The K-drama 'Love Besides You' (除了你之外的戀愛), starring Seo Kang-joon (서강준) and Ahn Eun-jin (안은진), has struggled with ratings since its premiere on September 12, even dropping below 2% to a new low. Beyond its unengaging plot, the latest episode sparked controversy due to a line involving sexual harassment. A character in the drama brazenly declared, "I'm going to sexually harass you in one minute," and threatened to forcibly remove the other person's pants. While intended to de-escalate a conflict, the phrasing drew strong backlash from viewers, making the drama a hot topic on Korean online forums once again.
In the episode aired on the 18th, Han Tae-seung (한태승), a lawyer at Jae Kang Law Firm played by Lee Joo-an (이주안), got into a heated argument with a colleague. The colleague harshly criticized him, saying, "Stop ruining the image of lawyers! Stop living off drinking parties and political donations. Honestly, I'm ashamed to be your colleague." Han Tae-seung did not back down, retorting, "What's truly shameful is losing a case! Unlike you, I don't have parents who are judges or prosecutors, so to avoid losing, I have to grit my teeth and do whatever it takes."
Unexpectedly, the colleague then provoked him further: "That's right, you've even killed someone, so doing something so beastly must be easy for you!" Han Tae-seung exploded in anger upon hearing this, about to lunge forward, and the atmosphere instantly escalated.
At this moment, Lee Mi-do (이미도), played by Ahn Eun-jin, who stepped in to stop the conflict, suddenly made a threat to Han Tae-seung's colleague: "I'm going to sexually harass you in one minute! If you don't leave now, I'll use every means possible to pull down your pants and humiliate you here!" She continued, "If you dare to grit your teeth and fight me, stripping off all your clothes, even your underwear, would be no trouble for me. It's true, I'm very strong!"
Although Lee Mi-do's words were intended as a harsh warning to protect Han Tae-seung and stop further provocation, the dialogue, involving sexual harassment and forced undressing, immediately sparked controversy after airing. Some viewers argued that even if the character's intention was to stop a conflict, sexual harassment or forcing someone to undress should not be used as a threat, nor should sexual violence be portrayed as a tool for satisfying retaliation. Especially since the drama airs on the public broadcasting station KBS, some viewers questioned whether the scriptwriters and production team adequately considered the appropriateness of such dialogue during the scriptwriting and filming process.
After the episode aired, the relevant clips quickly became a trending topic on the Korean forum theqoo, with netizens leaving furious comments and strong criticism. Some directly stated, "Not just in 2026, I don't think anyone would find such dialogue appropriate in any year." Others expressed disbelief, saying, "This kind of content was actually filmed? Did no one see a problem, not even cut it out? I looked it up and found it was KBS, that's really outrageous!"
Some netizens also questioned the quality of the script: "Do actors just act exactly as the script says?" and "Is it really necessary to deliver lines of this caliber? Are the male and female leads just puppets acting according to the script?" Some even sympathized with the actors, finding it regrettable to have talented performers deliver such dialogue.
However, the most discussed aspect remained the plot point of using sexual harassment as a means of retaliation. One netizen criticized, "It's also uncomfortable to have the female lead say something like that. Is sexual harassment just a tool to threaten others?" Others raised questions from a gender perspective, pointing out that women are often victims of sexual harassment in reality, yet the drama portrays forced undressing as a means for a woman to stop a man. They felt this depiction was not only unconvincing but could also make viewers uncomfortable.
Furthermore, the drama was already under scrutiny for its low ratings, and now with the dialogue controversy, many viewers have lost patience. Some bluntly stated, "How is every scene in this drama surprising?" and "Such good actors are wasted, made to say such vulgar lines." Others criticized the character settings and romantic plotline, finding the interactions between the male and female leads already unengaging, and now with problematic dialogue, it's even harder to understand the scriptwriter's creative direction.
From consistently low ratings to the latest episode being slammed by Korean netizens for controversial dialogue, 'Love Besides You' has been generating a lot of buzz recently, though not necessarily positive. The attempt to create dramatic tension through intense dialogue backfired due to its delivery, prompting renewed public attention on whether drama productions should more carefully address issues related to sexual harassment and sexual violence while pursuing dramatic flair.
