Choi Soo-young

Life and career

Choi was discovered through an SM Entertainment Open Audition while in fifth grade. She won first place at the 2002 Korea-Japan Ultra Idol Duo Audition, leading to her debut in Japan as part of Route 0.

The duo released three singles before disbanding in 2003. Choi returned to SM Entertainment and debuted in South Korea as a member of Girls' Generation in August 2007. The group gained significant mainstream popularity with the 2009 single "Gee." Choi has stated she was interested in acting before debuting as a singer and had failed more than 70 auditions prior to joining Girls' Generation.

Her early acting work included small roles and guest appearances on series such as Unstoppable Marriage (2007), the film Hello, Schoolgirl (2008), and dramas Oh! My Lady (2010), Paradise Ranch (2011), and A Gentleman's Dignity (2012). She recorded a trot song titled "KKok" with fellow member Yuri for the drama Working Mom and collaborated with Tiffany and duo The Blue on "Feeling Only You." Choi contributed lyrics to Girls' Generation songs "How Great is Your Love" (2011), "What Do I Do" (2016), "Sailing (0805)" (2016), and co-wrote "Baby Maybe" (2013).

In September 2012 she landed her first major acting role in tvN's medical drama The Third Hospital, earning praise from co-actors Oh Ji Ho and Kim Seung-woo. She was cast in tvN's romantic comedy Dating Agency: Cyrano in May 2013; Park Ju-yeon of Hankook Ilbo praised her lively portrayal. In September 2014 she played a terminally ill patient in MBC's My Spring Days, winning the Best Actress in a Miniseries award at the 2014 MBC Drama Awards and the Excellence Award for Actress at the 2015 Korea Drama Awards. She contributed the soundtrack song "Wind Flower" to that drama.

Philanthropy

In 2012 Choi was appointed ambassador to Korea's Retinitis Pigmentosa Society alongside bandmates Tiffany, Taeyeon, and Seohyun. That year she launched a fundraising campaign with cable channel QTV for patients of the disease. She continues to serve as ambassador, conducting sponsorship events and supporting research. In 2016 she launched the clothing brand Beaming Effect to raise awareness for Retinitis Pigmentosa, holding charity bazaars and donating proceeds to treatment research.

In 2017 she held a funding event with Kakao, a charity bazaar, and a charity concert. She has also been appointed ambassador to the Korean Day of Overcoming Rare Diseases, the Social Welfare Council, and the National Disability Awareness Improvement Campaign. In 2014 she sponsored an individual's heart disease operation after playing a heart transplant recipient in My Spring Days.

Did You Know?

• Choi graduated from Chung-Ang University in February 2016 and received a lifetime achievement award at the ceremony.
• Choi co-wrote the songs 'Seventeen' and 'Villain' for Girls' Generation's fifteenth anniversary album Forever 1 (2022).