Choi Jong-won (Korean최종원; born January 27, 1950) is a South Korean actor and politician. Choi began his acting career in theater, then made his screen debut in 1978 and became known as a veteran actor of stage, film and television of over forty years.[2][3][4][5] He won Best Supporting Actor at the Grand Bell Awards in 1995 for the Joseon-era period drama The Eternal Empire.

Choi Jong-won
Born (1950-01-27) January 27, 1950 (age 74)
EducationSeoul Drama School
Kyungwoon University - Journalism and Mass Communication
Occupation(s)Actor, politician
AgentSP Entertainment
SpouseJung Young-ae
Children2 daughters[1]
Korean name
Hangul
최종원
Hanja
崔鍾元
Revised RomanizationChoe Jongwon
McCune–ReischauerCh'oe Chongwŏn

Choi entered politics in 2004, when he ran and lost in the 17th National Assembly elections as an Uri Party candidate. He ran again in the by-elections on July 28, 2010, under the Democratic Party, where he won as the lawmaker representing Gangwon Province (Taebaek, Jeongseon, Yeongwol, and Pyeongchang) in the 18th National Assembly, succeeding Lee Kwang-jae who resigned to run for the Gangwon governorship.[6][7] On September 16, 2010, Choi was elected as the head of DP's Gangwon provincial chapter.[8][9]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role
1979 Grave Wood
The Third Han River Bridge
1980 White Smile
1982 Late Autumn
The Chrysanthemum and the Clown
1984 The Woman Shot the Man
The Fear of Ancestral Rites
Sadness Even in the Sky
1985 The Tiger Butterfly Is Lonely at Dusk
Madame Aema 3
1989 Come Come Come Upward Bi-gu
Gagman Taxi driver
Shock Continues Long
1990 Oseam
Mayumi Choi Kang-il
Ggok-Ji-Ddan
The Dream Pyeong-mok
My Love, My Bride Pastor
1991 Stairways of Heaven Detective agency employee
Things that Sadden My Wife Prosecutor
Fly High Run Far
The Mulberry Field Traveler
1992 Kim's War Homeroom teacher
The World Is Beautiful Enough to Live In Choon-sik
A Keeper of the Heart
1993 First Love Park Young-shin's father
The Supreme Order Lee Hwa-ryong
Seopyeonje Cheon-ga
Two Cops Tae-seong
1994 The Eternal Empire Sim Hwan-ji
The Man of 49 Days Detective 1
Rosy Life Company president Han
The Taebaek Mountains
How to Top My Wife Hit man
1995 Bitter and Sweet
Gun and Gun Kim Nun-seok
The Hair Dresser Rosen Lee
Who Drives Me Crazy Hwang Dal-soo
Millions in My Account
1996 Seven Reasons Why Beer Is Better Than a Lover Video shop owner
Karuna Yang Cheon-soo
1996 Mulberry Sam-bo
Love Story Sung-woo's office story
Jungle Story Senior colleague
The Adventures of Mrs. Park (cameo)
1997 The Rocket Was Launched
The Audition Director Jin
Father Mr. Park
Hallelujah
Destiny Director Choi
1998 The Happenings Jang Deok-bae
2000 Pisces Department head Choi
2001 Love Her Owner
Paradise Villa Taxi driver
2005 Blood Rain Royal emissary Choi
Princess Aurora Chief of detective squad
2006 Hanbando Kim Hong-soon
Traces of Love Seo Min-joo's father
2008 Santamaria Old man Mr. Shin
Summer Whispers[10] Professor Noh
2010 Le Grand Chef 2: Kimchi Battle Ja-woon
2011 The Client[11] Professor Ahn
2014 A Dynamite Family Father

Television series

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Year Title Role
1995 Jazz Boss Kang
1996 Papa Shin Shin-ho
Reporting for Duty Woo Myung-do
When the Salmon Returns Young-chae's father
1997 The Angel Within
1998 Six Children
The King and the Queen Han Myung-hoi
2000 Three Friends
Did You Ever Love?
2001 Pretty Woman Director Dokgo
2002 Sunlight Upon Me
Age of Innocence Uncle
2003 Drama City: "The Barley Field" Choi Young-dal
She is Cool
2006 Seoul 1945 Lee In-pyung
Special of My Life Baek-Gom-Pa[12] boss
Cloud Stairs Doctor Byun
2007 Bong-jae Returns Park Bong-jae
Auction House Heo Myung-hwan
2008 The Great King, Sejong Ha Ryun
Daughter-in-Law Ma Pyung-moon
2009 The Quiet Village Chief minister
Hot Blood Ha Ryu's father
2010 The Reputable Family Choi Won-young
2014 Gunman in Joseon[13] Kim Jwa-young
KBS Drama Special: "The Girl Who Became a Photo"[14] Min Sung-taek
Healer[15] Park Jung-dae, the Elder
2015 Six Flying Dragons Yi In-gyeom
2016 Monster Jo Ki-ryang
Sweet Stranger and Me Chairman Kwon
2017 Untouchable Goo Yong-chan
2018 Mr. Sunshine Heungseon Daewongun
2020 Royal Secret Agent Kang In-chung
2021 Lovers of the Red Sky[16] Ha Ram's grandfather (cameo)

