SEOUL, April 20 — South Korean singer-actor Cha Eun-woo is set to make his return to television with a new Netflix series, following the resolution of a high-profile tax issue earlier this year.

According to The Korea Herald, the K-pop star will appear in The Wonderfools, an action-comedy also featuring Park Eun-bin of Extraordinary Attorney Woo fame. 

The series is slated for a global release on May 15.

Set in 1999, the story centres on a group of outsiders in a small town who suddenly gain superpowers and must work together to confront a looming global threat. 

Park, 33, leads the cast, while Cha, 29, takes on the role of a mysterious character with supernatural abilities.

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

The series had drawn attention amid controversy surrounding Cha’s tax affairs. 

In January, South Korea’s tax authorities reassessed his liabilities at about 20 billion won (RM53.6 million), making it one of the largest cases involving a celebrity in the country.

Investigators from the National Tax Service found that income had been channelled through a company registered under his mother’s name, allowing it to be taxed at lower corporate rates instead of the top 45 per cent personal income bracket.

Cha, who debuted with K-pop group Astro in 2016, has also built a career in acting with roles in series such as My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018), True Beauty (2020–2021) and Wonderful World (2024).

Currently serving his mandatory military service, Cha issued a public apology on January 26, saying he would cooperate fully with authorities and accept the outcome of the review.

On April 8, he said via social media that all outstanding taxes had been settled. 

His agency, Fantagio, added that the final amount paid — about 13 billion won — was lower than the initial estimate, with steps being taken to recover any duplicated payments linked to corporate and value-added taxes.