Rapper And Artist Behind Famous “Parasite” Drawing Claims It’s Now Worth Over $8 Million

Korean rapper Hoony Hoon recently appeared on MBC‘s Radio Star where he shared the story of how he drew the famous drawing in the acclaimed film, Parasite, and how that all happened.

Hoony Hoon revealed that it’s been a year since he’s worked as an artist in the States and that his work has been acknowledged by Quincy Jones at the preview screening of Parasite.

But before that Hoony Hoon shared that when he was on a vacation with a friend, he was asked to return to Korea to meet with director Bong Joon Ho and art director Lee Ha Joon.

He was then asked by Bong Joon Ho himself to draw a human being depicted as a chimpanzee.

According to Hoony Hoon, Bong Joon Ho was such a perfectionist that getting to the final product was a process.

He’s a detailed genius. I gave him 10 different drawings, and in the end, he asked me to draw another one of two of them combined. At first, he said he’d leave it up to me, but he kept asking me to change them. At one point, I thought he should just draw it himself.

— Hoony Hoon

But once Hoony Hoon produced a drawing that he was happy with, he sent it over to Bong Joon Ho, and he also loved it so much that he decided to use it as the character, Da Song’s drawing in the film.

And what was surprising of all was when Hoony Hoon revealed the current worth of the drawing.

I heard a company offered to pay ₩100 billion KRW (about $89.1 million USD) for it.

— Hoony Hoon

However, due to contractual issues, the drawing cannot be sold.

I was surprised. But it can’t be sold. According to the contract, Bong Joon Ho’s production company has the copyright. Although I own it, it’s a part of the film’s prop collection.

— Hoony Hoon

Nevertheless, his work is now legendary.