Dee Kosh (Darryl Koshy): Difference between revisions

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| birth_name        = Darryl Ian Koshy
| birth_name        = Darryl Ian Koshy
| birth_date        = 2 November 1988
| birth_date        = 2 November 1988
| birth_place        = Philippines
| years active      = 2011 - present
| height            = 182 cm
| height            = 182 cm
|nationality=Singaporean|other names=Xiao Tina, Lechme, Ria Warna|image=File:Dee Kosh.jpg}}Dee Kosh is a Singaporean social media personality, YouTuber and Radio DJ. He was born and raised in the Philippines. Even though his parents are ethnically Indian and Chinese, he states that he is "Malay by heart".<ref>“[https://www.facebook.com/pg/Thedeekosh/about/?ref=page_internal Dee Kosh - About]”. ''Facebook.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> During his years in school, Dee Kosh had been teased for his skin colour. He started telling jokes to overcome his insecurities that stemmed from the teasing.<ref>“[https://ask.fm/DeeKosh/best?page=2 Dee Kosh]”. ''Askfm.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> Dee Kosh is known for his straightforward manner and loud personality. He first gained popularity on YouTube ([https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCawhykebEeDYMLFNeEdnX7g YouTube channel]) before becoming a radio DJ on 987 FM and subsequently, Power 98 FM. As of 2019, Dee Kosh has over 160,000 followers on Instagram ([https://www.instagram.com/deekosh Instagram profile]) and 200,000 followers on Twitter ([https://twitter.com/TheDeeKosh Twitter profile]).  
|nationality=Singaporean|image=File:Dee Kosh.jpg}}Dee Kosh (born 2 November 1988 as Darryl Ian Koshy) is a Singaporean YouTuber and online personality. As of August 2020, Dee Kosh has over 380,000 subscribers on [https://www.youtube.com/user/sweetestkind/videos YouTube], 229,000 followers on [https://www.instagram.com/deekosh/ Instagram] and over 205,000 followers on [https://twitter.com/TheDeeKosh Twitter]. He became a trending topic in August 2020 for alleged sexual harassment of minors.<ref>Anjali Raguraman. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/deejay-dee-kosh-investigated-over-sexual-harassment-claims Deejay Dee Kosh investigated over sexual harassment claims]". ''The Straits Times''. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref>


==YouTube (2011 - present day)==
==Background==
[[File:Dee Kosh and Shawn Mendez.jpg|thumb|''Dee Kosh interviewing Shawn Mendes in 2017. Photo from YouTube thumbnail of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm8eb9CN-ag video].'']]
Dee Kosh gained his initial fame through YouTube. Although he created his YouTube account in 2006, he only begun uploading videos in 2011. He has collaborated with well-known YouTubers like Singaporean blogger Xiaxue and American acapella group Pentatonix.<ref>Dee Kosh. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1j-Jtb5q5sU&feature=youtu.be 90s Music Challenge with PENTATONIX]”. ''YouTube.'' June 5, 2015. Accessed on 24 January 2019.</ref> On top of this, he has also interviewed many international artists including Fifth Harmony, Hailee Steinfeld and 5 Seconds of Summer (5SOS) on his channel. In addition to his personal YouTube Channel, he hosts two shows on local YouTube channel [[Ryan & Sylvia (Night Owl Cinematics)|Night Owl Cinematics]] - ‘Food King’ and ‘Do It For The Money’. He has also been featured on other YouTube channels including The Smart Local and ZYRUP.


<div style="display:flex; justify-content:space-around; flex-wrap: wrap;">
===Early life & family===
<div><youtube><nowiki>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=levv3wpWiK0</nowiki></youtube>
Dee Kosh was born as Darryl Ian Koshy on 2 November 1988.<ref>“[https://www.facebook.com/pg/Thedeekosh/about/?ref=page_internal Dee Kosh - About]”. ''Facebook.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019.</ref> He grew up and went to school in the Philippines.<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M58AClZ69k4 My Pinoy Childhood]". ''YouTube''. July 24, 2015. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> After being continuously teased for skin colour, Dee Kosh started telling jokes to overcome his insecurities.<ref>“[https://ask.fm/DeeKosh/best?page=2 Dee Kosh]”. ''Askfm.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> Even though his parents are ethnically Indian and Chinese,<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIKfut54pYE Does my MOM know me well??]". ''YouTube''. May 10, 2019. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> he states that he is "Malay by heart".<ref>“[https://www.facebook.com/pg/Thedeekosh/about/?ref=page_internal Dee Kosh - About]”. ''Facebook.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> He returned to Singapore in April 2010 to serve his national service requirements.<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oAHR7daMdY Dee Kosh]". ''YouTube''. January 31, 2011. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref>
</div>
</div>


As of 2018, Dee Kosh had close to 300,000 followers and more than 62 million views in total on his channel. He regularly uploads comedy skits, vlogs and storytime-type videos. In his videos, he regularly dresses up as different characters such as Xiao Tina, Lechme and Ria Warna. These characters are meant to be exaggerated Singaporean stereotypes of a female Chinese influencer, an Indian lady, and a Malay woman respectively. His most viewed videos include ‘Singaporean Style (Gangnam Style Parody)’ with 3.2 million views and ‘Shawn Mendes Reacts to Thirsty Tweets’ with 1.8 million views.<ref>[https://socialblade.com/youtube/user/sweetestkind Dee Kosh]. ''SocialBlade.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref>
==YouTube==
==Radio (2012 - present day)==
===Dee Kosh - Content creator (2011 - present day)===
Dee Kosh’s started his radio career in April 2012 as the host for 987FM’s “Say It With Music” segment.<ref>Azliah. “[https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/double-ds-funny-guys-singapore-radio-100458697.html The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio]”. ''Yahoo Lifestyle.'' April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> Dee Kosh hosted the segment until January 2013 when he started co-hosting "The Double D Show" with Divian Nair.<ref>Azliah. “[https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/double-ds-funny-guys-singapore-radio-100458697.html The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio]”. ''Yahoo Lifestyle.'' April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019.</ref> During his time at 987FM, Dee Kosh interviewed many celebrities including Korean pop group B.A.P as well as Korean pop star Jay Park. In 2014, he left 987FM and joined 98FM. As of February 2019, he has a show on weekday nights from 9 pm to 12 am called "Up All Night".<ref>“[https://www.power98.com.sg/dj/dee-kosh-2/ Dee Kosh]”. ''Power 98FM.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref>
[[File:Maxresdefault.jpg|thumb|''Dee Kosh pictured as Ria Warna in the thumbnail for [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQK_bEACb_o this video].'']]
According to YouTube, Dee Kosh's channel was created in 2006. However, he only begun uploading videos in 2011. His first video titled 'Dee Kosh' was uploaded on 31 January 2011.<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oAHR7daMdY Dee Kosh]". ''YouTube''. January 31, 2011. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> Dee Kosh's channel is characterised by comedic vlog-style content and skits where he dresses up as characters like ''Xiao Tina'',<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLBMEqAopcM XiaoTina & Xin De Yap COUPLE TAG]". ''YouTube.'' October 13, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> ''Lechme''<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SQ4zRd76jU A PAINFUL Trivia Game]". ''YouTube''. March 1, 2019. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> and ''Ria Warna''.<ref>DeeKosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HhnfThnaFo SYAxRIA E07 : The Wuhan Virus AKA Covid-19]". ''YouTube''. February 21, 2020. Accessed on 3 June 2020. </ref> As of June 2020, his most viewed video is ‘[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqLy27OSd4 Singaporean Style (Gangnam Style Parody)]’ with 3.2 million views.
 
