Creator And Stars Of “Beef” Address David Choe’s Rape Story

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After David Choe’s “fabricated” rape story of a “half-Black” 14-year-old, Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong claim he “put in the work” to get better.

Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "BEEF"

Source: Charley Gallay / Getty

It only took one week, dozens of articles, and thousands of disgusted social media posts for the team behind Beef to acknowledge the disturbing 2014 video of Choe.

On Friday, Jin, Yeun, and Wong finally addressed the backlash in a statement to Variety.

“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, the Beef team said.

“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 continued.

To critics of Choe and those who gave him a new global platform, the latter half sounds more like denial and defense than real accountability. Former fans called out the creators for seemingly defending Choe after his story of being a “successful rapist.”

Check out Twitter dragging the Beef joint statement about David Choe after the flip.

Beef Critics And Former Fans Say Lee Sung Jin, Steven Yeun and Ali Wong’s Response Was Too Little Too Late

After a week-long wait, the vague response about David Choe disappointed former fans even more. Jin, Yeun, and Wong weren’t just defending a risky business decision but protecting a friend.

Those close relationships inspired the choice to cast Choe in beef and use his art for the title cards in the first place. Supporters of Beef wondered how the team didn’t know or didn’t care about his controversial past.

This isn’t Yeun’s first time hearing that Choe used his platform to make light of the sexual assault on his platform. According to Aura Bogado, whose post about Choe drew over 10 million views, Yeun appeared on an episode of DVDASA where Choe discussed a rape fantasy.

The now-viral clip comes from Choe’s former podcast DVDASA, an acronym for multiple graphic sexual references. The title says a lot about a platform where joking about violent acts like rape could be explained away as “bad storytelling” for “shock value.”

See how David Choe responded to the scandal after the jump.

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David Choe’s Silence About The Viral Video Speaks Volumes

Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's "BEEF" - Arrivals

Source: JC Olivera / Getty

After Beef’s release,David Choe has not publicly addressed the rape story. As BOSSIP previously reported, Choe apologized “for a lifetime of wrong” and the assault story in 2017.

“Though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen. I have ZERO history of sexual assault. 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,” he said.

“I was a sick person at the height of my mental illness, and have spent the last 3 years in mental health facilities healing myself and dedicating my life to helping and healing others through love and action. I do not believe in the things I have said although I take full ownership of saying them,” Choe previously wrote on Instagram.

In a 2021 interview about his FX series The Choe Show, he further discussed struggles with mental health, addiction, and trauma from sexual abuse. He explained making up the story out of self-destructive “self-loathing.”

Since then, the only response on Choe’s behalf has been a cover-up. Twitter removed posts of the podcast clip that racked up millions of views.

Users who shared it received “Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) notices that were filed seemingly by Choe himself under the David Young Choe Foundation.” The notices demanded “immediate” removal of the embedded videos as “copyright infringing media.”

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Check out the clapbacks about who “put in the work” and how Choe’s story affects Black women after the flip.

Did David Choe And The Beef  Team Really “Put In The Work” To Handle The Assault Story And Its Impact On Black Women?

Even for those who believe Choe’s worst mistake was making up the story for “shock value,” it’s not enough. Several comments claim the apologies should be as bold and detailed as the disrespect.

Despite an immersive experience about wellness and emotional health for Beef’s rollout, the team missed opportunities to prepare to explain the work Choe reportedly put in.

Despite praise for Beef’s ethnic representation, the statement fails to acknowledge how the scandal would affect Black fans. Black women statistically face higher rates of sexual assault

According to the National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, 20% of Black women are rape survivors. Thirty-five percent of black women experienced physical sexual violence during their lifetime.

Several comments highlighted Choe said “Rose” was a 13 or 14-year-old child, not a grown woman masseuse. One in four Black girls experiences sexual abuse before they’re 18. Forty to sixty percent of Black women reported that someone sexually coerced them before 18.

Regardless of whether “Rose,” the “half-Black” masseuse from Choe’s story is “fabricated,” there are millions of assault survivors whose trauma was invoked and triggered by his “bad storytelling.”

The conversation about Beef noted how often other races lean into Black American culture without meaningfully supporting or respecting Black people. Stars like Awkwafina draw criticism for using Black culture as a costume for a persona. Black people came to mind first to influence AAVE in Beef’s dialogue or “fabricate” a story about rape, but an afterthought when it comes to accountability.

Do you think Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and executive producers Steven Yeun and Ali Wong “put in the work” to address David Choe’s rape story?

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