Choi Min-sik (Korean: 최민식; born January 22, 1962) is a South Korean actor. Known for his intense and transformative performances, he first gained recognition with the television seriesThe Moon of Seoul (1994). His film breakthrough came withShiri (1999), which established Choi as aleading actor. However, it was his role inOldboy (2003) that cemented his status as one of South Korea's greatest actors. His performance was critically acclaimed and won him Best Actor at the 40thBaeksang Art Awards, the 24thBlue Dragon Awards, and the 41stGrand Bell Awards.
In 2014, Choi came to prominence in Hollywood with his role inLucy (2014). He was also listed asGallup Korea's Film Actor of the Year.[2][3] Following this, he remained active in South Korean cinema with works likeForbidden Dream (2019) andExhuma (2024). Choi also made his return to television withBig Bet (2022), his first drama series in over two decades.
Choi was born on January 22, 1962, inIhwa-dong,Jongno District,Seoul,South Korea.[1][4] In the third grade of elementary school, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and told that he could not be cured. However, he claims to have regained his health after spending a month at a Buddhist temple in the mountains.[5]
While attending his third year of Daeil High School inSeoul, Choi began acting as a research student at a theater company.[6] The young Choi was deeply moved byHa Gil-jong's films and initially aspired to become a director.[7] After graduating from high school, Choi enrolled in the Department of Theatre and Film atDongguk University in 1982.[8][9][10] He eventually changed his career path to become an actor while studying under Professor Ahn Min-soo, whom he had long admired.[7]
Choi began his professional career as a theatre actor by joining a theater company named 'Ppuri' (극단 뿌리) in 1982. His debut was a play named Our Town.[9][11] Choi was so engrossed in theater that he spent nearly every day in the small theater. In 1984, he was offered the role of Alan inEquus, but was forced to hand it over to the actorChoi Jae-seong because Choi was drafted for mandatory military enlistment.[7]
Choi and Han Suk-kyu were classmates at Dongguk University's Department of Theater and Film. During their time in school, they had the opportunity to perform together in plays like Ecstasy and For My Son.[12] In 1988, while Choi was in his fourth year at the university, his college senior Park Jae-ho invited him to audition for Park Jong-won's early filmKuro Arirang.[9][13] The film, released in 1989, was an adaptation ofLee Mun-yeol's 1987 novel of the same name, portraying the harsh working conditions of female workers in the sewing factory at the Kuro Industrial Complex.[13] During that same year, Choi acted alongsideSon Chang-min, who portrayed law student Hyung-bin, in director Jang Gil-soo's youth melodramaAll That Falls Has Wings. In the film, Choi played the role of Hyung-bin's friend, an art student, and he eagerly put a lot of thought to his character's costumes.[7]
After six years, in 1990, Choi was back onstage with the role of Alan in the Korean adaptation ofPeter Shaffer'sEquus. With this play, Choi Min-sik's name began to be known inDaehak-ro.[7] Writer Na Yeon-suk saw his play, fell in love with Choi, and insisted on giving him a role in her next dramaThe Years of Ambition. The role of Lee Hwi-hyang's son, who is called 'Ku-chong' in the drama, was originally set to be played byYoon Da-hoon.[7]The Years of Ambition was a KBS hit weekend drama with an average viewer rating of close to 40%, and it aired for one year starting in October 1990. Choi, who practiced method acting in his portrayal of a tough rebellious child with a human side, 'Ku-chong', enjoyed popularity for the first time in his life. He quickly vaulted from a career as an unknown actor who was lucky to receive 500,000 won a month for a play to a talent who received 7 million won per advertisement.[7][9]
Aside from his role as Teacher Kim in Park Jong-won's second filmOur Twisted Hero (1992), in which he received the Best Actor Award at the 38th Asia-Pacific Film Festival,[14][15] his activities in films were not particularly successful. The French location shoot film "Our Love as It Was" (1991) was a dark chapter he wanted to forget, and although he had a special appearance, the film "Sara Is Guilty" (1993), where his face prominently appeared on the poster, only taught him the lesson of not choosing projects lightly. After appearing in director Yoo Hyun-mok's "Mom, the Star, and the Sea Anemone" (1995), he spent four years away from films.[16]
Although busy acting onstage as well as on the small and big screens, Choi was able to finish his studies atDongguk University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Theater and Film.[8][17]
In 1994, Choi starred alongsideHan Suk-kyu in MBC television dramas titledThe Moon of Seoul.[18] The plot revolves around the lives and hardships of commoners in Seoul. Choi portrayed Chun-seop, a single man who moves from the countryside to Seoul with dreams of success. He falls in love at first sight with Chae Shi-ra, his fellow tenant in a boarding house. However, he ultimately ends up marrying Ho-soon (Kim Won-hee), who is also from the countryside.[19] This drama achieved remarkable success with a viewership rating of 48.7% (according to MSK survey), earning it the title of a masterpiece drama. The immense popularity of the show propelled Choi Min-shik andHan Suk-kyu to become top stars.[20][21]
In 1996, while filming the MBC dramaTheir Embrace, Choi suffered an achilles tendon injury. Due to the lasting effects of this injury, he took a break from acting for some time.[7][21]
In 1997, Choi returned to the stage after a seven-year hiatus inJang Jin's playTaxi Driver. In this play, Choi portrayed a taxi driver, Jang Deok-bae, withUhm Jung-hwa and several theater actors, including Woo Hyeon-joo, Kwon Seong-deok,Lee Yong-yi,Im Won-hee,Shin Ha-kyun,Jung Jae-young, andYu In-chon, portraying his passengers. The play was produced by the theater troupeYu Inchon Repertory Company and was staged at the Small Theater of Daehangno Culture and Arts Center in Seoul from February 28 to March 18.[22][23] Choi stated his reason to comeback to theater as follows.
