imported>Swinub: /* Filmography */

2025-05-17T11:16:50Z

Filmography

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{{Short description|American painter (born 1976)}}
{{for|the American musician|David Choi}}
{{pp-blp|small=yes}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = David Choe
| image = David Choe, 2010.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = David Choe in 2010
| birth name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|4|22}}<ref name="Gogerly" />
| birth_place = [[Los Angeles, California]], U.S.
| known_for = [[Painting|Painter]], murals, graphic novels
| training = [[California College of the Arts]]
| movement =
| notable_works =
| patrons =
| awards = [[Xeric Foundation|Xeric Grant]]
| website = {{official URL}}
}}

'''David Choe''' (born April 22, 1976)<ref name="Gogerly">{{Cite book |last=Gogerly |first=Liz |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NfRa3rgtumwC&pg=PA25 |title=Graffiti Culture |date=2012-01-01 |publisher=Lerner Publications |isbn=978-0-7613-7767-2 |pages=25 |language=en}}</ref> is an American artist, musician, actor, and former journalist and podcast host from [[Los Angeles]]. Choe's work appears in a wide variety of urban culture and entertainment contexts. He has illustrated and written for magazines including ''[[Hustler (magazine)|Hustler]]'', ''[[Ray Gun (magazine)|Ray Gun]]'' and ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]''. He has an ongoing relationship with the Asian pop culture website, store, and former magazine ''[[Giant Robot (magazine)|Giant Robot]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.giantrobot.com/collections/artists/david-choe|title=Artists|website=GiantRobotStore|access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref>

His figurative paintings, which explore themes of desire, degradation, and exaltation, are characterized by a raw, frenetic method that he has termed "dirty style."<ref>Amanda Erlanson, ''[https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Villains-Roman-Cho/dp/0982246161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329201198&sr=8-1 Heroes & Villains]'', Zero+ Publishing, 2011. {{ISBN|0-9822461-6-1}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
Choe was born in [[Los Angeles, California]]. His parents are [[Korean people|Korean]] immigrants and [[born-again Christians]]. He spent his childhood in [[Koreatown, Los Angeles]].<ref name="Jaime Wright">Jaime Wright, "[http://www.jaimewright.ws/int_choe.html Choe Jams: The Purity of David Choe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108122032/http://www.jaimewright.ws/int_choe.html |date=2020-11-08 }}," ''Comfusion Magazine'', Winter 2002.</ref> He has been spray-painting on the streets since he was in his teens. He briefly attended the [[California College of the Arts]].<ref name="Heroes">Amanda Erlanson, "David Choe," ''[https://www.amazon.com/Heroes-Villains-Roman-Cho/dp/0982246161/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329201198&sr=8-1 Heroes & Villains]'', Zero+ Publishing, 2011. {{ISBN|0-9822461-6-1}}</ref>

== Career ==

[[File:Choe-slow-jams.jpeg|thumb|left|Cover of ''Slow Jams'' by David Choe, after [[Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec]]'s ''[[At the Moulin Rouge]]'']]
In 1996, Choe self-published a [[graphic novel]] titled ''Slow Jams''. He claims to have made only 200 copies and given them away at [[San Diego Comic-Con International|Comic-Con]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-05 |title=David Choe, the graffiti artist that got rich from Facebook |url=https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/david-choe-got-rich-from-facebook/ |access-date=2023-04-15 |website=[[Far Out (magazine)|Far Out]] |last=Leatham |first=Thomas |language=en-US}}</ref> in 1998, hoping to interest a publisher. In 1999, he submitted ''Slow Jams'' for the [[Xeric Grant]] and was awarded $5,000 to self-publish a second, expanded edition of 1,000 which came out in 1999 with a cover price of $4.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.xericfoundation.org/comicbooks/1999.html|title=Xeric Foundation Comic Book Self-Publishing Grants for 1999|website=www.xericfoundation.org|access-date=2019-08-13|archive-date=2018-11-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181115165144/http://xericfoundation.org/comicbooks/1999.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2005, internet entrepreneur [[Sean Parker]], a longtime fan,<ref>Daniel Chen, "[http://www.thecitrusreport.com/2009/features/david-choe/ David Choe] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170622134503/http://www.thecitrusreport.com/2009/features/david-choe/|date=2017-06-22}}," ''The Citrus Report'', 6/7/09.</ref> asked him to paint graphic sexual murals in the interior of [[Facebook]]'s first Silicon Valley office,<ref>{{cite news|first=Nick |last=Denton |url=https://www.gawker.com/221524/office-decorator-encouraged-to-draw-cocks |title=Office decorator encouraged to draw 'cocks' | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130123143/https://www.gawker.com/221524/office-decorator-encouraged-to-draw-cocks|archive-date=January 30, 2023 |work=Gawker |date=Dec 13, 2006}}</ref> and in 2007, Facebook CEO [[Mark Zuckerberg]] commissioned him to paint somewhat tamer murals for their next office.<ref>{{cite news|first=Nick |last=Denton |url=https://www.gawker.com/257231/facebook-cleans-up-the-graffiti |title=Facebook cleans up the graffiti |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120831002729/http://gawker.com/257231/facebook-cleans-up-the-graffiti|archive-date=August 31, 2012 |work=Gawker |date=May 2, 2007}}</ref> Although he thought the Facebook business model was "ridiculous and pointless,"<ref name="NYT Facebook">{{cite news|first=Nick |last=Bilton |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/technology/for-founders-to-decorators-facebook-riches.html?_r=2 |title=For Founders to Decorators, Facebook Riches |work=The New York Times |date=Jan 1, 2012}}</ref> Choe chose to receive company stock in lieu of cash payment for the original Facebook murals. His shares were valued at approximately $200 million on the eve of [[Initial public offering of Facebook|Facebook's 2012 IPO]].<ref name="NYT Facebook" />

