‘Beef’ creator Lee Sung Jin and executive producers and main actors Ali Wong and Steven Yeun released a statement to Variety addressing the David Choe controversy.
Choe joked about sexually assaulting a massage therapist in a now-deleted podcast with Asa Akira in 2014.
‘Beef’ creator Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong, and Steven Yeun address the David Choe controversy
The creator and executive producers of Netflix’s 2023 hit show ‘Beef’ have addressed the online criticism against cast member David Choe.
He recently came under fire for his comments about sexually assaulting a massage therapist in a 2014 podcast with Asa Akira. He described himself as a successful rapist.
On Friday, creator Lee Sung Jin and executive producers and main actors of the series, Steven Yeun, and Ali Wong released a joint statement to Variety.
They called their co-star’s story “undeniably hurtful and extremely disturbing” but also pointed out that the actor has “put in the work to get the mental health support he needed.”
Steven Yeun and Ali Wong have addressed the controversy (Source: PEOPLE)
The statement read:
“The story David Choe fabricated nine years ago is undeniably hurtful and extremely disturbing. We do not condone this story in any way, and we understand why this has been so upsetting and triggering.”
They also mentioned Choe’s previous apologies and insisted that he has received mental health support:
“We’re aware David has apologized in the past for making up this horrific story, and we’ve seen him put in the work to get the mental health support he needed over the last decade to better himself and learn from his mistakes.”
Choe, 46, admitted to touching the massage therapist without her consent and forcing her to perform oral sex on him.
He described his experience:
“It’s dangerous and it’s super self-destructive. I’m at a place and there’s potential for a lawsuit… and she has given me no signs that she’s into me or that this is appropriate behavior.”
He continued,
“So I go back to the chill method of you never ask first, you just do it, get in trouble and then pay the price later.”
When the host Asa Akira called him a “rapist,” he referred to himself as a “successful rapist.”
Choe has apologized multiple times – “I’m not a rapist. I hate rapists!”
David Choe has apologized several times for his comments and has said that the story was a joke, not a real event.
After facing backlash, the actor apologized in April 2014 with a statement:
“I never thought I’d wake up one late afternoon and hear myself called a rapist. It sucks. Especially because I am not one. I am not a rapist. I hate rapists, I think rapists should be raped and murdered.”
He added:
“If I am guilty of anything, it’s bad storytelling in the style of douche. Just like many of my paintings are often misinterpreted, the same goes with my show.”
David Choe and Asa Akira (Source: Laughing Place)
Moreover, he has also issued another apology in 2017:
“In a 2014 episode of DVDASA, I relayed a story simply for shock value that made it seem as if I had sexually violated a woman. Though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen.”
He continued:
“I am deeply sorry for any hurt I’ve brought to anyone through my past words. Non-consensual sex is rape and it is never funny or appropriate to joke about.”
Following this, in 2021, Choe addressed the controversy with The New York Times.
He opened up about being sexually abused in the past and growing up in poverty. He continued:
“I don’t know if I’ve said anything to you right now that I’m going to get canceled for, so I just assume any time I do anything, the haters come out. If you want to come and try to cancel me, that’s OK… I don’t live in fear.”
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