Choi Min-soo exudes machismo as Joseon king

Choi Min-soo as King Sukjong from SBS's "Daebak" / Courtesy of SBS

By Ko Dong-hwan

“Tough-guy” actor Choi Min-soo, who has joined the cast of SBS TV historical drama “Daebak,” has impressed fans with photos that show him as King Sukjong of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910).

Choi, 53, is pictured on a horse as a bow-hunter, leering at an unidentified target. The bearded actor has his hair tied with a black headband and is wearing a fur neck-warmer.

The drama, scheduled to air late this month, portrays a brotherly battle over love and the throne between forlorn royal child-turned-gambler Daegil (Jang Keun-suk) and his half-brother, Prince Yeoning (Yeo Jin-goo), who is the son of King Sukjong and later becomes King Yeongjo.

Choi, right, with Park Sang-won from SBS's hit TV drama "Sandglass" (1995)

Choi debuted as a stage actor in 1985 and has earned a big following for his good looks and signature machismo. He shot to stardom in the early 1990s on the small screen. Since then, he has had a successful TV and movie career.

But it has not been all plain sailing. In 2008, Choi was involved in a legal suit after allegedly assaulting a man in his 70s in a street argument in Itaewon, Seoul. Police apprehended Choi without arrest but prosecutors dropped the case after the victim and Choi came to an agreement. The victim said he did not want Choi punished.

Choi then went into retreat on a mountain for about a year. A media report said Choi was emotionally distressed by criticism and wanted to “part with the secular world.”