Actor Cha Eun-woo (right) was recently spotted on a Seoul subway line. [Online community capture]
Actor Cha Eun-woo (right) was recently spotted on a Seoul subway line. [Online community capture]

Actor Cha Eun-woo, 29, has been spotted enjoying a military leave with fewer than 100 days left before his discharge.

A string of sighting reports has appeared on online communities and social media in recent days.

One user who identified as an international fan posted a video claiming to have seen Cha on Seoul Subway Line 4. In the clip, Cha wore a military uniform and pulled his cap low over his face, yet his sharp nose and defined jawline still drew attention.

The user said they initially did not recognize Cha and told a companion, "He really looks like Cha Eun-woo," to which the companion replied, "He doesn't just look like him — that is Cha Eun-woo."

A separate post on a Chinese social media platform reported a sighting at a Korean beef restaurant in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul. The author wrote that Cha was seen walking out of a private dining room, adding, "He is genuinely so handsome."

Cha is currently serving in the Army Military Band and is scheduled for discharge on Jan. 27, 2027, with fewer than 100 days of service remaining.

While serving, Cha became embroiled in tax evasion allegations after it emerged in January that the National Tax Service had issued him a notice to collect about 20 billion won in income taxes. The allegations centered on claims that Cha had disguised payments to a one-person agency run by his family as fees for entertainment services that were not actually rendered. After adjustments and refunds for double-taxed portions of previously paid corporate and value-added taxes, the final amount was reduced to about 13 billion won ($9.5 million), which Cha paid in full in April. He apologized to fans and the public for the disappointment and confusion caused. However, in July he filed a petition with the Tax Tribunal challenging the National Tax Service's assessment as unjust.


paq@heraldcorp.com