'Beef' actor David Choe defends indecent joke, claims it was made in jest

Actor David Choe, who stars in Netflix’s new series Beef, alongside Steven Yeun and Ali Wong is facing renewed scrutiny due to a resurfaced 2014 clip from his former podcast, where he made jokes about non-consensual s**ual encounters.

In the clip, Choe can be heard describing how he forced a masseuse into indecent behaviour. Despite admitting that his behaviour was "rapey," Choe maintains that he is not a criminal.

Moreover, in response to the resurfaced clip, Choe has taken measures to prevent it from being shared on social media, using copyright infringement notices to have the clip removed from Twitter.

Choe claims that his comments were made in jest and not based on real-life experiences.In 2017, the actor shared a post to defend himself:

“I relayed a story simply for shock value that made it seem as if I had violated a woman. 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…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.”

Beef follows the aftermath of a road rage incident between two strangers. Danny Cho, a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, goes head-to-head with Amy Lau, a self-made entrepreneur with a picturesque life. The increasing stakes of their feud unravel their lives and relationships in this darkly comedic and deeply moving series.