Choi Min-Sik Biography • South Korean actor Min-sik Choi

Choi Min-sik is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his critically acclaimed roles in Oldboy, I Saw the Devil, and The Admiral: Roaring Currents. He also starred alongside Scarlett Johansson in the 2014 French film Lucy.

Choi was born on May 30, 1962, in Seoul, South Korea. When he was in third grade, Choi was diagnosed with tuberculosis and told that he could not be cured. He claims to have regained his health by a month-long stay in the mountains.

Choi Min-sik first made a name for himself in the theater before breaking into the movie world with a role in Park Chong-won‘s acclaimed movie ‘Our Twisted Hero‘ (1997).

In the mid-90s, he continued to act in theater productions as well as in several TV dramas, including Moon Over Seoul with Han Seok-gyu. 1997 marked his return to motion pictures, with a role as a tough-talking police investigator in Song Neung-han’s No. 3 (1997). His biggest role came in 1999 when he was cast in Korea’s most successful film ever, Shiri (1999). His portrayal of a North Korean agent garnered him much praise and a Best Actor Award at the 1999 domestic Grand Bell Awards.

At various points during 2006 Choi (and several other Korean filmmakers, though separately from Choi) demonstrated in Seoul and at the Cannes Film Festival against the Korean decision to reduce the Film Quota from 146 to 73 days. While not successful (the reduced quota stands), the market share of Korean films remains at the top of the box office, with 7 of the top 10 films this year remaining homegrown (the same rate as in 2005).