Cha Eun-woo videos removed amid tax evasion allegations, Rowoon steps in

Rowoon / Captured from Rowoon's social media

Actor Rowoon, currently serving in the South Korean military, will appear as the new storyteller for the Defense Ministry’s content series “These Days in the Military,” following the removal of videos featuring singer-actor Cha Eun-woo after tax evasion allegations.

The Hankook Ilbo learned on Wednesday that Rowoon has confirmed his appearance as a storyteller for the series on the Defense Media Agency’s channel, KFN Plus, and is preparing for filming.

“These Days in the Military” is a content series in which celebrities serving in the military appear as storytellers, introducing historical events and figures related to the armed forces. The series previously drew attention with appearances by actor Song Kang and NCT member Taeyong.

Cha Eun-woo joined the program as a storyteller last year and appeared in four episodes. However, after allegations of tax evasion surfaced, all videos featuring him were removed from public view.

Currently, the episodes in which Cha appeared have been set to private, with the message “This video is unavailable” appearing in the program’s playlist. With Rowoon now taking over the role, the series is entering a new phase.

Rowoon enlisted for mandatory military service in the South Korean Army on Oct. 27 last year. He had initially been scheduled to enlist earlier, on July 21, but after receiving a Grade 7 decision during his enlistment medical evaluation, which required a reexamination, he filed an appeal, underwent another examination and was ultimately deemed fit for active duty.

After completing basic training, an update on his military life was shared through the social media account “RowoonCine,” operated by his agency FNC Entertainment. The post included photos of him wearing a military uniform with the caption “Private Kim Seok-woo,” using his real name.

Rowoon debuted in 2016 as a member of the K-pop group SF9. He later built a successful acting career through dramas such as “School 2017” (2017), “Extraordinary You” (2019), “The King’s Affection” (2021), “Tomorrow” (2022) and “The Matchmakers” (2023).

After leaving SF9 in 2023, he has focused primarily on acting. In the Disney+ original series “The Murky Stream” (2025), he played the role of Jang Si-yul and showcased a striking transformation that reaffirmed his potential as an actor.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.