1. Early life and background
Choi Si-won was born in Seoul, South Korea, on April 7, 1986, although his registered birth date is February 10, 1987. He grew up in a devout Protestant Christian family and has one younger sister named Ji-won. His father served as the former CEO of Boryung Medicine, a pharmaceutical company, and was also the chairman of a trading company, indicating his family's considerable wealth, although Choi himself clarified that they did not own a helicopter, contrary to rumors.
1.1. Childhood and Education
Choi attended Apgujeong High School, graduating in February 2006. He later pursued higher education at Inha University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in Theater and Film in February 2012, alongside fellow Super Junior member Ryeowook. He continued his studies at Inha University's graduate school, completing a master's and doctoral program in Cultural Management.
His interest in Chinese language and culture led his agency to send him to Beijing, China, in 2004, where he studied Mandarin and Chinese history for three months. This experience proved beneficial for his later activities in the Chinese entertainment market. Choi also learned Taekwondo from a young age, achieving a 4th dan black belt at the age of 14, making him one of the youngest to do so at the time.
2. Career
Choi Si-won's career has spanned over a decade and a half, encompassing a wide array of activities in music, acting, modeling, and humanitarian work.
2.1. Pre-debut and trainee period
Choi was discovered by a talent agent from SM Entertainment at the age of 16 while waiting for friends in front of his high school. He was encouraged to audition for the company's Starlight Casting System. Despite his parents' initial disapproval of him entering the entertainment industry, he secretly auditioned and passed. His parents eventually allowed him to sign a contract with SM Entertainment but chose not to provide any financial assistance, wanting him to take full responsibility for his career path.
During his trainee period, Choi lived in dormitories with other aspiring artists and underwent rigorous training in singing, acting, dancing, and languages. In 2003, he was featured in the music video for "What is Love" by The Grace's Dana. His acting debut came with a brief appearance in the 2004 family drama *Precious Family*. He continued to appear in television dramas before his official music debut, including playing a young Kang Bong-man in the 2005 KBS romance comedy *Eighteen, Twenty-Nine* and the supporting role of Park Sang-woo in the 2006 melodrama *Spring Waltz*.
2.2. Super Junior and sub-unit activities
Shortly after his early television appearances, SM Entertainment announced that Choi would debut as one of the twelve members of a new boy band. A few months before the official launch of Super Junior 05, Choi made his first public media appearance with bandmate Han Geng as a runway model in a fashion show by designer Bum Suk.
Choi officially debuted as part of the 12-member rotational project group Super Junior 05 on November 6, 2005, performing their first single, "Twins (Knock Out)" on SBS' music program *Popular Songs*. Their debut album, *Twins*, released on December 5, 2005, charted at number three on the monthly MIAK K-pop album charts.
In March 2006, SM Entertainment initially planned to recruit new members for a Super Junior 06 generation. However, these plans were changed, and the company decided against forming future rotational groups. With the addition of thirteenth member Kyuhyun, the group dropped the "05" suffix and became officially known as Super Junior. The re-polished group's first CD single, "U", released on June 7, 2006, became their most successful single until the release of "Sorry, Sorry" in March 2009. "Sorry, Sorry" achieved widespread global success, dominating music charts in South Korea and earning the prestigious Disk Album Daesang at the 2009 Golden Disk Awards.
In April 2008, Choi was placed into the seven-member sub-group Super Junior-M, a Mandopop sub-unit of Super Junior formed to target the Chinese music industry. Super Junior-M debuted in China at the 8th Annual Music Chart Awards, simultaneously releasing their first music video, "U" on April 8, 2008. Their debut Chinese-language studio album, *Me*, followed, released in selected Chinese provinces on April 23 and in Taiwan on May 2. This album reached number two on Taiwan's G-Music Combo Charts and topped various music charts in China and Thailand.
On July 5, 2023, Super Junior-L.S.S., a sub-unit consisting of Choi, Leeteuk, and Shindong, debuted with their first Japanese single, "シャッタ閉めろJapanese / Shatta Shimero". The trio made their official Korean debut on January 22, 2024, with the single "Suit Up".
2.3. Acting career
Choi Si-won has built an extensive acting career across films, television, and web series, showcasing his versatility in various genres and roles.
2.3.1. Filmography
Choi made his film debut in 2006, starring in the Hong Kong epic film *A Battle of Wits*, where he played Prince Liang Shi. His performance garnered positive reception, with co-star Andy Lau praising him as an excellent actor and a good example for Hong Kong's rising talents. In 2007, he starred alongside other Super Junior members in the high school comedy-mystery film *Attack on the Pin-Up Boys*, playing the role of the dictatorial and strict student body president.
