South Korean actor Cha Eun-woo (차은우) has once again found himself embroiled in controversy. Recent reports indicate he is being considered for a new installment of the drama series 'Tyrant's Chef,' potentially taking over the lead role from Lee Chae-min (이채민), who starred in the first season. However, with Cha Eun-woo currently serving in the military and his previous tax dispute not fully resolved, the news has sparked heated debate, with many viewers questioning the production team's casting criteria.
On May 11, a representative from Fantagio, Cha Eun-woo's agency, confirmed to Korean media outlet SPOTV News, "'Tyrant's Chef' is one of the projects he is currently considering." This indicates that discussions are still in the preliminary stages and nothing has been officially finalized.
The new project is said to share the same world-building as the first season but will feature a new title and storyline, with Jang Tae-yoo (장태유), director of 'Tyrant's Chef,' returning to helm the series. Notably, Cha Eun-woo still has time left in his military service, and his previous tax controversy has not yet fully subsided. The news that the production team has already extended an offer to him has, therefore, generated considerable discussion.
In fact, for Jang Tae-yoo's previous work, 'Tyrant's Chef,' Park Sung-hoon (박성훈) was initially cast as the male lead. However, he withdrew from the project due to controversy over explicit content he had uploaded on social media in the past, with rookie actor Lee Chae-min eventually taking over the role.
At the time, Jang Tae-yoo revealed that the incident occurred before official filming began, stating, "Casting doesn't always go the way you want it to. I consider it something that has passed in the production process." This indirectly conveyed his feelings about the casting change.
'Tyrant's Chef' achieved good ratings after its broadcast, boosting Lee Chae-min's popularity and rapidly establishing his name. However, with the same director now reportedly in talks with Cha Eun-woo, who is still facing tax controversy, many viewers are finding it difficult to understand, questioning whether the production team is applying different standards to different actors.
In the past, many dramas have faced broadcast delays or even cancellations due to personal controversies involving actors before their release. The fact that Cha Eun-woo is reportedly in talks to star while his related controversy has not fully concluded has led some netizens to perceive a stark contrast in how these situations are handled.
Cha Eun-woo previously became embroiled in a tax issue. In January of this year, Korean media reported that he received a notice from the National Tax Service, demanding an additional 20 billion won (approximately 450 million New Taiwan Dollars) in income tax, leading to suspicions of tax evasion. At the time, Cha Eun-woo's side stated they respected the National Tax Service's decision and had paid all relevant taxes to prevent further escalation of the controversy.
However, reports indicate that earlier this month, Cha Eun-woo filed an objection to the National Tax Service's assessment and applied for a review with the Tax Tribunal. The relevant proceedings are currently ongoing.
Therefore, with the tax controversy still awaiting a final resolution, the news that Cha Eun-woo is being considered for a new project has dissatisfied some viewers. They argue that since the production team is aware of the ongoing controversy, yet still considers him for the lead role, it seems to be a different stance compared to how they handled Park Sung-hoon's controversy in the past.
Online discussion forums have been flooded with comments, with many netizens questioning, "If Cha Eun-woo can star, why did Park Sung-hoon have to withdraw?" and "Cha Eun-woo was even cast after his controversy broke out, why choose him? This is a double standard." Other comments include, "Does popularity mean controversies are forgiven?" "So, not being popular is a sin, what a crazy world," and "Not to defend Jeon Jae-joon, but porn screenshots >> 20 billion won in tax evasion is truly shocking." Some even directly stated that while the nature of their controversies differs, the production team's inconsistent handling is indeed difficult to comprehend.
Some netizens also criticized Cha Eun-woo's acting and image, commenting, "He's not only involved in a tax controversy, but his acting is also questioned, so why was he chosen?" "Are there no other male actors to choose from?" "They replaced Park Sung-hoon due to controversy, but then cast Cha Eun-woo, a historic tax evader? How ironic." and "One person who broke the law and one who didn't."
However, some netizens believe that the two incidents are different in nature and should not be simply compared, suggesting that the final decision should await the conclusion of the tax proceedings and the production team's official announcement.
Whether Cha Eun-woo will indeed star in this new project remains to be confirmed by the production team. However, even before official casting confirmation, the news has already sparked a new wave of discussion due to factors such as 'discussions for a lead role before military discharge' and his past tax controversy, keeping the public's attention on how the production team will respond next.
