Netflix has come under fire after footage resurfaced of David Choe saying he is a 'successful rapist'.
The actor stars in the studio's hit series Beef, which has received rave reviews since it landed earlier this month:
However, over recent days, Choe has come in for a lot of criticism over comments he made several years ago.
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In resurfaced footage, which has been shared widely on social media, the 46-year-old recalls an alleged sexual assault of a massage therapist.
He claimed that he touched the female masseuse and demanded she perform a sex act on him.
"The thrill of possibly going to jail, you know, that’s what achieved the erection quest," Choe is heard saying.
The remarks were made back in 2014 on the now cancelled DVDASA podcast, and they have caused a great amount of hurt among Choe's fans.
One user said: "Netflix lost all the momentum they had with beef because they chose to work with David Choe, then this love is blind mess up, truly no reason to keep subscribing."
Another commented: "Sometimes a person has too much baggage to ignore. That’s what’s happening with #BEEFNetflix. So far, the show's creator and stars as well as Netflix & A24 have been silent about audience concerns pertaining to Choe's involvement with the show."
"I will not be watching Beef on Netflix, even though I was heavily considering it," put a third.
"David Choe is disgusting and I’m disappointed in everyone involved that allowed him to be a part of the show."
While another added: "Woowwww I was really hyped about BEEF then learned about David Choe. Sick, disgusting, despicable. Do better @netflix."
After the clip began circulating online, Choe released a statement in which he apologised for any hurt he caused, but he assured people that it was just a joke.
"I’m sorry if anyone believed that the stories were fact," he said. "They were not!"
Choe has reportedly forced Twitter to remove the clip under a copyright claim, telling the social media giant that the footage belongs to his non-profit organisation, the David Young Choe Foundation.
This isn't the first time the clip has come to light, though.
It also resurfaced back in 2017 when the artist was commissioned to paint a mural on The Bowery in Manhattan.
At the time, Choe said: "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.
"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."
LADbible has contacted representatives for David Choe for comment.
Netflix declined to comment.
Topics: Netflix, US News, TV and Film, Twitter, Viral, Social Media
Dominic Smithers