In 2012, Choi appeared as himself in the documentary film *I AM.*. He had a busy year in film in 2015, co-starring in the Hong Kong historical-action film *Dragon Blade* with Jackie Chan, the crime thriller *Helios*, and the sports drama *To the Fore* alongside Eddie Peng and Shawn Dou. He also made a cameo appearance in the 2021 film *New Year Blues*. His upcoming film projects include *Forbidden Fairytale*, slated for release on January 8, 2025, and *Lobby*, where he will play Ma Tae-soo.
2.3.2. Television series
Choi's television career began with minor roles, including a cameo in *Precious Family* (2004), a young Kang Bong-man in *Eighteen, Twenty-Nine* (2005), and Park Sang-woo in *Spring Waltz* (2006). He landed his first lead role in the two-episode mini-series *Legend of Hyang Dan* in 2007, playing Lee Mong-ryong.
After a three-year hiatus from the small screen, Choi returned in 2010 with SBS' romantic comedy *Oh! My Lady*, playing the lead role of Sung Min-woo. The same year, he joined the cast of the big-budget spy series *Athena: Goddess of War*, a spin-off of the hit drama *Iris*, where he portrayed Kim Jun-ho, a data analyst and rookie elite agent.
In 2011, Choi headlined KBS' action drama *Poseidon* as Kim Sun-woo. The same year, he starred in his first Taiwanese drama, *Skip Beat!*, alongside Ivy Chen and fellow band member Donghae. The series was a live-action adaptation of the Japanese shōjo manga *Skip Beat!*. In 2012, he starred in SBS' comedy satire drama *The King of Dramas* as Kang Hyun-min, a top celebrity with a difficult personality.
Choi's acting career continued to flourish in 2015 with multiple projects. He starred in the Chinese romance drama *Fall In Love With You Again* and was cast in *Billion Dollar Heir*, a Chinese adaptation of the 2013 Korean hit drama *The Heirs*. Back in Korea, he played the second male lead, Kim Shin-hyuk, in MBC's romantic comedy *She Was Pretty*. His performance in *She Was Pretty* received critical acclaim for its comedic portrayal and significantly boosted his popularity. He also made a cameo as a thief in *The Man in the Mask*.
Following his mandatory military enlistment, Choi returned to acting in October 2017 with tvN's youth romance drama *Revolutionary Love*, co-starring Kang So-ra. In April 2019, he starred in KBS's crime comedy drama *My Fellow Citizens!*, playing Yang Jung-kook. In 2020, he appeared in an episode titled "Love Virtually" of the science fiction anthology series *SF8*. His 2022 projects included the ENA romantic comedy series *Love Is for Suckers*, where he played Park Jae-hoon. In 2024, he starred as Shim Yeon-woo in the TV Chosun romantic comedy series *DNA Lover*.
2.3.3. Web series
Choi has also ventured into web-based dramas. In 2016, he made a cameo appearance as himself in the web series *Dramaworld*. From 2021 to 2022, he starred as Kang Book-goo in both seasons of the TVING web series *Work Later, Drink Now*. In 2023, he played a supporting role as Hong Min-beom in the Netflix original series *Bloodhounds* and made a cameo appearance as Park Jin-tae in episodes 1 and 5 of the TVING original series *Death's Game*.
2.4. Music career
Beyond his group activities, Choi Si-won has also contributed to music as a solo artist and composer. He released solo singles that were featured on drama soundtracks, including "Worthless" for the *Oh! My Lady OST* (2010) and "You're the Only One" for the *She Was Pretty OST* (2015), which topped music charts. In 2015, he also collaborated with Jacky Cheung on "Helios Theme Song (赤色壮举)" for the *Helios (film) OST*. His single "Nobody but You" was released as part of the *Work Later, Drink Now OST Part 5* in 2021. In 2022, he released "My Old Bike (Riding)" featuring UV (Yoo Se-yoon, Musi) and "I Want Love (사랑을 원해)" with Lee Da-hee for the *Love Is for Suckers OST Part 3*. Most recently, "Mail Never Sent..." was released for the *DNA Lover OST* in 2024.
Choi has also received composition credits for several songs. He co-composed and co-wrote "Don't Leave Me" for Super Junior's 2014 album *Mamacita* and "On and On" for their 2017 album *Star*. He is also credited as a composer for his solo track "Nobody but You" in 2021.
