Introduction
David Choe is a famous American artist, musician, actor, and former journalist. He started from very little and now David Choe net worth is e $300 million. His life story is incredible – it’s about not giving up, being creative, and sometimes getting into trouble. In this blog post, we’ll talk about every part of David Choe’s life, from when he was young, to his job, how rich he is, and the times when people got upset with him. We’ll use really basic English words, so anyone who knows just a little bit of English can follow along easily. Let’s get started!
David Choe Net Worth
As of 2023, David Choe net worth is estimated about of $300 million. He’s one of the richest painters globally. He earned all this money from doing lots of different things in his job. He did graffiti, fine art, writing, and many other creative things. Choe’s art is shown in many big museums, like the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. This shows how famous and respected he is as an artist.
| Full Name | David Choe |
| Date of Birth | April 21, 1976 |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California |
| Net Worth | $300 million |
| Occupations | Artist, Musician, Actor, Former Journalist |
Early Life
David Choe was born on April 21, 1976, in Los Angeles, California. He grew up in Koreatown, which is a part of Los Angeles with people from many different cultures. His parents were from Korea and they were very religious Christians. David started drawing when he was young. He loved drawing things from “Star Wars” and “G.I. Joe.” But it was the famous graffiti artists Hex and Mear One from Los Angeles who really inspired him to start doing graffiti art.
When the big riots happened in Los Angeles in 1992, David’s parents’ real estate business was burned down. This was a very hard time for him and his family. After that, he went on a big adventure for two years. He traveled by hitchhiking all over America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. When he was 21, he came back to California and started going to the California College of the Arts. But he didn’t finish his studies and dropped out.
Family
David Choe’s family moved from Korea to the United States. They came to Los Angeles, where David grew up. His parents were Korean immigrants and they were strong Christians who found their faith again. In 1992, there was a big riot in Los Angeles. During that time, David’s family lost their real estate business. This was a very tough time for them, and it led to big changes in David’s life when he was still quite young.
Education
David Choe went to the California College of the Arts for a while. But after two years, he decided to leave because he knew that his real love was in art and being creative. This was a big turning point for him. He chose a different and unusual path that led him to become a well-known artist and someone with many talents.
| Full Name | David Choe |
| Date of Birth | April 21, 1976 |
| Birthplace | Los Angeles, California |
| Upbringing | – Grew up in Koreatown, Los Angeles, with a diverse cultural mix<br> – Parents were devout Christians from Korea |
| Artistic Inspiration | Influenced by famous graffiti artists Hex and Mear One from Los Angeles |
| Impact of 1992 LA Riots | Parents’ real estate business was burned down, leading to significant challenges for the family |
| Adventures | Embarked on a two-year hitchhiking journey across America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East |
| Education | Attended California College of the Arts, but did not complete his studies; chose a different path |
Art Career
David Choe’s journey in art is all about never giving up and doing things in his own special way. When he started with graffiti, he got into some trouble and ended up in jail for a week. After he got out, he started writing and drawing for different magazines like “Hustler,” “Ray Gun,” and “Vice.” He was especially connected with “Vice” and even made a web show called “Thumbs Up!” from 2007 to 2010. In the show, he and his best friend, Harry Kim, filmed their travels where they hitchhiked and hopped on trains all around the U.S. and even hitchhiked across China. It was a big adventure!
The $300 Million Payday from Facebook
A really important moment in David Choe’s life happened when Sean Parker, who was in charge of Facebook back then, noticed David’s graffiti art. Sean Parker asked David to come and paint the walls at Facebook’s big office in Silicon Valley. When they talked about how much David should get paid, he asked for $60,000. But Mark Zuckerberg, who is the boss of Facebook, had a different idea. He said instead of money, David could get some company ownership, which means he’d own a part of Facebook.
This turned out to be a really smart choice. Even though we don’t know exactly how many shares David got, people guess it was worth about $200 million when Facebook first started selling shares to the public. And because Facebook’s stock has gone up a lot since then, what David owns now could be worth between $300 million and $500 million. That’s a lot of money!
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Sources of Income
David Choe makes a lot of money from his paintings and big wall paintings called murals. People pay a lot for his art. Some paintings could be sold for as low as $199, while others go for as high as $32,760. But the biggest amount of money he got came from working with Facebook. Instead of getting paid in regular money, he chose to get paid with a part of the company, which turned out to be a very smart move.
Real Estate Ventures
David Choe, who is worth $300 million, owns some really nice properties. In 2010, he bought a big house in Los Angeles’ Los Feliz area. It’s 6,500 square feet, which is really spacious, and he bought it for $3.1 million. But in September 2022, he decided to put it up for sale at a much higher price, $6.9 million. That’s quite a jump in value!
Controversies and Challenges
Even though David Choe has had a lot of success, there have been times when he got into trouble. In 2014, he said some things on his podcast that upset a lot of people. They thought he was promoting harmful behavior. Later, he said those comments were made up and not real, but it still caused a lot of problems. This issue came up again in 2023 and it made his achievements look less positive.
