A truly bizarre and troubling incident has cast a shadow over a recent fan convention, with Cobra Kai star Martin Kove reportedly being asked to leave after allegedly biting his co-star, Alicia Hannah-Kim. The alleged assault occurred during a VIP meet-and-greet at Summer Con in Puyallup, Washington, where both actors were participating in activities.
The shocking details come from a report obtained by Variety from the Puyallup Police Department. According to the police report, Alicia Hannah-Kim, who plays the formidable South Korean sensei Kim Da-Eun in the Netflix series, told an officer that after she simply tapped Kove on the shoulder to say hello, he suddenly grabbed her arm and bit her “so hard he nearly drew blood.” The report further details that when Hannah-Kim cried out in pain, Kove allegedly “started kissing her arm where he had bitten her.”
Hannah-Kim, 37, immediately informed her husband, Sebastian Roche, who was present at the event. The couple then went to confront Kove, 78, about the incident.
‘He Exploded on Them’
The confrontation quickly escalated. The police report states that upon being confronted, Kove “exploded on them, saying something to the effect of how dare they confront him.” Hannah-Kim and her husband then asked the reporting officer to intervene and de-escalate the volatile situation.
Kove reportedly claimed he was “trying to be ‘funny,'” and that “they play fight all the time on the set of Cobra Kai.” However, Hannah-Kim’s account to the officer detailed “visible teeth marks and immediate bruising and pain” on her arm. While the actress ultimately decided not to press charges, she requested that an informational police report be filed, along with photos of her injury, “in case this continues.”
The reporting officer documented the bite mark, noting it was “very noticeable” and “already turning blue and bruising.” Kove was instructed to leave the venue, and the officer advised the veteran actor against repeating such behaviour in the future.
Kreese’s Off-Screen Controversies
Martin Kove is best known for his long-standing role as John Kreese, the ruthless sensei and main antagonist in the original 1984 film ‘The Karate Kid.’ He reprised the iconic villain role in the film’s sequels and later became a major character in the hugely popular Netflix series Cobra Kai, which recently wrapped its sixth and final season.
Alicia Hannah-Kim joined the Cobra Kai cast in Season 5 as Kim Da-Eun, a sensei who initially partners with Kreese. Hannah-Kim had previously described her character’s relationship with Kreese as “so complicated,” noting that Kim was initially “grateful to him for this past friendship, where he really protected her and was a mentor figure to her.”
Read more: ‘Harold & Kumar’ Sequel in the Works With ‘Cobra Kai’ Creators Writing and Directing
However, she added, “What’s disturbing for Kim is when there’s a loss of control. Kreese doesn’t have that same fear, and so she does start to feel that instability. Of course, it goes haywire in episode 10, and that’s when the consequences really hit the fan.”
Representatives for Kove and Hannah-Kim have not yet publicly commented on the alleged incident.
Feature image: Super Festivals