===Dee Kosh - Talent management===
[[File:Maxresdefault Dee Kosh boys.jpg|thumb|''From left to right: Shi Song, Ben, Hamza and Xinde pictured in a 2019 YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYcfOvDYJ9I video].'']]
Over the years, Dee Kosh has introduced seven personalities to his YouTube platform. As of 2020, he manages the following influencers.
{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Instagram
!Following*
!Year joined
|-
|Marcus Tan
|[https://www.instagram.com/justmarcuz/ Profile]
|16,700
| rowspan="2" |2020
|-
|Keith
|[https://www.instagram.com/mehkeith/ Profile]
|12,200
|-
|Putra
|[https://www.instagram.com/putramakeupon/ Profile]
|6,688
|2019
|-
|Hamza Zaidi
|[https://www.instagram.com/hamzazaidi/ Profile]
|66,900
|2018
|-
|Go Shi Song
|[https://www.instagram.com/goshisong/?utm_source=ig_profile_share&igshid=x05b2676jjt1 Profile]
|72,800
|2017
|-
|[[Xinde Yap]]
|[https://www.instagram.com/xindeyap/ Profile]
|73,200
|Est. 2016
|-
|[[Ben Tang]]
|[https://www.instagram.com/bentanggg/ Profile]
|123,000
|Est. 2015
|}
''*The numbers are correct as of August 2020.''
 
Putra and Hamza were formally introduced on 22 November 2019<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QEjdrDGnFE School Bullies + Nudes + CONSPIRACY PALETTE]". ''YouTube''. November 22, 2019. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> and 9 November 2018<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCIW7nfTr-0 Banana Peels And KUKU Birds?!]". ''YouTube''. November 9, 2018. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> respectively. Shi Song first appeared on the channel in a video titled '[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuzzAO8N_JA Why we need SEX DOLLS]' that was uploaded on 30 July 2017. Meanwhile, Ben appeared on Dee Kosh's channel as early as 2015<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s5ezVbTMz0 Overused Horror Scenes]". ''YouTube''. October 30, 2015. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> and Xinde followed soon after some time in 2016.<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7YKfyJA4m8 Things Bros NEVER Do]". ''YouTube''. January 15, 2016. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref>
 
===Night Owl Cinematics (NOC)===
[[File:Dee Kosh Food King.jpg|thumb|''Dee Kosh pictured with NOC's Ryan Tan (left) and Aiken Chia (right) in the thumbnail for a Food King [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_r9ajYT8SQ episode].'']]
As late as July 2020, Dee Kosh was listed as a 'partner' on NOC's [https://noc.com.sg/about-us/ website] in addition to producing, hosting and acting in their videos. In light of the sexual harassment allegations made against Dee Kosh in August 2020, his management reportedly withdrew his services from NOC.<ref>Yeap, Amanda. "[https://mustsharenews.com/noc-dee-kosh-website/?utm=telegram Dee Kosh Now Removed Entirely From NOC Website, Decision Requested By His Managers]". ''MustShare News''. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> A statement by NOC that was released on 19 August 2020 clarified that he was only engaged as a freelance content partner and was never a business shareholder.<ref>N.O.C - Night Owl Cinematics. "[https://www.facebook.com/Nightowlcinematics/posts/3383704085007079?__xts__&#x5B;0&#x5D;=68.ARDLVBRaHx8n9hJMPmWHUTVYDePUU1Sl68GFODjNZhzLR37IiK_e9Z_ghgqG7syn3nPUnyN6J8TZ3HGgaKVc1m6-KMbTQm8-lgVVe6K7mEvYRRnn4UPYnYKr6qOdIc8nXnD5HXoLeP3RncM8e9naaaADNbrvdU1XNq-w8pPVkeJmI5 Our statement.]". ''Facebook''. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> Dee Kosh is most prominently recognised for ''Food King''<ref>Ryan Sylvia. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gp1WAueboIE Food King Singapore: FUNNIEST Moments | Clapbacks, Jokes, And Singing!]". ''YouTube''. May 29, 2020. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref>, which he has been hosting since 2017<ref>Ryan Sylvia. "[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI87wHY3Cs-xyZshSqT9UaGkK37-tvdEp Food King Singapore 2017]". ''YouTube''. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> and ''Do It For The Money'', a segment where he engages with random passers-by.<ref>Ryan Sylvia. "[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLI87wHY3Cs-z3ZPiwj_Hy6vTvPXQhk1uT DO IT FOR THE MONEY]". ''YouTube''. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref>
 
==Collaborations==
Dee Kosh has created content with various online personalities over the years. On his channel, Dee Kosh has a series with [[Hirzi Zulkiflie]] titled ''SYAxRIA''. As of June 2020, the series has seven episodes.<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZNMXRaEPgvIqFGOXuYs91ntGURgS3T-- SYAxRIA]". ''YouTube''. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref>
 
===Guest features===
[[File:Maxresdefault Xiaxue x Dee Kosh.jpg|thumb|''Dee Kosh as Xiao Tina pictured with Xiaxue.'']]
The following table lists some of the channels that Dee Kosh has appeared on.
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Channel
!Video title
!Refs.
|-
| rowspan="2" |2020
|[[Wah!Banana|Wah!banana]] Too
|Killer Game S3E6 - Dee Kosh Brings The Drama
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkf5HsQ2nf8 Video]
|-
|Universal Music Singapore
|Universal & Friends Present: Stay Home (Official Music Video)
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhwQ-YbKsFk Video]
|-
|2019
|[[JianHao Tan]]
|16 Types of Students on Picture Day
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjBz_t-bsS0 Video]
|-
|2018
|Warner Music Singapore
|Why Don't We: Daniel and Jack go speechless when Corbyn sings a love song to...
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK3ugFEK5bE Video]
|-
|2017
|Xiaxue
|Xiao Tina gets a Nicole Choo makeover?! + Influencer gossip
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G90GDwt_HI Video]
|-
| rowspan="2" |2016
|JianHao Tan
|UNCENSORED: DEE KOSH'S REAL SEXUALITY
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74k1rfkDqMc Video]
|-
|YAAAS TV
|The Truth About Dee Kosh
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aIZuywlg0s Video]
|-
|2015
|[[TheSmartLocal (TSL) Media Group|TheSmartLocal]]
|<nowiki>Singaporeans Try: Christmas Pop Quiz (feat. Dee Kosh) | EP 31</nowiki>
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=levv3wpWiK0 Video]
|-
|2014
|[[Naomi Neo]]
|The Blindfold Challenge with Dee Kosh
|[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVuIy-plFA4 Video]
|}
==Radio==
According to a statement by his employer, POWER 98FM, Dee Kosh applied for leave in light of the sexual harassment allegations against him in August 2020.<ref>Ong, Grace. "[https://www.marketing-interactive.com/radio-station-distances-from-dee-kosh-after-sexual-allegations Radio station POWER 98 distances from Dee Kosh after sexual allegations]". ''Marketing Interactive''. August 18, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref><ref>Anjali Raguraman. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/celebrities-aware-weigh-in-on-case-against-dj-dee-kosh-as-his-collaborator Celebrities, Aware weigh in on sexual harassment claims against DJ Dee Kosh; police looking into claims]". ''The Straits Times''. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref>
 
