Cha Eun-woo

Early life and education

Cha Eun-woo was born Lee Dong-min on March 30, 1997, in Gunpo, South Korea. His stage name "Cha Eun-woo" was given by his agency and consists of the hanja characters Eun (銀) meaning "silver", and Woo (優), meaning "excellence". He has a younger brother.

During his childhood, Cha aspired to become a doctor, prosecutor, or police officer.

He attended Nungnae Elementary School, Suri Middle School, and Suri High School. In November 2015, he was accepted into Sungkyunkwan University through early admission in the department of acting. He graduated from Hanlim Multi Art School in February 2016, specializing in broadcasting and entertainment within the acting department. He later graduated from Sungkyunkwan University with a major in performing arts in the theater department.

Career

2013–2015: Career beginnings and acting debut

Cha was discovered by a talent scout at a school festival and signed with Fantagio during his first year of high school to pursue acting. He was also offered a place in the company's idol trainee program, where he began training alongside his acting activities.

In 2014, while still a trainee under his real name Lee Dong-min, he appeared in a KBS news report on the K-pop training system. That same year, he made his acting debut with a minor role in the film My Brilliant Life, starring Gang Dong-won and Song Hye-kyo. His appearance in the film generated early public interest, leading to the creation of an online fan cafe dedicated to him. Due to the positive response, the rookie actor Lee was selected as the brand model for the Korean cosmetics Shara Shara.

He was the fourth trainee to be officially introduced with the "Fantagio i-Teen Photo Test Cut". In August 2015, Cha was cast as the lead in the web drama To Be Continued with Kim Sae-ron.

2016–2022: Debut with Astro, solo activities and rising popularity

In 2016, Cha appeared on the KBS1 quiz show Challenge Golden Bell and revealed that he was preparing to debut with Astro. He featured in the SBS special television program Find Me, in one of the "Truman" roles. He debuted in Astro on February 23, with the EP Spring Up. In May, Cha was announced as one of the cast members of SBS reality-documentary show Law of the Jungle in New Caledonia. In August, Cha participated in the Chuseok special variety show Replies That Make Us Flutter alongside Dahyun, where the two played fictionized versions of themselves in a high school romantic comedy. In September, he participated in another Chuseok pilot program, Boomshakalaka. Cha was announced as a host of Show! Music Core alongside Kim Sae-ron, Lee Soo-min and Xiyeon from 2016 to 2018. In 2016, he also starred in the web drama My Romantic Some Recipe.

In 2017, Cha was cast in the KBS2 drama Hit the Top and starred in the web drama Sweet Revenge. Cha was announced as a host of MBC Gayo Daejejeon from 2017 to 2019. In 2018, Cha starred in the YouTube Original show Top Management, playing the role of a young man who aspired to be an idol. The show was a first for the streaming service, which at the time had never offered a "YouTube K-drama series". He was later cast in the JTBC romantic comedy series Gangnam Beauty, his first leading role on television. Following the series, Cha was named one of GQ Korea's "Men of the Year" in 2018. In 2019, Cha starred in the historical drama Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung alongside Shin Se-kyung. He played the role of a royal prince who became a romance novelist, and won the Excellence Award for an Actor and Best Couple Award with Shin at the MBC Drama Awards. In December, he was announced as a cast member of the new variety show Handsome Tigers alongside Joy, Lee Sang-yoon, Yoo Seon-ho, and Seo Jang-hoon.

In April 2020, Cha joined SBS television show Master in the House as a fixed cast member. At the 2020 SBS Entertainment Awards, he won the Rookie Award for his role on the show. In December 2020, he starred in the tvN coming-of-age romance drama True Beauty based on the webtoon of the same name, playing a high school student alongside Moon Ga-young. In June 2021, he left Master in the House. In November 2021, Cha released "Don't Cry, My Love", a ballad song featuring a piano performance, for the official soundtrack of the comic Under The Oak Tree. In 2022, Cha recorded the remake of "Focus on Me" for the soundtrack of the Kakao Webtoon The Villainess Is a Marionette, released on February 22. He then played the role of a Navy officer in Hwang In-ho's urban terror action film Decibel which was released in November 2022. Later that year he starred in TVING drama Island alongside Kim Nam-gil, Lee Da-hee and Sung Joon, playing the role of an exorcist priest. On December 30, Fantagio released an official statement stating that Cha had decided to renew his contract with the agency.

