Cha Eun-woo fans had to temporarily bid farewell to their beloved idol in July 2025, when he began his obligatory military service. Fortunately, the star completed one show before heading off to the barracks – the superhero comedy-drama The Wonderfools, which launched worldwide on May 15.

While the Netflix series can rely on the rest of its cast to market it to fans, including lead Park Eun-bin, losing access to Cha’s Instagram account – which boasts more than 46 million followers and has largely gone dark since his service began – must be a blow.

Cha has been very busy over the past decade as a member of the K-pop outfit Astro, a hugely in-demand brand ambassador and an active philanthropist who has appeared in films, television dramas and entertainment programmes.

Yet even in the hallowed realm of talented and attractive South Korean male stars, he stands out with a persona that is rooted in his status as an unattainable fantasy figure.

Born on the outskirts of Seoul in 1997, Cha was spotted by a scout at his school in 2013 and swiftly signed by Fantagio, his current agency. While still in school and using his birth name Lee Dong-min, Cha landed his first role in the heartwarming 2014 film My Brilliant Life.