===Shows===
Dee Kosh’s started his radio career in April 2012 as the host for 987FM’s ''Say It With Music'' segment.<ref>Azliah. “[https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/double-ds-funny-guys-singapore-radio-100458697.html The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio]”. ''Yahoo Lifestyle.'' April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> He hosted the segment until January 2013 when he started co-hosting ''The Double D Show'' with Divian Nair.<ref>Azliah. “[https://sg.style.yahoo.com/blogs/singapore-showbiz/double-ds-funny-guys-singapore-radio-100458697.html The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio]”. ''Yahoo Lifestyle.'' April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019.</ref> In 2014, he left 987FM and joined POWER 98FM as a part-time radio presenter. As of June 2020, he has a show on weekday nights from 9 pm to 12 am.<ref>POWER 98 Love Songs. “[https://www.facebook.com/pg/Power98SG/about/?ref=page_internal About]”. ''Facebook.'' Accessed on 3 June 2020. </ref>  
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Year
Line 28: Line 135:
|Up All Night
|Up All Night
|98FM
|98FM
|<ref>“[https://www.power98.com.sg/dj/dee-kosh-2/ Dee Kosh]”. ''Power 98FM.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019.</ref>
|<ref>“[https://www.power98.com.sg/dj/dee-kosh-2/ Dee Kosh]”. ''Power 98FM.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019.</ref><ref>"[https://www.facebook.com/Power98SG/ Welcome to POWER 98 LOVE SONGS!]". ''Facebook''. July 15, 2019. Accessed on 13 January 2020.</ref>
|-
|-
|2013
|2013
Line 38: Line 145:
|Say It With Music
|Say It With Music
|}
|}
==Newsworthy incidents==
===Sexual harassment allegations (2020)===
On 15 August 2020, several underage individuals came forth on Instagram and Twitter with allegations and conversation screenshots that incriminated Dee Kosh.<ref>"[https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/trending/dee-kosh-sexual-harassment-allegations-youtube-star-singapore-13030200 YouTube personality Dee Kosh apologises following allegations of sexual harassment]". ''Channel News Asia Lifestyle''. August 18, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> Subsequently, one of the minors was served a lawyer's cease and desist letter to take down his posts.<ref>_epaul. "[https://www.instagram.com/p/CD83DG4B_Po/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link against all odds, we will continue the fight🤍✊🏻]". ''Instagram''. August 16, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref><ref>Anjali Raguraman. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/deejay-dee-kosh-investigated-over-sexual-harassment-claims Deejay Dee Kosh investigated over sexual harassment claims]". ''The Straits Times''. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> However, it was reported on 17 August 2020 that Dee Kosh's lawyers had withdrawn their involvement from the case.<ref>Fayyadhah Zainalabiden. "[https://mustsharenews.com/dee-kosh-harassment-case/ S’pore DJ Dee Kosh On Leave As Lawyers Withdraw From Alleged Sexual Harassment Case]". ''MustShare News''. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> That same day, Dee Kosh released an apology statement on Instagram where he also addressed one of his conversations with a 15-year-old boy.<ref>Meah, Natasha. "[https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/youtuber-and-dj-dee-kosh-apologises-questionable-tone-teenage-boy-amid-police-probe YouTuber and DJ Dee Kosh apologises for ‘questionable’ tone with teenage boy amid police probe into alleged sexual harassment]". ''TODAY''. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> A portion of his apology post reads as such:<blockquote>"... even though I had put out on an earlier statement on Instastories denying allegations which had surfaced initially, I now admit that there is truth to some of the things which are being said now, and I am sorry to the people I have hurt in the process... There are some screenshots circulating of me texting with a 15-year-old that I now accept is problematic. My tone was questionable, but there was absolutely no intent to groom him."<ref>deekosh. "[https://www.instagram.com/p/CD_i94VnShE/ I'm sorry.]". ''Instagram''. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref></blockquote>According to ''TODAY'', at least four police reports were filed by 17 August 2020.<ref>Meah, Natasha. "[https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/police-investigating-reports-filed-against-youtuber-and-dj-dee-kosh-over-alleged-sexual Police investigating reports filed against YouTuber and DJ Dee Kosh over alleged sexual harassment of teenage boys]". ''TODAY''. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref> Three of the alleged victims are 17 years old while one is 15 years old.<ref>Ibid.</ref> On 19 August 2020, ''The Straits Times'' reported that six police reports have been filed.<ref>Anjali Raguraman. "[https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/entertainment/celebrities-aware-weigh-in-on-case-against-dj-dee-kosh-as-his-collaborator Celebrities, Aware weigh in on sexual harassment claims against DJ Dee Kosh; police looking into claims]". ''The Straits Times''. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.</ref>
=== Guest appearance on OkLetsGo podcast (2022) ===
[[File:Dee Kosh announcing his appearance on OkLetsGo. Screenshot from Mothership..jpg|alt=Dee Kosh announcing his appearance on OkLetsGo. Screenshot from Mothership.|thumb|''Dee Kosh announcing his appearance on OkLetsGo. Screenshot from [https://mothership.sg/2022/01/okletsgo-deekosh-podcast-removed/ Mothership].'']]
On 28 January 2022, local podcast OkLetsGo released an episode featuring Dee Kosh as its guest speaker.<ref name=":0">Lui, Karen. "[https://mothership.sg/2022/01/okletsgo-deekosh-podcast-removed/ ''Dee Kosh's interview with S'pore podcast OkLetsGo removed'']". Mothership. January 31, 2022. Accessed 6 February 2022.</ref> On the afternoon of the same day, Dee Kosh published an Instagram story to announce that he had been “invited to talk” about his case and that he “addressed a few other more personal things.”
Split into three parts, Dee Kosh’s episode was enclosed with the following caption:<blockquote>''“He will pay his debt to society. He will plead guilty. Dee Kosh returns and breaks his silence after almost two years.”<ref name=":0" />''</blockquote>The podcast episodes were initially available on Spotify, but have since been taken down.<ref name=":0" /> According to a comment left on OkLetsGo’s Facebook page, the episodes were removed at Dee Kosh’s request.
==== Upload of video titled “Finally Addressing Everything” (2022) ====
[[File:Dee Kosh speaking in his “Finally Addressing Everything” video. Screenshot taken from Mothership..png|alt=Dee Kosh speaking in his “Finally Addressing Everything” video. Screenshot from Mothership.|thumb|''Dee Kosh speaking in his “Finally Addressing Everything” video. Screenshot from [https://mothership.sg/2022/01/deekosh-video-sexual-offences/ Mothership].'']]
On 25 January 2022, Dee Kosh updated his personal Instagram account with a countdown on his Story, stating that he was “finally ready to talk.”<ref name=":1">Lui, Karen. "[https://mothership.sg/2022/01/deekosh-video-sexual-offences/ ''Dee Kosh drops 9-minute clip, says he's not a pedophile'']". Mothership. January 26, 2022. Accessed 6 February 2022.</ref>
==== Affirmation that he is not a paedophile ====
Later on 26 January 2022, Dee Kosh uploaded a nine-minute video on YouTube.<ref name=":1" /> In the now-privatised video, he affirmed his desire to take personal responsibility for his actions, wanting to “set the record straight” and “correct the falsehoods that have been circulated by the media.”<ref name=":1" />
Before proceeding with his monologue, Dee Kosh made “one thing very, very clear”:<blockquote>''“I am not a paedophile. I never have been nor will I ever be.”''<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Dee Kosh went on to state that he had “voluntarily” gone for a professional psychological assessment, where the results apparently concluded that he did not fulfil the “diagnostic criteria for the paedophilic disorder.”<ref name=":0" />
==== Addressed media falsehoods ====
Dee Kosh went to address the news articles circulated by the media on his case.<ref name=":1" /> According to him, the headlines of many of these articles "paint[ed] a horrible picture of who [he] was”, with many apparently “combin[ing] all the charges and made it seem like they were all connected.”<ref name=":1" />
Dee Kosh alleged that these articles, along with their “inaccurate headlines” were responsible for the spread of falsehoods.<ref name=":1" /> Specifically, he took issue with the articles mentioning that he had paid minors to have sex with him and filmed the acts. Dee Kosh insisted that these claims were “totally false.”<ref name=":1" />
Although his lawyers later contacted these media outlets to rectify these “errors”, Dee Kosh said that it was too late, as “the story [had already been] twisted and spread all around.”<ref name=":1" /> He quoted two media outlets in his monologue:
“So for example here on Mustsharenews, they reported that, you know, three counts of possessing and making obscene videos of minors which is completely false, and they edited it. And Today Online also did the same thing. Also edited it but like I said, by then it was too late already.”<ref name=":1" />
