Director Yoo In-sik, the mastermind behind the Netflix series ‘Wonderfools’, has opened up about Cha Eun-woo’s current status and his feelings ahead of the show’s release.
In an interview conducted on the 15th regarding ‘Wonderfools’, Director Yoo shared his honest thoughts on everything from why he cast Cha Eun-woo to the situation following recent controversies.
‘Wonderfools’ is a supernatural comic adventure set in 1999, where locals who unexpectedly gain superpowers team up to fight villains. Directed by Yoo In-sik (known for ‘Romantic Doctor Teacher Kim’ and ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’) and starring Park Eun-bin, Cha Eun-woo, Choi Dae-hoon, and Im Sung-jae, the series has been highly anticipated.
In the series, Cha Eun-woo plays Lee Un-jeong, a mysterious civil servant with psychokinetic powers. Director Yoo explained, “The character needed to be a mix of mystery and intrigue, yet clumsy at times. I needed an actor with a warm, fairy-tale-like image, and that was Cha Eun-woo. I really wanted him on board.”
However, the director admitted there was some pressure as a tax controversy involving Cha Eun-woo surfaced just before the release. It was previously reported that Cha Eun-woo underwent a National Tax Service audit regarding the operation of a corporation in his mother’s name and was notified of a tax collection of approximately 20 billion won. Later, it was reported that the amount was adjusted to about 13 billion won after some double taxation was recognized.
Regarding this, Director Yoo confessed, “The release date was already set, and editing and post-production were nearly finished when I found out through the news. It would be a lie to say I wasn’t flustered.”
He continued, “As a director, my biggest concern was presenting the work to viewers with the highest possible quality. Since this project is the result of many people’s hard work over several years, I strongly hoped the work itself would be evaluated fairly.”
When asked if he had been in touch with Cha Eun-woo, Director Yoo gave a cautious response, saying, “I haven’t contacted him directly since the controversy, but I’ve heard that he is very concerned about the situation.”
Cha Eun-woo enlisted in July last year and is currently serving in the military band. He recently made headlines when footage of him performing at a military band event was released, catching fans’ eyes as he appeared on stage in a suit and saluted the audience.
‘Wonderfools’, starring Cha Eun-woo, was released on Netflix on the 15th.
