Actor Kim Seon-ho, who joined Fantagio in March last year, successfully announced his return as the protagonist of the romantic comedy through a new Netflix series. In contrast, Fantagio’s top artist, singer and actor Cha Eun-woo is facing a serious image downturn after being embroiled in allegations of large-scale tax evasion.
Fantagio’s signing of Kim Seon-ho initially attracted considerable attention from the industry. At the time, Kim was rumored to be moving to Song Joong-ki’s HighZium Studio, making Fantagio’s move unexpected. The agency described Kim as an actor with “stable acting skills and a unique charm,” promising full support for his future endeavors. Industry observers widely interpreted the signing as a strategic decision to compensate for Cha Eun-woo’s planned hiatus due to military service.
Kim Seon-ho has already become a top star after the success of the drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Chaonly to face a personal controversy that halted his momentum. After a period of self-reflection, he quietly returned through theater and film, focusing on his art rather than advertising.
His true return, however, once again came through romantic comedy. Kim gained worldwide attention for his role as Park Chung-seop, the romantic partner of IU’s character, in a popular Netflix series last year. Most recently, he solidified his comeback with the Netflix romantic comedy Can this love be translated?.
The ranked series No. 2 in Netflix Global Top 10 (Non-English TV) within three days of release and received enthusiastic responses both domestically and abroad. A fan showcase event held in Jakarta featuring the cast and director further demonstrated the show’s international appeal.
Kim received praise for making full use of her strengths, warm demeanor, calm mid-range voice and naturalistic acting, convincingly portraying a multilingual interpreter, adding depth and credibility to the character. With this performance, Kim Seon-ho effectively reclaimed his status as “the king of romantic comedies” and completed a successful comeback.
Fantagio faces turbulence as tax charges surface about Cha Eun-woo
Meanwhile, Fantagio is facing headwinds due to the ongoing Cha Eun-woo controversy. While serving in the military, Cha was the subject of reports last year that he was investigated by the Seoul Regional Tax Bureau for tax evasion. According to media reports, authorities notified him of more than KRW 20 billion (about $15 million) in additional tax assessments, allegedly relating to income channeled through a one-person agency founded by his mother.
Fantagio responded by stating that the case hinges on whether Cha’s mother qualifies as an effective taxable person and stressed that the issue has not yet been settled. The agency added that it will actively present its case through appropriate legal procedures.
Cha Eun-woo later addressed the issue via social media, stating that he would do so “collaborate faithfully with all tax-related procedures” AND “Humbly accept the final judgment and take responsibility accordingly.” However, some fans expressed disappointment at the lack of a clear explanation and noted that the statement was released on late ASTRO member Moonbin’s birthday, making the moment particularly sensitive.
To make matters worse, Cha Eun-woo will appear in Netflix’s upcoming original series The Wonderful Oneswhose release is scheduled for the second quarter of the year. The emergence of the controversy has raised concerns that it could have a negative impact on the production and its cast.
Notably, Kim Seon-ho’s press interviews celebrating his success on Netflix coincided with breaking news about Cha Eun-woo’s tax charges, putting Fantagio in a difficult situation. ironic position of celebrating and managing the crisis on the same day.
Sources: Naver
