Sophia Michaels
Executive producers and stars of the Netflix show “Beef”, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, along with creator Lee Sung Jin, have issued a joint statement to Vanity Fair about the “disturbing” rape story fabricated by David Choe in 2014. They called his comments “undeniably hurtful and extremely disturbing” and expressed their understanding of why it has been so upsetting and triggering for many people. They also acknowledged that Choe has apologized for making up the story and has taken steps to get mental health support.
The resurfacing of the story has caused a huge backlash from fans, and many are now calling for a boycott of the show. The episode of Choe’s podcast “DVDASA” titled “Erection Quest” featured him talking about touching a masseuse without her consent and later forcing her to give him oral sex, which she declined. He described the “rapey behavior” in extreme detail, saying “the thrill of possibly going to jail, you know, that’s what achieved the erection quest.”
Choe later claimed he made up the story as a form of art, saying “DVDASA” was an “complete extension of my art.” He also stated that he is not a rapist and hates rapists. Aside from his role in the Netflix show, Choe is most known for his art, having made $200 million for designing all the murals in Facebook’s headquarters.
