10 Biggest TV Controversies Of 2023

Netflix's dark comedy-drama series Beef is one of 2023's most unforgettable shows - a fascinatingly ridiculous romp centered around two individuals (Steven Yeun and Ali Wong) who share a fast-escalating feud following a road rage incident.

Though Beef released to strong critical acclaim, mere days after it hit the streaming platform, a 2014 podcast episode resurfaced in which one of the show's stars, David Choe, remarked that he had committed "rapey behavior" against a masseuse.

The comments proved controversial enough at the time that Choe's work as an artist was protested, prompting him to apologise for them in 2017, while insisting that the podcast was a work of ill-advised comedic fiction rather than a legitimate confessional.

Nevertheless, Choe's "joke" was brought back into the public eye following Beef's release, prompting backlash against Netflix, co-producer A24, cast members Yeun and Wong, and series creator Lee Sung Jin for being radio silent on the subject.

Yeun, Wong, and Jin eventually released a statement noting the "disturbing" nature of Choe's initial remarks, while adding that he's "put in the work" to address his mental health woes and learn from his mistakes.

All the same, the whole exhausting furore cast a cloud over what was, on its own terms, one of the most imaginative and deftly crafted shows released this entire year.