Cha Eun-woo may be in uniform, but he was still noticed at an event attended by some of the world's most recognizable leaders in government and business.

The singer and actor, currently completing mandatory military duty, was spotted at the venue of an APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting event in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on Thursday.

On Friday, multiple eyewitness accounts surfaced in real time on online communities, claiming to have seen Cha in uniform in Gyeongju recently.

In a video clip, Cha is seen walking into the venue dressed in full military attire, including a cap.

According to the Ministry of National Defense, the singer-actor, who enlisted in boot camp in Nonsan, South Chungcheong, on July 28, is currently serving in the military band unit. He is in Gyeongju to assist with the ongoing APEC summit-related events.

Cha is reportedly scheduled to participate in an honor guard and military band performance. The ceremonial event features coordinated displays by the military’s honor guard and band, and is typically held at major national events or for welcoming foreign dignitaries.

Meanwhile, the adventure comedy film “The First Ride,” in which Cha stars, was released on Wednesday, and his second EP “Else,” recorded prior to enlistment, is set to drop on Nov. 21.


This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY SHIN HYE-YEON [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]