[theqoo] CHA EUNWOO, “I PAID 13 BILLION WON IN TAXES, BUT I FEEL WRONGED”… FILES ‘APPEAL’

It has been confirmed that singer and actor Cha Eunwoo filed an appeal with the Tax Tribunal against the National Tax Service after paying the full amount of approximately 13 billion won (~9M USD) in back taxes.

According to a comprehensive report by Edaily on the 2nd, Cha Eunwoo submitted a petition for tax adjudication to the Tax Tribunal early last month, arguing that the National Tax Service’s assessment of approximately 13 billion won was unjust. He filed the petition just before the deadline, which is limited to “within 90 days” from the date he received the tax assessment notice from the National Tax Service.

Fantagio, Cha Eunwoo’s agency, stated, “(Cha Eunwoo) filed a tax appeal in accordance with the procedures prescribed by law to seek a legal ruling,” adding, “As the matter is currently under review, it is difficult for us to comment on specific details.”

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Observers suggest that Cha Eunwoo’s decision to file the appeal after fully paying the back taxes was motivated by a desire to avoid the “late payment penalty.” If a taxpayer fails to pay a tax bill by the due date, they must pay a late payment penalty of 0.022% per day (approximately 8% per year). For an unpaid amount of 13 billion won, the daily penalty alone exceeds 2.8 million won. It is interpreted that he paid the tax in full first and then took about 90 days to deliberate before deciding whether to file an appeal.

The Tax Tribunal’s final decision is likely to be issued after Cha Eunwoo is discharged from military service next January. According to the Tax Tribunal Statistical Yearbook, the average processing time for domestic tax cases involving claimed tax amounts between 10 billion and 20 billion won was 507 days in 2024 and 353 days in 2025, taking an average of about one year.

If the Tax Tribunal rules in his favor, Cha Eunwoo will receive a refund of the taxes he paid. If the claim is dismissed, he may file a formal lawsuit with the Administrative Court.