# Nick Cho

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Cho
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{{Short description|American barista and TikToker}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Nicholas Cho
| birth_date         = {{birth year and age|1973}}
| birth_place        = [Seoul, South Korea](/source/Seoul%2C_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](/source/barista), businessman, and [internet personality](/source/Internet_personalities).

== Coffee career ==
In 2002, Cho opened his first coffee shop, Murky Coffee, in [Washington, D.C.](/source/Washington%2C_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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Counter_Culture_Coffee).<ref name=":4" /> A second location opened in [Arlington County, Virginia](/source/Arlington_County%2C_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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Union_Street_(San_Francisco)) in [Cow Hollow, San Francisco](/source/Cow_Hollow%2C_San_Francisco).<ref name=":1" /> They expanded into the [Gourmet Ghetto](/source/Gourmet_Ghetto), [Berkeley, California](/source/North_Berkeley%2C_Berkeley%2C_California) in August 2019 at the old [Philz Coffee](/source/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](/source/Alice_Waters) expressed their opposition to the use of the word "[ghetto](/source/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](/source/Facebook), Cho's two teenage daughters encouraged him to post on [TikTok](/source/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](/source/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](/source/Walgreens) or making coffee.<ref name=":0" />

Cho portrayed the character in an [Alaska Airlines](/source/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](/source/Seoul%2C_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

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Nick Cho](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Cho) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Cho?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.