2023–present: Solo ventures and mainstream popularity

In 2023, Cha held his first solo photography exhibition, titled ARCHIVE, at The Seouliteum gallery in Seoul, which featured personal photographs. He also starred in the webtoon-based fantasy romance drama A Good Day to Be a Dog. For the series, he released the remake of the song "Jealousy", originally sung by Yoo Seung-beom, as part of the soundtrack. Cha became the first Asian artist to receive the VMAs Global Icon Award at the MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2023, a special award honoring achievements in global artistic activities.

In 2024, Cha embarked on the "Just One 10 Minutes "Mystery Elevator", his first solo fan concert. He performed all songs included in his album for the first time at the Seoul fan concert. On February 15, Cha's extended play Entity was released, containing the lead single "Stay". The music video featured him and American actress India Eisley. His Just One 10 Minutes fan concert began on February 17 in South Korea, including tours to Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, Japan, Singapore, as well as Indonesia. On February 19, the music video of the EP, "Where Am I" was released. On March 27, it was announced that three more concerts were added in Hong Kong, Brazil and Mexico between April 26 and June 5. On April 25, due to demand, a second show was added in Mexico at Arena CDMX on June 4. On May 16, the encore fan concert was announced. It began in Japan at K-Arena Yokohama on June 29 and 30. Cha reunited with the audience in South Korea at SK Olympic Handball Gymnasium on July 6.

Cha co-starred in the revenge thriller series Wonderful World opposite actress Kim Nam-joo aired in 2024. In August 2024, Cha released the digital single "Hey Hello" in collaboration with Peder Elias. In December 2024, Cha featured in Lee Seung Gi's 20th debut anniversary album With, in the song "Because You're My Woman".

In the beginning of 2025, Cha starred as one of the cast members of tvN's variety show Rented in Finland along with Lee Je-hoon, Lee Dong-hwi, and Kwak Dong-yeon. In April 2025, Cha contributed to the tribute song for his Astro bandmate Moonbin to mark the second anniversary of his death. He personally contacted all those involved in the project. In May, Cha made a special appearance in IU's music video, "A Beautiful Person". On June 18, Cha released his first VR concert, Cha Eun-woo VR Concert: Memories, which premiered in 21 cities worldwide including Seoul, Los Angeles, Tokyo, Mexico City, Taipei, Beijing, Hong Kong, Hanoi, Singapore, and Jakarta. On June 21, it was announced that Cha is preparing to hold a solo fan meeting before his enlistment, "THE ROYAL", at Kyung Hee University Peace Hall in Seoul on July 12, followed by two shows in Japan at Ariake Arena on July 15. In July, Cha collaborated with Arden Cho on an acoustic cover of "Free", the theme song from the animated film KPop Demon Hunters. On August 4, the song was released on all music platforms. In September 2025, Cha Eun-woo: Memories in Cinemas was released at CGV theaters. The project is a film adaptation of the Cha Eun-woo VR Concert: Memories, presented in 2D, ScreenX, 4DX, and Ultra 4DX formats. It premiered in South Korea, with sequential releases in cities worldwide. He made his leading film debut with director Nam Dae-jung's film The First Ride released in October 2025. In November 2025, Cha released his second extended play (EP), Else.

Other ventures

Endorsements and fashion

As the rookie actor Lee Dong-min, he was selected as model for Korean cosmetics brand Shara Shara in 2014. In January 2017, Cha was chosen as exclusive model for the shoe brand Bluemountain Korea. In February, Cha was chosen as advertising model for the French outdoor clothing brand Lafuma. In April, he was selected as promotional model for Clearteen, a dermatological line from the South Korean pharmaceutical company Handok. In May, Cha become an advertising model for the ice cream brand Baskin-Robbins. In June, Cha was chosen as promotional model for Lotte Water Park. In August, he was selected as a promotional model for POLHAM. In October, Cha was chosen as an advertising model for Nongshim pretzel.