==== Addressed the charge of him filming minors ====
On the charge of him filming minors, Dee Kosh clarified that the films found on his devices were of “adults, either screen recorded or downloaded from the Internet.”<ref name=":1" /> Stating that this was “just normal porn”, Dee Kosh acknowledged that “it is illegal to own porn in Singapore.”<ref name=":1" />
“So lesson learnt, please bear in mind, don't have porn in your phone, in your laptop, your PC, or iPad and all that. Just don't.”<ref name=":1" />
==== Insistence that he did participate in any form of sexual encounter ====
Dee Kosh went on to address his charges under Section 3762B, stating that he wanted to share some “undeniable facts”, including:<ref name=":1" />
* No sex or any form of a sexual encounter
* No molestation as he has never touched them
* No physical contact at all
Making reference to material he had searched on his phone, Dee Kosh stated that in Singapore, the legal age to have sex is 16, but this number is raised to 18 should a commercial element be involved.<ref name=":1" />
Claiming to be unaware of these regulations, Dee Kosh said he was “wrong” and would “take full responsibility” for his actions:<blockquote>''“I really should have known better and I apologise for my behaviour and my text messages. I’m not a predator, I didn’t specifically target individuals who were 17.”<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote>Dee Kosh closed this segment by stating that ignorance of the law was inexcusable and that he regretted his actions.<ref name=":1" />
==== Addressed his charge under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) ====
Dee Kosh also sought to clarify his CYPA charge. To preamble this segment of his monologue, Dee Kosh, stated that dating apps were intended for adults. Despite this, he said it was possible for users to be approached by individuals whom they assumed to be of legal age.<ref name=":1" />
In an effort to “release himself of all faults”, Dee Kosh admitted that he ought to have been more careful and run the necessary checks instead of assuming that "everyone on the app is following the rules and [was] at least 18.”<ref name=":1" />
Dee Kosh stated the following to be true:<ref name=":1" />
* He did not have sex with anyone below 16 years old.
* He did not groom anyone.
* He did not get any minors to perform “sexual favours” for him.
* He had never seen, met, or touched “this person.”
* He did not molest anyone.
==== Desire to tell his side of the story ====
Dee Kosh ended the video by admitting that he had made some “terrible mistakes” which had in turn impacted his loved ones. That was why he intended to plead guilty.<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>''“Words really cannot describe and express how truly sorry I am but I believe that the law is the law and what needs to be done will be done.”''<ref name=":1" /></blockquote>Dee Kosh went on to state that the video was not intended to change people’s views on his character. Instead, he claimed that he wanted to “personally contextualise” his charges and “make these facts very, very clear.”<ref name=":1" /><blockquote>''“To me, all I wanted was to be able to tell my side of the story and I really feel like I did [so] today. I am not going to be fighting this case. I am not going to be taking it to trial. I am ready to receive whatever consequence[s] the law has for me, even if it means [going] to jail.”<ref name=":1" />''</blockquote>Dee Kosh visibly cried as he shared his closing statement, where he expressed gratitude to everyone who “[had] been supporting [him]”.<ref name=":1" />
=== Dee Kosh to plead guilty to sexual offences (2022) ===
On 25 January 2022, Dee Kosh expressed his intention to plead guilty to multiple counts of sex-related offences at a court hearing. Dee Kosh’s intention was conveyed to the court by lawyers from Eugene Thuraisingam’s firm. The court then set 10 March 2022 to be the date Dee Kosh officially pleads guilty in court.
==='Nineteen' by [[Nicole Choo (Singapore Influencer)|Nicole Choo]] (2018)===
[[File:Dee Kosh apology to Nicole Choo.jpg|thumb|''Hirzi and Dee Kosh pictured in their apology [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrZHTyk8L4 video] to Nicole Choo.'']]
In 2018, local YouTuber Nicole Choo published a collection of poetry in conjunction with the BuySingLit campaign. Following the release, Dee Kosh and [[Munah Hirzi|Hirzi]] uploaded a YouTube video criticising the book. In the video, they pointed out that Nicole’s work read more like "social media captions" than poetry.<ref>MuttonSoda Channel. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obDdwqTVicA Nicole Choo book review with Syasya and Xiaotina (REPOST)]”. ''YouTube.'' April 30, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> The video was later taken down due to an alleged copyright issue. The Associate Editor of [[Rice Media]], Julian Wong addressed Dee Kosh’s video through an article titled '[http://ricemedia.co/current-affairs-commentary-nicole-choo-poet-nineteen-19/ At 19, Nicole Choo is A Published Poet. So What?]'. Julian argues that it was unfair for them to have undermined Nicole Choo’s work in such an insensitive and crass manner. <ref>Wong, Julian. “[http://ricemedia.co/current-affairs-commentary-nicole-choo-poet-nineteen-19/ At 19, Nicole Choo is A Published Poet. So What?]”. ''Rice Media.'' May 28, 2018. Accessed from 24 January 2019.</ref> The article also included encouraging sentiments from the local Youth Poet Ambassador Pooja Nansi who felt that poetry was subjective and that everyone should have the opportunity to express their creativity. On 25 May 2018, Dee Kosh and Hirzi posted an apology video to Nicole Choo.<ref>Dee Kosh. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrZHTyk8L4 WE’RE SORRY NICOLE CHOO!!]”. ''YouTube''. May 25, 2018. Accessed on 12 February 2019. </ref>
===BTS ARMY social experiment (2018)===
[[File:Dee Kosh BTS army.jpg|thumb|''The [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TIkuAndRuY video] in which Dee Kosh revealed the social experiment.'']]
On 18 October 2018, Dee Kosh posted the following tweet:<blockquote>“Unpopular Opinion : BTS’s songs all sound the same. I need something fresh! Come on now….”.<ref>Dee Kosh. ''Twitter''. October 15, 2018. Accessed on 13 February 2019. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/TheDeeKosh/status/1052933791797280768</ref> </blockquote>The tweet provoked negatively responses from the K-pop group's fans. Subsequently, it appeared that Dee Kosh’s YouTube channel had been deleted. He then posted a video where he seemed distressed, saying that the fans had gone too far by emailing his bosses at the radio station.<ref>Monique Danao. “[https://mustsharenews.com/dee-kosh-bts/ Here’s The Dee Kosh, BTS, Youtube Drama Explained]”. ''Must Share News.'' October 20, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> On 20 October 2018, Dee Kosh revealed that the stunt was a social experiment to show the effect of ‘mob mentality’.<ref>Dee Kosh. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TIkuAndRuY BTS ARMY Destroyed My Career? (A Social Experiment)]". ''YouTube''. October 20, 2018. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref>
===Eden Ang exposé (2018)===
''For more information on the incident, refer to [[Eden Ang]].''
Dee Kosh initially spoke out about Eden Ang’s sexual harassment incident on Instagram (IG) Live where he revealed the evidence that was sent to him by the alleged victim.<ref>Jewel Stolarchuk. “[http://theindependent.sg/dee-kosh-reveals-incriminating-details-as-eden-ang-denies-sexual-harassing-18-year-old-employee/ Dee Kosh reveals incriminating details as Eden Ang denies sexual harassing 18-year-old employee]”. ''The Independent.'' January 27, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> He then uploaded a compilation of the IG Live videos to his YouTube channel. His video sparked more responses from others involved the incident, which resulted in the unfolding of the saga.
==="Smash or Pass" video (2017)===
In 2017, [[JianHao Tan]], [[Ryan Sylvia (Night Owl Cinematics)|Ryan Sylvia]] and Dee Kosh collaborated to produce a YouTube video where they rated the attractiveness of other local influencers based on whether they would have sex with them.<ref>Peh, Marilyn. "[https://pride.kindness.sg/respond-social-media-spat/ How to respond to a social media spat]". ''The Pride''. February 24, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> The video provoked criticism and prompted reactions from the likes of Noah Yap, XiaXue<ref>Xiaxue. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VDH6Wi8eH9Q SINGAPOREAN YOUTUBERS ARE HYPOCRITES]". ''YouTube''. February 18, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> and [[Naomi Neo]]. Noah Yap in particular responded with a video of his own in which he reflected on the "drama" of the industry.<ref>Noah Yap. "[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4pmwNRGkGE&feature=youtu.be MY THOUGHTS ON THE SINGAPORE YOUTUBE SCENE]". ''YouTube''. February 13, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.</ref> In January 2020, the issue resurfaced in ''Channel News Asia'''s '[https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/singapore-youtube-industry-social-media-influencers-vloggers-12254882 The Big Read: Power, fame and fortune - a glimpse into Singapore’s lucrative YouTube industry]'.


