Choi Dae-hoon

Beginnings

Choi graduated from the Department of Theatre at Chung-Ang University. He made his screen debut in 2002 with the short film In The Jungle (Javan Mackerel), which was screened in Jeonju International Film Festival.^[1] Following his debut, he focused primarily on theater and musicals.^[2][3]

In 2007, Choi made his television debut in the KBS2 drama Eolreongttang Detective Agency [ko]. He subsequently appeared in several KBS Drama Special.^[4]

In 2013, he gained recognition for his roles in popular dramas such as Bridal Mask and Big.^[4] He then played a lead role in the tvN drama Crazy Love^[5] and appeared in supporting roles in The Queen of Office and the film The Terror Live.^[6] In 2014, his notable dramas included KBS Drama Special Season 5 - I'm Dying Soon, You're Only Mine, Hotel King, and Mom's Choice.

In 2015, Choi starred in the SBS daily drama The Return of Hwang Geum-bok and gained significant popularity for his role as Jo Mal-saeng in the historical drama Six Flying Dragons. His character made a memorable entrance in episode 35, helping key figures escape from danger.^[7]

In 2016, Choi signed an exclusive contract with Cube Entertainment.^[6]

In 2017, he portrayed the elite prosecutor Kim Yoon-soo in the SBS drama Oh, the Mysterious, earning praise for his emotional depth and strong characterization.^[8]

Breakthrough and critical acclaim

On May 10, 2018, Choi signed an exclusive contract with Star Camp 202. He made his appearance in the first episode of the tvN drama Lawless Lawyer as Seok Gwan-dong, the leader of the East Crown gang in Seoul, known for his unconventional approach to justice.^[8] In July 2018, he confirmed his role in the SBS drama Heart Surgeons, playing Gu Dong-jun, a character praised for his blend of maturity and charm. Choi also effectively conveyed the character's serious and knowledgeable traits as he developed into a real doctor.^[9] His performance was noted for its humor and depth, leading to a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the 2018 SBS Drama Awards.^[10] Choi also returned to the stage that July, portraying Lenny in John Steinbeck's play Of Mice and Men. In August, He also made special appearance in television drama Are You Human?^[11]

In 2019, after signing with Ace Factory in March, he appeared in several dramas, including Confession, Nokdu Flower, Everything And Nothing, At Eighteen, and KBS Drama Special - Hidden.^[12] He reprised his role as Lenny in John Steinbeck's play Of Mice and Men and received a standing ovation for his performance.^[13] At the end of 2019, Choi was cast in Park Ji-eun's drama Crash Landing on You as Yoon Se-jun, the eldest brother of Yoon Se-ri (Son Ye-jin). Despite being the eldest son of a chaebol, he was portrayed as somewhat foolish and sloppy, contrary to his ambitions. Choi expressed the character's personality with a light attitude and quick dialogue.^[14]

Choi's versatility as an actor was highlighted in 2020 with his portrayal of Lee Woo-cheol, the composed leader in tvN's Flower of Evil.^[14] That year, he also appeared in Extracurricular, Mystic Pop-up Bar, and Do You Like Brahms?.^[15]

In 2021, Choi reunited with Director Shim Na-yeon aftern At Eighteen for the drama Beyond Evil. He played Park Jeong-je, a police officer in the Munju Police Station's investigation support team, a close friend to Lee Dong-sik (Shin Ha-kyun) and the son of Munju City Councilor Do Hae-won (Gil Hae-yeon). His nuanced performance, which captured the character's multifaceted nature, earned him the moniker "new acting monster" and a nomination for Best Supporting Actor – Television at the 57th Baeksang Arts Awards.^[16]

In 2022, Choi took on various roles, including Jang Seung-jun in Extraordinary Attorney Woo, Chun Sang-woo in Model Detective 2, Noh Seung-hwan in Insider, and a cameo as a sleep clinic doctor in Park Chan-wook's film Decision to Leave.^[2] He also appeared as Seo Min-hyeok in One Dollar Lawyer, prosecutor from a prominent legal family who aims to marry his longtime love, Baek Ma-ri, and expand her family's law firm into "Baek & Seo." Seo, while professionally competent, is depicted as a somewhat impetuous and privileged figure who relies heavily on his father's advice, initially leading viewers to suspect him of being antagonistic towards his former colleague, Cheon Ji-hoon.^[17]

In 2025, Choi starred in the Netflix series When Life Gives You Tangerines, directed by Kim Won-seok and written by Lim Sang-choon. His portrayal of the antagonist Bu Sang-gil was well-received, popularizing the catchphrase "Hak-ssi" and earning him the nickname "Mr. Hak-ssi."^[18] This performance garnered critical acclaim, resulting in his second nomination and subsequent win for Best Supporting Actor – Television at 61st Baeksang Arts Awards.^{[19][unreliable source?]}

Film

Television series

Television show

Musical concert

Musical play

Theater