From Jungle to Running, Choi Daniel, the unexpected man in the entertainment industry.

By Minjeong, Cho

Apr 16, 2025

From Jungle to Running, Choi Daniel, the unexpected man in the entertainment industry.
Photo=Sports Chosun DB



Actor Choi Daniel is emerging as a 'popular entertainment industry trend' away from his serious image. Since his debut, he has mainly digested quiet and smart characters, but now he is transforming into a `body gag fairy' who falls down while eating peppers or loses his balance while playing foot volleyball. Soon, there are several programs he appeared on. Some of them are fixed appearances and some are rental appearances, but in common, 'Choi Daniel Rediscovered'.

Choi Daniel's first step into the entertainment industry was last year's MBC 'Omniscient Interference Point'. Unlike the image of a serious actor, the appearance of starting the day with a croak in the morning, shedding soy milk, and circling in place because they couldn't even wear socks properly gave the public a big laugh. The nickname `Mr. Choi' (Choi Daniel+Mr. Choi) was born that way, and he proved his potential for entertainment by winning the Best Entertainer Award in reality at the end of the year.

Since then, Choi Daniel has learned his own tempo by showing his face on various programs such as JTBC Knowing Brother', MBN 'Jeon Hyun-moo Plan 2', and is currently running a YouTube channel 'Choi Da Cheese'. He is presenting a new attempt of 'Entertainment Talk Show' by inviting star guests to his studio to create self-portraits and have a conversation.




SBS 'Jungle Rice 2? Peruvap' revealed its presence in entertainment shows in earnest. Choi Daniel showed off his goofy and sloppy charm even in extreme situations, bursting out 'Wrong' and 'Real Idiots' at the same time. I suggested a game over the world's hottest Peruvian pepper The scene in which he eats peppers and bites a live caterpillar and drools left a strong impression on the viewers. Even the production team couldn't hold back laughter in the scene where the mop-wash water was mistaken for broth and boiled.

Choi Daniel also appeared regularly on MBC Everyone 'The Great Guide 2', which has been broadcast since the 8th, expanding his scope of activities. Having left for Rwanda and Argentina, he enjoys a local trip with Park Myung-soo, Kim Dae-ho and Lee Moo-jin, showing not only the sense of entertainment but also humanity and warmth.

His sense of entertainment immediately led to the selection of SBS 'Running Man' as a rental member. In recent broadcasts, a physical joke exploded during a 4-4 foot volleyball match. The moment he made a mistake became a laughing point, and the members said, "Why is Kwang-soo?" "There are two Gwang-su."" came the saying. The nickname 'the second Lee Kwang-soo' also proved that he is establishing himself as a character.




Choi Daniel's appearance in various entertainment shows is centered on the joy that comes from honesty and laxity. Choi Daniel himself said, "I didn't think I was a funny person, but I was able to enjoy filming because the older members made me comfortable."He even confided. Choi Daniel's entertainment journey is expected in the future, where he, a former actor, is building a new career as an entertainer who crosses genres with laughter.



mj.cho@sportschosun.com