Theater

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Year Title Role
The Little Prince
The Collector
The Merchant of Venice
Equus
Hamlet
King Lear Lear
Head of Dried Walleye Pollack
A Dwarf Launches a Little Ball
A Streetcar Named Desire
Death of a Salesman
You Can See Apgujeong-dong from Oksu-dong
Oliver!
The Unfilial Son Is Weeping
99 품바
Beautiful Street
1980 Father's Sea
1983 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? George
1985 Annie
1992 Marvelous Guys
2000 Guys and Dolls[17]
The Beautiful Distance[18]
2002 Years of a Mother's Love
2009 American Buffalo Don
2012 The Watch (Heavenly Clock) King Sejong
2013 Marriage Butler
It Was a Little Darkness in the Hole of a Wooden Gong Mang-ryeong

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1980 Korea Theater Festival Best Actor Father's Sea Won
1983 20th Dong-A Theatre Awards Best Actor Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Won
1985 Producers' Group Acting Awards Most Entertaining in Theater Annie Won
1989 13th Seoul Theater Festival Best Actor Won
1991 Love Theater Festival Best Actor Won
1995 33rd Grand Bell Awards Best Supporting Actor The Eternal Empire Won
1999 KBS Drama Awards Best Supporting Actor Won

References

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  1. ^ One of his daughters, Choi Na-rae is also an actress.
  2. ^ Seo, Young-seok (April 19, 2009). 7년 만에 대학로로 돌아온 연기파 배우 최종원 [Veteran actor Choi Jong-won returns to Daehakro after 7 years]. Interview365 (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  3. ^ Park, Joon-hyeong (14 September 2012). 최종원 "왜 세종이냐고? 시대가 원하는 리더상이죠"(인터뷰). OSEN [ko] (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  4. ^ Yoo, Myeong-joon (13 May 2013). 최종원 "뮤지컬서 '말춤' '시건방춤' 왜 추냐고? 시대가 원하니까". Kuki News (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  5. ^ Song, Woong-ki (26 April 2010). "Drama fest focuses on original work". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  6. ^ Song, Ho-gyun (24 July 2010). 최종원 "유인촌 장관, 만나면 일단 한 대 맞자". Pressian (in Korean). Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  7. ^ Jackson, Andy (28 July 2010). "Results for Korea's July 28 by-elections (UPDATE: GNP gets unexpected wins)". Asian Correspondent. Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  8. ^ Lee, Tae-hoon (27 April 2011). "Mudslinging, dirty tricks taint by-elections". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  9. ^ Kim, Jin (19 July 2011). "Viewpoint: A nongentleman from Pyeongchang". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2014-12-17. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  10. ^ "New movie Summer, whisper stars Lee Young-eun". Hancinema. 26 September 2008. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  11. ^ Lee, Hyo-won (22 September 2011). "The Client is deceptive, smart". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  12. ^ Baek-Gom-Pa literally means "White Bear Gang."
  13. ^ "The Joseon Shooter Lee Joon-ki's final revenge". Hancinema. 14 August 2014. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  14. ^ "Trailer released for the Korean drama Drama Special - The Girl in the Frame". Hancinema. 7 November 2014. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  15. ^ "Healer Ji Chang-wook finds The Elder, Choi Jong-won". Hancinema. 2 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2022-12-21. Retrieved 2015-04-13.
  16. ^ Kang Kyung-yoon (October 17, 2021). '홍천기' 의문의 백발노인 최종원, 정체가 뭐야?...비밀 풀린다 [Choi Jong-won, a mysterious white-haired old man in 'Hongcheongi', what is his identity?...The secret is unraveled]. SBSEnterNews (in Korean). Archived from the original on February 12, 2023. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  17. ^ "Two Musicals Set to Open". The Chosun Ilbo. 2 August 2000. Archived from the original on 2020-10-18. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
  18. ^ Park, So-young (18 September 2000). "A Staged Story of Loss". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2015-04-14.
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