A painter, muralist, graffiti artist, graphic novelist, musician, and actor, David Choe is one of the most accomplished artists the world has ever seen. He has loved art in every form and made the world fall in love with his art, too. These are also reasons why David Choe net worth piques are interest.
From leading our way through the surreal exploration of urban culture to feeding us a generous dose of entertainment, Choe has always been there for his audience and art lovers.
David achieved a new feat with his portrayal of Isaac Cho in Netflix’s drama comedy, Beef. Today, he is one of the wealthiest artists.
David Choe net worth 2023 is estimated to be around $300 million. Read further if you want to know everything about David Choe.
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David Choe net worth, career, and more
David Choe is one of the most successful artists today. He started his career in 1996 by self-publishing his graphic novel, and there has been no stopping since then.
Over time, he has crafted a successful career for himself. Today, his work speaks for him. He is known in every part of the world. His latest acting work is like an icing on the cake.
No doubt, David Choe artist net worth is also a subject of discussion among his lovers and haters alike. Through this article, you will get to know David, both as an artist and a person.
So, without further ado, let us read more about David Choe.
A closer look into the life of David Choe
David Choe is a professional painter, muralist, graffiti artist, graphic novelist, musician, actor, and former journalist from America. His work epitomizes urban culture. It is modern and edgy. His figurative paintings explore the themes of desire, ecstasy, and degradation. He has termed his style “dirty”.
David Choe has done a significant amount of work ranging from:
- self-publishing a graphic novel
- writing and creating illustrations for magazines like Hustler, Vice, Ray Gun, etc.
- painting the streets of Los Angeles
- painting murals for the headquarters of Facebook
- offering several solo exhibits
- associating with Asian pop culture flag-bearer
- Giant Robot exhibition in Los Angeles
- acting in web series for OTT platforms
David Choe bio
Owing to all the work he has done in the world of art, including his work in the entertainment industry, David Choe net worth 2023 is around $300 million.
| Name | David Choe |
| Profession | Professional Painter, Muralist, Graffiti Artist, Graphic Novelist, Musician, and Actor |
| David Choe Age | 46 Years |
| David Choe Height | 5’7” (1.7 m or 170 cm) |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California |
| Education | California College of Arts |
| DOB | April 21, 1976 |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Years Active | 1996- Present |
| Spouse | None |
| Parents | Jimmy Choe and Jane Choe |
| Children | None |
| @davidchoe |
Early life and education
Choe was born on April 21, 1976, in Los Angeles, California to Jimmy Choe and Jane Choe. His parents were Korean immigrants in America. He lived in Koreatown with his born-again Christian parents. He spent his teens drawing G.I. Joe and Star War images.
Inspired by Hex and Mear One, the famous Los Angeles graffiti artist, he began painting graffiti on the streets of Los Angeles.
In the 1992 LA Riots, his parents lost their real estate business, and as a result, he had to drop out of high school. He went on to hitchhike across America, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for two years.
David returned to California and went to the California College of the Arts. He studied at the university for only two years and then dropped out.
Career
90’s
Choe began his career in 1996 with a self-published graphic novel, Slow Jams. In 1998, he gave the copies (he claimed to have made only 200) to Comic-Con. In 1999, he submitted his novel to the Xeric Grant. He got $5,000 to self-publish the second edition.
2005
In 2005, he landed up with a project to paint graphic sexual murals in the first Silicon Valley office of Facebook.
He held many solo exhibits around San Francisco and San Jose. In 2005, he was offered a solo exhibit at the Santa Rosa Museum of Contemporary Arts.
2007 to 2010
After two years, i.e., in 2007, Mark Zuckerberg offered him the job of painting murals for then new Facebook office. Instead of accepting cash payments, he took company stock as the payment for the original Facebook murals.
In 2007, he held the Garden of Eden exhibit, his first New York solo exhibit, at Jonathan LeVine Gallery in Chelsea, followed by his first UK solo exhibit at Lazarides Gallery in London, as well as Newcastle. He named this exhibit Murderous Heart.
Apart from these works, Choe has also worked with Vice Magazine after Shane Smith and Gavin McInnes approached him to write and perform artwork for the magazine.
He has also worked in documentaries, web series, and other entertainment projects. He shot an online series Thumbs Up! (three seasons, from 2007 to 2010) with Vice.
The fourth installment of the series was released on Instagram and Snapchat. In 2008, he joined forces with Harry Kim to make his autobiographical documentary Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe. The Last Dinosaur of the Congo with David Choe, Vice (season 1 and seaon 2), and Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown are some of his other works.
2013
In 2013, he collaborated with adult film star Asa Akira for an online entertainment and lifestyle podcast, DVDASA. The same year, he did a watercolor exhibition at the Museo Universario del Chopo in Mexico City.
2017
In 2017, he returned after receiving therapy and treatment and held a solo exhibit centered on the themes of trauma, self-reflection, and hope.
Most recently, he was seen playing Issac Choo in Netflix’s drama-comedy mini-series, Beef. This role added fuel to his popularity.
