# Choi Daniel

Choi Daniel (born 22 February 1986) is a South Korean actor, DJ and model. He is best known for his television roles in The Ghost Detective, Jugglers, High Kick Through the Roof, Baby Faced Beauty, School 2013, and rom-com film Cyrano Agency. He is also an anchorman on KBS World Radio since 2011 and a DJ on KBS 2FM since 2013.

## Early life

Choi's mother had serious morning sickness when pregnant with his elder brother (6 years his elder), thus did not consider having a second child. His father had a vasectomy, but Choi was still conceived. His father wanted to name him Solomon, but his mother preferred Daniel, as he was considered a gift from God.
As a child, his name was considered unusual, and his peers would call him "Yogi Daniel" (a famous yoga master and contortionist), and would jokingly ask him to squeeze himself into a desk.
Choi's mother died when he was 5 years old. Due to few recollections of his mother, later in life, he found it difficult to act opposite his characters' mother figures. After the death of his mother and his father's business went bankrupt, he was sent to his aunt's house, while his father and brother lived with another relative.
His first part-time job in high school was a gas station attendant.
He quit after one semester at the Broadcasting and Acting Department of Chungwoon University, as he had enough of the experience. He was part of the university's cheerleading team.
His father was in the Military Academy and his brother is a civil servant.

## Conscription

On 2 October 2015, Choi enlisted in the Republic of Korea Army to serve his mandatory military service. Due to a knee injury he suffered in late 2012 while shooting the drama School 2013, he was deemed unfit for physical duty. As alternative military duty, after four weeks of training, he was assigned to serve at the Seoul VHS Medical Center as a public service worker.
On 27 June 2017, he was the recipient of model public service worker commissioner's award from the Military Manpower Administration at the Seoul Regional Office of the MMA, for being a model employee and sincere work ethic.
His original discharge date, 1 October 2017, was advanced 2 days due to the Chuseok holidays. His first project afterwards was Jugglers. His brother got married when he was filming the drama.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2009 | Yoga Hakwon | Dong-hoon | |
| 2010 | Cyrano Agency | Lee Sang-yong | |
| 2011 | Age of Milk | | short film |
| 2012 | The Traffickers | Sang-ho | |
| 2012 | The Peach Tree | | cameo |
| 2013 | 11 A.M. | Ji-wan | |
| 2014 | The Con Artists | art gallery owner | cameo |
| 2015 | The Chronicles of Evil | Kim Jin-gyu | |
| 2015 | Untouchable Lawmen | Detective Jo Yoo-min | |
| 2017 | Lying is Truth | | short film |
| 2019 | The Beast | Jong-chan | |

### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2000 | School Stories | | |
| 2005 | Golden Apple | | |
| 2008 | Worlds Within | Yang Soo-kyung | |
| 2008 | General Hospital 2 | | guest |
| 2009 | Good Job, Good Job | Lee Eun-hyeok | |
| 2009 | High Kick Through the Roof | Lee Ji-hoon | |
| 2010 | Once Upon a Time in Saengchori | | cameo |
| 2011 | Baby Faced Beauty | Choi Jin-Wook | |
| 2011 | The Musical | Hong Jae-Yi | |
| 2011 | High Kick: Revenge of the Short Legged | Ji-hoon | Cameo (episode 95) |
| 2012 | Ji Woon-soo's Stroke of Luck | Kim Daniel | cameo |
| 2012 | Phantom | Park Gi-young / Hades | Cameo (episode 1-2, 6) |
| 2013 | School 2013 | Kang Se-chan | |
| 2013 | KBS Drama Special – "Waiting for Love" | Cha Ki-dae | one act-drama |
| 2014 | Big Man | Kang Dong-seok | |
| 2015 | Heart to Heart | bakeshop owner | Cameo |
| 2017 | Jugglers | Nam Chi-won | |
| 2018 | The Ghost Detective | Lee Da-il | |
| 2019 | My Fellow Citizens! | Newly-wed | Cameo, (episode 11) |
| 2020 | It's Okay to Not Be Okay | CEO Choi Daniel | Cameo (episode 8) |
| 2022 | Today's Webtoon | Seok Ji-hyung | |
| 2022 | Fly High Butterfly | Kwang Soo | |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2023 | Mask Girl | Park Gi-hun | |

### Music video

* "Coin Laundry" (Wax, 2014)
* "Open The Door" (Im Chang-jung, 2013)
* "Love Ballad" (Brown Eyed Soul, 2010)
* "Turn It Up" (Sung Hyun-ah, 2004)

## Radio

* KBS World Radio - News Plus (2011~present)
* KBS 2FM - Pops Pops (2013~present)
* Radio Apart (30 Nov, 2018)

## Discography

* "I went to Cheonggyesan Mt." - duet with Uhm Tae-woong, Cyrano Agency OST

## Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination :
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Result |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2010 | Best New Actor – Television | High Kick Through the Roof | Nominated |
| Baeksang Arts Awards | 2011 | Best New Actor – Film | Cyrano Agency | Nominated |
| Blue Dragon Film Awards | 2010 | Best New Actor | Cyrano Agency | Nominated |
| Grand Bell Awards | 2010 | Best New Actor | Cyrano Agency | Nominated |
| Grand Bell Awards | 2012 | Best New Actor | The Traffickers | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2011 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Baby Faced Beauty | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2012 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | School 2013 | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2013 | Best Actor in a One-act Drama/Special | Waiting for Love | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2014 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Big Man | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2018 | Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries | Jugglers, The Ghost Detective | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2018 | Best Couple | Choi Daniel (with Baek Jin-hee) Jugglers | Won |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2018 | Best Couple | Choi Daniel (with Park Eun-bin) The Ghost Detective | Nominated |
| KBS Drama Awards | 2018 | Netizen Award | Jugglers, The Ghost Detective | Nominated |
| Korean Film Awards | 2010 | Best New Actor | Cyrano Agency | Nominated |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2009 | Best New Actor in a Sitcom/Comedy | High Kick Through the Roof | Won |
| MBC Entertainment Awards | 2024 | Best Entertainer Award (Reality) | Omniscient Interfering View | Won |
| Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival | 2011 | Fantasia Award | High Kick Through the Roof | Won |
| SBS Drama Awards | 2022 | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Miniseries Romance/Comedy Drama | Today's Webtoon | Nominated |