On January 26, YouTube channel Entertainment President Lee Jin Ho released a video titled, “Exclusive Shock! Was Cha Eunwoo’s Management Really Run Here? Visiting His Mom’s Ganghwa Eel Restaurant.” In the video, Lee Jin Ho personally visited the Ganghwa eel restaurant reportedly registered under a corporation founded by Cha Eunwoo’s mother, examining its actual operating status and the tax issues now surrounding it.
According to the video, the eel restaurant opened around July 2020 under the name “Chas Gallery” and operated for nearly five years. However, around July last year—coinciding with Cha Eunwoo’s military enlistment—the restaurant announced a temporary closure due to interior renovations. It was later said to have relocated to Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam. Despite this move, the original Ganghwa property remains registered under the same family-established corporation. Lee Jin Ho noted that while there were traces of preparation for construction inside, the renovation appeared to be halted with no active work underway.
Speculation has arisen over whether the Ganghwa property was purchased as a form of real estate investment or to take advantage of tax benefits, as the area is classified as a non-congested zone, potentially lowering acquisition tax burdens. However, Lee Jin Ho countered this theory by presenting official land price data. The publicly assessed land value increased only marginally—from approximately ₩374,900 per pyeong at purchase to about ₩385,400 per pyeong as of January 2025—an increase of roughly ₩1,000 per pyeong over five years. Even when applied to the full property, the gains appear minimal, suggesting the purchase may have been intended for actual business operations rather than speculative investment.
Another key factor highlighted was family ties to the area. Lee Jin Ho stated that he confirmed Cha Eunwoo’s father is originally from Ganghwa. Local residents reportedly shared that it was Cha Eunwoo’s father—not his mother—who had been running the restaurant for years. This has led to speculation that the family’s livelihood space may have been used as the registered address for Cha Eunwoo’s management-related corporation.
Still, Lee Jin Ho emphasized that the core issue lies in whether any real management or entertainment-related work for Cha Eunwoo was actually conducted at this location. Given Ganghwa’s distance from major entertainment hubs like Gangnam and Sangam, combined with the physical layout of the eel restaurant, doubts remain over whether the corporation genuinely performed management duties.
Alongside these questions, the tax situation has intensified. The National Tax Service has reportedly issued a preliminary tax assessment notice of approximately ₩20 billion to Cha Eunwoo. Such notices are generally sent only after extensive review and collection of tax-related evidence. The seriousness of the case is underscored by the involvement of Investigation Bureau #4, which typically handles major, intentional tax evasion cases.
Authorities are believed to have completed their review of relevant financial records before issuing the notice, effectively signaling that both the amount and legal basis for the additional tax have largely been determined. Cha Eunwoo’s side appointed the major law firm Shin & Kim and stated that they will “actively explain and contest” the findings. With an astronomical sum at stake and the question of whether the corporation had real substance, observers expect an intense legal showdown between Cha Eunwoo and the tax authorities in the near future.
Sources: Nate