==Awards & accolades==
==Awards & accolades==
In 2015, Dee Kosh was nominated for two awards in the Singapore Social Media Awards (SSMAs). Held in May 2015 and hosted by Aaron Jansen and Cleo Chew, the SSMAs was an independently run online awards show acknowledging Singaporean online content creators.<ref>Telescope. “Best of Online Entertainment in Singapore”. ''YouTube''. May 16, 2015. Accessed on 13 February 2019.  Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4u4Tvq_A7w&t=0s&list=PLM_XH3SnYRV0TlshX_2-XNYhQqS1dkxaA&index=2 </ref> The results show spanned three episodes on YouTube, accompanied by additional interview videos ([https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM_XH3SnYRV0TlshX_2-XNYhQqS1dkxaA YouTube channel playlist]).
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Year
Line 55: Line 240:
|Online Series of the Year
|Online Series of the Year
|Nominee
|Nominee
|}In 2015, Dee Kosh was nominated for two awards in the Singapore Social Media Awards (SSMAs). Held in May 2015 and hosted by Aaron Jansen and Cleo Chew, the SSMAs was an independently run online awards show acknowledging Singaporean online content creators.<ref>Telescope. “Best of Online Entertainment in Singapore”. ''YouTube''. May 16, 2015. Accessed on 13 February 2019.  Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4u4Tvq_A7w&t=0s&list=PLM_XH3SnYRV0TlshX_2-XNYhQqS1dkxaA&index=2 </ref> The results show spanned three episodes on YouTube, accompanied by additional interview videos ([https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM_XH3SnYRV0TlshX_2-XNYhQqS1dkxaA YouTube channel playlist]).
==Hosting==
===Events===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Event
!Organiser
!Refs.
|-
|2019
|Youth Music Awards (YMA)
|*SCAPE and INVASION Singapore
|<ref>“[https://www.scape.sg/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Invasion-YMA-Press-Release.pdf Inaugural Youth Music Awards themed “Catching Feelings” To Celebrate Local Music Representing The Best Different Moments In Life]”. ''Scape.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |2015
|National Day Parade 2015: Celebrations at The Float
|SAFRA and People's Association
|<ref>“[https://www.safra.sg/~/media/Media-Releases/NDP-2015-Celebrations-at-The-Float-Fact-Sheet.ashx NDP 2015 Celebrations at The Float Fact Sheet]”. ''SAFRA.'' Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref>
|-
|Asia’s Got Talent (AGT) 2015
| -
|<ref>Asia’s Got Talent. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm8eb9CN-ag Fresh off the stage interview 1 | Ep 1 | Behind the scenes with Dee Kosh]”. ''YouTube.'' March 20, 2015. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref>
|-
|2013
|2013 FHM Models Top Ten
| -
|<ref>"[https://xtemujin.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/2013-apr-fhm-models-top-ten-bugis-junction-singapore/ 2013 APR FHM Models Top Ten, Bugis Junction, Singapore]". ''xtemujin 360 resources Singapore.'' April 20, 2018. Accessed on 20 February 2019. Retrieved from Wordpress. </ref>
|}
|}
==Newsworthy incidents==
===Nicole Choo’s book 'Nineteen' (2018)===
[[File:Dee Kosh apology to Nicole Choo.jpg|thumb|''Dee Kosh (Xiao Tina) and Hirzi (Sya Sya) apologising to Nicole Choo. Photo from YouTube thumbnail of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrZHTyk8L4 video].'']]
In 2018, local YouTuber [[Nicole Choo]] released her book titled ‘Nineteen’ as part of the 'BuySingLit' national movement. Following the release, Dee Kosh and local social media personality [[Munah Hirzi|Hirzi]] published a YouTube video criticizing the book. In the video, they had pointed out that Nicole Choo’s work read more like "social media captions" instead of the intended poetry.<ref>MuttonSoda Channel. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obDdwqTVicA Nicole Choo book review with Syasya and Xiaotina (REPOST)]”. ''YouTube.'' April 30, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> However, the video was later taken down due to a copyright issue. Subsequently, Dee Kosh and Hirzi posted an apology to Nicole Choo on YouTube.<ref>Dee Kosh. “[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUrZHTyk8L4 WE’RE SORRY NICOLE CHOO!!]”. ''YouTube''. May 25, 2018. Accessed on 12 February 2019. </ref>
The Associate Editor of Rice Media, Julian Wong addressed Dee Kosh’s video through an article titled 'At 19, Nicole Choo is A Published Poet. So What?". In the article, he argues that it was unfair for them to have undermined Nicole Choo’s work in such an insensitive and crass manner. Julian spoke out against the way Dee Kosh and Hirzi commented on her book, stating that at times their commentary "... came uncomfortably close to sexual harassment and cyberbullying...".<ref>Wong, Julian. “[http://ricemedia.co/current-affairs-commentary-nicole-choo-poet-nineteen-19/ At 19, Nicole Choo is A Published Poet. So What?]”. ''Rice Media.'' May 28, 2018. Accessed from 24 January 2019.</ref> The article also included encouraging sentiments from local Youth Poet Ambassador Pooja Nansi who felt that poetry was subjective and that everyone should have the opportunity to express their creativity.
===BTS ARMY social experiment (2018)===
[[File:Dee Kosh BTS army.jpg|thumb|''The video in which Dee Kosh revealed the social experiment. Photo from YouTube thumbnail of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TIkuAndRuY video].'']]
On 18 October 2018, Dee Kosh had posted a tweet saying “Unpopular Opinion : BTS’s songs all sound the same. I need something fresh! Come on now….”.<ref>Dee Kosh. ''Twitter''. October 15, 2018. Accessed on 13 February 2019. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/TheDeeKosh/status/1052933791797280768</ref> This comment was not taken too kindly by the K-pop group's fans as they started responding to his comments negatively on Twitter. Subsequently, it appeared that Dee Kosh’s YouTube channel had been deleted due to this incident. He posted a video where he seemed distressed due to all the hateful comments he had been getting from BTS fans. He also mentioned that the fans had gone too far by emailing his bosses in the radio station he was working at about this incident.<ref>Monique Danao. “[https://mustsharenews.com/dee-kosh-bts/ Here’s The Dee Kosh, BTS, Youtube Drama Explained]”. ''Must Share News.'' October 20, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref>
However, Dee Kosh himself later revealed that the whole stunt was a social experiment  intended to provoke reaction from the BTS fans. Through this experiment, he wanted to show the consequences of ‘mob mentality’ prevalent in Singapore society.
===Eden Ang exposé (2018)===
''For more information on the incident, refer to [[Eden Ang]].''
Dee Kosh had initially spoken out about Eden Ang’s alleged sexual harassment incident on Instagram Live where he revealed the evidence that was sent to him by the alleged victim.<ref>Jewel Stolarchuk. “[http://theindependent.sg/dee-kosh-reveals-incriminating-details-as-eden-ang-denies-sexual-harassing-18-year-old-employee/ Dee Kosh reveals incriminating details as Eden Ang denies sexual harassing 18-year-old employee]”. ''The Independent.'' January 27, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019. </ref> He had then uploaded these Instagram Live videos on his YouTube channel. His video sparked more responses from the key people involved the incident, which resulted in the unfolding of the whole saga.
==References / Citations==
==References / Citations==
<references />
<references />
[[Category:People of Interest]]
[[Category:People of Interest]]
[[Category:Internet Personalities]]
[[Category:Singapore Media]]

