Profiles

Choi Ji-woo (최지우)

This talented actress has worked alongside Bae Yong-joon, Lee Byung-hun and Kwon Sang-woo – popular actors in their own right.

Born Choi Mi-hyang, the Winter Sonata actress changed her name to Choi Ji-woo when filming the 1995 drama series War and Love. Her foray into showbiz began in 1994 when she was discovered at an audition organised by MBC.

She debuted with War and Love and the following year starred opposite Bae Yong-joon in First Love. However, she only became popular after playing an orphaned girl suffering from leukimia in Beautiful Days (2001), in which she starred alongside Lee Byung-hun.

In 2002, she again co-starred with Bae Yong-joon in the popular drama series Winter Sonata, which apparently triggered the Hallyu in Japan. As a result of that, Choi has a very large fan base in the land of the rising sun. Her Japanese fans sometimes refer to her as “Princess Ji-woo”.

Choi’s star power increased in 2003 as she appeared opposite heartthrob Kwon Sang-woo in drama Stairway to Heaven.

The 32-year-old’s latest drama series aired over MBC in Korea from May 12 to July 15, 2007. It is entitled Air City, in which she plays a CEO of an airline company.

Real name: Choi Mi-hyang
Stage name: Choi Ji-woo
Date of birth: June 11, 1975
Height: 174cm
Weight: 50kg
Blood type: A

Movies:

  • Now and Forever (2006)
  • Shadowless Sword (cameo, 2005)
  • Everybody Has Secrets (2004)
  • The Romantic President (2002)
  • Nowhere to Hide (1999)
  • First Kiss (1998)
  • The Hole (1997)
  • The Adventures of Mrs Park (1996)

TV dramas:

  • Air City (2007)
  • Rondo (2006)
  • Stairway to Heaven (2003)
  • 101 Proposal (2003)
  • Winter Sonata (2002)
  • Beautiful Days (2001)
  • Mr Duke (2000)
  • Truth (2000)
  • Message-Love Stories 2000 (1999)
  • Love In Three Colors (1999)
  • Love/Sarang (1998)
  • Happiness is in our heart (1997)
  • First Love (1996)
  • War and Love (1995)

Related:
Choi Ji-woo to model for Louis Vuitton

21 thoughts on “Choi Ji-woo (최지우)

  • I truly can’t think of any female korean actress as big and popular as Choi Ji Woo. She may not be the most talented or the most beautiful, but she’s definitely a STAR. She’s widely known around the world more than any other Korean actresses. She has this elegance that it’s so rare to find. She’s the reason I started watching Korean dramas and honestly, I am only interested watching her dramas.

  • Anonymous

    Watch Everybody has a Secret & Air City. She didn't act as a damsel in distress on these movie & drama. She's very versatile actress. She had lot of other movies & dramas where she had strong personality (Mr. Duke, the Romantic President & Hole/Snare.

  • Anonymous

    she always plays the same poor, innocent, damsel-in-distress character i’m sick of it.

  • Anonymous

    choi ji woo is uncomparable to any korean actress. she has a unique charisma which can draw a universal admiration unlike other korean actresses as what i see her.

  • Anonymous

    Choi Ji Woo is not only a talented actress, she’s also the best fashion model. Fashion desgner Andre Kim tells Star Show on his 6/14/08 interview that Choi Ji Woo has the” perfect body ” for an ideal model. She was picked by him among the many celebrities who worked with him in his fashion shows.

  • Anonymous

    Choi Ji Woo is the actress who got me hooked to K-dramas. I’ve watched all her series & movies and wish there were more. She brings class and beauty to al her roles. No other actress has come even close to her talent & beauty.

  • haha!today is her birthday!
    wish her always so beautiful and can show us her best drama asap!
    fighting for her!Choi ji-Woo!love u

  • Anonymous

    ji woo is da best actress dat i’ve knew frm all over Asia..she’s very talented,timeless beauty in n out…i don’t think others actresses out there can compete with her…

  • i think she is a great actress and she still popular till now.

