David Choe is an American painter, graffiti artist, graphic novelist, and muralist with a net worth of $300 million as of 2023. He is known for his figure paintings and his involvement with Facebook, among other projects. David Choe was born in Los Angeles, California, on April 21, 1976.
He grew up in the Koreatown area of Los Angeles, and his parents are Korean immigrants and born-again Christians. Inspired by Los Angeles graffiti artists Hex and Mear One, David began painting graffiti in 1990 after learning to draw “Star Wars” and “G.I. Joe” imagery as a child.
Choe dropped out of high school after the 1992 L.A. riots destroyed his family’s real estate firm and spent the next two years hitchhiking across the Americas, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. David moved back to California at 21 and attended the California Institute of the Arts for two years before dropping out. In this article, we will explore his career and more.
What is David Choe Net Worth 2023?
David Choe’s wealth is estimated at $300 million in 2023. The artist started as a street artist doing graffiti in Los Angeles, California, in the late ’90s. David was well-known for his work as a graffiti artist, but he was also an illustrator and graphic designer for clients like Nike and Marvel Comics.
Choe became a renowned artist, with works featured in the collections of prestigious institutions like the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, DC. The author’s novels “Bruised Fruit” and “Slow Jams” appeared around the same period.
The graffiti/street artist/painter amassed several accolades throughout his career. Among them is the first-place award from Toyota’s “Faces of the Millennium” painting competition. David’s call from Facebook to paint murals at the company’s headquarters was one of the most significant events of his life.
Age of Spider-verse shared a post on Twitter:-
& mind you— David Choe’s net worth is reported by some sources to be up to $300 million & he couldn’t even be bothered to give the old Famous Person Move of “donate to a related charity & hope it goes away”
— age of spider-verse 🕸️ (@mouseabolition) April 21, 2023
How Did David Choe Become Famous?
Following a week in jail for graffiti, David Choe moved back in with his parents and began working as a writer and illustrator for publications like “Vice.” The “Vice” web series “Thumbs Up!” also included him. His debut book, “Slow Jams,” came out in 1999, and other works include “Bruised Fruit: The Art of David Choe” (2002) and “Cursiv” (2003).
The Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. have had exhibitions of his paintings. He took first place in Toyota’s “Faces of the Millennium” art contest.
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How Did David Choe Make Money From Facebook?
One of the most significant moments of David Choe’s career was when Facebook president Sean Parker hired him to paint murals at the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley. Choe first asked for $60,000 from Parker during price negotiations.
Parker spoke to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who agreed but suggested he take his fee in company stock rather than cash. Choe took the stock option, even though he thought Facebook was “ridiculous and pointless.” It turned out to be a brilliant decision.
It’s not known precisely how many shares of Facebook David received, but it is estimated that his equity was worth around $200 million at the time of Facebook’s IPO in 2012. Since then, Facebook’s stock has increased in value significantly, making Choe’s holdings potentially worth $300-500 million.
What Are Some of David Choe’s Other Projects?
David Choe has been involved in many other projects besides painting and graffiti. He co-hosted the “DVDASA” podcast with adult film star Asa Akira from 2013 to 2015.
In addition, he has guest-starred in “The Mandalorian” (2021), “Better Things” (2019), “Vice” (2014), and “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (2013). His newest novel, “David Choe,” came out in 2020. He worked with famous musicians including Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda.
