Choi Min ho (entertainer)

2008—09: Career beginnings and Shinee

Minho was discovered at the 2006 S.M. Casting System. Minho modeled for Ha Sang Baek's Seoul Collection F/W 08-09 in March 2008.

In 2008, he was chosen as a member of the group Shinee, the five-member boy group which debuted on May 25, 2008 on SBS's Inkigayo.

For Shinee's first studio album The Shinee World, he co-wrote the raps to "Replay", "Love Like Oxygen", "Love's Way", "One for Me", "Graze", and "Best Place". One year later, he wrote the rap lyrics for their 2nd mini-album Romeo, he also co-wrote "Talk to You", "Juliette", "Hit Me", and "Romeo + Juliette".

In 2009 and 2010 Minho appeared in both the Korean and Japanese versions of Girls' Generation's music video "Gee". He was also featured in the music video of VNT's debut song Sound in 2010. In 2009, Minho joined the popular show Let's Go! Dream Team as a regular member.

In Shinee's third mini-album, 2009, Year of Us, he along with fellow member Key, and lyricist JQ, wrote the song "Get Down", which features fellow label mate Luna of f(x).

2010—14: Songwriting and acting debut

In Shinee's second studio album, Lucifer, released in July 2010, he wrote the raps to "Up & Down" (co-written by fellow member Jonghyun), and "Obsession" (also written by Jonghyun), "Your Name" (written by fellow member Onew). He co-wrote the songs "WOWOWOW" with JQ and "Shout Out" with the fellow members and MISFIT. In the repackaged album Hello, he wrote the rap for the title track "Hello", and co-wrote the raps for "One" and "Get It".

Minho debuted as an actor on 20 November 2010 in a KBS2's drama special, entitled Pianist with actress Han Ji-hye.

On 7 December 2011, it was announced that Minho would be taking on a comedic acting role in SBS‘s new sitcom, Salamander Guru and The Shadows, which would air in early 2012. Minho played the role of Min-hyuk, a genius hacker, alongside actors Im Won-hee and Oh Dal-soo. Salamander Guru and The Shadows was SBS's first sitcom in 5 years and revolved around two robbers who impersonate a guru. The sitcom aired in January 2012.

He was credited for creating additional raps to the songs "Better", "To Your Heart", and "Stranger" for Shinee's 1st Japanese studio album, The First released in December 2011 and also their 4th mini-album Sherlock released in March 2012, he wrote the raps to the songs "Alarm Clock" and "Honesty".

On 26 April 2012, Minho was confirmed to be the lead role, alongside f(x)'s Sulli and Lee Hyun-woo, for the Korean drama To the Beautiful You, a Korean version of "Hana Kimi". The drama started broadcasting on 15 August 2012 on SBS. Minho's character is Kang Tae Joon, a high jump gold medalist who gives up high jumping after being injured. In preparation for his role as Tae-joon, Minho received personal training from coach Kim Tae-young, former national high jump athlete and a member of the Korea Association of Athletics Federations, for a month and a half. His personal record at the moment is 175 cm.

In 2012 Shinee's "idol rap instructor" JQ, who works under SM Entertainment to improve and direct the rapping abilities of their artists, revealed that Minho has written and co-written several of the raps in Shinee's earlier albums like Love's Way, Love LIke Oxygen, One for Me, Graze, and Best Place. In addition to Shinee's second EP Romeo he assisted JQ with Talk to You and Juliette in the raps.

On 29 July 2013, it was announced that Minho would be returning to the small screen via MBC's Medical Top Team as the handsome youngest member of a medical team. His love line with Oh Yeon Seo lightens the mood of the love triangle among the drama's main leads Kwon Sang-woo, Jung Ryeo-won, and Ju Ji-hoon.

For Shinee's third studio album, Chapter 1. Dream Girl – The Misconceptions of You, he wrote the rap lyrics for the title song "Dream Girl" as well as "Girls, Girls, Girls" together with his member Key. He also wrote the raps for "Aside", "Beautiful" and "Dynamite". For Chapter 2. Why So Serious? – The Misconceptions of Me, Minho wrote the raps to the songs "Shine" (Medusa I), "Music Box" (Orgel), "Excuse Me Miss" and "Can't Leave" (Sleepless Night).

For Shinee's fifth EP Everybody, Minho wrote the rap lyrics for the songs "Destination", "Close the Door" and "Colorful" (together with member Key). Minho was credited for writing and producing the raps for their songs "Romance" and "Farewell My Love" in Shinee's fourth studio album, Odd.

Minho starred as the lead in the OnStyle drama Because It's The First Time together with New comer Actress Park So-dam, which was broadcast in September 2015. It is the first drama premiered by OnStyle, with a total of eight episodes.

2015—present: Big screen debut

In early 2016, Minho extended his popularity as an actor. He was cast in several projects, including a new historical Korean drama entitled Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth, to be aired on December 19, 2016 on KBS2. His debut movie project titled Canola, alongside Youn Yuh-jung and Kim Go-eun and directed by Yoon Hong-seung (pseudonym Director Changwhich), was filmed in 2015 and was released on the big screen May 2016. The second one is a supporting role in a film entitled Marital Harmony, to be led by Lee Seung-gi and Shim Eun-kyung. The movie is the second installment in a planned trilogy by Jupiter Films after the 2013 box-office hit The Face Reader. Minho was also featured in the music video for Romeo's third mini album. This was possible thanks to Minho's connection to Hwang Sung Wook, the CEO of Romeo’s agency CT Entertainment. The CEO worked as a manager for SM Entertainment for more than 10 years, spending part of that time as a manager for Minho's group Shinee. Choi is set to appear in the movie DERAILED (a.k.a. NO WAY TO GO) alongside veteran actor Ma Dong-seok. The movie is directed by Lee Seong-tae and premiered at 2016 Cannes Film Festival. The movie will have its world premiere screening at the 21st Busan International Film Festival in October.

Personal life

Minho graduated from Konkuk University's affiliated high school on February 10, 2010. After taking the college admissions test the previous year, he was admitted in 2010 to Konkuk's part-time admittance for the arts and culture film major and graduated in 2015. His father, Choi Yun-kyum, is a well-known South Korean soccer coach. Minho inherited his father's ability and showed his skills in shows like KBS2's Our Town’s Physical Variety and won high praise from Lee Young-pyo, a retired member of the national team. Minho also led his team to victory at the Idol Futsal World Cup Competition. Originally Minho wanted to become a professional football player like his father but he disapproved of his decision stating: "Frankly, I didn’t want him to follow my path, [...] Back when I was playing, it was difficult to make it in that world, very abusive back in those days. I would stay home for a couple of hours and then be off to training camp. It pained me to see my son asking me to stay over for the night.". His father also added that from the football manager’s point of view, he didn’t think his son had it in him to make it in that field stating Minho is a strong-willed person, but has a small frame.

In 2011, he was named an Honorary Ambassador for Youth 2011. Three years later in 2014, Minho and Yoona were appointed as UNICEF Unihero Campaign Ambassadors "Giving Hope to the Children". In the same year, Minho was listed among the Top Korean Stars, receiving 300 million won as his annual advertising rate.