2.5. Military service
Choi Si-won began his mandatory military service as a conscripted policeman on November 19, 2015. During his service, he was involved in various public service activities. In February 2016, he was featured in the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's social advertisement "Kind Call 112 Project," which aimed to raise awareness about child abuse. He was also selected as an ambassador for a campaign to combat school violence, alongside fellow Super Junior member Donghae, TVXQ's Max Changmin, and Supernova's Sungje. He even appeared in the music video for "Watch Out" by Donghae, a collaboration between the Korean Traffic Police and Danal Entertainment to promote road safety. Choi was officially discharged from his mandatory military service on August 18, 2017.
3. Other ventures
Choi Si-won's activities extend beyond his primary entertainment roles, showcasing his diverse talents and commitments.
3.1. Endorsements and modeling
Choi Si-won has a prominent career as a brand ambassador and model. He has been a representative for Audi Korea since 2014, showcasing his influence in the automotive industry. In 2015, he was chosen by the Swiss luxury watchmaker Piaget as their youngest Asian model.
He has also appeared in numerous fashion shows and graced the covers of top magazines, including *Men's Health*, *Cosmopolitan*, *Elle*, *GQ*, *Harper's Bazaar*, *Esquire*, *MORE*, *VMAN*, *L'OFFICIEL HOMMES KOREA*, *Singles*, *Noblesse*, *Marie Claire Korea*, *1st LOOK*, *#Legend*, and *Allure Korea*. His modeling portfolio includes campaigns for renowned brands such as Armani, Lacoste, Gucci, Evisu, Burberry, Spao, SK Telesys "Reaction", Acer, Mamonde, H&M, Mie Sedaap, Kamachi Tongtak, CNN Apparel, Naver Line, and HELIANTHUS. In June 2009, he became the first idol group member to be featured on the cover of *Men's Health* magazine.
3.2. Philanthropy and ambassadorship
Choi has been actively involved in UNICEF campaigns since 2010. On November 12, 2015, he was appointed as the special representative of the South Korea committee for UNICEF. Upon his military discharge on August 18, 2017, he immediately volunteered for a UNICEF campaign in Vietnam from August 21 to 25, alongside NCT Dream's Jaemin. This campaign, named "SMile for U," was a music education program for children with disabilities, conducted in partnership with his agency, SM Entertainment. In November 2019, he was selected as a UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office ambassador. In November 2021, he joined the "UNICEF Honors Club," a group of high-value donors to UNICEF.
In 2023, Choi was named the PR Ambassador of the 14th Gwangju Biennale. He also became an advisor for the Korea Anti-Drug Campaign Headquarters and was appointed as a Public Relations Ambassador for the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties between Korea and Indonesia. In 2015, he served as a goodwill ambassador for the 11th Jecheon International Music & Film Festival.
3.3. Business and production
In 2015, Choi Si-won, in partnership with EnterMedia Pictures (CEO Lee Dong Hoon), acquired the rights to the 2011 Daum webtoon *Interview*, authored by Rude Vico. This marked his foray into film production, with the intention of developing the webtoon into a movie project.
4. Impact and influence
Choi Si-won has had a significant impact on popular culture, leveraging his versatile career and strong public image. In 2008, he and his fellow Super Junior-M members achieved a unique milestone by appearing on Chinese postage stamps, becoming the first South Korean artists to be featured in such a way. These stamps were sold at a charity event to raise funds for victims of the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
His global recognition was further cemented in 2013 when he, along with Psy, became one of the first K-pop stars to attend the prestigious Met Gala. In October 2015, he made history as the first Korean to surpass 5 million followers on Twitter. In 2016, *Forbes* magazine included him in its "30 Under 30 Asia" list, describing him as "one of South Korea's most sought-after singers and actors." His global appeal was also recognized with a wax figure unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Hong Kong on November 19, 2015.
Within Super Junior, Choi is often positioned at the center in promotional photos and is frequently the opening vocalist for many songs. Member Heechul humorously noted that Choi's central placement makes all members appear more handsome and that his strong visual appeal is utilized to captivate audiences. Despite his often cool and composed appearance, he is known among his group members for a more boisterous personality off-camera, enjoying playful antics such as cross-dressing and wearing a Luigi costume. His athletic physique and strong performance skills have earned him the nickname "Horse," a moniker he embraces and often uses in greetings to fans, even performing a song titled "Wild Horse" at concerts. He is proficient in sports like basketball and golf, and his Taekwondo skills are notable; he achieved his 4th dan black belt at a young age.
