How Netflix's Beef Made Golden Globes History
The feud between Steven Yeun and Ali Wong's road-raging characters in Netflix comedy-drama "Beef" was hot enough to win both actors a Golden Globe each, for Best Actor and Best Actress in a limited series, alongside a third win for Best Miniseries or TV Film. Wong in particular made history with her win, becoming the first actress of Asian descent to win in the category. (Yeun was mistakenly reported as being the first actor of Asian descent to win in his category, but that milestone was achieved by Darren Criss in 2019.)
"Beef" kicks off with a close encounter between the cars of struggling contractor Danny Cho (Yeun) and wealthy entrepreneur Amy Lau (Wong). Since both are brimming with suppressed rage over various problems in their lives, the near-miss triggers excessive horn-honking, an uncalled-for middle finger, and ultimately a furious car chase. But that battle is only the start of the war as Danny and Amy both become obsessed with their newfound nemeses, kicking off a grudge-match that escalates wildly out of control.
In his acceptance speech for the Best Miniseries win, show creator Lee Sung Jin thanked the real-life driver whose road rage incident inspired the series: "Sir, I hope you honk and yell and inspire others for years to come."
Critical acclaim and controversy
"Beef" received rave reviews from critics (98% on Rotty T's!) and is now a triple Golden Globe winner, as well as a triple Emmy winner (for Editing, Costumes, and Casting). However, it enjoyed only a short time in the sun last year before headlines about the show began to be dominated by controversy over the casting of street artist David Choe. Speaking on his podcast, DVDASA, back in 2014, Choe had described himself forcing a nonconsensual sexual encounter on a masseuse. Following the initial backlash, Choe claimed that the story was fabricated, saying: "If I am guilty of anything, it's bad storytelling in the style of douche." Several years later, he posted a much more contrite apology on Instagram.
Jin cast Choe in "Beef" as Danny's ex-con cousin Isaac, who plays a prominent role in the series, after watching his documentary series "The Choe Show." After "Beef" landed on Netflix in April 2023, clips from the 2014 podcast resurfaced on social media, and the controversy resurfaced along with them. Jin, Yeun, and Wong acknowledged the backlash in a statement to Vanity Fair.
Netflix binge-watch shows like "Beef" tend to spend a short time in the spotlight at the best of times, as new streaming offerings and ongoing series jostle for attention, but it definitely feels like the casting backlash killed the buzz for this one faster than usual. Now, perhaps a handful of prestigious award wins will bring new eyes to the series.
"Beef" is available to watch in full on Netflix.