  • Choi Ji Woo & Bae Yong Joon were the initiators of the Korean Wave.
    Because of their acting talents & beautiful appearances in Winter Sonata, the Korean dramas became popular in Asia, South America, USA & other parts of the world. Winter Sonata is still on top of the list of best loved Korean dramas. It’s popularity is still conquering the world. Ji Woo you’re great. Hope to see you in more dramas.

  • Anonymous

    i think choi ji woo is not just beautiful. she’s a timeless beauty. she’s one reason why i watch korean movies. more power ms ji woo!

  • Anonymous

    If Choi Ji Woo has no face value compared to some of the actresses you mentioned above, why in the world the internationally famous Louis Viutton fashion designer store invited her as the only Asian in their Paris, France fashion show in Oct. 2007 & again in March 2008 as the South Korean representative together with Lee Jun Ki? She was also the LV model for their 2007 Autumm & Winter photoshoot published in a popular fashion magazine? She has lot of face value. She’s also one of the high paid South Korean actress. She’s still very beautiful, elegant, sophisticated & talented.

  • Anonymous

    Choi Ji Woo is not that old, she’s only 32. There’s lots of South Korean actresses who are older than Ji Woo like Lee Young Ae (37 yrs. old) & Lee Min Yong (38?) & they are still very popular & beautiful like Ji Woo. As a matter of fact, Ji Woo was partnered with younger actors like Jo Han Seon & Lee Jin Wook because she still looks great & young as commented by these 2 young actors. Ji Woo is 100% Korean beauty, not like some of the other Korean actresses who have mixed blood, not pure Koreans.

  • Anonymous

    I like Choi Ji Woo very much. Her natural & pure beauty & her great acting talent were the qualities I was looking for from an actress. She’s the reason why I started watching Korean dramas. I particularly picked all her dramas because of my great admiration to her superb acting skill. She’s still very beautiful, elegant, sophisticated & talented. From Winter Sonata to Air City, she has not changed much. I’m looking forward in her future projects. Choi Ji Woo is the best Asian actress.

    A fan from California, USA

  • Hi guys! Choi&Kwong!
    I like the Drama yu have been played! “Stairway to Heaven” Keep it up and dont separate your lovely partner he is so cute…ha ha… make another one acting by yu two in da future…

    Luv u and God bless

    Mele all da way from Samoa..

  • Anonymous

    hi everyone….been away for a spell…i just read someone’s comment re:CJW…i think she is a very beautiful talented woman…i saw her on Air-City a few weeks ago,and i kept saying that looks like the young lady in Winter Sonata….but the name confused me..i have many pictures of her so i will have to up-grade her name.lol

  • Anonymous

    She looked very young in Winter Sonata when they were in High School. Bae Yong Joon was already 29 when he appeared as a high school student in Winter Sonata. He almost turned down that part because of his age. Choi Ji Woo is younger than Bae Yong Joon. Please don’t pick on her. It’s not very nice. She’s a great actress, very versatile & very beautiful.

  • I like her drama and everything. I think that she is very talented as an actress. However, I didn’t really like her role in one of her dramas (winter sonata I think) where she had to act as a high school student (I think it was the director’s fault). I think that it was age inappropriate. They could have used a younger actress to play as her younger self.

  • Anonymous

    Some people bashed Ji Woo because of her continuous popularity. They are envious because of the fact that Ji Woo is a natural & pure beauty inside & out. She was also partnered with lots of Korean heartthrobs, so many are permanently green with envy. She also won so many awards to prove how great actress she is. So, stop the bashing & enjoy your lives without hurting anybody’s feeling. Don’t compare people because God made us all different with our own talent & beauty.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t think we should judge a person even an actress by her face value..when she’s young n pretty you like her, next she’s an old news, you toss her..I love CJW..in Beautiful Days n Winter Sonata.She’s a versatile actress.

  • Anonymous

    i think she’s a little too old to be put in the same league as the younger much more beautiful actresses in korea… she has no face value compared to song hye-kyo, yoon yun hae, and lee da hae…

Leave a Reply