Choi Jae-rim (; born on April 29, 1985) is a South Korean musical theatre actor. Since making his professional debut in 2009 as Tom Collins in Rent, he has portrayed a wide range of iconic roles, including Gabe in Next to Normal, Judas Iscariot in Jesus Christ Superstar, Lola in Kinky Boots, Gringoire in Notre-Dame de Paris, Billy Flynn in Chicago, Miss Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical, Radames in Aida, the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. Known for his powerful vocals, precise diction, and commanding stage presence, Choi is regarded as one of the leading figures in contemporary Korean musical theatre.
He has received multiple accolades, including the Korea Musical Award for Best Actor for his performance as Miss Trunchbull in Matilda the Musical (2019), and Best Supporting Actor for his role as Billy Flynn in Chicago (2022).
On television, Choi has played Jung Jae-woong in Green Mothers' Club (2022), Kim Yoon-beom in Lies Hidden in My Garden (2023), and Kwon Seong-soo in A Virtuous Business (2024).
In addition to his work on stage and television, he has appeared on two televised singing competition shows: The King of Masked Singers (; aired on MBC in 2020), where he became the 41st "King of Masked Singer", and Lotto Singer (; aired on MBN in 2020–2021), which he won after competing against 44 other professional singers.
Early life Choi Jae-rim was born on April 29, 1985, in Suwon, South Korea, while his father was serving as a fighter pilot at Suwon Air Base. His father, Choi Mi-rak, is a retired two-star major general in the Republic of Korea Air Force. Because of his father's military career, Choi's family moved frequently. During his childhood, Choi lived in Suwon, Osan, and Cheongju, where major Air Force bases are located. He also spent about a year in Montgomery, Alabama, in the United States, near Maxwell Air Force Base. The family later relocated to Gyeryong, home to the Republic of Korea Air Force Headquarters, where Choi spent most of his youth.
Choi attended Yongnam Elementary School, Yongnam Middle School, and Yongnam High School, institutions primarily serving children from military families. He later recalled being particularly mindful of his conduct at school, as he feared that any misbehavior might reflect poorly on his father.
Raised in a devout Catholic family, Choi regularly attended church and sang in the church choir with his older brother. His involvement in church choir, alongside his mother's encouragement, influenced his decision to pursue music in higher education. He began formal vocal training during his junior year of high school and was subsequently admitted to Kyungwon University as a classical voice major, later graduating as valedictorian.
While in college, Choi completed his mandatory military service in the Republic of Korea Air Force Band as a member of the military chorus. One of his fellow chorus members was a musical theatre actor, and their long conversations sparked Choi's interest in musical theatre. After completing his service, he sought professional training and auditioned for vocal instruction at Kolleen Park’s Kyyk Musical Academy. When he was being evaluated, the audition for the 2009 Korean production of Rent was taking place in the same building. Park and members of the production staff heard Choi singing "This Is the Moment" from Jekyll & Hyde and, impressed by his powerful voice, cast him as Tom Collins despite his lack of musical-theatre experience. The role became his professional stage debut and brought him early recognition in the South Korean musical theatre community.
Stage Musical Year Production Role Venue Dates Notes 2009 Rent Tom Collins KEPCO Art Center January 9 – March 29, 2009 Stage debut Hairspray Seaweed KEPCO Art Center November 28, 2009 – February 2, 2010 2010 The Fortress (Korean: 남한산성) Jeong Myeong-su (Korean: 정명수) Seongnam Arts Center Opera House September 30 – October 17, 2010 2011 Spring Awakening Georg Doosan Art Center Yonkang Hall June 3 – September 4, 2011Next to Normal Gabe Doosan Art Center Yonkang Hall November 18, 2011 – February 12, 2012 Original Korean cast 2012 Visitor Guest / Hunter / Bar owner Miarigogae Arts Theater September 7–28, 2012 Original castDaehakro Arts Theater Namu and MulOctober 5–25, 2012 Assassins Lee Harvey Oswald / The Balladeer Doosan Art Center Yonkang Hall November 20 – February 3, 2013 2015 The Twelve Songs of Gaya (Korean: 가야십이지곡) Ureuk (Korean: 우륵) Art One Theater Hall 2 January 24 – February 1, 2015 Original castJesus Christ Superstar Judas Iscariot & Jesus (3 performances by special request) Charlotte Theater June 7 – September 13, 2015See What I Wanna See The Thief / Reporter SEEYA the Project Box October 30 – November 15, 2015Next to Normal Gabe Doosan Art Center Yonkang Hall December 16, 2015 – March 13, 2016 2016 Airport Baby Josh Cohen Art One Theater Hall 1 February 23 – March 6, 2016 Original castEdgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe Kwanglim Arts Center BBCH Hall May 26 – July 24, 2016 Original castTrace U Lee Woo Bin (Korean: 이우빈) Art One Theater Hall 1 August 3 – September 25, 2016See What I Wanna See The Thief / Reporter Hongik University Daehangno Arts Center Small Theater September 27 – November 20, 2016 2017 Airport Baby Josh Cohen Dream Art Center Hall 1 October 17, 2017 – January 14, 2018 2018 Kinky Boots Lola Blue Square Interpark Hall January 31 – April 1, 2018Notre-Dame de Paris Gringoire Sejong Center Grand Theater June 8 – August 5, 2018Matilda the Musical Miss Trunchbull LG Arts Center September 8, 2018 – February 10, 2019 Original Korean cast 2019 City of Angels Stine Chungmu Arts Center Grand Theater August 7 – October 20, 2019 Original Korean castAida Radames Blue Square Interpark Hall November 16, 2019 – February 23, 2020 2020 Rent Tom Collins D-cube Arts Center June 13 – August 22, 2020 Kinky Boots Lola Blue Square Interpark Hall August 21 – November 1, 2020 Airport Baby Josh Cohen Shinhan Card FAN Square Live Hall November 11, 2020 – January 31, 2021A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder The D'Ysquith Family Hongik University Daehangno Arts Center Grand Theater November 20, 2020 – March 1, 2021 2021 Chicago Billy Flynn Daesung D-cube Arts Center April 2 – July 18, 2021 Hadestown Hermes LG Arts Center September 7, 2021 – February 27, 2022 Original Korean cast 2022 Something Rotten! William Shakespeare Universal Arts Center February 17 – April 10, 2022Aida Radames Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall May 17 – August 10, 2022 Kinky Boots Lola Chungmu Arts Center Grand Theater July 20 – October 23, 2022Matilda the Musical Miss Trunchbull Daesung D-Cube Arts Center October 5, 2022 – February 26, 2023 2023 The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera Charlotte Theater August 11 – November 17, 2023 Keimyung Arts Center (Daegu, Korea) December 22, 2023 – February 4, 2024 Les Misérables Jean Valjean Dream Theater (Busan, Korea) October 15 – November 19, 2023 Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall November 30, 2023 – March 10, 2024 2024The Last Five Years Jamie Wellerstein Sejong Center S Theater January 17 – April 7, 2024 Chicago Billy Flynn D-cube Link Arts Center June 7 – September 29, 2024 Hadestown Hermes Charlotte Theater August 13 – October 6, 2024 Dream Theater (Busan, Korea) October 18 – November 3, 2024 Kinky Boots Lola Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall October 1 – November 10, 2024 Cyrano de Bergerac Cyrano de Bergerac Seoul Arts Center CJ Towol Theater December 4, 2024 – February 23, 2025 2025 Jekyll & Hyde Dr. Henry Jekyll / Mr. Edward Hyde Blue Square Shinhan Card Hall March 1 – May 18, 2025 The Bridges of Madison County Robert Kincaid Kwanglim Arts Center BBCH Hall May 1 – July 13, 2025 2026 Yumi's Cells Cell 109 Seoul Arts Center CJ Towol Theater June 30 – August 23, 2026 Original cast Peach Blossoms: A Promise Kept Beyond Sorrow Crown Prince Sado Yungneung October 17 – 18 & 24 – 25, 2026 The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera Blue Square Woori Bank Hall December 22, 2026 – February 28, 2027
Opera Year Production Role Venue Dates Notes 2014 Rita Gaspar Chungmu Arts Center Theater Black November 8–9, 2014 Original Korean cast 2015 November 11–15, 2015 2016 October 28 – November 6, 2016
Play Year Production Role Venue Dates Notes 2017Guards at the Taj Humayun Daemyung Culture Factory Lifeway Hall August 1 – October 15, 2017 Original Korean cast 2025 LG Art Center Seoul U+ Stage November 12, 2025 - January 4, 2026
Filmography Television series + Year Title Role Notes 2022 Green Mothers' Club Jung Jae-woong Small screen debut 2023 Lies Hidden in My Garden Kim Yoon-beom 2024 A Virtuous Business Kwon Seong-soo 2026 The East Palace Royal guard
Television shows + Year Title Role Notes 2010 Qualifications of Men Choir Audition Judge / Vocal Trainer 2020 The King of Masked Singers Contestant Won and became the 41st "King of Masked Singers" 2020–2021 Lotto Singer Contestant Winner
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result2018The 6th Korea Art and Culture AwardsBest Musical Theatre Actor2019The 3rd Korea Musical AwardsBest ActorMatilda the Musical2021The 5th Korea Musical AwardsBest ActorAirport Baby2022The 6th Korea Musical AwardsBest Supporting ActorChicago The 16th Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF) AwardsStar of the Year 2023The 7th Korea Musical AwardsBest Supporting ActorSomething Rotten!2024The 8th Korea Musical AwardsBest ActorThe Phantom of the OperaThe 18th Daegu International Musical Festival (DIMF) AwardsStar of the YearThe Phantom of the Opera & Les MisérablesThe 15th Korean Popular Culture and Arts AwardsPrime Minister's Commendation 2025The 18th NOL Ticket Golden Ticket AwardsBest Actor in a Musical
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