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“Cobra Kai” actor Martin Kove explained his reasoning for biting his co-star.
In newly released bodycam footage obtained by Fox News Digital, Kove, 78, told police why he bit actress Alicia Hannah-Kim, 37, in an alarming moment at Summer Con in Puyallup, Washington, on June 22, 2025.
“You cannot bite people. That is not OK,” the Puyallup Police told Kove.
MARTIN KOVE REMOVED FROM SUMMER CON AFTER ALLEGEDLY BITING ‘COBRA KAI’ CO-STAR
Alicia Hannah-Kim said Martin Kove bit her arm and then began kissing the area he bit. (Roger Kisby/Getty Images for Netflix)
Hannah-Kim chimed in and argued, “That is assault.”
“And it’s 100% up to her if she wants to pursue charges. I’d like to understand why you did that,” the police said to Kove.
The heated encounter occurred outside a building, as Hannah-Kim appeared visibly upset about the situation and wanted an explanation for Kove’s actions.
WATCH: MARTIN KOVE EXPLAINS WHY HE BIT HIS ‘COBRA KAI’ CO-STAR IN BODYCAM FOOTAGE
“I was just playing because we’re very playful together, and I bit down too hard, and I meant to just…” he explained, as Hannah-Kim looked at the police in disbelief.
“She’s got a mouth mark on her,” authorities said in the bodycam footage.
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According to a report from the Puyallup Police Department, Hannah-Kim approached an officer in the VIP area after Kove took her arm and bit her “so hard he nearly drew blood,” per Variety.
“No, we do not play like that,” Hannah-Kim added and shook her head. Kove apologized again.
The police footage continued with the actress showing her bite marks from Kove, as the people in the video agreed there was a visible bite mark.
From left to right, Tanner Buchanan as Robby Keene, Xolo Maridueña as Miguel Diaz, Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso, William Zabka as Johnny Lawrence, Martin Kove as John Kreese in “Cobra Kai.” (Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2025)
“All morning, I was thinking when she said, ‘Ow, you hurt me,'” Kove said while explaining his side to officers. He referred to Hannah-Kim’s reaction after he bit her on the arm hard enough to leave a mark.
“I wanted to come back… and see how she’s doing,” he continued, adding that another co-star allegedly “intercepted” him before he could reach her.
Kove claimed he tried to make amends immediately, saying, “I tried to say that… and find her the moment I arrived… just to say—‘I’m sorry, darling. I apologize, I didn’t mean to hurt you.’”
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“You know, because we play all the time, we pop, we hit, we do stuff all the time because she’s a female sensei, I’m the male sensei,” Kove explained of their roles in “Cobra Kai.”
“We have all our scenes together, and we have a lot of fun.”
William Zabka, left, and Martin Kove in “Cobra Kai.” (Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix © 2025)
The police footage was released after Kove was forced to leave a fan convention early over the weekend after he bit his co-star.
After Kove bit Hannah-Kim, he reportedly let go and began kissing her arm where he had bitten her after she cried out in pain. After telling her husband about the incident, the two approached Kove at the fan event together, after which the report stated he “exploded on them, saying something to the effect of how dare they confront him.”
Per the report, the actress told the reporting officer she did not want to file charges against Kove, but that she “wished to have a report filed in case this continues.” Kove was then asked to leave the fan event.
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Fox News Digital reached out to representatives for both Kove and Hannah-Kim for comment.
Martin Kove is best known for his portrayal of John Kreese in the 1984 movie, “The Karate Kid.” (Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)
Kove is best known for his portrayal of John Kreese in the 1984 movie, “The Karate Kid.” Kreese is the main antagonist of the movie, as he is the owner of the karate studio which teaches its students to have “no mercy.”
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He reprised his role for the Netflix revival series, “Cobra Kai,” which picked up 33 years after the events of the original movie. Hannah-Kim joined the show in season 6, playing Kim Da-Eun, a sensei from South Korea who teams up with Kreese to take down a rival studio, which happens to be owned by Kreese’s former student Johnny Lawrence, played by William Zabka, and his former rival, Daniel LaRusso, played by Ralph Macchio.
Fox News Digital’s Lori Bashian contributed to this report.
