{{Short description|American barista and TikToker}} {{Infobox person | name = Nicholas Cho | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1973}} | birth_place = Seoul, South Korea | occupation = {{flatlist| *Barista *Internet personality}} | website = {{URL|yourkoreandad.com}} }} '''Nicholas Cho''',<ref>{{Cite web |last=Duggan |first=Tara |date=2016-09-14 |title=What happens when coffee pros taste Soylent's Coffiest? |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/restaurants/article/What-happens-when-coffee-pros-taste-Soylent-s-9222835.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> also known by his online alias '''Your Korean Dad''', (born 1973) is an American barista, businessman, and internet personality.
== Coffee career == In 2002, Cho opened his first coffee shop, Murky Coffee, in Washington, D.C.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Strand |first=Oliver |date=2010-04-22 |title=Top Baristas on Display in New York |url=https://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/top-baristas-on-display-in-new-york/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=Diner’s Journal Blog |publisher=The New York Times Company |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":4" /> It is one of the earliest cafes to be associated with the third wave of coffee<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Kauffman |first=Jonathan |date=2014-11-19 |title=Lesson from Wrecking Ball's new coffee spot? Experience counts. |url=https://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/article/Lesson-from-Wrecking-Ball-s-new-coffee-spot-5904315.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}}</ref> and had an expected 2005 sales of over {{US$|1000000}}.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Weissman |first=Michaele |date=2005-11-16 |title=For the Coffee Palate Too Refined for a Certain Large Chain |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/16/business/businessspecial/for-the-coffee-palate-too-refined-for-a-certain.html |access-date=2022-04-18 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> They purchased their beans from Counter Culture Coffee.<ref name=":4" /> A second location opened in Arlington County, Virginia, in 2004.<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=Carman |first=Tim |date=July 22, 2014 |title=Former Murky Coffee owner Nick Cho still owes $130,000 in back taxes |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/going-out-guide/wp/2014/07/22/former-murky-coffee-owner-nick-cho-still-owes-130000-in-back-taxes/}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web |last=Scofield |first=Alex |date=August 3, 2009 |title=Pressing Questions with Nick Cho |url=https://ineedcoffee.com/pressing-questions-with-nick-cho/ |website=ineedcoffee.com}}</ref> Murky Coffee closed in May 2009.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":7" /> Cho pleaded guilty to tax-fraud in February 2010 for failing to pay sales tax and failing to file unincorporated franchise taxes for Murky Coffee.<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathis |first=Sommer |date=October 27, 2009 |title=Nick Cho Formally Charged With Tax Fraud |url=https://dcist.com/story/09/10/27/nick-cho-arrested-for-tax-fraud/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=DCist |language=en |archive-date=2021-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018004119/https://dcist.com/story/09/10/27/nick-cho-arrested-for-tax-fraud/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In his plea, he agreed to five-year probation, community service, and a repayment plan.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carman |first=Tim |date=April 5, 2011 |title=Nick Cho has moved to Calif. Tax burdens to follow. |newspaper=Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-gurus/post/nick-cho-has-moved-to-calif-tax-burdens-to-follow/2011/03/08/AF1FWukC_blog.html}}</ref>
Cho is a barista competition judge. He organized the mid-Atlantic region's first barista competition in Washington in February 2006<ref name=":4" /> and chaired the United States Barista Championship.<ref name=":7" />
Cho cofounded Wrecking Ball Coffee Roasters with Trish Rothgeb in Washington, D.C.<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Makalintal |first=Bettina |date=2021-10-29 |title=How Nick Cho Became TikTok's Favorite Korean Dad |url=https://www.bonappetit.com/story/nick-cho-tiktok |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Bon Appétit |language=en-US}}</ref> In September 2014, they opened a location on Union Street in Cow Hollow, San Francisco.<ref name=":1" /> They expanded into the Gourmet Ghetto, Berkeley, California in August 2019 at the old Philz Coffee location.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bitker |first=Janelle |date=2019-08-16 |title=Chez Panisse alumni open casual lunch counter in Berkeley |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/Chez-Panisse-alumni-open-casual-lunch-counter-in-14330369.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Wells |first=Madeline |date=2019-09-26 |title=North Berkeley neighborhood votes to get rid of 'Gourmet Ghetto' nickname |url=https://www.sfgate.com/food/article/gourmet-ghetto-name-change-berkeley-wrecking-ball-14471567.