General Choi, the Founder of Taekwon-do was born in Meigawa-gun (Myongchon-kun), Kankyo-hokudo (Hamgyong-Pukto), Chosen, which is now in North Korea. Choi studied calligraphy under Han Il Dong, who was also "a master of Taek Kyon, Choi travelled to Japan, where he learned Shotokan karate under Funakoshi Gichin and attained the rank of 2nd Dan. He was forced to serve in the Japanese army during World War II, but was implicated in a rebellion and imprisoned, during which time he continued practicing martial arts. Following the war Choi was commissioned as an officer in the Korean army in 1946 and finally attained the rank of major general in 1954.

Choi combined elements of Taekkyeon and Shotokan Karate to develop the martial art that he called "Taekwon-Do" (태권도; 跆拳道 ) that was named on 11 April 1955.He founded the Oh Do Kwan and during the 1960s, Choi and Nam Tae Hi led the original masters of Taekwon-do and promoted their martial art around the world.

General Choi died of stomach cancer on 15 June 2002 in Pyongyang, North Korea and is survived by his wife, Choi Joon Hee; his son, G M Choi Jung Hwa and two daughters, Sunny and Meeyun.