Cha Eun-woo to return with 'The Wonderfools' after W13b tax evasion resolution

Cha Eun-woo is set to return to screens this spring with Netflix’s action-comedy "The Wonderfools," co-starring Park Eun-bin of "Extraordinary Attorney Woo," marking his first project since settling roughly 13 billion won ($8.8 million) in unpaid taxes.

Set in 1999, "The Wonderfools" follows a group of small-town outsiders who unexpectedly develop superpowers and are forced to band together against a looming global threat. Park leads the ensemble alongside Cha, who plays a mysterious figure with supernatural abilities, with further plot details being kept under wraps.

The series also reunites Park with director Yoo In-sik, who helmed "Extraordinary Attorney Woo."

The series’ rollout had been clouded by controversy after Cha became embroiled in a high-profile tax dispute earlier this year. In January, Korea’s tax authorities issued a reassessment of approximately 20 billion won, marking one of the largest such cases involving a celebrity.

The National Tax Service found that Cha routed income through a company registered under his mother’s name, effectively treating it as a paper entity to take advantage of lower corporate tax rates rather than the top 45 percent personal income bracket.

While currently serving his mandatory military duty, Cha later issued a public apology as the allegations mounted, pledging full cooperation with authorities and stating he would accept the outcome of the review process.

On April 8, he confirmed via social media that all outstanding taxes had been paid.

His agency, Fantagio, noted that the final liability was lower than initially estimated, at around 13 billion won, and that procedures were underway to reclaim any overlapping payments related to corporate and value-added taxes.

"The Wonderfools" is set to debut globally on May 15.