Choi Min-soo


Choi Min-soo is a South Korean actor. He is known as one of the most acclaimed actors in South Korea.

Life and career

Choi's family has been active in acting, and singing. Choi is the son of Choi Moo-ryong, a popular actor of the 1960s and 1970s, and Kang Hyo-shil, an actress. His maternal grandmother is Jeon Ok, referred to as 'Queen of Tears' for her excellence at acting for tragic dramas. His grandfather is Kang Hong-shik, an actor, a film director and singer active during the Japanese occupation period. Kang Hong-sik and Jeon Ok were the first married couple in Korean entertainment history. Kang went over to North Korea along with his daughter Kang Hyo-son who later became a famous actress of North Korea. Kang Hong-shik was honored as "Merited artist" as well.
Choi graduated from Lila Elementary School, Seongdong Middle School, Dongbuk High School and Seoul Arts College. Choi debuted to the film industry in 1985 with Son of God, a film adapted from Park Bong-seong's same titled manhwa.
Choi has three sisters and one half sister from his father's second marriage with Kim Ji-mee, and one little half brother and half sister from his father's other marriage.
Choi met his wife June Elizabeth Kang from an international Miss Korea Beauty Pageant in 1993 where Kang was being represented as Miss Canada. Choi proposed to Kang after a three-hour meeting and they were married June 18, 1994 in Seoul. They have two children, Christian and Benjamin.
Choi took a voluntary leave from acting following a scandal in 2008. He was involved in an assault case in April 2008 after a street-side argument ended in violence. An elderly man saw Choi cursing at another driver and rebuked him. The situation escalated and Choi assaulted the man. The actor attempted to drive away, but the man grabbed onto the hood of the car and refused to let go. Choi was let go by police when the victim declined to press charges, but the public reaction was swift and condemning. The actor apologized profusely for his behavior and swore to live in exile in the mountains, away from his wife and children, for a year.

Filmography

YearEnglish titleKorean/Original titleRoleNotes
1985Eye눈short film
1986Son of God신의 아들Choi Kang-ta
1988Last Dance with Her그녀와의 마지막 춤을Oh Hye-suk
1988That Last Winter그 마지막 겨울In-tae
1990North Korean Partisan in South Korea남부군Kim Young
1990Man Market남자시장Yong-chun
1990Winter Dreams Do Not Fly겨울 꿈은 날지 않는다Shin Gil-woo
1991For Agnes아그네스를 위하여Hwang Mi-ho
1992The Marriage Life결혼이야기Kim Tae-gyu
1992Mister Mama미스터 맘마Hyung-jun
1993On a Windy Day We Must Go to Apgujeong바람부는 날이면 압구정동에 가야한다Cho Hyun-jae
1993Honeymoon밀월여행Sung-hun
1993A Different Kind of Man가슴달린 남자Choi Hyung-jun
1994Life and Death of the Hollywood Kid헐리우드 키드의 생애Im Byung-suk
1994I Wish for What Is Forbidden to Me나는 소망한다 내게 금지된 것을
1994Blue Seagull블루 시걸Ha-ilvoice
1995A Good Day to Fall in Love사랑하기 좋은 날Hyung-junalso planner
1995The Terrorist테러리스트Soo-hyun
1995My Old Sweetheart아찌,아빠Young-soo
1995Rehearsal리허설Min-soo
1996Come to Me나에게 오라Jung-suk
1996Piano Man피아노 맨Piano Man
1997Inch'Alla인샬라Han Seung-yub
1997Story of a Man남자 이야기Bong-man
1997Blackjack블랙잭Oh Sae-geun
1997A Killing Story죽이는 이야기Gae-nuncameo
1999Phantom, The Submarine유령202/Captain
2000Love Bakery주노명 베이커리Joo No-myung
2000Libera Me리베라 메Cho Sang-woo
2001My Wife Is a Gangster조폭 마누라Man with Knifecameo
2002Seoul서울 / ソウルKim Yoon-chulJapanese film
2002Yesterday예스터데이Goliath
2003Sword in the Moon청풍명월Ji-hwan
2005The Myth신화 - 진시황릉의 비밀 / 神話General ChoiHong Kong film
2005Holiday홀리데이Kim An-suk
2006My Wife Is a Gangster 3조폭마누라 3Sashimicameo
2011Assassins' Code 어쌔신 코드Karl KimAmerican film
2014How to Steal a Dog개를 훔치는 완벽한 방법Dae-po

Television

Awards