Choi (Korean surname)


Choi is a Korean family surname. As of the South Korean census of 2015, there were around 2.3 million people by this name in South Korea or roughly 4.7% of the population. In English-speaking countries, it is most often anglicized as Choi, and sometimes also Chey, Choe or Chwe. Ethnic Koreans in the former USSR generally prefer the forms Tsoi or Tsoy, especially as a transcription of the Cyrillic Цой.

Origin

  • According to Samguk Sagi, the Gyeongju clan originates from chief Sobeoldori of Goheochon, one of six villages that united to found Silla. The Gyeongju clan traces their origin back to Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn, a noted Korean scholar, philosopher, and poet of the late Unified Silla period.
  • One theory of origin suggests that Haeju clan's progenitor Ch'oe Ch'ung was given the surname 崔 during the reign of Goryeo king Mokjong.
  • The progenitor of the Chungju clan is General Choi Seung, also known as Choi Woo, of Silla
  • The progenitor of the Nangju clan is Choi Heun of Silla who was a native of Yeongam of the southern Jeolla region.
  • Choi Ri, who was known as the leader of the Kingdom of Nakrang

    Clans

There are roughly 160 clans of Chois. Most of these are quite small. However, Choi is the 4th most common surname in Korea. The largest by far is the Gyeongju Choi clan, with a 2000 South Korean population of 976,820. The Gyeongju Choi claim the Silla scholar Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn as their founder.
  • Gyeongju clan – Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn
  • Jeonju clan – Choe Bu
  • Dongju clan
  • Haeju clan – Ch'oe Ch'ung
  • Saknyeong clan – Ch'oe Hang, Choi Byung Ju
  • Gangneung clan
  • Hwasun clan
  • Ganghwa clan
  • Yeongcheon clan
  • Tamjin clan
  • Ubong clan
  • Suwaon clan
  • Yeongheung clan
  • Suseong clan
  • Chungju Choe clan
  • Goesan clan – Ch'oe Sejin
  • Heunghae clan
  • Yeongam clan
  • Taein clan

    Etymology and Pronunciation

Choi is written with the Hanja character wikt:崔, meaning "a governor who oversees the land and the mountain".
In Korean, 최 is usually pronounced "Chwe" or “Chey” except by some older speakers who pronounce it . In Spanish, it is most often pronounced "Choy", which sounds clearly different to its proper pronunciation but some go by “Chey”.

Prominent people of the past

  • Ch'oe Ch'unghŏn, military dictator of the Goryeo period
  • Ch'oe U, military dictator of the Goryeo period
  • Ch'oe Musŏn, Korean scientist, inventor, and military commander
  • Ch'oe Yŏng, military general of the Goryeo period
  • Ch'oe Ch'iwŏn, Korean philosopher during the Silla dynasty
  • Choe Han-gi, Korean Confucian scholar and philosopher
  • Choe Je-u, founder of the Donghak movement
  • Ch'oe Manli, vice director of the Hall of Worthies and early critic of hangul
  • Choe Sejin, Korean linguist
  • Royal Noble Consort Sukbin Choe, royal consort
  • Ch'oe Yŏnggyŏng, scholar-official of the Joseon period

    Prominent people today

General

  • Dan Choi, American LGBT rights activist and former infantry officer
  • Choi Gee-sung, South Korean businessman
  • Hamid Choi, South Korean translator and professor
  • Choi Hong-hi, South Korean general and martial artist
  • Choi Hyun-seok, South Korean chef and television personality
  • Jay Pil Choi, American economist
  • Choe Jun, businessman and philanthropist
  • Choe Nam-seon, Korean historian and independence activist
  • Sophia Choi, American news broadcaster
  • Choi Tae-min, South Korean cult leader
  • Chey Tae-won, South Korean business magnate
  • Choi Wonshik, South Korean optical physicist
  • Choi Soon -sil, South Korean businesswoman.

