Netflix’s “Beef” won a Golden Globe for best limited television series.
The A24 comedy-drama, which stars actor Steven Yeun and comedian Ali Wong, made history by being the first show created by and starring Asian Americans to win in its category.
While accepting the award, Lee Seung Jin joked, “Our show is actually based on a real-life rage incident that actually happened to me, so I would be remiss if I didn’t thank that driver.” “Sir, I hope you will honk and scream and inspire others for years to come.”
The other four nominees are “All the Light We Cannot See,” “Daisy Jones and the Six,” “Fargo,” and “Chemistry Lessons.”
Leads Wong and Yeun both took home Golden Globes acting awards for their roles in Beef earlier in the night as well.
“Beef,” which was released on Netflix in April, revolves around struggling contractor Danny, played by Yeun, and successful but half-assed business owner Amy, played by Wong. After the pair cross paths in a fit of road rage, each becomes fixated on destroying the other; Meanwhile, their lives are crumbling around them.
The series quickly gained critical acclaim and has been praised for its depiction of the Korean American evangelical experience, as well as many other aspects of race and Asian American life. However, it was quickly marred by controversy after comments from costar David Choi, one of the cast members, resurfaced in 2014, in which he detailed his self-proclaimed “rape behaviour” towards a black masseuse. The comments were criticized as glorifying and making light of rape and sexual assault. At the time, Choi wrote on the website of his now-defunct podcast, “DVDASA,” that the story was fabricated, calling the podcast “a complete extension of my art.”
When the incident came to light again in 2017, Choi said in a statement that he “reported the story simply because it has shock value.”
“Even though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen,” he said at the time.
Choi continued to spark outrage when tweets criticizing his behavior, which included clips from his podcast, were removed from Twitter and labeled with a “Report by copyright holder” notice. An email obtained by NBC News, sent from Twitter and addressed to Meecham Whitson Meriweather — one of two social media users whose tweets were removed — listed Choe as the copyright holder and the party requesting the takedown.
Viewers also criticized the series’ initial decision to cast Choi despite his history of controversial behavior. On the podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience”, Choi said that Yeon and Wong, his old friends, offered him the opportunity to participate in the show, marking his first big foray into acting.
In a joint statement, Lee, the show’s creator, as well as Yeon and Wong, who also serve as executive producers, appeared to defend Choi.
“The story that David Choi fabricated nine years ago is undoubtedly hurtful and deeply disturbing. We do not condone this story in any way, and we understand why this was so disturbing and disturbing,” the three said in the statement. “He has apologized in the past for making up this horrific story, and we have seen him do his best to get the mental health support he needed over the past decade to better himself and learn from his mistakes.”
“Beef” is poised to have a successful awards season, having already won two Gotham Independent Film Awards last year and garnering several nominations for the upcoming Emmy Awards, Independent Spirit Awards, Critics’ Choice Television Awards and more.