Choi Seung-cheol

Biography

Choi Seung-cheol (Korean: 최승철; born 8 August 1995), known professionally by his stage name S.Coups (에스쿱스), is a South Korean rapper, singer, and songwriter. Managed by Pledis Entertainment, he is the leader of the South Korean boy band Seventeen and its hip hop team, and in 2025 debuted in a sub-unit with Mingyu as CxM.

Early life

Choi Seung-cheol was born in Daegu, South Korea, on 8 August 1995. He attended School of Performing Arts Seoul and then enrolled in Hanyang University. In 2022, he enrolled in a Master's degree at Anyang University.

2009–2014: Pre-debut

While in middle school, S.Coups was approached by a representative of Pledis Entertainment after leaving a soccer practice session early. He later attended an audition and joined Pledis as a trainee.
Choi joined Pledis Entertainment in 2009, where he received training for the next 6 years. In 2013, he joined for the second season of Seventeen TV, an online reality show that introduced Pledis' trainees and showed potential members of the boy group Seventeen before their official debut. The show was broadcast periodically on Ustream, where the trainees showed themselves training, singing, creating choreographies and playing games. The online show also included participation in concerts, titled Like Seventeen.
As a trainee, he participated in works of other Pledis artists, including featuring on Orange Caramel's debut album and appearing in NU'EST, Hello Venus, and After School music videos.

2015–present: Seventeen and solo activities

In 2015, S.Coups debuted as a member and the leader of the South Korean boy group Seventeen with the extended play (EP) 17 Carat on 26 May. Since debuting, S.Coups has participated in the songwriting of over 70 Seventeen songs.
In 2019, it was announced that S.Coups would be taking a break due to symptoms of anxiety, missing parts of Seventeen's Ode to You World Tour. On March 3, 2020, during a V Live broadcast, S.Coups stated that his health had improved and announced that he planned to resume activities. On May 3, he appeared with all thirteen members of Seventeen in a performance of "Fallin' Flower" for Fuji Television's Love music, which was filmed in South Korea specifically for the program.
In 2021, it was announced that S.Coups would miss part of Seventeen's promotional activities for their eighth mini album, Your Choice, after sustaining a shoulder injury and facial abrasions during a scheduled event on 30 June.

In 2023, it was announced that S.Coups would be halting activities in order to recover from anterior cruciate ligament surgery. During his hiatus, he missed parts of Seventeen's Follow Tour, however he still made appearances at the 2023 MAMA Awards and the 38th Golden Disc Awards as Seventeen won Daesangs (Grand Prizes) at each show for FML (2023). His injury resulted in him being classified as Grade 5 under the South Korean military fitness classification, resulting in him being exempt from military service during peacetime. On 31 December, S.Coups released a digital song named "Me", written and produced by himself and regular Seventeen collaborator Bumzu.
In February 2024, Pledis announced that he, alongside bandmate Jeonghan, who was also on a health-related hiatus, would be returning to activities in March 2024. In January 2025, S.Coups was granted full membership to the Korea Music Copyright Association, which is granted to a number of musicians annually who have garnered a high amount of royalties through their music.
In 2025, S.Coups debuted as a member of Seventeen's fourth sub-unit. He, alongside Mingyu under the name S.Coups X Mingyu, released a six-track EP titled Hype Vibes on 29 September.

Fashion and endorsements

In July 2022, S.Coups was announced as Korean skincare brand Some By Mi's new global advertising model, starting in August of that year. Over the next two years, S.Coups participated in a number of pictorials for the brand's new product releases. In June 2024, S.Coups, alongside Seventeen members Wonwoo and Vernon, became the new global brand ambassador for Chitato, an Indonesian snack brand under Indofood.
In September 2024, he attended the Loewe spring 2025 show at Paris Fashion Week, having previously attended a store opening for the brand in Seoul in July. He was then selected as a brand ambassador for the fashion house. In August, he was announced as the new brand model for Korean skincare brand Neogen. He was also revealed to be the new South Korean ambassador for French cosmetics company NARS Cosmetics alongside bandmate Hoshi that same month.
In April 2025, S.Coups was appointed to be the global ambassador of German fashion label Boss. The same month, he featured on the cover of a magazine for the first time, for the April edition of Numéro Tokyo. In May, he made his Met Gala debut, dressed by Boss in a jeogori-inspired outfit. Later that year, he closed the brand's spring/summer 2026 show at Milan Fashion Week, his first time walking a runway.