    Politicians

  • Choe Kwang, North Korean general and politician
  • Choi Kyoung-hwan, South Korean politician
  • Choi Kyu-hah, South Korean politician
  • Choe Ryong-hae, North Korean politician and military officer
  • Choi Sang-mok, South Korean politician
  • Sergey Tsoy, Russian politician and executive
  • Steven Choi, American politician
  • Choe Yong-gon , North Korean official and politician
  • Young Kim, American politician

    Arts

General

  • David Choe, American artist
  • Choi Han, South Korean voice actor
  • Choi Hye-seon, South Korean model
  • Choi Jongcheon, South Korean poet
  • Kristy Choi, Korean-American filmmaker
  • Choi Seong-woo, South Korean voice actress
  • Sharon Choi, South Korean interpreter and film director
  • Choi Soo-jin, South Korean voice actress
  • Susan Choi, American novelist
  • Choi Won-hyeong, South Korean voice actor

    Actors and actresses

  • Lee Ah-jin, South Korean actress and model
  • Choi Bool-am, South Korean retired actor and professor
  • Choi Cheol-ho, South Korean actor
  • Choi Dae-chul, South Korean actor
  • Choi Dae-hoon, South Korean actor
  • Choi Daniel, South Korean actor and DJ
  • Choi Deok-moon, South Korean actor
  • Choi Eun-hee, South Korean actress
  • Choi Go, South Korean actor and model
  • Choi Gwi-hwa, South Korean actor
  • Choi Han-bit, South Korean model and actress
  • Choi Hee-jin, South Korean actress
  • Choi Hee-seo, South Korean actress
  • Choi Hyun-wook, South Korean actor
  • Choi Ja-hye, South Korean actress
  • Choi Jae-rim, South Korean musical actor
  • Choi Jae-sung, South Korean actor
  • Choi Ji-woo, South Korean actress
  • Choi Jin-ho , South Korean actor
  • Choi Jin-sil, South Korean actress
  • Choi Jin-young, South Korean actor and singer
  • Choi Jung-yoon, South Korean actress
  • Choi Jung-won, South Korean actress
  • Choi Jung-won, South Korean actress
  • Choi Jung-woo, South Korean actor
  • Choi Jung-woo, South Korean actor and model
  • Choi Kang-hee , South Korean actress and radio DJ
  • Kenneth Choi, American actor
  • Choi Kwon-soo, South Korean actor
  • Choi Kyu-jin , South Korean actor
  • Choi Min, South Korean actor
  • Choi Min-chul, South Korean actor
  • Choi Min-sik, South Korean actor
  • Choi Min-soo, South Korean actor
  • Choi Min-yong, South Korean actor
  • Choi Min-young, South Korean actor
  • Choi Moo-ryong, South Korean actor
  • Choi Myung-bin, South Korean actress
  • Choi Myung-gil, South Korean actress
  • Choi Ri, South Korean actress
  • Choi Soo-in, South Korean actress
  • Choi Soo-jong, South Korean actor
  • Choi Sung-eun, South Korean actress
  • Choi Sung-kook, South Korean actor
  • Choi Tae-hwan, South Korean actor
  • Choi Tae-joon, South Korean actor and model
  • Choi Won-hong, South Korean actor
  • Choi Won-young, South Korean actor
  • Choi Woo-hyuk, South Korean actor
  • Choi Woo-hyuk, South Korean actor
  • Choi Won-myeong, South Korean actor and model
  • Choi Woo-shik, South Korean-Canadian actor
  • Choi Woo-sung, South Korean actor
  • Choi Woong, South Korean actor and model
  • Choi Ye-bin, South Korean actress
  • Choi Yeo-jin, South Korean-Canadian model and actress
  • Choi Yoo-jung , South Korean retired actress
  • Choi Yoon-so, South Korean actress
  • Choi Yoon-young, South Korean actress
  • Choi Young-joon, South Korean actor and singer