"When I was young, I made many mistakes and got caught up in worldly desires. I would commute to the broadcasting station every day, checking only if I had scenes to film and living my life like clockwork. Even if I had just one line of dialogue or stood like a screen, I would still receive my appearance fee for that day. I lived like that for 7-8 years until I felt a sense of desperation, thinking, 'I can't let myself continue to deteriorate like this.' That's why I appeared in Jang Jin's play 'Taxi Driver' with the mindset of grasping at straws."[7]
In the same year, He also took part in the SBSsitcomMiss & Mister, which was directed by Ju Byeong-dae, a renowned director considered a pioneer of Korean sitcoms.[24] In this sitcom, Choi portrayed a CF director, while Lee Jin-woo played the role of an assistant director.[25]
It was his junior, Han Suk-kyu, who played a pivotal role in bringing Choi back to the film industry after his time away from the film scene. Han Suk-kyu called Choi and asked if he would be interested in doing another movie. Choi Min-shik replied, "Of course, why wouldn't I? Are you the only one doing it?" Encouraged by this call, Choi Min-shik joined Han Suk-kyu to act in director Song Song Neung-han'sNo. 3 (1997) and made a fiery return to the screen, portraying Ma Dong-pal, a hot-tempered prosecutor.[7]
Additionally, Choi acted in the MBC morning drama Love and Separation, consisting of 122 episodes that aired from August 4, 1997, to January 3, 1998. In this drama, Choi played the lead character Kim Chan-ki, a divorced man who lives with his son and encounters a female kindergarten teacher.[25] In between doing the drama, In October, Choi reprised his role as taxi driver, Jang Deok-bae in the 21st Seoul Theater Festival and received individual awards as the South Korean representative actor.[26]
I had been involved in a TV drama for eight years. However, in 1996, after being greatly inspired by the play 'Taxi Driver,' I found myself in a state of deep contemplation. Having devoted my twenties to stage acting, I began questioning the true essence of my work. While the broadcasting fees had certainly fattened my bank account and provided a comfortable life, I couldn't help but feel that I hadn't truly grown or learned through this experience.[27]
In 1998, Choi was honored with the DongA Theater Award for his performance in Taxi Driver.[28] Subsequently, he accepted a role inKim Jee-woon's debut filmThe Quiet Family. It was during this time that he made the decision to give up his television activities and focus solely on films. This was a decision he had been contemplating since his time in the theater production of Taxi Driver.[7]
"In the beginning, I was involved in theater, and then I went through a divorce [in 1993]. When doing regular theater, we would spend around seven hours practicing the script, discussing, and analyzing it. However, when it comes to broadcasting, there is no such thing as rehearsal. After nine years of script acting, I couldn't bear it anymore. It wasn't a situation where I could analyze or do anything structurally. I felt like it wasn't right. If I had a family back then, I wouldn't have quit. But since I was alone, I thought about the essence, wondering if I couldn't endure it and if I had lost sight of why I started theater and what kind of actor I wanted to become. During a time when I was reflecting on my personal life after going through a divorce, [Han] Suk-kyu happened to suggest doing [film]No. 3. So, I made a bold decision to quit."[29][unreliable source?]
