'Karate Kid' Star Martin Kove Under Fire Over Alleged Assault Of Actress That Nearly Drew Blood

Yahoo

7 hours ago

best known for his role as sensei John Kreese in "The Karate Kid" and Netflix's "," was reportedly kicked out of a Washington State fan convention over the weekend after an alleged physical altercation with a fellow cast member prompted police involvement.
According to a police report, actress Alicia Hannah-Kim accused Kove of biting her on the arm so hard it left a visible bruise and nearly broke the skin.
The incident reportedly occurred at Summer Con in Puyallup, Washington, while both Martin Kove and Alicia Hannah-Kim were in the VIP area.
Per the report obtained by TMZ, Hannah-Kim, who plays Kim Da-Eun in "Cobra Kai," told authorities that she was simply passing by and greeted Kove when he suddenly grabbed her arm and bit down. When she cried out in pain, she claims he responded by kissing the same spot on her arm.
Both the actress and her husband, who witnessed the alleged bite, confronted Kove immediately, telling him his behavior was unacceptable. According to the police report, Kove allegedly became "furious and outraged," insisting that the bite was "for fun."
An officer present at the event reportedly informed Kove that what he had done was considered a crime and instructed him to remain at the scene while the matter was addressed.
Although Hannah-Kim declined to press formal charges, she did request that an informational report be filed and provided statements alongside her husband in the event of any future issues. Police took photographs of what they described as a "very noticeable bite mark" that was already turning blue and bruising.
Following the confrontation, Kove appeared to acknowledge the seriousness of his actions. He reportedly apologized to both Hannah-Kim and her husband in front of the officer before being escorted out of the venue. Police advised him never to repeat such behavior.
While Martin Kove's weekend headlines were dominated by controversy, the actor also closed a major chapter in his career with the emotional series finale of "Cobra Kai."
Reprising his iconic role as John Kreese, Kove saw his character come full circle in the final five episodes of the Netflix series. Once a one-dimensional villain from "The Karate Kid," Kreese was given new depth in "Cobra Kai," a transformation Kove insisted on before joining the show. "I said, 'Listen, I don't want to play this character like I did the movie,'" Kove told Variety. "I want to play him with vulnerability, with flashbacks, with emotionality."
The show delivered on that promise, portraying Kreese as a man driven by pain and misguided loyalty. That complexity came to a head after the death of Kwon, who accidentally impaled himself on Kreese's knife. "I personally saw my body there," Kove recalled of filming the scene. "It's frustrating when people see me as a bad guy, because I cry at supermarket openings. I love vulnerability."
In the finale, Kreese parts ways with Cobra Kai, symbolically passing the torch to Johnny Lawrence, whom he finally embraces as a son. "It's my favorite scene of any scene ever," Kove said. "Johnny was the best, and I was attracted to being his father, because I never had children. He was my son."
But true to character, Kreese goes out swinging. In a dramatic showdown with Terry Silver aboard a yacht, the former sensei sacrifices himself in a fiery explosion to protect Johnny and his family. Or so it seems, "Cobra Kai" fans know better than to rule out one last return.
Despite portraying one of the most fearsome figures in the Cobra Kai universe, Martin Kove isn't nearly as intimidating off-camera, at least according to his co-stars.
During a recent Variety panel, senior TV writer Joe Otterson asked cast members Ralph Macchio, William "Billy" Zabka, Courtney Henggeler, and Vanessa Rubio just how intimidating "Marty" Kove really is behind the scenes.
Henggeler, who plays Amanda LaRusso, didn't directly answer the question, but shared a vivid memory that captured Kove's unique aura. "I feel like we're making one show and Marty's in a completely different series," she joked, recalling a moment when she and Rubio spotted Kove "smoking a cigar, talking on the phone, wearing the coolest sunglasses."
"I want to be on Marty's series," she added. "He's just cooler than anybody that we got going on. He's just his own vibe."
Meanwhile, Zabka, who plays Johnny Lawrence, described Kove as "very sweet" and even "a big brother" in many ways. He praised the veteran actor's dedication to exploring Kreese's complexity. "He's been enjoying getting to dive into some of the more vulnerable areas of John Kreese," Zabka said, noting Kove's efforts to bring more than just menace to the iconic sensei.
As of now, Kove has not publicly commented on the assault allegations.