Revision as of 18:48, 7 February 2022

Dee Kosh
Dee Kosh.jpg
Born
Darryl Ian Koshy

2 November 1988
NationalitySingaporean
Height182 cm (6 ft 0 in)

Dee Kosh (born 2 November 1988 as Darryl Ian Koshy) is a Singaporean YouTuber and online personality. As of August 2020, Dee Kosh has over 380,000 subscribers on YouTube, 229,000 followers on Instagram and over 205,000 followers on Twitter. He became a trending topic in August 2020 for alleged sexual harassment of minors.[1]

Background

Early life & family

Dee Kosh was born as Darryl Ian Koshy on 2 November 1988.[2] He grew up and went to school in the Philippines.[3] After being continuously teased for skin colour, Dee Kosh started telling jokes to overcome his insecurities.[4] Even though his parents are ethnically Indian and Chinese,[5] he states that he is "Malay by heart".[6] He returned to Singapore in April 2010 to serve his national service requirements.[7]

YouTube

Dee Kosh - Content creator (2011 - present day)

Dee Kosh pictured as Ria Warna in the thumbnail for this video.

According to YouTube, Dee Kosh's channel was created in 2006. However, he only begun uploading videos in 2011. His first video titled 'Dee Kosh' was uploaded on 31 January 2011.[8] Dee Kosh's channel is characterised by comedic vlog-style content and skits where he dresses up as characters like Xiao Tina,[9] Lechme[10] and Ria Warna.[11] As of June 2020, his most viewed video is ‘Singaporean Style (Gangnam Style Parody)’ with 3.2 million views.

Dee Kosh - Talent management

From left to right: Shi Song, Ben, Hamza and Xinde pictured in a 2019 YouTube video.

Over the years, Dee Kosh has introduced seven personalities to his YouTube platform. As of 2020, he manages the following influencers.

Name Instagram Following* Year joined
Marcus Tan Profile 16,700 2020
Keith Profile 12,200
Putra Profile 6,688 2019
Hamza Zaidi Profile 66,900 2018
Go Shi Song Profile 72,800 2017
Xinde Yap Profile 73,200 Est. 2016
Ben Tang Profile 123,000 Est. 2015

*The numbers are correct as of August 2020.

Putra and Hamza were formally introduced on 22 November 2019[12] and 9 November 2018[13] respectively. Shi Song first appeared on the channel in a video titled 'Why we need SEX DOLLS' that was uploaded on 30 July 2017. Meanwhile, Ben appeared on Dee Kosh's channel as early as 2015[14] and Xinde followed soon after some time in 2016.[15]

Night Owl Cinematics (NOC)

Dee Kosh pictured with NOC's Ryan Tan (left) and Aiken Chia (right) in the thumbnail for a Food King episode.

As late as July 2020, Dee Kosh was listed as a 'partner' on NOC's website in addition to producing, hosting and acting in their videos. In light of the sexual harassment allegations made against Dee Kosh in August 2020, his management reportedly withdrew his services from NOC.[16] A statement by NOC that was released on 19 August 2020 clarified that he was only engaged as a freelance content partner and was never a business shareholder.[17] Dee Kosh is most prominently recognised for Food King[18], which he has been hosting since 2017[19] and Do It For The Money, a segment where he engages with random passers-by.[20]

Collaborations

Dee Kosh has created content with various online personalities over the years. On his channel, Dee Kosh has a series with Hirzi Zulkiflie titled SYAxRIA. As of June 2020, the series has seven episodes.[21]

Guest features

Dee Kosh as Xiao Tina pictured with Xiaxue.

The following table lists some of the channels that Dee Kosh has appeared on.

Year Channel Video title Refs.
2020 Wah!banana Too Killer Game S3E6 - Dee Kosh Brings The Drama Video
Universal Music Singapore Universal & Friends Present: Stay Home (Official Music Video) Video
2019 JianHao Tan 16 Types of Students on Picture Day Video
2018 Warner Music Singapore Why Don't We: Daniel and Jack go speechless when Corbyn sings a love song to... Video
2017 Xiaxue Xiao Tina gets a Nicole Choo makeover?! + Influencer gossip Video
2016 JianHao Tan UNCENSORED: DEE KOSH'S REAL SEXUALITY Video
YAAAS TV The Truth About Dee Kosh Video
2015 TheSmartLocal Singaporeans Try: Christmas Pop Quiz (feat. Dee Kosh) | EP 31 Video
2014 Naomi Neo The Blindfold Challenge with Dee Kosh Video

Radio

According to a statement by his employer, POWER 98FM, Dee Kosh applied for leave in light of the sexual harassment allegations against him in August 2020.[22][23]

Shows

Dee Kosh’s started his radio career in April 2012 as the host for 987FM’s Say It With Music segment.[24] He hosted the segment until January 2013 when he started co-hosting The Double D Show with Divian Nair.[25] In 2014, he left 987FM and joined POWER 98FM as a part-time radio presenter. As of June 2020, he has a show on weekday nights from 9 pm to 12 am.[26]

Year Show segment Radio station Refs.
2014 - present day Up All Night 98FM [27][28]
2013 The Double D Show 987FM [29]
2012 Say It With Music

Newsworthy incidents

Sexual harassment allegations (2020)

On 15 August 2020, several underage individuals came forth on Instagram and Twitter with allegations and conversation screenshots that incriminated Dee Kosh.[30] Subsequently, one of the minors was served a lawyer's cease and desist letter to take down his posts.[31][32] However, it was reported on 17 August 2020 that Dee Kosh's lawyers had withdrawn their involvement from the case.[33] That same day, Dee Kosh released an apology statement on Instagram where he also addressed one of his conversations with a 15-year-old boy.[34] A portion of his apology post reads as such:

"... even though I had put out on an earlier statement on Instastories denying allegations which had surfaced initially, I now admit that there is truth to some of the things which are being said now, and I am sorry to the people I have hurt in the process... There are some screenshots circulating of me texting with a 15-year-old that I now accept is problematic. My tone was questionable, but there was absolutely no intent to groom him."[35]

According to TODAY, at least four police reports were filed by 17 August 2020.[36] Three of the alleged victims are 17 years old while one is 15 years old.[37] On 19 August 2020, The Straits Times reported that six police reports have been filed.[38]

Guest appearance on OkLetsGo podcast (2022)

Dee Kosh announcing his appearance on OkLetsGo. Screenshot from Mothership.
Dee Kosh announcing his appearance on OkLetsGo. Screenshot from Mothership.

