'Beef' stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong respond to 'extremely disturbing' David Choe controversy

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of rape.

Beef stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong have responded to the controversy surrounding their fellow cast member David Choe.

In a joint statement released to Vanity Fair, the pair of co-stars together with Beef creator Lee Sung-jin acknowledged the controversy for the first time since it trended a week ago.

“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," Yeun, Wong, and Lee collectively 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.

Last week, clips of the now-defunct podcast DVDASA from 2014 resurfaced, showing how Choe detailed an encounter with "rapey behavior."

He told a story about his "erection quest" at his favorite massage business where he supposedly raped a masseuse named Rose. He later said that the story was fictional, clarifying that the said podcast was an "extension of his art."

In a statement reposted by New York-based blog Gawker, Choe said: "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. I am an artist and a storyteller and I view my show DVDASA as a complete extension of my art."

He proceeded to say that the podcast is "not a news show."

"If I am guilty of anything, it's bad storytelling in the style of douche. Just like many of my paintings are often misinterpreted, the same goes with my show. The main objective of all of my podcasts is to challenge and provoke my friends and the co-stars on the show," Choe said.