In January 2018, Cha was selected as the model for Aritaum's Angel Kiss Tint, from the South Korean beauty and cosmetics brand Amorepacific. In July, Cha was chosen as new TV commercial model for "EyeBon", an eye care product line by Dong-A Pharmaceutical. In October, Cha was chosen as the first muse for the street fashion brand BMS (Be My Self). Additionally, Cha became the muse for Atelier Cologne, and was selected as advertising model for Kellogg's Hershey Choco Crunch cereal. In December, Cha became the advertising model for Goobne Chicken, and a brand ambassador for Italian luxury fashion house Armani's watches. In January 2019, Cha was selected as a promotional model for the American luggage brand Samsonite's Red line. In March, he was announced as the promotional model for LG Uplus' 5G, and became the muse for American footwear and sports brand K-Swiss. In June, Cha was appointed as a new promotional model for Samsung Card. In August, Cha was selected as an advertising model for beauty brand Liz K. In October, he became the new face of beauty device company Unix Electronics.

In January 2020, Cha became a brand ambassador for South Korean cosmeceutical brand BRTC (Bio Remedies Therapeutic Cosmetics) in China. In February, Cha was appointed an official model for Australian/New Zealand multinational brand sportswear brand 2XU. In December, he was named the global face of Filipino beauty and health brand Frontrow. In January 2021, Cha was chosen as advertising model for Dong-A Pharmaceutical's derma cosmetics brand, Fation. In February, Cha became Penshoppe's international ambassador. In March, he was selected as the brand model for Noona Holdak Chicken. In May, Cha was chosen as a new model for clothing brand O'Neill. In July, Cha became a global brand ambassador for the British luxury fashion house Burberry, was chosen as the first Konvy's presenter, as well as advertising model for Mackiss Company's Now We Are soju, and for Nunen Chazuki under the Korean premium eye health brand '2.0 Recipe'. In August, Cha was selected as advertising model for Samhwa Foods, and the new muse of Dashu Perfume. In January 2022, Cha became the muse for the hair styling brand Dashu. The next two months, he became new brand ambassador for Ms Glow and Mister Potato. In April 2022, Cha was selected as a model for contemporary men's clothing brand Liberclassy. In June, Cha became a brand ambassador for Dior Beauty, announced after attending Jean-Michel Othoniel's exhibition. In December, Cha was officially announced as a brand ambassador for Dior.

Philanthropy

Since 2016, Cha has engaged in significant philanthropic activities spanning education, disaster relief, health awareness, children's welfare, and international causes.

His early contributions included donating his handwriting to the Korean language learning app Danbi in October 2016, with all profits supporting the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange's Hangul ODA (Official Development Assistance) project. Two years later, in June 2018, he participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness and funds for South Korea's first ALS nursing hospital, a challenge he revisited in July 2023 with an additional ₩10 million donation.

In 2019, he donated ₩10 million to aid victims of the Sokcho Fire and contributed another ₩10 million (jointly with Unix Electronics Chairman Lee Chung-goo) to the "Junior Love Academic Support Fund" for scholarships at his alma mater, Sungkyunkwan University, a project he has continued to support by donating earnings from his advertising contracts.

In 2020, he collaborated with G-Market Global Shop's "Give Love" campaign to benefit Save the Children Korea's "School Me" project and made a separate ₩30 million donation to assist communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea.

In 2022, he served as a special audio guide for the British contemporary art exhibition by Michael Craig-Martin, donating a portion of the proceeds to support pediatric cancer patients at the National Cancer Center, and later held his personal photo exhibition Archive, donating all profits to help the underprivileged.

More recently, Cha has expanded his charitable efforts both internationally and domestically. In 2023, he supported the "Little Miracle" project in Thailand, raising ฿400,000 through an auction in April and an additional ฿514,902 in May for the Children's Hospital Foundation through KonnecThai. In October 2024, he participated in W Korea's "Love Your W" breast cancer awareness campaign and charity event, and donated personal items to the "WeAJa Sharing Market" to benefit underprivileged youth and groups affected by the climate crisis. In March 2025, he donated ₩100 million through the Korean Red Cross for wildfire recovery efforts in the Ulsan, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam regions.

Public image

Since his acting debut in the film My Brilliant Life (2014), Lee Dong-min gained early media attention for his visual appeal. Korean media calling him a "man-jjit-nam" ("a man who stepped out of a comic book") and described him as "more beautiful than a woman", praising his fair complexion. In a year-end article, Hankook Ilbo included him among the stars who shined in the cosmetics industry, noting that his professional attitude and impact far exceeded the standards for a rookie. This reputation evolved into the moniker "Face Genius", with his persona often described as providing "comfort and inspiration". South Korean poet Jang Jae-seon included him as one of 37 cultural icons in the collection The Comfort of the Stars (2024), while Brazilian writer Rose Costa published the book Thank You, Cha Eun-woo (2022) to highlight his professionalism and talent.