    Musicians

  • Choi Bo-min , South Korean actor and singer
  • Dasuri Choi, South Korean dancer and entertainer
  • David Choi, American musician
  • Seven , South Korean singer
  • G.NA, Korean-Canadian singer and actress
  • Wheesung, South Korean singer
  • Hyojung, South Korean singer
  • Choi Hyun-suk, South Korean rapper
  • Jennifer Choi, Korean-American violinist
  • Jenny Choi, American singer and cellist
  • Lia , South Korean singer
  • Sulli, South Korean singer and actress
  • Choi Jong-hoon, South Korean musician
  • Changjo, South Korean singer
  • Zelo, South Korean singer
  • Choi Jung-eun, South Korean singer, member of girl group Izna
  • Choi Jung-hoon, South Korean singer-songwriter, member of Jannabi
  • Choi Jung-in, South Korean singer
  • Choi Jung-won , South Korean singer
  • Ren , South Korean actor and singer
  • Choi Min-ho, South Korean rapper and singer
  • Choi Min-hwan, South Korean singer and drummer
  • S.Coups, South Korean rapper and singer
  • Vernon , South Korean rapper and singer
  • T.O.P, South Korean rapper and actor
  • Choi Si-won, South Korean singer and actor
  • Choi Soo-young, South Korean singer and actress
  • Bada , South Korean singer and musical theatre actress
  • Choi Sung-min, South Korean singer
  • Choi Ye-na, South Korean singer
  • Arin , South Korean singer
  • Choi Yoo-jung , South Korean singer
  • Choi Young-jae, South Korean singer and actor member of GOT7
  • Choi Yu-jin , South Korean singer and actress
  • Yuju , South Korean singer
  • Choi Yu-ree, South Korean singer-songwriter
  • Viktor Tsoi, Soviet singer-songwriter and actor
  • Anita Tsoy, Russian singer-songwriter
  • San, South Korean singer and dancer, member of Ateez
  • Jongho, South Korean singer and actor, member of Ateez
  • Yeonjun, South Korean singer-songwriter, member of Tomorrow X Together
  • Choi Soobin, South Korean singer-songwriter, member of Tomorrow X Together
  • Beomgyu, South Korean singer-songwriter, member of Tomorrow X Together

    Sports

  • Yuhui Choe, Japanese-born Korean ballet dancer
  • Choi Cheol-han, South Korean professional Go player
  • Choe Chol-su, North Korean boxer
  • Choi Da-bin, South Korean figure skater
  • Choi Eun-kyung , South Korean former field hockey player
  • Choi Eun-kyung, South Korean short track speed skater
  • Choi Ga-on, South Korean snowboarder
  • Hee-seop Choi, South Korean former professional baseball player
  • Hongman Choi, South Korean kickboxer and mixed martial artist
  • Ji-man Choi, South Korean professional baseball player
  • Choi Jin-cheul, South Korean football manager and former player
  • Choi Jung-won , South Korean short track speed skater
  • Choi Kwang-jo, South Korean martial artist
  • K. J. Choi, South Korean professional golfer
  • Choi Mi-sun, South Korean recurve archer
  • Choe Myong-ho, North Korean footballer
  • Choi Myung-hoon, South Korean professional Go player
  • Choi Na-yeon, South Korean professional golfer
  • Choi Soon-ho, South Korean football manager and former player
  • Choe Song-hyok, North Korean footballer
  • Choi Sung-beom, South Korean footballer
  • Choi Sung-kuk, South Korean former footballer
  • Choi Sung-yong, South Korean former footballer
  • Choi Tae-uk, South Korean former footballer
  • Choi Won-jong, South Korean archer
  • Choi Won-kwon, South Korean former footballer
  • Mas Oyama, South Korean karate master
  • iloveoov, South Korean retired professional StarCraft player
  • Choi Yong-soo , South Korean retired boxer
  • Choi Yong-soo, South Korean footballer
  • Choi Yong-sool, South Korean martial artist
  • Choi Yu-jin , South Korean figure skater
  • Choi Yun-kyum, South Korean football manager