Alicia Hannah-Kim has finally broken her silence following a bizarre encounter with her "Cobra Kai" co-star Martin Kove earlier this month, which culminated in his removal from a fan event after allegedly biting her. In a video posted on her Instagram account on Sunday, Hannah-Kim expressed her gratitude to her supporters who reached out to her after Kove, who famously portrayed the villainous John Kreese in "The Karate Kid" and its sequels, made headlines for being "escorted out" of the Washington State Summer Con in Puyallup by police. Hannah-Kim told officers that Kove bit her when she went to greet him at the event.
"I understand that the world is currently preoccupied with numerous issues, so I'll keep this brief," Hannah-Kim began the video, her arm visible with a bruise. "I was thoroughly enjoying my time at Summer Con. I adore meeting all of you in person. Thank you to Taylor, my handler, who took care of me throughout the weekend. However, as you can see, this was a grave incident."
She continued, "I believe that when confronted with such situations, it's crucial to stand up for oneself. It's a vital decision to make, and I think it's the right one."
Hannah-Kim, who portrayed the formidable sensei Kim Da-Eun in the Netflix series that concluded in February after six seasons, reassured her fans that the incident was not reflective of her experience on "Cobra Kai."
"This does not encapsulate my overall experience with the show. I think everyone can attest to its positive vibes and the fantastic cast," she clarified. "Everyone else is delightful. I don't want this to tarnish your affection for the show. Feel free to love it as much as you want."
According to a police report reviewed by Entertainment Weekly, Hannah-Kim recounted the incident that transpired when she approached Kove at the event.
"I walked past Martin Kove, tapped him on the shoulder, and greeted him. He turned around, grabbed my arm, and BIT DOWN HARD, almost drawing blood," Hannah-Kim explained in a handwritten statement to police. "I yelped and pulled away, but he grabbed my arm again to kiss it."
The actress stated that she retreated to her table and informed her handler and her husband, Sebastian Roche. "I had visible teeth marks, immediate bruising, and pain," she continued in her statement. "Later, we approached Martin in the green room, and he was furious and outraged when I calmly told him not to bite me. He insisted that he bit me for fun."
Kove told police he was "messing around," according to the officer who filed the report. The officer informed the actor that his actions were illegal. The officer noted that Kove "admitted to biting Alicia's arm and said he did it out of jest, thinking he was being funny, and that they play-fight all the time on the set of 'Cobra Kai,' and he didn't think it was a big deal."
Eventually, Hannah-Kim spoke to Kove, and he apologized, according to the officer's report. Although the actress chose not to press charges against Kove, she filed a report, and her injury was documented for any future incidents.
Kove issued a public apology the Tuesday following the incident, expressing his "deep regret" for his actions. He stated that he was "being playful in the moment but went too far, and there is absolutely no excuse" for his behavior.
"I deeply regret and apologize for my actions regarding the incident with Alicia (Hannah-Kim), a genuinely kind and wonderful person who didn't deserve to be put in this position," Kove said in a statement obtained by EW from Jaffe & Co. Crisis Management. "I've always respected her and considered her a highly professional and talented co-worker on 'Cobra Kai.'"
The statement continued, "I was being playful in the moment but went too far, and there is absolutely no excuse for my behavior. I regret my actions and take full responsibility for what I did. Again, I apologize to her and her husband. I'm committed to learning from this, and it will never happen again."
Kove's character, John Kreese, has long been a villain in the "Karate Kid" cinematic universe, appearing in three films and more recently in the Netflix reboot series "Cobra Kai." His character first joined the show in season 1, episode 6, in an uncredited appearance before ultimately becoming a major player, appearing in 57 episodes. Hannah-Kim was featured in 14 episodes as the formidable sensei Kim Da-Eun, who had an ill-fated partnership with Kreese.
