Beef (TV series)
Beef is a 2023 American comedy-drama television limited series created by Korean director Lee Sung Jin for Netflix. It stars Steven Yeun and Ali Wong as Danny Cho and Amy Lau, two strangers whose involvement in a road rage incident escalates into a prolonged feud. Appearing in supporting roles are Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, David Choe, and Patti Yasutake.
| Beef | |
|---|---|
_poster.jpg.webp) Promotional poster | |
| Genre | |
| Created by | Lee Sung Jin |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Bobby Krlic |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 10 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producers |
|
| Cinematography | Larkin Seiple |
| Editors |
|
| Running time | 30–39 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Release | |
| Original network | Netflix |
| Original release | April 6, 2023 |
The ten-episode series was released on Netflix on April 6, 2023, to acclaim from critics who praised Yeun's and Wong's performances, as well as the writing and directing. At the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, it received 13 nominations including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series and acting nods for Yeun, Wong, Lee, Mazino and Maria Bello.[2]
Cast and characters
Main
- Steven Yeun as Danny Cho, a struggling contractor who is involved in a road rage incident[3][4]
- Ali Wong as Amy Lau, a small business owner and the other party in the road rage incident
- Joseph Lee as George Nakai, a sculptor and Amy's stay-at-home husband
- Young Mazino as Paul Cho, Danny's unmotivated younger brother
- David Choe as Isaac Cho, Danny and Paul's cousin, recently released from prison
- Patti Yasutake as Fumi Nakai, George's mother
Recurring
- Maria Bello as Jordan Forster, the wealthy owner of a home improvement chain store
- Ashley Park as Naomi, Jordan's sister-in-law and later fiancée, and Amy's neighbor
- Mia Serafino as Mia, Amy's assistant
- Remy Holt as June, Amy and George's young daughter
- Justin H. Min as Edwin, a praise leader in a Korean church
- Alyssa Gihee Kim as Veronica, Danny's ex-girlfriend and Edwin's wife
- Andie Ju as Esther, a friend of Edwin and Veronica
- Andrew Santino as Michael, an associate of Isaac
- Rek Lee as Bobby, another associate of Isaac
Episodes
| No. | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain" | Hikari | Lee Sung Jin | April 6, 2023 | |
| Danny Cho, a contractor struggling to maintain clients, nearly drives his truck into Amy Lau's SUV in the parking lot of home improvement store Forsters, where Amy is organizing the sale of her business to the chain's owner, Jordan. The incident between Amy and Danny escalates to road rage and a car chase. Amy drives away, and Danny notes her license plate number. Both are struggling with tensions in their personal and professional lives. Danny feels that his brother Paul is irresponsible, and their parents have moved back to Korea after the failure of their motel business. Amy is stressed by her work, and by her relationship with her well-intentioned husband, George. Danny borrows money from his cousin Isaac, a criminal who may have played a role in the loss of the motel. Danny tracks Amy down from her license plate number and uses his role as a contractor to enter her Calabasas home and take revenge by urinating all over her bathroom. Furious, Amy chases after him and notes his license plate number as he drives away laughing. | |||||
| 2 | "The Rapture of Being Alive" | Jake Schreier | Alice Ju | April 6, 2023 | |
| Amy and George agree to find Danny. Danny gets the idea from Isaac to start a new business under his brother Paul's name. While the brothers visit Danny's ex-girlfriend, Veronica, and her husband Edwin, Isaac informs Danny that Amy and George were looking for him. Amy catfishes Paul on Instagram and has an argument with George at a gallery opening. Amy vandalizes Danny's truck, leading to a fight between him and Paul. Amy agrees to couples therapy with George. | |||||
| 3 | "I Am Inhabited by a Cry" | Jake Schreier | Carrie Kemper | April 6, 2023 | |
| