Warning: this post mentions sexual assault.
Last week, a 2014 video of David Choe seemingly talking about raping a woman resurfaced. On the DVDASA podcast he cohosted with Asa Akira, he told an extremely graphic story about masturbating while getting a massage and forcing the massage therapist to perform oral sex on him. He also called himself a "successful rapist."
A month later, he released a 2014 statement addressing the backlash he received. "I hate rapists, I think rapists should be raped and murdered. I am an artist and a storyteller, and I view my show DVDASA as a complete extension of my art. ... If I am guilty of anything, it's bad storytelling in the style of douche. We create stories and tell tales. It's not a news show. It's not a representation of my reality."
After the recent release of the Netflix show Beef, social media users called out the decision to cast David considering his past. Many Twitter users who weren't aware of David's comments said they would be boycotting the TV series.
Today, Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and executive producers and stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong finally responded to the controversy by releasing a statement to Variety.
"The story David Choe fabricated nine years ago is undeniably hurtful and extremely disturbing," they wrote.
"We do not condone this story in any way, and we understand why this has been so upsetting and triggering."
"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," they concluded.
You can read the full Variety article here.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE, which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.