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=SFGATE |language=en-US}}</ref> Cho, Rothgeb, and chef Alice Waters expressed their opposition to the use of the word "ghetto" in describing the neighborhood.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Han |first=Sarah |date=2019-09-26 |title=After ruckus, business association votes to drop 'Gourmet Ghetto' moniker; others say name should stay |url=https://www.berkeleyside.org/2019/09/26/after-ruckus-business-association-votes-to-drop-gourmet-ghetto-moniker-others-say-name-should-stay |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=Berkeleyside |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last1=Moench |first1=Mallory |last2=Phillips |first2=Justin |date=2019-09-18 |title=Alice Waters says Gourmet Ghetto name should go: 'I have never liked it' |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Alice-Waters-says-Gourmet-Ghetto-name-should-go-14444809.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref> The North Shattuck Association voted to remove the name from signs and marketing material in September 2019.<ref name=":2" />
Cho hosted the ''Portafilter'' coffee podcast.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" />
== Your Korean Dad == After quitting Facebook, Cho's two teenage daughters encouraged him to post on TikTok. He joined the platform in 2019 and posted his first video in April 2020.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Whiting |first=Sam |date=2020-12-25 |title='The emergency of my life': Seven Bay Area residents on how 2020 has changed them |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/culture/article/The-emergency-of-my-life-Seven-Bay-Area-15827467.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> The "Your Korean Dad" TikTok account reached 1 million followers in November 2020 and 2 million followers in January 2021.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Duffett |first=Becky |date=2021-01-28 |title=This SF Coffee Shop Owner Has Reached TikTok Stardom as 'Your Korean Dad' |url=https://sf.eater.com/2021/1/28/22253565/nick-cho-your-korean-dad-tiktok |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=Eater SF |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-01 |title=Your Korean Dad - Unlikely Tik Tok star, Nick Cho |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018781792/your-korean-dad-unlikely-tik-tok-star-nick-cho |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz}}</ref> His videos features him pretending to be your dad.<ref name=":9" /> A typical video begins with Cho introducing himself with, "I'm your Korean dad." And then it follows Cho as he engages in mundane tasks, such as shopping at Walgreens or making coffee.<ref name=":0" />
Cho portrayed the character in an Alaska Airlines ad in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Samantha |date=February 9, 2022 |title=Alaska Airlines' Sunny 'Care Coalition' Ads Star Tan France |url=https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/queer-eyes-tan-france-heads-eclectic-care-coalition-in-alaska-airlines-colorful-ads/ |access-date=2022-04-18 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Cho said that his Korean dad persona is different from his father.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last1=Sanders |first1=Sam |title=The Union Fight At Amazon, Plus 'Your Korean Dad' : It's Been a Minute |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/10/966292059/the-union-fight-at-amazon-plus-your-korean-dad |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=NPR.org |date=12 February 2021 |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Cho was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1973.<ref>{{Cite web |title=TikTok Star Nick Cho: Your Korean Dad |url=http://www.commonwealthclub.org/events/2021-07-01/tiktok-star-nick-cho-your-korean-dad |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=Commonwealth Club |language=en}}</ref> He immigrated to the United States as a toddler.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kauffman |first=Jonathan |date=2018-07-26 |title=SF coffee shop turns down Salesforce contract in immigration protest |url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/SF-coffee-shop-turns-down-Salesforce-contract-in-13108225.php |access-date=2022-04-18 |website=San Francisco Chronicle |language=en-US}}</ref>
He has two daughters.<ref name=":3" /> Cho was married to his business partner and fellow barista Trish Rothgeb.<ref name=":0" /> He announced his divorce from Rothgeb in February 2022.<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1488934162362814464|user=NickCho|title=This has also meant ending my marriage as well. I care about Trish deeply and we're going to continue to support each other. We'll keep running and growing @Wrecking_Ball together too. Change is hard but with love and support, we'll grow from it all.}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{TikTok|id=YourKoreanDad|name=YourKoreanDad}} * [https://bobcutmag.com/nick-cho/ Internet with Bob Cut Mag]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cho, Nick}} Category:Baristas Category:American TikTokers Category:Businesspeople from Washington, D.C. Category:Businesspeople from San Francisco Category:Living people Category:1973 births Category:American people of South Korean descent