Philanthropy

In February 2023, S.Coups donated ₩20 million (US$15,106) to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association for relief efforts for the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes. In October, he donated ₩30 million (US$22,647) to Weact, a shelter for rescued dogs, and named one of their rescue dogs "Carat", after the name of Seventeen's official fanclub. In December, he donated ₩50 million (US$42,694) to the non-profit organization Angels' Nest, a shelter for abandoned animals.
In August 2024, to commemorate his 29th birthday, S.Coups donated another ₩30 million (US$21,809) to Weact, again in the name of Seventeen's fanclub.

Personal life

S.Coups lives in Seoul, with his older brother and a Coton De Tulear named Goguma (Korean: 고구마; lit. 'Sweet Potato'), or Kkuma for short (꾸마).
S.Coups has maintained an interest in sports and physical activity since childhood. When asked about his childhood ambitions, he has said that he had wanted to become a physical education teacher because he enjoyed sports and wanted to teach students. During middle school, Choi participated in track and field, continuing as an athlete through his third year. A 2015 profile in CeCi reported that his best time in the 100 metres was 12 seconds and that he ranked first at his school in long-distance running.

Health

In November 2019, while Seventeen was in the midst of its Ode to You World Tour, S.Coups was unable to complete the group's November 16 concert in Jakarta due to health problems. Two days later, Pledis Entertainment announced that he would temporarily suspend his activities after experiencing symptoms of psychological anxiety. The company stated that he was undergoing detailed examinations and required sufficient rest and stability.
In May 2020, S.Coups reflected on the period in the documentary series SEVENTEEN: Hit the Road, describing longstanding anxiety that had worsened during the tour and the pressure he felt to continue performing as the group's leader.
In the first episode of SEVENTEEN: OUR CHAPTER, released on November 7, 2025, S.Coups disclosed that he has panic disorder.

Shoulder injury

On June 30, 2021, S.Coups fell while participating in a scheduled activity and struck his right shoulder on the ground, after which he received hospital treatment. He also sustained abrasions and lacerations to his right forehead, ear, and chin. He was advised to minimize movement of the shoulder while recovering. He consequently sat out that week's remaining promotional activities for Seventeen's eighth EP, Your Choice

Left knee injury and rehabilitation

On August 10, 2023, S.Coups injured his left knee while landing during a ball game being filmed for Seventeen content. An MRI revealed a rupture anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). After preoperative treatment, he underwent both ACL reconstruction and anterolateral ligament (ALL) reconstruction on August 21, and was discharged on August 24.
In September 2026, S.Coups revealed that his ACL had been completely torn and that the outer side of his left knee had also been injured. That surgery had involved three areas of the knee.
Following his discharge, S.Coups focused on recovery and rehabilitation. In October, nearly two months after the surgery, medical staff said the injured area remained vulnerable and that rehabilitation was at a critical stage, advising him to avoid physically strenuous activities. He therefore did not participate in most promotional activities for Seventeen's eleventh EP, Seventeenth Heaven, and missed the remaining dates of the group's Follow Tour while recovering.
By February 2024, after several months of treatment and rehabilitation, S.Coups had improved sufficiently for medical staff to clear him to resume scheduled activities from March, provided that he avoided excessive strain on the injured area. Pledis stated that he would continue to undergo regular medical examinations and could participate only partially in performances where necessary. He returned to the stage with Seventeen at the Follow Again concerts at Incheon Asiad Main Stadium on March 30 and 31, returning after about eight months.
In July 2025, nearly 23 months after surgery, S.Coups said that he had easing into light running and continuing with lower-body training, estimating that the muscles in his injured leg had recovered to approximately 70–80 percent.

Military service

On 1 March 2024, Pledis Entertainment announced that S.Coups had received a Grade 5 classification under South Korea's military physical-grading system. The classification was attributed to his August 2023 rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the subsequent reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate and anterolateral ligaments, and his prolonged rehabilitation.
He was consequently exempted from mandatory military service during peacetime and assigned to wartime labor service, under which he may be called up to support military affairs during wartime or an equivalent national emergency.

Composition credits

All credits are adapted from the Korea Music Copyright Association unless otherwise noted.