Initially, I used to be thrilled to enter the virtually fully Asian American area of “Beef.” Getting to look at two Asian American leads channel their repressed second-generation anger into an escalating street rage incident? It was the present I by no means knew I needed.
I additionally deeply appreciated how “Beef” effortlessly integrated Korean American specificities: Steven Yeun’s character, Danny, pausing a rant to reply his dad and mom’ KakaoTalk video name in a saccharine tone, the 2 cousins catching up at a sullungtang restaurant, the Korean evangelical church with a wailing reward group. I marveled at all of them.
Filled with inside jokes for Korean American communities, “Beef” felt refreshingly freed from white-pandering tropes. It felt like an onscreen expertise that was made for Korean American viewers like me. That’s why, just a few episodes in, I used to be particularly devastated to find out about David Choe, the actor portraying Danny’s bullying, unstable older cousin Isaac.
In 2014, on a taped podcast Choe co-hosted with Asa Akira, he bragged about forcing oral intercourse onto a Black masseuse in Los Angeles. Regardless of Akira repeatedly chiding him — calling his confessional conquests rape — Choe barreled on, partially admitting to “rapey habits.” When shops began to cowl Choe’s graphic account, he later retracted his assertion by excusing his podcast as a piece of fictional artwork.
As a Korean American sexual assault survivor, I discovered it virtually not possible to separate the artwork from the artist. This query looming over “Beef” — whether or not Choe was or was not the truth is a rapist — distorted my complete expertise of watching the present. As a substitute of with the ability to get pleasure from its cathartic portrayals of Asian American rage, I discovered myself disturbed each time Isaac appeared onscreen, questioning how a lot of the character’s aggression was a efficiency and the way a lot of it was channeled from Choe’s documented misogynoir. The toxicity of Cousin Isaac hit uncomfortably near house.
“Even when Choe’s account actually was fictional, his glorification of a rape fantasy on a public platform considered by 1000's of followers brought on irreparable hurt.”
Choe’s efficiency has been praised by critics, and his artwork for the present’s title playing cards acquired extra acclaim. As an artist, Choe made most of his fortune in 2007 by portray murals for Fb’s headquarters and making the prescient name to take firm inventory as cost. On the time of Fb’s IPO in 2012, his shares have been value $200 million. In 2017, Choe was commissioned to color the Bowery Mural Wall, which was instantly opposed by different road artists.
Choe continued to face no tangible penalties for the podcast and made a muted comeback in 2021 with the docuseries “The Choe Present.” Framed as half superstar portrait-painting, half remedy session, the present featured friends starting from Choe’s former podcast co-host Akira to actor Rainn Wilson. Disney flagged Choe as a controversial character, however the present — which Choe absolutely funded — was acquired by FX.
Throughout these previous few weeks after “Beef” waslaunched,the podcast video of Choe has surfaced but once more, main some critics to query the present’s problematic casting alternative. Netflix, A24, “Beef” creator Lee Sung Jin, Ali Wong and Yeun (the latter of whom are buddies with Choe and beneficial him for the function to Lee) first remained silent amid web pleas for remark.
On Friday, Lee, Wong and Yeun launched an announcement that acknowledged the video and never a lot else. Choe has requested DMCA copyright takedowns of the circulating clip by way of his charitable basis.
It wasn’t till I’d already began “Beef” that I came upon about Choe’s unsavory previous. I completed the present out of appreciation for the present’s different components. However then a sense of dread settled in my abdomen. Choe’s presence sophisticated lots of the scenes full of Korean American nuance, and in the end a lot of the present itself.
To be clear, even when Choe’s account actually was fictional, his glorification of a rape fantasy on a public platform considered by 1000's of followers brought on irreparable hurt. Within the clip, Choe perpetuates rape tradition and normalizes sexually violent language as a supply of humor. The resolution to forged him, based mostly on some type of creative justification by the collection creator and on his friendship with Wong and Yeun, was not vital. There have been doubtless different certified candidates who weren’t a real-life embodiment of Cousin Isaac’s worst qualities.
It’s disheartening to have to jot down an essay like this after I was absolutely able to embrace and have a good time the present. However contemplating the cultural capital of platforms like Netflix and the ability of Hollywood casting administrators, I hope that this backlash reminds them that their inventive selections have far-reaching penalties past their very own creative visions. It’s necessary to carry them accountable and demand that they don’t financially help those that take into account sexual abuse a joking matter.
“Beef” was made with viewers members like me in thoughts. However Choe’s substantial function within the present turned a compelling piece of Asian American artwork into one which brought on profound discomfort for me and different sexual assault survivors.
Sadly, that’s how patriarchy capabilities. It's a type of distraction at finest and a software of oppression at worst. This incident has taken away the enjoyment derived from watching a seemingly innocuous comedy.
And that’s a disgrace for not solely all of us viewers, however the representational strides that “Beef” accomplishes for Asian People.
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