Steven Yeun Faces Backlash For "Supporting" Alleged Rapist David Choe

This article is intended for readers 18 and older.

Stephen Yeun, known for his role as Glenn Rhee in The Walking Dead, faces backlash from fans after releasing a statement on his Beef co-star David Choe. Choe shockingly admitted to raping a black woman on the DVDASA podcast, a show he previously co-hosted with adult filmmaker Asa Akira. Choe detailed how he booked a private massage with a woman named Rose, started masturbating in front of her, and forced her to give him oral sex until he ejaculated.

Choe even added that the "thrill of possibly going to jail" is what got him hard. "You're basically telling us that you're a rapist right now, and the only way to get your d*ck hard is rape," Akira remarked. "Yeah," Choe said in response. A month after this disturbing episode was aired, Choe had to respond to the backlash he received over the alleged sexual assault.

"I never thought I’d wake up one late afternoon and hear myself called a rapist. It sucks. Especially because I am not one. I am not a rapist. I hate rapists, I think rapists should be raped and murdered," he was said to have posted on his now-deleted DVDASA website. "I am an artist and a storyteller, and I view my show as a complete extension of my art. If I am guilty of anything, it’s bad storytelling in the style of douche.”

The controversy deepened after another resurfaced video displayed Choe (sitting next to Yeun) praising Bobby Lee on his Tigerbelly podcast, who admitted to having sex with an exploited minor in the past. And, on April 21, 2023, Beef showrunner and co-stars Yeun and Ali Wong released a statement to Variety indicating that Choe's story was "extremely disturbing" but fabricated. (Like Choe, Lee claimed earlier this year that his story of having sex with a 12-year-old prostitute was "not real" either.)

"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 statement 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.”

Yeun, who has always had a pretty clean image and was well-liked by audience members, now continues to take the heat alongside Wong and Choe on social media.

Evie Magazine has attempted to reach out to Steven Yeun and David Choe.

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