<\/p>\n
YouTuber and reporter\u00a0Lee Jin Ho<\/strong>\u00a0claimed that \u201cthe law firm\u00a0Sejong<\/strong>, representing\u00a0Cha Eunwoo<\/strong>, was appointed not recently but about a year ago.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n On the 27th, Lee Jin Ho released a video focusing on the controversy surrounding\u00a0ASTRO<\/strong>\u00a0Cha Eunwoo\u2019s alleged tax arrears amounting to about \u20a920.0 billion KRW (about $14.0 million USD).<\/p>\n In the video, Lee Jin Ho first argued, \u201cAfter checking with tax and accounting experts, there was a gap with public perception<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n The key point of the video was the existence of the family corporation and whether it actually performed management duties. Lee Jin Ho pointed out the issue raised by the National Tax Service, \u201cDid the corporation run by his mother genuinely carry out management for Cha Eunwoo?<\/em>\u201d He explained that there were claims it was difficult to view the corporation\u2014which has a registered office in Ganghwado (including an eel restaurant)\u2014as having genuinely managed Cha Eunwoo.<\/p>\n Lee Jin Ho also said, \u201cCha Eunwoo\u2019s side has appointed law firm Sejong to actively respond<\/em>,\u201d adding, \u201cSejong was appointed not recently but about a year ago, apparently preparing for this situation<\/em>.\u201d However, he refrained from providing detailed explanations, saying, \u201cIt is difficult to disclose specific details<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n During the process, Lee Jin Ho read Cha Eunwoo\u2019s official statement released on the 26th and highlighted its meaning. The apology letter included phrases such as, \u201cI am reflecting on and taking responsibility for my tax obligations<\/em>,\u201d \u201cAlthough currently serving in the military, it was not an intentional choice to avoid controversy<\/em>,\u201d \u201cI will sincerely comply with tax-related procedures<\/em>,\u201d and \u201cI will humbly accept and take responsibility for the final judgment of the relevant authorities.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n However, Lee Jin Ho also conveyed counterarguments from tax and accounting professionals, saying, \u201cIt is difficult to conclude tax evasion solely based on a high operating profit margin<\/em>,\u201d \u201cPaying high labor costs is also at the company\u2019s discretion. Even a small office can manage one celebrity<\/em>.\u201d He added, \u201cSince the case was handled by the Investigation Division 4 and reached the stage of a tax assessment notice, it seems difficult to overturn the decision<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, Lee Jin Ho concluded by emphasizing, \u201cRather than the figures themselves, the key point is whether actual management work was performed,<\/em>\u201d wrapping up the video.<\/p>\n YouTuber and reporter\u00a0Lee Jin Ho\u00a0claimed that \u201cthe law firm\u00a0Sejong, representing\u00a0Cha Eunwoo, was appointed not recently but about a year ago.\u201d On the 27th, Lee Jin Ho released a video focusing … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1051,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/image.koreaboo.com\/2026\/01\/Cha-Eunwoo-FI-2.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/p>\n
Lee Jin Ho further fueled the controversy by mentioning financial statement figures in the video. Citing the family corporation\u2019s 2023 figures, he mentioned \u201csales of about \u20a916.5 billion KRW (about $11.5 million USD) and operating profit of \u20a914.2 billion KRW (about $9.92 million USD),\u201d claiming the operating profit margin to be in the 80% range. He also referred to labor costs (increased from the previous year) and selling and administrative expenses (around \u20a92.30 billion KRW (about $1.61 million USD)), stating, \u201cWhether these costs were actually spent on managing Cha Eunwoo will be a key issue.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the latest investigations by reporter\u00a0<\/span>Lee Jin Ho,<\/span>\u00a0the narrative surrounding\u00a0<\/span>Cha Eun-woo\u2019s\u00a0legal defense has taken a significant turn,<\/span>\u00a0suggesting that the actor\u2019s team was far more prepared for this crisis than previously realized.<\/span>\u00a0Lee claims that the prestigious\u00a0<\/span>Sejong Law Firm\u2014which recently bolstered its tax division by hiring a former head of the\u00a0<\/span>Seoul Regional National Tax Service\u2014was not a last-minute appointment.<\/span>\u00a0Instead,<\/span>\u00a0the firm has reportedly been working with Cha for nearly a year,<\/span>\u00a0quietly strategizing as the\u00a0<\/span>Investigation Bureau 4\u00a0(the \u201cGrim Reapers\u201d of the tax world) began their deep dive into the 2023 financial statements of his mother\u2019s corporation.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"