Cha Eun Woo, a member of K-Pop group ASTRO and a Korean actor who is under increasing public scrutiny amidst accusations that he publicly endorsed an eel restaurant that he owns through his parents, claiming that it is his personal favorite, an act that constitutes undisclosed advertisements.

The concerns, however, resurfaced in the midst of a renewed public interest in reports of a tax-related issue concerning a company in Cha's family. The spotlight has since been focused on an eel restaurant that Cha often talked about as one of his favorite dining places, which ultimately revealed connections between the eatery and his parents, as reported by AllKpop.

A restaurant specializing in eel dishes appeared as a featured restaurant on the variety show "MeokjaGO," broadcast by JTBC in November 2022. The restaurant, which is based in Ganghwa County, Incheon, was referred to as the "Cha Eun Woo's favorite restaurant," causing much interest from the audience.

According to a post by the news outlet JTBC News, the eel restaurant was also noted as a favorite restaurant due to its popularity and estimated revenue of 1 billion KRW (equivalent to $680,000 USD).

Two months before the program aired, Cha had shared a photo on Instagram confirming that he had visited the restaurant, though he did not name or describe it in detail. Later, the same image appeared on the restaurant's official social media account alongside promotional wording highlighting his visit, stating that he had enjoyed the eel, shared the post himself, and was a frequent guest.

After the episode aired, online attention toward the restaurant increased sharply. It became widely referred to as "Cha Eun Woo's favorite eel restaurant," with numerous blog posts and community reviews appearing. Several posts featured photos of Cha's autograph displayed inside the restaurant, accompanied by a handwritten message that read, "Wishing you great success. The eel here is very delicious."

Cha also referenced the restaurant during another broadcast in November 2022 when recounting an anecdote about receiving four kilograms of eel from his father ahead of a camping trip with agency staff and fellow ASTRO members.

While explaining the situation, he said his family had long frequented a particular restaurant in his father's hometown and that he had visited it multiple times with staff and members, remarks later interpreted as referring to the same restaurant.

The controversy intensified after it emerged that the restaurant had previously been listed as the registered address of a company established by Cha's mother, identified by the surname Choi, in October 2022. According to the outlet, the company was reportedly founded for management-related business purposes, raising suspicions that it may have functioned as a paper company.

Online reactions were swift, with netizens questioning why the family connection was not disclosed earlier. Comments included, "People would have gone even if he had openly said it was his parents' restaurant," and, "Is it acceptable to present a family-owned business as just a favorite spot on television?"

Meanwhile, Cha Eun Woo enlisted in the military in July last year and is currently serving in the Army Military Band. He is scheduled to be discharged on Jan. 27, 2027.