Choi Min-sik - Biography and Filmography

Choi Min-sik - Biography and Filmography

About Choi Min-sik

Choi Min-sik is one of South Korea’s most respected actors, known for his intense performances and ability to bring emotional depth to his characters. Born on May 30, 1962, he started his career in theater before transitioning to television and film in the 1990s.

He gained international recognition for his role in Oldboy (2003), where he played a man seeking revenge after being mysteriously imprisoned for 15 years. Choi is known for working in psychological thrillers, crime dramas, and historical films, often portraying morally complex characters.

Despite his success, he briefly left the film industry in the mid-2000s due to his opposition to the Korean screen quota reduction but later returned with more powerful performances.

Notable Movies

  • Our Twisted Hero (1992) – Early drama film
  • Shiri (1999) – Korea’s first big-budget spy thriller
  • Failan (2001) – Romance drama with a cult following
  • Oldboy (2003) – Neo-noir revenge thriller, won the Grand Prix at Cannes
  • Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (2005) – Psychological thriller
  • I Saw the Devil (2010) – Brutal psychological horror-thriller
  • Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time (2012) – Crime drama
  • New World (2013) – Gangster thriller, praised for his performance
  • The Admiral: Roaring Currents (2014) – War epic, highest-grossing Korean film
  • The Tiger: An Old Hunter’s Tale (2015) – Historical drama
  • Heaven: To the Land of Happiness (2021) – Drama film
  • Big Bet (2022) – Disney+ crime drama series

FAQs About Choi Min-sik

1. When did Choi Min-sik start acting?
He started in theater and TV before making his film breakthrough in the 1990s.

2. What is Choi Min-sik’s most famous movie?
Oldboy (2003) is his most iconic film, gaining worldwide recognition.

3. What kind of roles does Choi Min-sik play?
He often plays intense, psychologically complex characters in thrillers and crime dramas.

4. Has he won any major awards?
Yes, he has received multiple Baeksang Arts Awards, Blue Dragon Film Awards, and Grand Bell Awards for Best Actor.

5. Why did Choi Min-sik temporarily leave acting?
He protested against the reduction of South Korea’s screen quota system, which allowed more Hollywood films to dominate theaters.


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