On 28 January 2022, local podcast OkLetsGo released an episode featuring Dee Kosh as its guest speaker.[39] On the afternoon of the same day, Dee Kosh published an Instagram story to announce that he had been “invited to talk” about his case and that he “addressed a few other more personal things.”

Split into three parts, Dee Kosh’s episode was enclosed with the following caption:

“He will pay his debt to society. He will plead guilty. Dee Kosh returns and breaks his silence after almost two years.”[39]

The podcast episodes were initially available on Spotify, but have since been taken down.[39] According to a comment left on OkLetsGo’s Facebook page, the episodes were removed at Dee Kosh’s request.

Upload of video titled “Finally Addressing Everything” (2022)

Dee Kosh speaking in his “Finally Addressing Everything” video. Screenshot from Mothership.
Dee Kosh speaking in his “Finally Addressing Everything” video. Screenshot from Mothership.

On 25 January 2022, Dee Kosh updated his personal Instagram account with a countdown on his Story, stating that he was “finally ready to talk.”[40]

Affirmation that he is not a paedophile

Later on 26 January 2022, Dee Kosh uploaded a nine-minute video on YouTube.[40] In the now-privatised video, he affirmed his desire to take personal responsibility for his actions, wanting to “set the record straight” and “correct the falsehoods that have been circulated by the media.”[40]

Before proceeding with his monologue, Dee Kosh made “one thing very, very clear”:

“I am not a paedophile. I never have been nor will I ever be.”[40]

Dee Kosh went on to state that he had “voluntarily” gone for a professional psychological assessment, where the results apparently concluded that he did not fulfil the “diagnostic criteria for the paedophilic disorder.”[39]

Addressed media falsehoods

Dee Kosh went to address the news articles circulated by the media on his case.[40] According to him, the headlines of many of these articles "paint[ed] a horrible picture of who [he] was”, with many apparently “combin[ing] all the charges and made it seem like they were all connected.”[40]

Dee Kosh alleged that these articles, along with their “inaccurate headlines” were responsible for the spread of falsehoods.[40] Specifically, he took issue with the articles mentioning that he had paid minors to have sex with him and filmed the acts. Dee Kosh insisted that these claims were “totally false.”[40]

Although his lawyers later contacted these media outlets to rectify these “errors”, Dee Kosh said that it was too late, as “the story [had already been] twisted and spread all around.”[40] He quoted two media outlets in his monologue:

“So for example here on Mustsharenews, they reported that, you know, three counts of possessing and making obscene videos of minors which is completely false, and they edited it. And Today Online also did the same thing. Also edited it but like I said, by then it was too late already.”[40]

Addressed the charge of him filming minors

On the charge of him filming minors, Dee Kosh clarified that the films found on his devices were of “adults, either screen recorded or downloaded from the Internet.”[40] Stating that this was “just normal porn”, Dee Kosh acknowledged that “it is illegal to own porn in Singapore.”[40]

“So lesson learnt, please bear in mind, don't have porn in your phone, in your laptop, your PC, or iPad and all that. Just don't.”[40]

Insistence that he did participate in any form of sexual encounter

Dee Kosh went on to address his charges under Section 3762B, stating that he wanted to share some “undeniable facts”, including:[40]

  • No sex or any form of a sexual encounter
  • No molestation as he has never touched them
  • No physical contact at all

Making reference to material he had searched on his phone, Dee Kosh stated that in Singapore, the legal age to have sex is 16, but this number is raised to 18 should a commercial element be involved.[40]

Claiming to be unaware of these regulations, Dee Kosh said he was “wrong” and would “take full responsibility” for his actions:

“I really should have known better and I apologise for my behaviour and my text messages. I’m not a predator, I didn’t specifically target individuals who were 17.”[40]

Dee Kosh closed this segment by stating that ignorance of the law was inexcusable and that he regretted his actions.[40]

Addressed his charge under the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA)

Dee Kosh also sought to clarify his CYPA charge. To preamble this segment of his monologue, Dee Kosh, stated that dating apps were intended for adults. Despite this, he said it was possible for users to be approached by individuals whom they assumed to be of legal age.[40]

In an effort to “release himself of all faults”, Dee Kosh admitted that he ought to have been more careful and run the necessary checks instead of assuming that "everyone on the app is following the rules and [was] at least 18.”[40]

Dee Kosh stated the following to be true:[40]

  • He did not have sex with anyone below 16 years old.
  • He did not groom anyone.
  • He did not get any minors to perform “sexual favours” for him.
  • He had never seen, met, or touched “this person.”
  • He did not molest anyone.

Desire to tell his side of the story

Dee Kosh ended the video by admitting that he had made some “terrible mistakes” which had in turn impacted his loved ones. That was why he intended to plead guilty.[40]

“Words really cannot describe and express how truly sorry I am but I believe that the law is the law and what needs to be done will be done.”[40]

Dee Kosh went on to state that the video was not intended to change people’s views on his character. Instead, he claimed that he wanted to “personally contextualise” his charges and “make these facts very, very clear.”[40]

“To me, all I wanted was to be able to tell my side of the story and I really feel like I did [so] today. I am not going to be fighting this case. I am not going to be taking it to trial. I am ready to receive whatever consequence[s] the law has for me, even if it means [going] to jail.”[40]

Dee Kosh visibly cried as he shared his closing statement, where he expressed gratitude to everyone who “[had] been supporting [him]”.[40]

Dee Kosh to plead guilty to sexual offences (2022)

On 25 January 2022, Dee Kosh expressed his intention to plead guilty to multiple counts of sex-related offences at a court hearing. Dee Kosh’s intention was conveyed to the court by lawyers from Eugene Thuraisingam’s firm. The court then set 10 March 2022 to be the date Dee Kosh officially pleads guilty in court.

'Nineteen' by Nicole Choo (2018)

Hirzi and Dee Kosh pictured in their apology video to Nicole Choo.

In 2018, local YouTuber Nicole Choo published a collection of poetry in conjunction with the BuySingLit campaign. Following the release, Dee Kosh and Hirzi uploaded a YouTube video criticising the book. In the video, they pointed out that Nicole’s work read more like "social media captions" than poetry.[41] The video was later taken down due to an alleged copyright issue. The Associate Editor of Rice Media, Julian Wong addressed Dee Kosh’s video through an article titled 'At 19, Nicole Choo is A Published Poet. So What?'. Julian argues that it was unfair for them to have undermined Nicole Choo’s work in such an insensitive and crass manner. [42] The article also included encouraging sentiments from the local Youth Poet Ambassador Pooja Nansi who felt that poetry was subjective and that everyone should have the opportunity to express their creativity. On 25 May 2018, Dee Kosh and Hirzi posted an apology video to Nicole Choo.[43]

BTS ARMY social experiment (2018)

The video in which Dee Kosh revealed the social experiment.

On 18 October 2018, Dee Kosh posted the following tweet:

“Unpopular Opinion : BTS’s songs all sound the same. I need something fresh! Come on now….”.[44]

The tweet provoked negatively responses from the K-pop group's fans. Subsequently, it appeared that Dee Kosh’s YouTube channel had been deleted. He then posted a video where he seemed distressed, saying that the fans had gone too far by emailing his bosses at the radio station.[45] On 20 October 2018, Dee Kosh revealed that the stunt was a social experiment to show the effect of ‘mob mentality’.[46]

Eden Ang exposé (2018)

For more information on the incident, refer to Eden Ang.

Dee Kosh initially spoke out about Eden Ang’s sexual harassment incident on Instagram (IG) Live where he revealed the evidence that was sent to him by the alleged victim.[47] He then uploaded a compilation of the IG Live videos to his YouTube channel. His video sparked more responses from others involved the incident, which resulted in the unfolding of the saga.

