A woman in her 50s has been booked by Seoul’s Yongsan Police Station for allegedly planting listening devices under a cafe table to secretly record private conversations involving Cha Eun Woo. The singer-actor was meeting an acquaintance at the cafe in Yongsan District when the devices were placed on two separate occasions in August. Police caught the woman on August 30 while she was trying to retrieve the equipment. She has been released and is now being investigated without detention.
What Police Say Happened at the Cafe
The woman, identified only as A, is accused of visiting the cafe on August 23 and hiding listening devices beneath a table where Cha Eun Woo was sitting with a friend. Police believe she returned to the same location on August 29 and placed additional devices under the table while the actor was present again.
Reports suggest that around five listening devices were left at the cafe across the two visits. Two devices were allegedly placed during the first visit on August 23, and three more were installed on August 29, according to Maeil Broadcasting Network (MBN).
The woman’s alleged actions came to light when she returned to the cafe on August 30 to collect the devices. A report was filed with the 112 emergency police line, stating that someone appeared to be wiretapping Cha Eun Woo. Responding officers caught her at the scene.
The cafe owner had reportedly found the situation suspicious and checked the CCTV footage before reporting it to police. This led to the woman’s initial emergency arrest at the cafe.
Charges and Police Investigation Details
The woman has been booked on suspicion of violating South Korea’s Protection of Communications Secrets Act. She was initially placed under emergency arrest, but prosecutors did not approve the arrest, and she was later released. She is currently being investigated without detention.
Police have taken several steps to determine the full scope of the case:
- Mobile phone forensic analysis: Investigators are examining the woman’s phone to determine whether she had any accomplices and how she obtained the listening devices.
- Device examination: Authorities are checking whether the devices were capable of recording conversations and whether any private discussion involving Cha Eun Woo was actually captured.
- Motive investigation: Police are trying to understand why Cha Eun Woo was targeted and what the woman planned to do with any recordings.
The woman reportedly identified herself as a fan of Cha Eun Woo during police questioning. However, authorities have not publicly confirmed a motive or disclosed whether any private conversation was successfully recorded.
A police official stated that the case is under investigation and declined to provide specific details. Police plan to consider whether to seek an arrest warrant for the woman once the inquiry into the exact circumstances is complete.
Cha Eun Woo has not yet undergone a separate witness interview in connection with the case.
Who Is Cha Eun Woo
Cha Eun Woo, 29, whose real name is Lee Dong-min, is one of South Korea’s most recognizable entertainers. He first rose to fame as a member of the K-pop group ASTRO before establishing himself as a leading actor in popular K-dramas including True Beauty, A Good Day to Be a Dog, and Wonderful World.
He is currently serving his mandatory military service as a corporal in the Republic of Korea Army’s military band. He enlisted on July 25, 2025, and is scheduled to be discharged on January 27, 2027.
Before his enlistment, Cha Eun Woo filmed the Netflix series The Wonderfools, co-starring Park Eun Bin. The series was released on Netflix on May 15, 2026. The director of the series, Yoo Insik, confirmed that no edits were made to reduce Cha Eun Woo’s scenes despite the tax controversy that emerged around the same time.
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Why This Case Matters for Celebrity Privacy
The incident highlights growing concerns about the invasion of privacy faced by South Korean celebrities. The case has drawn attention to the extreme lengths some individuals will go to in order to get closer to their favorite stars.
This is not an isolated incident. Recent reports have also highlighted other cases of celebrity stalking, including a situation where a person was found waiting outside the home of Byeon Woo Seok’s manager in an attempt to track the actor’s movements.
South Korea’s Protection of Communications Secrets Act carries serious penalties for illegal eavesdropping. Those found guilty of violating the law can face imprisonment or significant fines. The law is designed to protect individuals from unauthorized interception of private conversations.
The investigation into the Cha Eun Woo case remains ongoing. Police are continuing their forensic analysis of the woman’s phone and the devices she allegedly planted. Further details are expected as authorities piece together the full circumstances of the incident. For now, Cha Eun Woo continues his military service, with his discharge set for January 2027.
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