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Martin Kove, one of the lead stars of Cobra Kai, has publicly apologized for biting the arm of co-star Alicia Hannah-Kim during a fan event in Washington State. The incident occurred at Summer Con in Puyallup, where both actors were present. Kove, who plays Sensei John Kreese in the series, admitted that the action was intended to be playful but has since acknowledged it went too far.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Alicia Hannah-Kim approached Kove to greet him during the event. When she tapped him on the shoulder, he allegedly grabbed her arm and bit her upper arm with enough force to nearly draw blood. The bite left a noticeable mark, with bruising visible at the scene.
Kove issued a formal apology through a statement sent to TMZ by Jaffe & Co. Crisis Management. He took full responsibility for his actions, calling them inappropriate and inexcusable.
The Cobra Kai actor expressed regret and confirmed that he is committed to ensuring such behavior is never repeated. Alicia Hannah-Kim has not pressed charges but did report the incident to the police to have it documented.
What happened at the Fan Convention
The incident took place at Summer Con, a fan convention held in Puyallup, Washington. According to a police report obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Alicia Hannah-Kim tapped Martin Kove on the shoulder to get his attention.
At that point, the report states:
“When Alicia did this, Martin Kove suddenly grabbed her arm and bit her upper arm so hard it nearly drew blood, and she yelled out in pain.”
The report further explains that after biting her, Kove grabbed her arm again and kissed the spot where he had bitten her. The officer noted that the bite mark was
“very noticeable” and was “already turning blue and bruising.”
Following the incident, Hannah-Kim and her husband, actor Sebastian Roché, confronted Kove. According to the report:
“He exploded on them, saying something to the effect of how dare they confront him, and he did not do anything wrong.”
The couple then contacted a police officer in the VIP area. When questioned, Kove admitted to the bite, telling the officer that he
“thought he was being funny.”
The report concluded that the act could be considered assault. However, Hannah-Kim chose not to press charges. Instead, she requested that the event be documented in case of future issues.
Martin Kove’s official statement
In response to the incident, Martin Kove released an apology via TMZ. In the statement, he expressed remorse and admitted he went too far, even if the action was not intended to harm. His statement reads:
“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.”
“I’ve always respected her and considered her a highly professional and talented co-worker on Cobra Kai. I was being playful in the moment but went too far and there is absolutely no excuse for my behavior.”
“I regret my actions for which I take full responsibility for what I did, and again I apologize to her and her husband. I’m committed to learning from this and it will never happen again.”
Kove’s team, Jaffe & Co. Crisis Management, distributed the statement on his behalf. No additional comment has been made by Kove directly or by his legal representatives since the apology.
Context and reactions within the Cobra Kai team
Martin Kove and Alicia Hannah-Kim both appeared in Cobra Kai, the Karate Kid sequel series on Netflix. Kove has been a series regular since the beginning, reprising his role as John Kreese from the 1984 film. Hannah-Kim joined Cobra Kai in seasons five and six.
The two actors had worked together on multiple episodes. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kove’s comments suggest he had a professional rapport with Hannah-Kim before the incident.
Though the bite incident has drawn public attention, no further statements have been issued by Hannah-Kim herself beyond the police report documentation. No charges have been filed as of now.
The convention where the event took place has not released a public comment. Kove remains a central figure in the Cobra Kai franchise, and it is unclear if the incident will impact his role in future seasons.
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Cobra Kai is available to watch on Netflix.
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