David Choe Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Discover David Choe’s Net Worth:

David Choe, the American painter, graffiti artist, graphic novelist, and muralist, has amassed a net worth of $300 million. Known for his figure paintings and association with the bucktoothed whale in the graffiti realm, Choe has contributed to magazines like “Hustler,” “Vice,” and “Ray Gun.” Moreover, he co-hosted the “DVDASA” podcast with adult film star Asa Akira. Choe has authored the books “Slow Jams” (1999), “Bruised Fruit: The Art of David Choe” (2002), “Cursiv” (2003), and “David Choe” (2020), and was featured in the 2008 documentary “Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe.” He has made appearances on TV shows such as “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (2013), “Vice” (2014), “Better Things” (2019), and “The Mandalorian” (2021).

Facebook Payday

In the early 2000s, David’s graffiti caught the attention of Facebook President Sean Parker. Parker engaged Choe to embellish the walls of Facebook’s Silicon Valley headquarters. In negotiations, Choe proposed a fee of $60,000.

Sean consulted with CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who suggested receiving payment in company stock rather than cash. This turned out to be a wise move. The quantity of Facebook shares that Choe received initially remains undisclosed, but it is estimated that his equity was valued around $200 million during Facebook’s IPO. Given the subsequent rise in Facebook’s stock value, his shares could have been valued between $300-500 million at times.

Early Years

Los Angeles, California, was the birthplace of David Choe on April 21, 1976. Raised in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, he is the child of Korean immigrant parents who are devout Christians. Choe’s artistic journey commenced in 1990 when he began painting graffiti under the influence of Los Angeles artists Hex and Mear One.

After his parents’ real estate business fell victim to the 1992 L.A. riots, leading to his high school drop out, Choe embarked on a two-year hitchhiking journey traversing America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Upon returning to California at 21, he enrolled at the California College of the Arts but withdrew after two years.

Artistic Career

Choe’s graffiti escapades resulted in a brief prison stay before he moved in with his parents, commencing his writing and illustrating career for various publications, including “Vice.” His endeavors were documented in the “Vice” web series “Thumbs Up!” (2007–2010), showcasing Choe and his companion Harry Kim’s adventures hitchhiking and train-hopping across the U.S. and China.

Simultaneously, while collaborating with “Vice,” Choe established ties with the pop culture haven “Giant Robot.” Facing limited interest from art galleries in his work, Choe utilized the Melrose Avenue ice cream parlor Double Rainbow as an exhibition platform. Patrons appreciated his artwork, leading to a two-year exhibition stint where a new piece replaced each sold artwork.

In 2006, Choe independently published the graphic novel “Slow Jams,” distributing an initial 200 copies at Comic-Con in 1998. Subsequent receipt of the Xeric Grant saw Choe acquiring $5,000 to release an extended 1,000-copy edition in 1999. Priced initially at $4, the graphic novel’s recent eBay listings have breached several hundred dollars.

In a decade-spanning collaboration, Harry Kim filmographed numerous hours capturing Choe’s life, culminating in the 2008 documentary “Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe.” Described as a portrayal of Choe, a young artist bordering on schizophrenia, who devises a spate of unlawful schemes enabling his global hitchhiking adventures. After staging solo exhibitions in San Francisco and San Jose, Choe headlined a solo showcase at Santa Rosa Museum of Contemporary Art in 2005.

His inaugural solo presentation in New York, “Gardeners of Eden,” unfolded at Chelsea’s Jonathan LeVine Gallery in 2007, followed by his debut U.K. solo exhibition, “Murderous Heart,” at the Lazarides Gallery in London and Newcastle the ensuing year. Choe orchestrated a watercolor exhibition at Mexico City’s Museo Universario del Chopo in 2013 and a Koreatown-exclusive display, “The Choe Show,” in 2017. Additionally, Choe artified the cover of Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s 2004 “Collision Course” EP and lent his voice to the leading character in the 2007 animated film “We Are The Strange.”

Personal Endeavors

Choe’s philanthropic involvements extend to charity initiatives, contributing towards fundraising for Wyclef Jean’s Yle Haiti and engaging in art sessions with disadvantaged youth through The LIDÈ Haiti Foundation, initiated by “The Office” luminary Rainn Wilson and his spouse, author Holiday Reinhorn. In the early 2000s, Choe served a three-month prison term after assaulting an undercover security agent in Tokyo due to a linguistic misunderstanding. During his incarceration, Choe authored over 600 drawings utilizing the solitary allowed pen and created unorthodox paintings using tea, soy sauce, blood, and urine. Subsequent to his release, Choe was banished from the country.

In 2014, a controversy arose when Choe referred to exhibiting “rapey behavior” towards a masseuse on his podcast; he later portrayed the podcast content as fiction. In 2017, Choe faced protests from artists upon receiving a mural commission, with artist Jasmine Wahi orchestrating a protest performance denouncing the mural’s tacit endorsement of rape culture. Choe issued an apology for his past statements, professing, “I have ZERO history of sexual assault. I am deeply sorry for any hurt I’ve brought to anyone through my past words. Non-consensual sex is rape and it is never funny or appropriate to joke about.”

Property Holdings

In 2010, Choe invested $3.1 million in a 6,500-square-foot estate in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz neighborhood. Come September 2022, Choe listed this residence for sale at $6.9 million.