ɐ fˈɔːɹwɚd dˈʊɹɹɪŋ hɪz skˈuːl dˈeɪz, tʃˈɔɪ plˈeɪd æz ɐ stɹˈaɪkɚ wˌaɪl dʒɪˈɑːnbʌk stɹˈaɪkɚ kˈɪm dˈuːhˈuːn wʌz ˌɔn lˈoʊn tə dʒˈeɪ.lˈiːɡ klˈʌb vˈɪsəl kˈoʊb fɔːɹ tˈuː jˈɪɹz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti ˈeɪt ænd nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn.
A forward during his school days, Choi played as a striker while Jeonbuk striker Kim Do-hoon was on loan to J.League club Vissel Kobe for two years in 1998 and 1999.