Born in 1971, Choi majored in Korean Literature at Seogang University. His feature debut The Big Swindle (2004) received critical and commercial acclaims. After that, with Tazza: The High Rollers (2006), Jeon Woo-chi: The Taoist Wizard (2009) and The Thieves (2012), heis said that he opened the new chapter of Korean crime thriller on top of the huge commercial success.