ASTRO's Cha Eun Woo declares first-ever legal war on haters, agency breaks silence on claims of using late Moonbin's name for gain

Indian Express

26-04-2025

ASTRO member Cha Eun Woo has been the subject of malicious comments and hate messages online, with some anti-fans even sending funeral wreaths and protest trucks to condemn the recent tribute song released in memory of Moonbin, the late member of the boy band who passed away on April 19, 2023. All the members, especially Eun Woo, have been accused of using Moonbin's name to make a profit or revive their singing careers, which have largely been on pause. Now, on April 25, after days of silence and growing public pressure, ASTRO's agency, Fantagio, has finally released an official statement citing legal action. This marks the first time the company has made such a move specifically for Eun Woo in his decade-long career in the industry.
'Memory of the Moon' backlash
On Moonbin's second death anniversary, Eunwoo and his fellow ASTRO members (MJ, Jinjin and Yoon San Ha) released a tribute song titled 'Memory of the Moon.' The song also featured 22 other idols, like members from Stray Kids, MONSTA X, SEVENTEEN, and Moonbin's sister Moon Sua from Billie. The True Beauty star even reportedly sent personalised bracelets to all the artists involved as a thank-you. But he soon found himself in the middle of criticism and intense backlash, as netizens were convinced the song was nothing more than a PR stunt and accused the band of 'using the deceased for fame.' 'AROHAs (ASTRO's fandom) never asked for this. Celebrities should read the room better. If you're trying to sell something, know what your fans actually want,' one user posted online, followed by hundreds of similar posts calling out the idol group.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO
As the trend gained traction, fans of Eun Woo rallied behind him, defending and urging Fantagio to take action against the haters. On April 21, a group of Cha Eun Woo's fans sent support trucks to Fantagio's office in Seoul, with LED screens displaying messages demanding that the agency finally step up and protect him. Some of the messages read, 'Cha Eun Woo has sacrificed the most for the team, but he's the one getting attacked the most. And yet Fantagio is just standing by and watching. Is this happening with their approval?' and 'Fantagio, get it together. Stop focusing only on making money and protect Cha Eun Woo properly. The fans are watching—you better do your job right!'
Fantagio release official statement on backlash, declares legal action
On April 25, almost a week after online slander, Eun Woo's agency, Fantagio, released an official statement announcing legal action against cyberbullying. 'We know about the malicious slander, defamation, and baseless rumours spreading online about our artist. These are not just criticisms — they're illegal acts. We've been monitoring things, but it's gone too far, and now we're preparing legal action with no mercy. We're also collecting evidence, so if fans have anything, send it to us. We promise we'll protect our artists,' the agency said.
Fantagio also expressed their gratitude to fans for their support and for reporting harmful posts. They clarified that their silence until then was due to the time spent gathering necessary evidence for legal action, reassuring that they would not tolerate any actions that harm their artists. The company emphasised that they would take a firm stand to protect their rights. 'Spreading false information or creating malicious posts under the veil of anonymity goes beyond simple criticism and constitutes a clear illegal act,' the statement read. It also encouraged fans to report any such hate accounts immediately through the agency's official website and email. 'We would like to reiterate that we will respond strongly to any actions that infringe upon the rights of our artists, and we thank you once again for your continued interest and support,' it concluded.