Cha's commercial and digital influence has consistently ranked among the highest in the industry. Named GQ Korea's Man of the Year in 2018, he was later recognized as the male "Hot Instagrammer" by K-pop Radar (2019) and became the only Korean male celebrity after members of BTS and Blackpink to surpass 40 million Instagram followers by 2024. His commercial impact was evidenced in 2022, when his partnership with Liberclassy resulted in an 806% increase in mall traffic and over 70 million won in sales for pre-application alone. In 2024, Cha was noted as the male celebrity with the highest number of television advertising appearances in South Korea, representing 13 different brands. Following this commercial dominance, Forbes Korea named him the "CF Genius" in August 2025, highlighting his status as a preferred choice for advertisers due to his widespread public appeal.

His professional standing and cultural influence are further validated by recurring placements on power lists and official state recognition. He has frequently appeared on the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list, reaching 11th place in 2024 as the highest-ranked actor. In Gallup Korea's 2024 longitudinal study covering two decades (2004–2024), Cha was ranked third as the "Gallup Korea's Favorite Actor"—the youngest in the top 10—and led as the primary choice for teenagers. In 2025, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism identified him as one of the top 10 "Hallyu Star Actors" associated with the national image. Globally, his leadership has been acknowledged through his inclusion in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Korea (2023) and Asia (2025) lists, the 2025 Madame Tussauds "Hot 100", and his selection as the first male cover star for Harper's Bazaar Hong Kong. He was also recognized in Teen Vogue's "New Hollywood Class of 2025" and as a "Most Inspiring Person" by Elle Thailand in 2024.

State and honorary roles

Cha has held various honorary and official positions appointed by Government of South Korea-affiliated organizations. These roles focus on cultural diplomacy, international trade, and national tourism promotion, distinct from his state and cultural awards.

Personal life

Wealth

In 2021, Cha purchased a penthouse in Cheongdam-dong worth ₩4.9 billion. His total net worth is estimated at US$50 million as of 2023.

Military service

On May 9, 2025, Cha applied to join the Republic of Korea Army Band. The Military Manpower Administration announced that he was included in the list of successful applicants and he enlisted on July 28. In August, Cha was selected as a company commander trainee during basic military training at the Korea Army Training Center (KATC). On September 2, Cha graduated from KATC, where he was selected as the trainee representative for the ceremony. He continued his service as a member of the military band of the Ministry of National Defense on September 4, 2025.

Tax dispute

In January 2026, South Korean media outlets reported that National Tax Service (NTS) issued an initial notice of additional tax assessment to Cha in the range of ₩20 billion (approximately US$13.6–14 million). According to the NTS, a corporation established by Cha's mother was used to route part of his income from Fantagio through a management service contract, resulting in earnings being taxed at the lower corporate tax rate instead of the higher personal income tax rate (up to 45%). Cha denied allegations of intentional wrongdoing, stating that the case concerns a legal dispute over the company's taxable status.

On January 30, Edaily corrected misunderstandings and speculations, clarifying that Cha was not subject to criminal tax penalties, as the case was not classified as tax evasion. The matter is under a pre-assessment review, an administrative process that is not used in criminal tax cases.

On April 8, after receiving the official tax notification of approximately ₩20 billion, Cha paid the full assessed amount. However, after offsets and refunds for previously paid corporate taxes and value-added tax (VAT) on the same earnings, the net amount was approximately ₩13 billion. He issued a personal statement via Instagram the same day, taking responsibility for issues related to the establishment and management of the company, and that he would apply stricter standards to his future activities. Fantagio issued an apology, stating that it acknowledged insufficient review and management of the matter and would strengthen internal verification procedures to prevent similar cases.

Attorney Kim Chae-eun of law firm Sedam stated that describing Cha's tax issue as 'tax evasion' is inappropriate, noting that the NTS did not file charges for tax evasion nor impose penalties for fradulent underreporting. She further explained that the pre-assessment review procedure is a pre-notification process used to contest the legality of an assessment before it is finalized, and that during this process the tax amount is not final and no enforceable payment notice is issued. She described the process as a safeguard within the tax system and expressed concern that some media coverage had created a stigmatizing interpretation of the exercise of taxpayer rights.

Discography

Songwriting credits

All song credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association's database unless stated otherwise.

Videography

Filmography

Live performances

Exhibitions

Accolades