After holding several solo shows in San Jose and San Francisco, he was offered a solo exhibit at the [[Santa Rosa, California|Santa Rosa]] Museum of Contemporary Art in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.artnet.com/artists/david-choe/|title= David Choe |work=Artnet database}}</ref> He held his first New York solo exhibit, "Gardeners of Eden," in 2007 at [[Jonathan LeVine Gallery]] in Chelsea,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://jonathanlevineprojects.com/exhibits/david-choegardeners-of-eden/|title=David ChoeGardeners of Eden|website=Jonathan Levine Projects|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref> and in 2008, he had his first UK solo exhibition, "Murderous Heart," in both the London and Newcastle locations of Lazarides Gallery, simultaneously.<ref>{{cite web|first=Terence |last=Teh |url=http://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/106/1/david-choe-in-the-uk |title=David Choe in the U.K. |work=Dazed Digital |date=March 2008}}</ref>

In 2008, with Harry Kim, he made an autobiographical documentary, ''[[Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe]]''.<ref name="DC monograph">{{cite book|first=David |last=Choe |title=David Choe |publisher=Chronicle Books |date=2010 |isbn=978-0-8118-6953-9}}.</ref>

=== Vice ===
After being approached for his artwork by [[Gavin McInnes]] and [[Shane Smith (journalist)|Shane Smith]], Choe was recruited to write and do artwork for [[Vice (magazine)|''Vice'']] magazine.

Choe and Harry Kim starred in a [[Vice Media|Vice]]-produced [[web series]] ''Thumbs Up!''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vice.com/en/tag/thumbs-up/|title=Thumbs Up!|website=Vice|date=17 February 2017 |language=en-us|access-date=2019-08-13}}</ref> which ran for three seasons. The series documents Choe and Kim [[hitchhiking]] and [[freight hopping]] across North America, from Los Angeles to Miami (season 1) and Tijuana to Alaska (season 2). Season 3 saw the duo hitching across China from [[Beijing]] to [[Shenzhen]] and the gambling mecca of [[Macau, China|Macau]].<ref name="Jux Special Issue">{{cite web|first=David |last=Choe |url=http://shop.juxtapoz.com/detail.php?id=351 |title=The David Choe Special Issue |work=Juxtapoz |date=May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316023547/http://shop.juxtapoz.com/detail.php?id=351|archive-date=March 16, 2012}}</ref> A fourth "season", in which Choe and Kim traveled from San Francisco to New York, was released via short form video clips on Snapchat and Instagram.<ref>{{cite news|first=Bernardo |last=Loyola|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/david-choes-mexico-city-gallery-show-features-naked-girls-and-visions-of-ayahuasca/ |title=David Choe's Mexico City Gallery Show Features Naked Girls and Visions of Ayahuasca |work=VICE |date=August 2013}}</ref>

=== 2013–present ===
In 2013, Choe began hosting an online lifestyle and entertainment podcast with adult film star [[Asa Akira]] entitled ''DVDASA''.

