Cha Eun Woo’s military service, from Nonsan to the army band

Cha Eun Woo is doing his military service in the South Korean army’s military band. He enlisted on 28 July 2025, finished basic training at the Army Training Center in Nonsan on 2 September and joined the band after that. Army service lasts 18 months. His discharge date and his tax case have their own page.

Cha Eun Woo’s military service at a glance

How did he end up in the military band?

He applied for it. On 29 May 2025 his agency Fantagio confirmed that he had been accepted into the army’s military band and would enlist on 28 July.

Cha Eun Woo’s military enlistment

On the eve of enlisting he posted his buzz cut on Instagram (the haircut page has what he said about it). That night he held a YouTube livestream and told fans he would come back safe and healthy. He reported for duty the next day.

Basic training at Nonsan

Basic training lasted five weeks, and Cha served as a trainee company leader during that time. At the completion ceremony on 2 September 2025 he was the trainee chosen to deliver the formal report, announcing that trainee Lee Dong-min had completed training. Photos of his salute at the ceremony were widely shared online.

What he does in the band

The clearest public glimpse of his band work so far came in July 2026, when photos from the Ministry of National Defense music battalion’s regular concert showed him on stage in a white hanbok.

Two projects he finished before enlisting came out while he was serving: the mini album Else and the Netflix series The WONDERfools. Their release dates are on the discharge page.

Did the tax case change his military post?

No. After his income tax assessment became public in January 2026, a member of the public filed a complaint asking the defence ministry to review his band assignment, and filed a second one in April after he had paid the tax. The argument was that a soldier in such a visible role affects public trust in the military.

The ministry answered on 6 May 2026. It said the case did not meet the grounds for reassignment in its personnel regulations, that he would keep his current position, and that there was no basis for disciplinary action at that stage. It added that it had no direct access to the tax investigation.

Questions people ask

Is Cha Eun Woo in the military now? Yes. He has been serving since 28 July 2025 and is in the army’s military band.

How long is Cha Eun Woo’s military service? Eighteen months, the standard army term.

When does Cha Eun Woo finish his military service? On 27 January 2027. What he released while serving, and the tax appeal, are covered on the discharge date page.

Which unit is Cha Eun Woo in? The army’s military band, which he joined after basic training at Nonsan.