David Choe Net Worth - Pulptastic

May 07, 2024

What is David Choe’s Net Worth?

David Choe is a multi-talented American artist with a net worth of $300 million. He is best known for his figure paintings and his iconic bucktoothed whale in the world of graffiti. Choe’s work has been featured in magazines such as “Hustler,” “Vice,” and “Ray Gun,” and he has co-hosted the “DVDASA” podcast with adult film star Asa Akira.

Choe has published several books, including “Slow Jams” (1999), “Bruised Fruit: The Art of David Choe” (2002), “Cursiv” (2003), and “David Choe” (2020). He was also the subject of the 2008 documentary “Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe.”

Choe has made appearances on various television shows, including “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown” (2013), “Vice” (2014), “Better Things” (2019), and most recently, “The Mandalorian” (2021).

David Choe’s $200 Million Equity from Painting Facebook’s HQ

In the early 2000s, David Choe’s graffiti art caught the attention of Facebook’s President Sean Parker, who hired him to decorate the company’s headquarters in Silicon Valley. Choe requested $60,000 for the job, which Parker agreed to pay in company stock.

While it’s unclear how many shares Choe received, his equity was estimated to be worth around $200 million at the time of Facebook’s IPO. With Facebook’s stock continuing to increase in value, it’s possible that Choe’s holdings have been worth as much as $300-500 million at various times.

Early Life and Education

David Choe was born in Los Angeles, California, in 1976. He grew up in Koreatown and learned to draw “Star Wars” and “G.I. Joe” images during his youth. Choe began painting graffiti in 1990 after being inspired by local graffiti artists Hex and Mear One. He dropped out of high school after his parents’ real estate business was burned down during the 1992 L.A. riots. Choe then hitchhiked across America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East for two years. At age 21, he returned to California and enrolled at the California College of the Arts, but dropped out after two years.

David Choe’s Career Highlights

David Choe’s graffiti landed him in prison, but he later started writing and illustrating for various magazines, including “Vice.” He also appeared in the “Vice” web series “Thumbs Up!” documenting his travels. Choe’s artwork gained attention when he hung it up at the Melrose Avenue ice cream shop Double Rainbow. He self-published the graphic novel “Slow Jams,” which later sold for hundreds of dollars on eBay. Harry Kim filmed thousands of hours of David’s life, resulting in the 2008 documentary “Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe.” Choe held numerous solo shows in San Francisco and San Jose and had solo exhibitions in New York, London, and Mexico City. He also designed the cover of Jay-Z and Linkin Park’s “Collision Course” EP and voiced the lead character in the 2007 animated film “We Are The Strange.”

Controversies Involving David Choe

David Choe has been involved with several charities, including raising funds for Yle Haiti and painting with at-risk children through The LIDÈ Haiti Foundation. However, in the early 2000s, he spent three months in prison after punching an undercover security guard in Tokyo due to a language barrier. While in prison, he created numerous drawings and paintings using limited materials.

In 2014, Choe caused controversy after stating on his podcast that he exhibited “rapey behavior” toward a masseuse. He later claimed that the podcast should be considered a work of fiction. In 2017, several artists protested after Choe was commissioned to paint the Bowery Mural Wall, with one organizer stating that they aimed to bring visibility to the continued normalization of rape culture.

David Choe apologized for his past comments, stating that he has “ZERO history of sexual assault” and that he is deeply sorry for any harm caused by his past words. He acknowledged that non-consensual sex is rape and that it is never funny or appropriate to joke about.

David Choe’s Los Feliz Mansion

In 2010, David Choe purchased a 6,500 square-foot mansion in Los Feliz for $3.1 million. In September 2022, Choe listed the property for sale with a price tag of $6.9 million.