He has also become recognized for his watercolors, which exhibited in his solo show at the Museo Universario del Chopo, [[Mexico City]] in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.juxtapoz.com/news/david-choe-snowman-monkey-bbq-museo-universitario-del-chopo-mexico-city/|title=David Choe "SNOWMAN MONKEY BBQ" @ Museo Universitario del Chopo, Mexico City|website=www.juxtapoz.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/944876/david-choe-on-his-mexico-city-show-and-life-as-a-global-street|title=David Choe on His Mexico City Show and Life as a Global Street Artist - BLOUIN ARTINFO|website=www.blouinartinfo.com|access-date=2019-03-18|archive-date=2018-07-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180705233934/http://www.blouinartinfo.com/news/story/944876/david-choe-on-his-mexico-city-show-and-life-as-a-global-street|url-status=dead}}</ref>

After receiving extensive therapy and treatment, he reemerged in 2017 with a new body of work and an exhibition in Los Angeles that presented heavy themes of trauma, self-reflection and hope for recovery.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/arts/david-choes-the-choe-show-gave-people-a-lot-of-feels-8485436|title=David Choe's Secretive Koreatown Art Show Is Making People Feel a Lot of Things|last=Calderón|first=Trina|date=1 August 2017|website=L.A. Weekly}}</ref>

In 2023, Choe starred as Isaac Cho in the [[Netflix]] drama-comedy miniseries ''[[Beef (TV series)|Beef]]'', alongside [[Ali Wong]] and [[Steven Yeun]]. He also painted the title cards for episodes 2 through 10 of the show.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.themarysue.com/who-is-david-choe-title-art-in-netflixs-beef-explained/ |title=What's Up With the Title Art in 'Beef'? |last=Carpou |first=Madeline |date=2023-04-11 |website=The Mary Sue |access-date=2023-04-12 }}</ref>

==Charitable works==
Since 2008, Choe has dedicated many of his works to charity and has collaborated with foundations to support their local causes, including fundraising for Haiti with [[Yéle Haiti|Yle Haiti]], a foundation founded by [[Wyclef Jean]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mymodernmet.com/haitian-girl-david-choe/|title=Haitian Girl - David Choe|date=28 January 2010}}</ref> painting with the children of [[Lidè Haiti|The LIDÈ Haiti Foundation]]; and painting with children of South Central LA at APCH.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.laweekly.com/arts/david-choe-famed-artist-of-facebook-headquarters-helps-kids-paint-a-mural-in-south-la-4184529|title=David Choe, Famed Artist of Facebook Headquarters, Helps Kids Paint a Mural in South L.A.|first=Eva|last=Recinos|date=22 February 2013|website=L.A. Weekly}}</ref>

== Controversy ==

Choe commented in March 2014 on his ''DVDASA'' podcast that he had engaged in "rapey behavior" with a masseuse. He defended his comment by explaining that the podcast itself is essentially a work of fiction.<ref>Ali Vingiano and Tasneem Nashrulla, "[https://www.buzzfeed.com/alisonvingiano/celebrity-graffiti-artist-david-choe-says-admission-of-rapey Celebrity Graffiti Artist David Choe Doesn't Think He Actually Raped Anyone]," "BuzzFeed", 04/18/2014</ref> After being commissioned to paint the [[Bowery#Bowery Mural|Bowery Mural Wall]] in 2017, he was met with protest from other artists, including street artist [[Swoon (artist)|Swoon]], who issued a statement against his inclusion in the mural project. Another artist, Jasmine Wahi, co-organized a performance in front of the mural and stated "Our aim is to provoke widespread rejection of the continued normalization of rape culture by bringing visibility to the topic." Additionally, the mural was quickly defaced by graffiti artists. Choe responded by again publicly denying any history of [[sexual assault]] or [[rape]], and by apologizing for his original podcast comments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.artnet.com/art-world/bowery-mural-protest-995330|title=David Choe's Bowery Mural Targeted in Protest Against Rape Culture|date=2017-06-16|website=artnet News|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-06-17 |title=Artist David Choe Apologizes for Statements About Rape and Says Story Was Fictional |url=https://www.brooklynstreetart.com/2017/06/17/artist-david-choe-apologizes-for-statements-about-rape-and-says-story-was-fictional/ |access-date=2023-04-14 |website=Brooklyn Street Art |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hyperallergic.com/383884/how-the-new-bowery-wall-commission-puts-rape-culture-on-display/|title=How the New Bowery Wall Commission Puts Rape Culture on Display|date=2017-06-08|website=Hyperallergic|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://hyperallergic.com/384908/david-choes-controversial-bowery-mural-tagged-with-giant-letters/|title=David Choe's Controversial Bowery Mural Tagged with Giant Letters [UPDATED]|date=2017-06-12|website=Hyperallergic|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-17}}</ref> His comments on the podcast resurfaced in April 2023 after the success of the [[Netflix]] drama-comedy miniseries ''[[Beef (TV series)|Beef]].''<ref>{{Cite web |title='Beef' star David Choe slammed after podcast detailing 'rapey behavior' resurfaces |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/beef-star-david-choe-slammed-podcast-detailing-rapey-behavior-resurfac-rcna79809 |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=NBC News |date=14 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Bruce-Smith |first=Alex |title=What To Know About The Alleged Rape Controversy Around 'Beef' Star David Choe |url=https://www.elle.com.au/news/david-choe-beef-rape-controversy-podcast-episode-28574 |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=ELLE |date=17 April 2023 |language=en}}</ref>