Also, in 2017, he was asked to paint a big wall in the Bowery area. Some other artists didn’t like this because they thought he was supporting bad ideas about relationships. They thought he was encouraging a culture that’s not respectful. Choe said he never did anything wrong and he said he was sorry for his podcast comments. But this situation also caused a lot of trouble.
Personal Life
David Choe’s life has been full of interesting stories and some problems too. Back in the early 2000s, he had a tough time in Japan. He ended up in prison for three months because of a misunderstanding with a police officer. It was all because of a language problem. But even in jail, he didn’t give up. He made more than 600 drawings using whatever he could find in his cell. This shows how determined and creative he is, even when things are really hard.
Choe also does good things for others. He’s raised money for important causes like Yle Haiti, led by Wyclef Jean, and he’s worked with kids who need extra support through The LIDÈ Haiti Foundation. This was started by Rainn Wilson from “The Office” and his wife, Holiday Reinhorn.
But even with all his success, there have been some times when Choe said things on his podcast that made people upset. They thought he was saying things that were not okay. Later, he said those comments were like stories and not real. But it still caused a lot of trouble.
In 2017, when he was asked to paint a big wall, some artists didn’t like it. They thought he was showing ideas about relationships that weren’t good. They said it was related to bad things happening to people. Choe said he never did anything wrong, and he said he was really sorry for what he said on his podcast. He wanted people to know he takes this issue seriously.
The Future of David Choe
David Choe has achieved a lot in his career, but recent controversies and legal problems might affect what happens next for him. Even though he’s done well as an actor, like in the Netflix show “Beef,” we’ll have to wait and see how these difficulties will influence his future in art and work.
In the end, David Choe’s story is really amazing. He’s super talented, he’s made a lot of money, and he’s faced a lot of tough times. Going from a graffiti artist to a millionaire artist shows how dedicated he is to his work, and how he can overcome hard things. Even though his path has been full of twists and turns, it’s clear that David Choe’s impact on the art world is very strong and won’t be forgotten.
David Choe Presence on Social Media
Instagram click here to see
David Choe Has 612K followers on Instagram
Twitter click here to see
David Choe Has 89.7K Followers on Twitter
Facebook click here to see
David Choe 42,386 Followers Has on Facebook
YouTube click here to see
David Choe Has 46.9K subscribers on YouTube
Joined Aug 11, 2014
514,937 views
Conclusion
David Choe’s journey is truly remarkable. Starting as a graffiti artist and becoming a millionaire artist shows how amazing and unexpected life can be. He grew up in Los Angeles and now he’s worth a huge $300 million, thanks to his talent in graffiti, fine art, writing, and more.
Even though Choe has faced some tough times and problems, his art has made a big impact on the contemporary art world. He’s faced controversies and legal issues that have made people wonder what’s next for him. But no matter what, David Choe will always be remembered as an incredible artist who followed his creative dreams. His story is an inspiration for anyone who wants to do the same.
FAQs About David Choe
Who is David Choe?
David Choe is an American artist, musician, actor, and former journalist known for his graffiti-inspired artwork.
What is David Choe net worth?
David Choe net worth is $300 million as of 2023.
How did David Choe achieve his net worth?
He accumulated his wealth through a diverse career, including graffiti art, painting, writing, and his collaboration with Facebook.
What is David Choe’s artistic style known for?
David Choe’s artwork is characterized by a raw and frenetic style, which he refers to as “dirty style.”
What role did Facebook play in David Choe’s financial success?
Facebook commissioned Choe to paint murals in its headquarters and compensated him with company stock, which proved to be highly valuable.
Where was David Choe born?
David Choe was born in Los Angeles, California.
What was his early life like?
He grew up in Koreatown, Los Angeles, as the son of Korean immigrants and born-again Christians.
What led David Choe to drop out of high school?
Choe left school after his parents’ real estate business was burned down during the 1992 L.A. riots.
What are some of David Choe’s significant achievements as an artist?
His artwork has been featured in museums such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C.
What was the controversy surrounding David Choe’s podcast comments?
In 2014, he made comments on his podcast that were seen as promoting inappropriate behavior, which later resurfaced as a point of controversy.
What charitable activities has David Choe been involved in?
He has raised funds for causes like Yle Haiti and worked with at-risk children through The LIDÈ Haiti Foundation.
What legal issues has David Choe faced?
He was reportedly arrested in Japan during an art show and spent time in prison due to an altercation with a police officer.
What is David Choe’s most recognized artistic creation?
He painted the iconic “Hope” portrait of Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential election.
What was the value of David Choe’s Facebook shares at the time of its IPO
His shares were estimated to be worth around $200 million when Facebook went public in 2012.
What challenges does David Choe face for his future in the art world?
Controversies and legal issues have the potential to impact his future prospects as an artist and actor.