"Smash or Pass" video (2017)

In 2017, JianHao Tan, Ryan Sylvia and Dee Kosh collaborated to produce a YouTube video where they rated the attractiveness of other local influencers based on whether they would have sex with them.[48] The video provoked criticism and prompted reactions from the likes of Noah Yap, XiaXue[49] and Naomi Neo. Noah Yap in particular responded with a video of his own in which he reflected on the "drama" of the industry.[50] In January 2020, the issue resurfaced in Channel News Asia's 'The Big Read: Power, fame and fortune - a glimpse into Singapore’s lucrative YouTube industry'.

Awards & accolades

In 2015, Dee Kosh was nominated for two awards in the Singapore Social Media Awards (SSMAs). Held in May 2015 and hosted by Aaron Jansen and Cleo Chew, the SSMAs was an independently run online awards show acknowledging Singaporean online content creators.[51] The results show spanned three episodes on YouTube, accompanied by additional interview videos (YouTube channel playlist).

Year Award Title Awarding organisation Refs.
2015 Collab of the Year Nominee Singapore Social Media Awards (SSMA) [52]
Online Series of the Year Nominee

References / Citations

  1. Anjali Raguraman. "Deejay Dee Kosh investigated over sexual harassment claims". The Straits Times. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  2. Dee Kosh - About”. Facebook. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  3. Dee Kosh. "My Pinoy Childhood". YouTube. July 24, 2015. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  4. Dee Kosh”. Askfm. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  5. Dee Kosh. "Does my MOM know me well??". YouTube. May 10, 2019. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  6. Dee Kosh - About”. Facebook. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  7. Dee Kosh. "Dee Kosh". YouTube. January 31, 2011. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  8. Dee Kosh. "Dee Kosh". YouTube. January 31, 2011. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  9. Dee Kosh. "XiaoTina & Xin De Yap COUPLE TAG". YouTube. October 13, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  10. Dee Kosh. "A PAINFUL Trivia Game". YouTube. March 1, 2019. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  11. DeeKosh. "SYAxRIA E07 : The Wuhan Virus AKA Covid-19". YouTube. February 21, 2020. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  12. Dee Kosh. "School Bullies + Nudes + CONSPIRACY PALETTE". YouTube. November 22, 2019. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  13. Dee Kosh. "Banana Peels And KUKU Birds?!". YouTube. November 9, 2018. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  14. Dee Kosh. "Overused Horror Scenes". YouTube. October 30, 2015. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  15. Dee Kosh. "Things Bros NEVER Do". YouTube. January 15, 2016. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  16. Yeap, Amanda. "Dee Kosh Now Removed Entirely From NOC Website, Decision Requested By His Managers". MustShare News. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  17. N.O.C - Night Owl Cinematics. "Our statement.". Facebook. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  18. Ryan Sylvia. "Food King Singapore: FUNNIEST Moments | Clapbacks, Jokes, And Singing!". YouTube. May 29, 2020. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  19. Ryan Sylvia. "Food King Singapore 2017". YouTube. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  20. Ryan Sylvia. "DO IT FOR THE MONEY". YouTube. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  21. Dee Kosh. "SYAxRIA". YouTube. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  22. Ong, Grace. "Radio station POWER 98 distances from Dee Kosh after sexual allegations". Marketing Interactive. August 18, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  23. Anjali Raguraman. "Celebrities, Aware weigh in on sexual harassment claims against DJ Dee Kosh; police looking into claims". The Straits Times. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  24. Azliah. “The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio”. Yahoo Lifestyle. April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  25. Azliah. “The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio”. Yahoo Lifestyle. April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  26. POWER 98 Love Songs. “About”. Facebook. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  27. Dee Kosh”. Power 98FM. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  28. "Welcome to POWER 98 LOVE SONGS!". Facebook. July 15, 2019. Accessed on 13 January 2020.
  29. Azliah. “The Double Ds: New funny guys on Singapore radio”. Yahoo Lifestyle. April 12, 2013. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  30. "YouTube personality Dee Kosh apologises following allegations of sexual harassment". Channel News Asia Lifestyle. August 18, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  31. _epaul. "against all odds, we will continue the fight🤍✊🏻". Instagram. August 16, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  32. Anjali Raguraman. "Deejay Dee Kosh investigated over sexual harassment claims". The Straits Times. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  33. Fayyadhah Zainalabiden. "S’pore DJ Dee Kosh On Leave As Lawyers Withdraw From Alleged Sexual Harassment Case". MustShare News. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  34. Meah, Natasha. "YouTuber and DJ Dee Kosh apologises for ‘questionable’ tone with teenage boy amid police probe into alleged sexual harassment". TODAY. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  35. deekosh. "I'm sorry.". Instagram. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  36. Meah, Natasha. "Police investigating reports filed against YouTuber and DJ Dee Kosh over alleged sexual harassment of teenage boys". TODAY. August 17, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  37. Ibid.
  38. Anjali Raguraman. "Celebrities, Aware weigh in on sexual harassment claims against DJ Dee Kosh; police looking into claims". The Straits Times. August 19, 2020. Accessed on 20 August 2020.
  39. 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 Lui, Karen. "Dee Kosh's interview with S'pore podcast OkLetsGo removed". Mothership. January 31, 2022. Accessed 6 February 2022.
  40. 40.00 40.01 40.02 40.03 40.04 40.05 40.06 40.07 40.08 40.09 40.10 40.11 40.12 40.13 40.14 40.15 40.16 40.17 40.18 40.19 40.20 40.21 40.22 40.23 40.24 Lui, Karen. "Dee Kosh drops 9-minute clip, says he's not a pedophile". Mothership. January 26, 2022. Accessed 6 February 2022.
  41. MuttonSoda Channel. “Nicole Choo book review with Syasya and Xiaotina (REPOST)”. YouTube. April 30, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  42. Wong, Julian. “At 19, Nicole Choo is A Published Poet. So What?”. Rice Media. May 28, 2018. Accessed from 24 January 2019.
  43. Dee Kosh. “WE’RE SORRY NICOLE CHOO!!”. YouTube. May 25, 2018. Accessed on 12 February 2019.
  44. Dee Kosh. Twitter. October 15, 2018. Accessed on 13 February 2019. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/TheDeeKosh/status/1052933791797280768
  45. Monique Danao. “Here’s The Dee Kosh, BTS, Youtube Drama Explained”. Must Share News. October 20, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  46. Dee Kosh. "BTS ARMY Destroyed My Career? (A Social Experiment)". YouTube. October 20, 2018. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  47. Jewel Stolarchuk. “Dee Kosh reveals incriminating details as Eden Ang denies sexual harassing 18-year-old employee”. The Independent. January 27, 2018. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
  48. Peh, Marilyn. "How to respond to a social media spat". The Pride. February 24, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  49. Xiaxue. "SINGAPOREAN YOUTUBERS ARE HYPOCRITES". YouTube. February 18, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  50. Noah Yap. "MY THOUGHTS ON THE SINGAPORE YOUTUBE SCENE". YouTube. February 13, 2017. Accessed on 3 June 2020.
  51. Telescope. “Best of Online Entertainment in Singapore”. YouTube. May 16, 2015. Accessed on 13 February 2019.  Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4u4Tvq_A7w&t=0s&list=PLM_XH3SnYRV0TlshX_2-XNYhQqS1dkxaA&index=2
  52. Kyle Malinda-White. “Gentle Bones, Munah & Hirzi Among Nominees For Singapore Social Media Awards 2015”. Popspoken. March 7, 2015. Accessed on 24 January 2019.