David Choe, one of the stars of Netflix‘s hit comedy-drama Beef, has drawn controversy for an incident he discussed on a podcast he hosted in 2014. Several clips from the podcast have been widely shared since “Beef” debuted last week, including one where he cites a story criticized as rape or sexual assault, but he later claimed to be untrue. Choe described performing sex acts in front of massage therapist Rose and forcing her to do so after she had refused, among other instances that he referred to as “rapey behavior,” during his now-defunct podcast, DVDASA. After Choe shared the story, his co-host Akira stated, “You raped… allegedly,” according to Buzzfeed News. He replied, “Well… encouraged.” Akira then probed further about whether Choe had raped. “I just want to make it clear that I admit that that’s rapey behavior,” said Choe. “But I am not a rapist.” The actor, who plays Isaac on the Netflix series, and is an accomplished graffiti artist, said on the podcast, per NBC News, “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.”
As a result of the controversial podcast in 2014, Choe issued a statement denying any truth to the story, stating that the podcast is “a complete extension of my art. “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,” read his 2014 statement. “If I am guilty of anything, it’s bad storytelling in the style of douche,” the statement read. “Just like many of my paintings are often misinterpreted, the same goes with my show. The main objective of all of my podcasts is to challenge and provoke my friends and the co-stars on the show. “We f— with each other, entertain ourselves and laugh at each other,” the message continued. “It’s a dark, tasteless, completely irreverent show where we f— with everyone listening, but mostly ourselves.” During that time, he described the podcast’s mission as “We create stories and tell tales … It’s my version of reality, it’s art that sometimes offends people. I’m sorry if anyone believed that the stories were fact. They were not!”
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Following the incident, Choe apologized on Instagram and claimed he had “ZERO history of sexual assault. “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 said via NBC News. “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.” Many social media users have questioned the casting of Choe, pointing to specific quotes in the past clips, such as Choe claiming to be a “successful rapist.” As a result of Choe’s comments, activists and organizations such as Advancing Justice – LA, the Center for the Pacific Asian Family, and the South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency criticized the statements, claiming they were instances of sexual violence and coercion.
“Choe’s story reflects the harsh reality that men and women alike continue to believe and perpetuate the dangerous myth that coerced sexual activity is not considered assault or rape. By legal definition, you are committing an act of sexual assault when you do not receive consent,” a statement from the organizations reads. “Based on Choe’s telling, the masseuse’s repeated protests, in addition to his physical coercion, indicate that she was not consenting to the acts he requested.” The issue was raised again in 2017 when a mural he painted was vandalized, and the word “rapist” tagged on it. Choe’s controversial work at The Bowery Mural in New York City will also be the site of a performance art piece titled”NO MEANS NO” on June 18. The high-profile street art space has come under fire for offering Choe a platform. Curator Jasmine Wahi, founder of Project For Empty Space and co-owner of Gateway Project Spaces in Newark, NJ, organized the protest. According to Artnet, the Facebook invitation for the event reads, “This piece is intended to examine examples of violent and predatory misogyny. Our aim is to provoke widespread rejection of the continued normalization of rape culture by bringing visibility to the topic.”
