Choi Soo-jong

In 2010, Choi was cast in a lead role in Legend of the Patriots, a remake of the 1975 series Comrades. According to a press release from KBS, Choi found acting in a war drama even more challenging than the historical dramas he is known for. When asked why he chose to pursue the challenging genre of war drama, Choi stated "There is a problem though that the more I act, the more I become greedy for acting. What do I have to do from now on? Anyway, I want to remain as a good actor as I put more effort into managing myself"."

In his free time, Choi enjoys playing soccer on Sunday mornings. In 2008, Choi announced that he would also begin studying English in his spare time.

Additionally, in December 2008, Choi was one of five celebrities appointed as a goodwill ambassador to the Korean capital Seoul. As a member of the "Fabulous Five," Choi was chosen to publicize the international appeal of the city. In June 2009, Choi Soo-jong and six other high-profile actors waived their fees to teach master acting classes at Im Kwon-taek Film and Art College of Dongseo University.

Despite Choi's image of integrity and health, in 2007 his career was briefly overshadowed by scandal. In a series of news stories, it was revealed that several high-profile Korean actors had falsified their academic credentials. Choi was among those whose educational background on his resume proved to be exaggerated and included untrue information. Choi tearfully apologized for misleading the public.

When not filming, Choi and his wife also are involved with charitable projects both jointly and separately. They contribute regularly to charitable causes in addition to actively volunteering for causes such as disabled children and were actively involved in the cleaning up after the massive oil spill in Korea in 2007. In the first half of 2009, Choi and Ha were selected to be the ambassadors for a worldwide campaign against tuberculosis. Also in 2009, Choi and Ha became goodwill ambassadors of the National Museum of Korea and sponsored a project to provide 50,000 Korean language guidebooks for visitors to the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

Choi is married to actress Ha Hee Ra, a Hwagyo. They have two children together: son Min-seo (1999) and daughter Yoon-seo (2000). Choi Soo-jong and Ha Hee Ra's happy marriage is well-known in Korea. When Ha was pregnant, Choi did the housework, cooked, and let her rest, a fact that has made Choi very popular with Korean women and jokingly scorned by Korean men. In a television interview in early 2010, Choi's wife Ha stated her husband is a better housekeeper than she is. Choi is frequently seen text messaging and making phone calls with his wife Ha Hee Ra while filming and was even documented doing so in the television special for Emperor of the Sea.

Choi Soo-jong (born on December 18, 1962) is a South Korean actor. Choi made his debut in 1987 as a young actor in the TV soap opera ‘Love Tree’. He has appeared in movies, on television and as an MC for various award shows. He has received worldwide recognition for his leading roles in several highly successful shows. Most recently he garnered acclaim for his portrayals of the principal characters in the Korean historical dramas Emperor of the Sea playing the role of Jang Bogo, and as the title character Dae Joyoung in the epic series Dae Jo Yeong (TV series).