Cha had dreamed of becoming an actor since he was a teenager, so he auditioned for General's Son, but at the recommendation of his parents, he went to the U.S. with his mother to study.
In 1993 he joined MBC and made his debut in the television series Under the Same Roof [ko] before enlisting and completing his mandatory military service.
[9] Cha later stated on Cultwo Show that the scene was not in his script since the only direction he received was "expressing anger in the bathroom".
Cha met his future wife, co-star Shin Ae-ra, on the set of the drama Love in Your Heart [ko] and they married in March 1995 prior to his enlistment.
[16] In December 2022, Cha donated 50 million won to Yana (You Are Not Alone), a support group for young people preparing for self-reliance.