Choi's first major success came with his role as a North Korean agent in the 1999 filmShiri. Not only was the film critically acclaimed, but it also achieved significant box office success. Choi's portrayal earned him the Best Actor award at theGrand Bell Awards. In the same year, he also participated in the production ofHamlet 1999 by Theater Troupe You. The play premiered on April 20 as the inaugural production of 'You Theater,' a small theater dedicated to performances in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul. It ran until June 20.[30]
Following that, Choi starred inHappy End, where he depicted a man who is betrayed by his wife. In 2001, he took on the role of a gangster oppositeCecilia Cheung inFailan.[18]
A year later, Choi portrayed Jang Seung-eop, a Joseon-era painter, in Im Kwon-taek'sChihwaseon, which was awarded the Best Director prize at the Cannes Film Festival.[31]
In 2003, Choi starred inPark Chan-wook'sOldboy. Choi's exceptional and composed performance in the film propelled his fame in Korea to great heights and introduced him to international audiences.[18][32][33]
InSpringtime, Choi takes on a role Hyon-woo, a dissatisfied classically trained trumpet player, who fails to achieve his desired career path and settles for part-time teaching at an academy. His personal life is fraught with arguments with his mother and unresolved feelings for his ex-girlfriend. Seeking change, he accepts a job as a band teacher in a small town, where the music program's success is crucial for its survival. Despite challenges, Hyon-woo embraces his new role, connecting with the locals, including pharmacist Soo-yon and troubled student Jae-il. This role demands a greater sense of tranquility and gentleness compared to his typical emotionally intense characters.[34]
In 2005, Choi andSong Kang-ho were accused by director andCinema Service headKang Woo-suk of demanding a share of profits for so-called "contributions" when no contributions were made. Kang later rescinded the statement and apologized.[37][38][39][40]
At various points during 2006, Choi and other South Korean film industry professionals, together and separate from Choi, demonstrated in Seoul and at theCannes Film Festival against the South Korean administration's decision to reduce theScreen Quotas from 146 to 73 days as part of theFree Trade Agreement with the United States.[41][42][43][44][unreliable source?][45] As a sign of protest, Choi returned the prestigiousOkgwan Order of Cultural Merit which had been awarded to him, saying, "To halve the screen quota is tantamount to a death sentence for Korean film. This medal, once a symbol of pride, is now nothing more than a sign of disgrace, and it is with a heavy heart that I must return it."[46]
Over the next four years, Choi went on a self-imposed exile from making films, begun in protest over the screen quota but also partly due to the studios' reluctance to hire the outspoken and politically active actor.[47][48] Instead he returned to his theater roots in 2007. He also starred in the 2003 London production ofMartin McDonagh'sThe Pillowman, his first play in seven years.[49][50]
During theretrospective on Choi held at the 14th Lyon Asian Film Festival in November 2008, the actor was asked his reaction to the upcomingremake ofOldboy, and he admitted to the French reporters present that he was upset at Hollywood for using what he described as pressure tactics on Asian and European filmmakers so they couldremake foreign movies in the United States.[51][52][53]
Choi made his comeback inJeon Soo-il's 2009art filmHimalaya, Where the Wind Dwells, in which he was the only South Korean actor working with locally castTibetan actors.[54][55] Though Kim Jee-woon's 2010 action thrillerI Saw the Devil drew criticism from some quarters for its ultra-violent content, reviewers agreed that Choi's performance as a serial killer was memorable and the film emerged as a box office success.[56][57] Choi didvoice acting forLeafie, A Hen into the Wild, which in 2011 became the highest grossing South Korean animated film in history.[58]
In his 2012 follow-upNameless Gangster: Rules of the Time, Choi played another complex, layeredantihero, and theYoon Jong-bin film was both a critical and box office hit and earned him the Best Performance by an Actor award at the2012 Asia Pacific Screen Awards.[59][60][61] The film gave rise to numerous unforgettable moments and quotable lines, becoming a frequent target for parody in popular television variety shows likeGag Concert andInfinite Challenge. Comedians would imitate the hairstyles, fashion, and even the catchthe phrasesara itne (Korean: 살아 있네, loosely translated as 'feeling alive') uttered by Choi Min-sik's character Choi Ik-yun. The song "I Heard a Rumor" also became popular.[62]
Choi's next film wasPark Hoon-jung'sNew World, a 2013noir about an undercover cop in the world of gangsters, which also became successful critically and commercially.[63][64]
For his English-language debut, Choi appeared inLuc Besson'sLucy (2014), in the role of Mr. Jang, a Korean drug lord who kidnaps a girl and forces her to become adrug mule, but she inadvertently acquires superhuman powers.[65][66][67][68][69][70] In order to secure Choi's involvement, Besson and his team traveled to Korea to meet with the actor, discuss the story, and it was only towards the end of their conversation that Choi expressed his interest in joining the project. Director Luc Besson praised Choi's performance, stating that he was the "best villain" Besson had scripted since Gary Oldman's character Norman Stansfield. Besson described Mr. Jang as the embodiment of ultimate evil, contrasting Lucy, the film's protagonist, who represents ultimate intelligence.[71]
In 2023, the 27th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival organized a special actor exhibition titled 'I Saw Choi Min-sik'. The exhibition showcased the acting career of Choi Min-sik spanning over 30 years.[89] Ten feature films personally selected by Choi Min-sik were screened, including filmsOur Twisted Hero,Shiri,Happy End,Failan,Oldboy,Springtime,I Saw the Devil,Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time,Forbidden Dream, andIn Our Prime.[90] In addition, two of his short films,Steam andWinter Road, were digitally restored and released in collaboration with the Korean Film Archive as part of the exhibition.[91]
Choi Min-shik married actressLee Hwa-young [ko] in 1990. Lee was also studying the same major at Chung-Ang University. They met while collaborating on a play. However, their marriage ended in 1993.[29][92]
In 1999, Choi married for the second time, this time with Kim Hwal-ran.[93] Choi was introduced to Kim by his alum at Dongguk University and Jeon Young-min, the representative of his agency. It was through their connections that brought Choi and Kim together.[94]
^Premier, a monthly film magazine, conducted a survey of 148 film experts and workers, including directors, producers, staff, critics, and reporters
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Okgwan Order of Cultural Merit (2004)
