Warning: The following article contains details of sexual abuse. Please proceed with caution.
By now almost everyone has heard of Netflix’s newly-released show, Beef, and how upon its release, it has climbed the top 10 charts, making it a one of the hit shows of the streaming platform. Turns out that not all’s well behind the scenes as the actor and artist David Choe who plays the protagonist Danny’s (Steven Yeun) cousin in the show and is credited with producing artwork for each episode is again receiving enormous public and media attention for all the wrong reasons.
An enormous amount of disdain toward Choe by the viewers emanates from one of his podcast episodes of 2014 where he explicitly revealed to have sexually assaulted a masseuse named Rose. The graphic story of sexual misconduct was retrieved from Buzzfeed News where Choe mentioned how he gaslighted and forced Rose into engaging with him sexually despite her rebuffing his advances.
He also went on to say that he was masturbating during the massage and even after repeatedly refusing him, Choe forced her to perform oral sex. Undoubtedly, the comments received a massive backlash from people as sexual harassment is a heinous crime, and abashedly admitting to this on a public platform reflects absolutely no shame or repentance from the perpetrator’s side.
A month following the incident, Choe expectedly followed a predictable method to prove his innocence by claiming that he’s not a rapist. However, his presence in the show has people revisit his past confessions and consequently, a fresh wave of criticism is being hurled at him.
Turns out that nearly a decade later, Choe is maintaining the same position only now he is dismissing the clip where he talked about sexually assaulting the masseuse as false allegations against him.
David Choe wrote to Twitter to get the video I posted of him talking about the woman he says he raped taken down on copyright grounds.
— Aura Bogado (@aurabogado) April 16, 2023
He claims his *nonprofit* owns the copyright to the video of him talking about the alleged rape. pic.twitter.com/6IaSXTOeQ1
Not they locked my account for tweeting that video of David Choe admitting he’s a r*pist. This is NOT the way to do damage control, actually pic.twitter.com/XZBEbpTZTZ
— Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) April 16, 2023
Investigative journalist Aura Bogado recently tweeted that Choe went as far as accusing her of copyright infringement after she posted the video clips featuring him narrating his crimes and wrote to Twitter to take down the video. Twitter user Meech — whose account was locked after he shared the video — had a similar experience.
Things got even worse when user Your Fairy Godfather tweeted that Netflix — along with Choe and his Beef co-star Steven Yeun — requested Twitter permanently delete the video.
Undoubtedly, this action by Netflix couldn’t escape the social media vitriol as the popular streaming platform was deemed as another money-making tool prioritizing profit over the personal safety of others. Here are some of the trails of comments by the Twitteratis condemning the site as well as the series’ protagonists, Steven Yeun and Ali Wong.
David Choe’s description of how he raped that woman is one of most upsetting things I’ve heard and it literally used to be my job to listen to people’s sexual trauma.
— Kyra Jones (@BlkAssFeminist) April 17, 2023
I loved BEEF. A lot. But I don’t think I can ever watch it again knowing what he did.
A decision to stop watching the series implies a stand against Netflix.
David Choe, of the Netflix series Beef with Alli Wong and Steven Yeun, did a DMCA takedown of a video of himself describing raping a massage therapist. Anyway here’s what he actually said, and it’s horrible. (posting the vid seems like fair use to me, but ianal (yet)) https://t.co/JA1LodfV2T
— Kelly Ellis (@justkelly_ok) April 17, 2023
Reposting this again so you lot can get a grip. Both Steven Yeun AND Ali Wong are friends with David Choe. Friends. Buddies. Homies. Pals!
— Clarkisha Kent (@IWriteAllDay_) April 17, 2023
They knew. Stop acting like they didn’t know because you like them. https://t.co/bP77IgOdUI
so steven yeun is friends with a rapist and a pedo
— Tara (@sunnexsplendor) April 16, 2023
he’s friends with david choe who raped a black woman and he praised bobby lee who admitted to sex with a 12 year old prostitute in mexico
here’s david choe and steven yeun on bobby lee’s podcast tigerbelly praising david lee pic.twitter.com/swrST5KYJf
the fact that all the title card art pieces for BEEF were painted by David Choe, who played Isaac in the show. wow. #BEEFNetflix pic.twitter.com/95HteTFCKX
— hello (@awesomemikaila) April 11, 2023
Like Percy White, David Choe’s actions have rightfully received backlash but a reticence on Netflix’s part reflects the streaming site’s incompetence and painful neutrality toward questionable actions. We sincerely hope the site rectifies its behavior.