’s scandal brought new eyes to the show. Comments from a viral theqoo post include:
- “This one is insanely good.”
- “Thanks, Cha Eunwoo. I’m going to save this one, LOL.”
- “Tracer is crazy good. Now that I’m thinking about it, I should rewatch.”
- “After watching it, you kind of feel smarter.”
- “The character Hwang Dong Joo is absolutely unhinged with insane skills, and Im Siwan’s acting is ridiculously good at portraying that.”
Cha Eunwoo’s tax trouble is getting linked to this crime thriller, turning the spotlight on both the scandal and the show.
ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo
ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo | Newsen
| theqoo