Choi Eun-hee

Quick Facts: Who was Choi Eun-hee?

Subject:

Choi Eun-hee

Known for:

Iconic South Korean actress, celebrated for her career and ordeal in North Korea.

Born:

1926-11-20

Died:

2018-04-16

Century / Era:

1926s Historical Era Archive

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Choi Eun-hee (Korean: 최은희; November 20, 1926 – April 16, 2018) was a South Korean actress. She was one of South Korea's most popular stars of the 1960s and 1970s. In 1978, Choi and her then ex-husband, movie director Shin Sang-ok, were abducted to North Korea, where they were forced to make films until they sought asylum at the United States embassy in Vienna in 1986. They returned to South Korea in 1999 after spending a decade in the United States. Choi was born in Kōshū, Keiki Province, Japanese Korea, (today Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province), in 1926.

Career & Major Achievements

Her first acting role was in the 1947 film A New Oath. She rose to fame the following year after starring in the 1948 film The Sun of Night and soon became known as one of the "troika" of Korean film, alongside actresses Kim Ji-mee and Um Aing-ran. After she married director Shin Sang-ok in 1954, the two founded Shin Film. Choi went on to act in over 130 films and was considered one of the biggest stars of South Korean film in the 1960s and 1970s. She starred in many of Shin's iconic films, including 1958's A Flower in Hell and 1961's The Houseguest and My Mother.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After she was diagnosed with infertility, they adopted two children together, Jeong-kyun and Myung-kim. In 1976, Choi divorced Shin after seeing news that he had fathered two children with young actress Oh Su-mi. Choi's career began to suffer after her divorce, and she traveled to Hong Kong in 1978 to meet with a person posing as a businessman who offered to set up a new film company with her. In Hong Kong, Choi was abducted and taken to North Korea by the order of Kim Jong Il. While searching for Choi after her abduction, Shin was also abducted and taken to North Korea soon after.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1926 (1926-11-20): Birth of Choi Eun-hee — Iconic South Korean actress, celebrated for her career and ordeal in North Korea.
2. 1947: 1947 Milestone — Her first acting role was in the 1947 film A New Oath.
3. 1948: 1948 Milestone — She rose to fame the following year after starring in the 1948 film The Sun of Night and soon became known as one of the "troika" of Korean film, alongside actresses Kim Ji-mee and Um Aing-ran.
4. 1954: 1954 Milestone — After she married director Shin Sang-ok in 1954, the two founded Shin Film.
5. 1958: 1958 Milestone — She starred in many of Shin's iconic films, including 1958's A Flower in Hell and 1961's The Houseguest and My Mother.
6. 1976: 1976 Milestone — In 1976, Choi divorced Shin after seeing news that he had fathered two children with young actress Oh Su-mi.
7. 1978: 1978 Milestone — In 1978, Choi and her then ex-husband, movie director Shin Sang-ok, were abducted to North Korea, where they were forced to make films until they sought asylum at the United States embassy in Vienna in 1986.
8. 1999: 1999 Milestone — They returned to South Korea in 1999 after spending a decade in the United States.
9. 2018 (2018-04-16): Passing & Historical Legacy — Choi Eun-hee passed away on 2018-04-16, leaving an enduring historical legacy.

Notable Quotes by Choi Eun-hee

“The couple was able to make "films with artistic values, instead of just propaganda films extolling the regime," but that she could not forgive Kim for kidnapping her.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Choi Eun-hee

True or False: “Choi Eun-hee's initial breakthrough role came in the film *The Sun of Night* in 1948.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Her first acting role was actually in the 1947 film *A New Oath*, preceding her major success in 1948.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Choi Eun-hee