5. Personal life
Choi Si-won is a devout Protestant Christian and has openly expressed his desire to become a missionary. He frequently shares Bible verses on his social media accounts, including Twitter and Weibo. He has also collaborated with the Christian singing group "3rd Wave Music" alongside other K-pop artists. He is known for his proficiency in multiple languages, being fluent in his native Korean, as well as Chinese and English, and having some knowledge of Japanese.
6. Controversies
Choi Si-won has faced several public controversies throughout his career, which have drawn significant attention and criticism.
His stance on LGBTQ+ issues has been a recurring point of contention. In a 2007 interview, when asked about male actors portraying sexually ambiguous roles, Choi stated his refusal, asserting that he "respects all genders" but does "not wish to acknowledge homosexuals" due to his religious upbringing, which taught him that "God created Man and Woman with specific characteristics and duties." He emphasized his belief that an actor should convey an image based on their life beliefs.
In September 2015, Choi retweeted a post by theologian John Piper that stated, "Obergefell is not constitutional; so-called same-sex marriage does not exist." He also shared a link to an article supporting Kim Davis, a county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and included two Biblical passages, reaffirming his opposition to gay marriage. The following day, he removed the retweets and posted an apology in both Korean and English, stating that his comments were "hurtful to those whom I hold dearest: my fans, and their friends and families." He admitted his "judgment was insensitive, thoughtless, and ill-conceived" and promised to learn from his mistakes, but he later deleted the apology. In April 2023, he was accused of transphobia after posting a controversial meme from the movie *Titanic* on Bubble, a private online discussion platform. The meme depicted a scene where a character claims to be "trans" to be rescued, and Choi commented, "It's funny kekekekeke," leading to widespread criticism.
On September 30, 2017, a French bulldog owned by Choi's family bit their neighbor, a 53-year-old businesswoman named Kim, who ran the upscale Korean restaurant Hanilkwan. Kim succumbed to sepsis six days after the incident, identified as being caused by the bite. Both Choi and his father issued separate apology letters on their Instagram accounts on October 21, 2017. While a family member of the deceased stated they would not pursue legal action, the Choi family received severe public backlash for not taking adequate precautionary measures with their dog, which was reportedly untied. This incident sparked a public petition in South Korea for a "Choi Si-won Act," advocating for stricter regulations on pet ownership, including mandatory leashes and penalties for negligence.
In 2017, during an interview for a Japanese fan club magazine, Choi mentioned that he admired Japanese historical figures such as Tokugawa Ieyasu, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Oda Nobunaga. He specifically stated a liking for Hideyoshi, prompting him to seek out and try fried oysters, a dish Hideyoshi was known to enjoy. This comment ignited controversy in South Korea, where Toyotomi Hideyoshi is widely perceived as a war criminal responsible for the Imjin War. Choi's representatives clarified that he had no ill intent and was merely discussing a novel he was enjoying at the time.
In November 2019, Choi expressed support for the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement by "liking" a tweet from the *Chosun Ilbo* newspaper that featured an interview with Patrick Chow, a protester shot by police. This action drew strong criticism from Chinese netizens, who accused him of meddling in politics and demanded he "straighten his political stance." Following the backlash, Choi deleted the retweet and issued two official apologies on his Weibo account, expressing regret if his actions had disappointed Chinese fans and stating his wish for the unrest to cease. The apologies were met with further negative reactions from Chinese netizens, who reiterated that there are "no idols before the nation."
Choi also tested positive for COVID-19 twice during the pandemic: once in December 2021, which caused him to miss the MAMA Awards, and again in August 2022.
7. Works
This section provides a comprehensive catalog of Choi Si-won's creative output across his artistic fields.
