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T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 16, 2026 • 4 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth4 November 1987

Age35 Years (as of 2022)

BirthplaceSeoul, South Korea

ProfessionRapper, Singer, Actor, Songwriter, Record Producer

NationalitySouth Korean

Marital statusUnmarried

FamilyFather - Choi Bong-am; Sister - Choi Hye-youn; Mother - Name not listed

T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) Biography

Choi Seung-hyun, known professionally as T.O.P, is a South Korean rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor best known as a member of Big Bang.

Early life and background
Choi Seung-hyun was born on 4 November 1987 in Seoul, South Korea. He grew up in a family with artistic connections—he is the great-nephew of the Korean abstract artist Kim Whanki—and developed an early interest in hip-hop. As a youth he and Kwon Ji-yong (later G-Dragon) were childhood friends who rehearsed dancing and rapping together in the same neighborhood.

T.O.P first performed as an underground rapper under the name Tempo and won recognition by taking first place in a KBS Radio rap battle. After being invited to audition for YG Entertainment, he initially faced rejection but committed to a rigorous weight loss effort and returned to succeed. He received the stage name T.O.P from a senior YG artist, SE7EN.

Career
T.O.P made his mainstream debut in 2006 as one of the two rappers in the group Big Bang, alongside G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri. The group rose rapidly to popularity in South Korea and across Asia, releasing hit songs such as Lies, Last Farewell, Day by Day, Fantastic Baby and Bang Bang Bang. Big Bang’s EP Always (2007) and subsequent releases established the band as one of the best-selling acts in Asian music.

Alongside group activities, T.O.P pursued solo work and collaborations. He released the solo rap single Turn It Up in 2010 and in the same year formed a subunit with G-Dragon, GD & TOP, whose self-titled album produced top-charting singles including High High, Oh Yeah and Knock Out. The subunit’s album reached number one on the Gaon Chart and sold strong pre-order numbers.

As an actor, T.O.P’s credits include the television series I Am Sam (2007) and appearances in films such as Story of Men (2008), Nineteen (2009), 71: Into the Fire (2010), Commitment (2013) and Tazza: The Hidden Card (2014). His turn as Oh Jang-beom in the war drama 71: Into the Fire drew significant attention and led to multiple rookie and popularity awards across major Korean film ceremonies.

Between 2011 and 2012 he joined Big Bang on an extensive world tour that spanned four continents to promote the EPs Tonight and Alive. The group continued large-scale touring with the MADE world tour in 2015.

T.O.P has also released digital solo work, including the 2013 single Doom Dada, which was recognized by international publications for its impact on the K-pop landscape.

Public profile
T.O.P is known for a distinctive husky vocal tone and a public image that blends music, film and a serious interest in visual art. He studied in the theatre department at Dankook University and is an avid art collector. His passion for art has led to high-profile collaborations: in 2016 he worked with Sotheby’s to curate a contemporary art auction in Hong Kong called #TTTOP, which raised over HK$135 million with a portion of proceeds donated to the Asian Cultural Council. He has also spoken about collaborating with sculptor Kohei Nawa on an NFT project.

Outside creative pursuits, T.O.P has participated in philanthropic activities such as the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 and a donation to the Seungil Hope Foundation in support of ALS research.

Personal life
T.O.P’s birthplace and hometown are Seoul. He is South Korean by nationality and his blood group is listed as B. Physically, his height is given as approximately 183 cm and weight around 75 kg. He is unmarried. His immediate family includes his father, Choi Bong-am, and an elder sister named Choi Hye-youn; his mother’s name is not listed in available details.

He enjoys reading, swimming and collecting Be@rbrick figurines. Tuna sushi is noted among his preferred foods and pink is listed as a favorite color. He has an interest in cars and has been associated with a Ferrari in descriptions of his personal style.

Controversies and military service
T.O.P began his mandatory military service on 9 February 2017 as a conscripted police officer. During that period he encountered legal issues related to marijuana use and was later transferred and suspended from police duty while the case proceeded. He publicly acknowledged smoking marijuana on multiple occasions and, following legal proceedings, received a two-year probationary sentence. The Ministry of National Defense later classified him as a reservist and reassigned him to perform public service at the Yongsan Arts and Crafts Center beginning 26 January 2018. He was formally discharged in early July 2019.

During this period he experienced a medical emergency related to an overdose of prescribed medication, was hospitalized and later recovered.

Latest updates
In 2023 it was announced that T.O.P would appear in the second season of the Netflix South Korean survival drama series Squid Game. That same period of his career showed continued involvement with art, music and selective acting projects.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun), send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Announcement to appear in Squid Game Season 2

Cast to appear in the second season of Netflix’s South Korean survival drama Squid Game (announced 2023).

2023
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Career Highlights

  1. Debuted as a member of Big Bang (2006)
  2. Acted in 71: Into the Fire (2010) and earned multiple Best New Actor awards
  3. Formed GD & TOP subunit and released a number-one album (2010)
  4. Participated in Big Bang world tours and the 2015 MADE tour
  5. Curated the #TTTOP Sotheby’s charity auction in Hong Kong (2016)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) born?

T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) was born on 4 November 1987.

What is T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) known for?

T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun) is known for rapper, Singer, Actor, Songwriter, Record Producer.

What is T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun)’s marital status?

T.O.P (Choi Seung-hyun)'s marital status is listed as Unmarried.