TOP

Background

Born and raised in Seoul, South Korea, Choi Seung-Hyun is the great-nephew of pioneering Korean abstract artist Kim Whanki. From an early age, Seung-Hyun was interested in hip-hop music. He and his future groupmate Kwon Ji-Yong later became neighborhood friends in elementary school and often danced and rapped together. Even after Ji-Yong moved out and the two parted ways, Seung-Hyun contacted Ji-Yong again when Y.G. Entertainment was looking for possible candidates to create a boy group.

After signing with Y.G. Entertainment, Seung-Hyun and Ji-Yong recorded several demos and sent them to C.E.O. Yang Hyun-suk, who later gave him the opportunity to audition. However, Seung-Hyun was rejected by the agency because he did not fit the ideal image of an idol. Unbeaten, he lost twenty kilos and returned six months later for a new audition, which was successful. Seung-Hyun joined Y.G. as a trainee and was given the stage name T.O.P. He was paired with Ji-Yong, Taeyang, Daesung, Seungri, and Hyun-Seung to form the group Big Bang in 2006.

In 2007, T.O.P. made his acting debut through K.B.S.2’s romantic comedy-drama “I Am Sam.” The following year, he joined Dankook University to pursue a degree in theater. Three years later, T.O.P. made his film debut in the war film “71: Into the Fire,” which reached one million viewers in a week. During 2011 and 2012, T.O.P. held promotional activities as a member of the Big Bang. When they wrapped up, he turned his focus back to acting, starring in the spy drama film “Commitment.” In 2017, T.O.P. began his mandatory military service at the army training center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, as an active-duty soldier.