I was sitting on the floor of my childhood home a few days ago surrounded by thousands of different Munko drawings when it hit me.
In over 20 years of drawing or painting, I realized I always came back to Munko for the thrill of connection, vulnerability, and simple fun that the character provided. Whether spray painting Munko on the street to connect with strangers or using their voice as a way to say things that I wasn’t always able to myself, in a way, Munko felt and saw more into myself and the world than I ever did. Munko believed in me more than I believed in myself; they became a kind of alter ego of my internal thoughts, feelings and doubts made public. And more than anything- Munko was fun.
A while ago, I made a choice that changed my life. It wasn’t based on anything that made sense- there was no logic to it, like all good decisions. I’ve always been impulsive, and it’s helped, hurt, and healed me more times and in more ways than I can count. This time it changed everything. Of course, I’m talking about my decision to take Facebook stock instead of cash as payment for the murals I painted at their office. At the time, everyone thought I was an idiot- some people still do. “Why- why would you take stock from some random nothing company instead of cash?” Why? Because I believe. I believe in passion. I chose and still choose passion over logic- and it rewards me each time.
Over the years, I’ve let my passion and purpose guide me. Whether through decisions that have rewarded me with millions, or decisions that have me focusing on myself. I stopped selling my art years ago. Every day, thousands of people message me, asking, ‘when is something coming, when will there be something I can buy- something I can own?’ I still paint and draw every day, but not for anyone else, not even myself- I do it simply for the joy of doing it. And then it hit me- what if I could give someone that experience? That joy of simply being free to create and connect. That feeling of pure passion, creation, and curiosity- that’s what Munko is.
So, I searched the world for answers as to how I could create and do, not what I wanted, but what I needed to do- always following my passion and purpose, ignoring each person who said it wasn’t possible, or that I was ‘too crazy.’ It took nearly two years of searching to get the right team together for the project: the right engineers, designers, creative thinkers, data scientists (I didn’t even know what that was before I started), and an entire team of dedicated 3D video graphic specialists and crypto developers- all in pursuit of the same goal and passion that sparked itself from an idea I had, a ‘crazy’ idea that all this Web 3 shit was really about connection without the burden of judgment, it’s a canvas of possibility for a community to do what only great art can- connect the curious to collaborate and provide a path to passion and purpose for those seeking it.
In the end, it all comes back to choice. What will you choose- passion or logic? There’s a red thread that connects us all. All I can do is show you the door- it’s up to you to walk through it.
You’re no longer alone.
You have all the answers.
This isn’t just my dream anymore - it’s ours.
It’s no longer my art, it’s yours.
—David Choe