He has also authored many books, including:
- Bruised Fruit: The Art of David Choe
- Slow Jams
- David Choe
- Snowman Money BBQ Book by David Choe
- Inheritance: Your Best Life Later
- CURSIV
- How to Start a Movement in your Company
David Choe net worth
David Choe is one of the wealthiest and most recognized artists of modern times. He started his career as a graffiti artist, painting the streets of Los Angeles, created a niche for himself in the world of art and entertainment.
David lived through a series of controversies, worked with some of the leading names from various industries, displayed his talents in many parts of the world, authored many books, and acted in documentaries and series. He accumulated a great deal of money from all these areas.
A big part of his earning comes from his artwork. He makes good money from auctions of his paintings and murals. As per sources, his artwork goes anywhere between $199 and $32,760 in exhibitions.
But the most substantial amount of money accounted for in his net worth is from his work at Facebook.
According to sources, the value of the shares he holds at Facebook is around $200 million. Today, David Choe net worth stands tall at $300 million.
As per some sources, David Choe net worth 2022 was around $200 million.
David Choe’s real estate purchase
With a net worth of $300 million, no doubt, David Choe lives a luxurious life.
Of his extravagant purchases, the most extra-ordinary and certainly the most-talked-about purchase was his 6,500-square-foot mansion in Los Angeles. David bought this luxurious property in Los Angeles’s Los Feliz neighborhood for a whopping $3.1 million.
In September, he sold his mansion for $6.9 million. There is no information on who bought that property. But David certainly made a huge sum of money on the resale of his mansion.
Controversies and David Choe
David Choe has always been a favorite of controversies. From the bold themes of his artwork to his personal life, he has met and greeted controversies at certain stages of his life and career.
A comment that made headlines for a good amount of time was his March 2004 comment about sexual behavior with a masseuse. On his DVDASA podcast with the adult star Asa Akira, David mentioned that he once engaged in sexual behavior with a masseuse.
On being asked if he raped the masseuse, he answered affirmatively. This statement created a lot of outrage among people. Later, he tried to brush away the controversy by quoting that the podcast is a work of fiction.
In 2017, many artists staged protests against him after he was called to paint the Bowery Mural Wall. Artists, including Swoon, Jasmine Wahi, etc., demonstrated their displeasure over his inclusion in the project. Graffiti artists vandalized his mural. After this incident, David again denied assaulting or raping the masseuse but apologized for his podcast comment later.
In 2000, David was arrested in Japan after having an argument with a police officer. He was in Japan to participate in an art show. Some sources say that Choe had to spend two to three months in prison.
David Choe’s charitable work
Although his gray side is quite evident to the world, David Choe has his hands in many noble works.
He has donated many of his artworks to charitable organizations that raise money for noble deeds. He has joined forces with many foundations and supports many social causes.
Some of his notable charitable works include:
- fundraising for Haiti with Yle Haiti
- painting with children of South Central LA at A Place Called Home
- painting with the children of The LIDE Haiti Foundation
Lastly, on Joe Rogan’s podcast, he revealed that he also supports the Meleka Foundation that supports Tanzania’s ethnic Hadza tribe.
Interesting facts about David Choe
- David Choe is one of the most famous artists worldwide with exhibits noted museums, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in LA and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington D.C
- He has received the grand prize at the “Faces of the Millennium” art competition organized by Toyota
- He has 614k followers on Instagram
- Choe joined Twitter in January 2011 and has 89.9K followers
Should we follow the footsteps of David Choe?
Just like his work, David Choe’s life is also a piece of art with several imperfections here and there, but one that tells a beautiful story. His life trajectory has been phenomenal and helped him explore various unexplored areas of his being.
We as the audience, have always enjoyed every organ of his existence, be it his art on walls and magazines or his different characters on screen. To add to it, the controversies surrounding him expose the unfiltered area of his life, whether we believe them or not. All in all, David Choe’s life and art are interesting.
Final thoughts
David Choe is one of the most recognized artists around the globe for reasons good and bad. His passion for his art is evident in every piece he creates. His association with Facebook and many controversies only catalyzed his popularity. We can love him for his work or hate him for his remarks, but we can never ignore him.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
1, Who is David Choe?
David Choe is a professional painter, graffiti artist, muralist, graphic novelist, and actor from America.
2. What is David Choe’s age?
David Choe is 47 years old. He was born on April 21, 1976.
3. Who are David Choe’s parents?
The names of David Choe’s parents are Jimmy Choe and Jane Choe. They were Korean immigrants in the United States of America.
4. What is David Choe’s height?
David Choe is 5 feet 7 inches (1.7m or 170 cm).
5. What is David Choe’s weight?
David Choe weighs 71 kg.
6. What is David Choe net worth?
David Choe artist net worth is $300 million as of 2023.
7. How is David Choe so rich?
David Choe is one of the most recognized artists of the modern times. He earns well from his artwork. Besides, he has published certain books and acted in a few series. But the major bulk of his worth comes from his association with Facebook.
8. Who is David Choe’s wife/girlfriend?
David Choe is not married or in any relationship. He is single.