7.1. Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | A Battle of Wits | Prince Liang Shi | China, Hong Kong Film |
| 2007 | Attack on the Pin-Up Boys | Student Body President | |
| 2012 | I AM. | Himself | Documentary film |
| 2015 | Dragon Blade | Yinpo | China, Hong Kong Film |
| Helios | Park Woo-cheol | China, Hong Kong Film | |
| To the Fore | Zheng Ji-won | China, Hong Kong Film | |
| 2021 | New Year Blues | Jin Ah's ex-boyfriend | Cameo |
| 2025 | Forbidden Fairytale | Jeong-seok | Releasing January 8 |
| To be announced | Lobby | Ma Tae-soo |
7.2. Television series
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Precious Family | - | Cameo |
| 2005 | Eighteen, Twenty-Nine | Kang Bong-man (younger) | |
| 2006 | Spring Waltz | Park Sang-woo | |
| 2007 | Legend of Hyang-dan | Lee Mong-ryong | |
| 2009 | Stage of Youth | Shi Yuan | Cameo |
| 2010 | Oh! My Lady | Sung Min-woo | |
| 2010-2011 | Athena: Goddess of War | Kim Jun-ho | |
| 2011 | Poseidon | Kim Sun-woo | |
| 2011-2012 | Skip Beat! | Dun He Lian | |
| 2012 | The King of Dramas | Kang Hyun-min | |
| 2015 | Fall In Love With You Again | Song Chen Yi | Chinese drama |
| The Man in the Mask | Thief | Cameo (Episode 1) | |
| She Was Pretty | Kim Shin-hyuk | Chief Editor and Author Ten | |
| 2016 | Dramaworld | Himself | Cameo |
| 2017 | Revolutionary Love | Byun Hyuk | |
| 2019 | My Fellow Citizens! | Yang Jung-kook | |
| 2020 | SF8 | Choi Min-joon | Episode: "Love Virtually" |
| 2021-2022 | Work Later, Drink Now | Kang Book-goo | Season 1-2 |
| 2022 | Love Is for Suckers | Park Jae-hoon | |
| 2023 | Bloodhounds | Hong Min-beom | |
| 2023-2024 | Death's Game | Park Jin-tae | Cameo, episodes 1, 5 |
| 2024 | DNA Lover | Shim Yeon-woo | |
| To be announced | Billion Dollar Heir | Yue Xi Wang | Chinese drama |
7.3. Music
7.3.1. Singles
| Title | Year | Album | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Worthless" | 2010 | Oh! My Lady OST | |
| "Helios Theme Song" (赤色壮举Chinese) | 2015 | Helios (film) OST | Cantonese-Korean version |
| "You're the Only One" | 2015 | She Was Pretty OST | |
| "Nobody but You" | 2021 | Work Later, Drink Now OST Part 5 | |
| "My Old Bike (Riding)" | 2022 | Non-album single | |
| "I Want Love" (사랑을 원해Korean) | Love Is for Suckers OST Part 3 | Remake of Cool's song | |
| "Mail Never Sent..." (느린 우체통Korean) | 2024 | DNA Lover OST |
7.3.2. Composition credits
| Year | Title | Artist | Album | Composer | Lyricist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | "Don't Leave Me" | Super Junior | Mamacita | Yes | Yes |
| 2017 | "On and On" | Star | Yes | Yes | |
| 2021 | "Nobody but You" | Choi Si-won | Work Later, Drink Now OST Part 5 | Yes | No |
7.3.3. Music video appearances
| Year | Title | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "What is Love" | Dana |
| 2006 | "Timeless" | Zhang Liyin & Junsu |
| 2008 | "I Will" | Zhang Liyin |
| "The Left Shore of Happiness" | ||
| 2009 | "Firefly" | Ariel Lin |
| "S.E.O.U.L." | Super Junior & Girls' Generation | |
| 2010 | "Hoot" | Girls' Generation |
| 2014 | "Motorcycle" | Donghae & Eunhyuk |
| 2023 | "Close The Shutter" | Leeteuk, Siwon & Shindong |
8. Awards and accolades
Choi Si-won has received numerous awards and nominations for his work in music and acting, as well as various state and cultural honors recognizing his contributions.
8.1. Music and acting awards
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asia Artist Awards | 2019 | Best Icon Award in Television | My Fellow Citizens! | Won |
| 2022 | New Wave Award (Actor) | Love Is for Suckers | Won | |
| Best Acting Performance | Won | |||
| Drama Fever Awards | 2016 | Best Supporting Actor | She Was Pretty | Won |
| Indonesian Television Awards | 2020 | Most Prominent Korean Artist | Choi Si-won | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2011 | Netizen Award, Actor | Poseidon | Won |
| 2019 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Mid-length Drama | My Fellow Citizens! | Won | |
| Netizen Award, Actor | Won | |||
| Best Couple Award | Choi Si-won with Lee Yoo-young My Fellow Citizens! | Won | ||
| MBC Drama Awards | 2015 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | She Was Pretty | Won |
| Popularity Award, Actor | Won | |||
| Mnet 20's Choice Awards | 2012 | 20s Social Artist | Choi Si-won | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2010 | New Star Award | Oh! My Lady | Won |
8.2. State and cultural honors
| Country or organization | Ceremony | Year | Honor |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Korea | Korean Youth Hope Awards | 2023 | National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee's Commendation |
| South Korea | Seoul Metropolitan Council | 2023 | Chairman's Commendation |
| South Korea | Korean Youth Hope Awards | 2021 | Culture Sector Grand Prize |