== Legal issue ==
In the early 2000s, Choe was reportedly arrested in Japan, where he was taking part in an art show, after an altercation with a police officer. Various sources cite the year as 2003 or 2005 and state that Choe spent two or three months in prison.<ref>{{Cite web|title=David Choe|url=http://jp.rvca.com/t/anp-artist/david-choe|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-21|website=RVCA Japan|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509200544/https://jp.rvca.com/t/anp-artist/david-choe |archive-date=2021-05-09 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Silvoy|first=Sandra|date=Feb 15, 2010|title=David Choe: From Japanese Prison to the White House|url=https://www.kqed.org/arts/128787/david-choe-from-japanese-prison-to-the-white-house|url-status=live|access-date=April 21, 2021|website=KQED|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808124447/https://www.kqed.org/arts/128787/david-choe-from-japanese-prison-to-the-white-house |archive-date=2020-08-08 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Judkis|first=Maura|date=Feb 2, 2012|title=Facebook IPO: 5 things you should know about David Choe, insta-millionaire artist|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/arts-post/post/facebook-ipo-5-things-you-should-know-about-david-choe-insta-millionaire-artist/2012/02/02/gIQAtaRhkQ_blog.html|access-date=April 21, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Page|first=Samantha|date=2010-04-22|title=Artist's trip from jail to Beverly Hills show|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-apr-22-la-et-david-choe-20100422-story.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815054341/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-apr-22-la-et-david-choe-20100422-story.html |archive-date=2020-08-15 }}</ref>

==Filmography==
'''Film'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2007
|''[[We Are the Strange]]''
|Rain
|
|-
|2008
|''[[Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe]]''
|Himself
|Documentary
|}
'''Television'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2013
|[[Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown|''Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown'']]
|Himself
|Episode: "Koreatown, Los Angeles"
|-
|2008
|''[[Dirty Hands: The Art and Crimes of David Choe]]''
|Himself
|
|-
|2014
|''[[Vice (TV series)|Vice]]''
|Himself
|3 episodes
|-
|2018
|''[[Ugly Delicious]]''
|Himself
|Episode: "Barbecue"
|-
|2019
|''[[Better Things (TV series)|Better Things]]''
|Postmates Guy
|Episode: "Easter"
|-
|2020
|''[[The Mandalorian]]''
|Ringside Spectator
|Episode: "[[Chapter 9: The Marshal]]"
|-
|2021
|''The Choe Show''
|Himself
|Also creator
|-
|2023
|''[[Beef (TV series)|Beef]]''
|Isaac Cho
|
|}
'''Short film'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2025
|''Old Boyz''
|Himself
|Short film with [[Bobby Lee]]
|}
'''Web series'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2007–2010
|''Thumbs Up!''
|Himself
|[[VBS.tv]]
|-
|2011
|''The Last Dinosaur of the Congo with David Choe''
|Himself
|VBS.tv
|-
|2013
|''DVDASA''
|Himself
|Podcast; also creator
|}
'''Music video'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Year
!Title
!Role
!Notes
|-
|2025
|[[Far East Movement]] ''— [[Rocketeer (song)|Rocketeer]]''
|Himself
|Cameo
|}

== Bibliography ==
{| class="wikitable"
!Title
!Publisher
!Year
!ISBN
!Ref
|-
|''Slow Jams''
|Self-published
|1999
|
|
|-
|''Bruised Fruit, the Art of David Choe''
|Drips Inc.
|2002
|
|
|-
|''Cursiv''
|Giant Robot
|2003
|
|
|-
|''David Choe''
|Chronicle Books
|2010
|{{ISBN|0-8118-6953-9}}
|
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|David Choe}}

* {{official website}}
* {{IMDb name|2446835}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Choe, David}}
[[Category:American contemporary painters]]
[[Category:American muralists]]
[[Category:American graffiti artists]]
[[Category:American graphic novelists]]
[[Category:California College of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1976 births]]
[[Category:Painters from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:21st-century American painters]]
[[Category:American artists of Korean descent]]
[[Category:American male novelists]]
[[Category:American male painters]]

David Choe - Revision history

imported>Swinub: /* Filmography */