Choi was born into a yangban-class family in Seoul, Korea during the colonial period, and was also known by the Japanese pronunciation of her name, Sai Shōki.
Choi föddes i en överklassfamilj ur yangban-klassen i Keijō (nuvarande Seoul) under den japanska koloniala perioden och var också känd under det japanska uttalet av sitt namn, Sai Shōki.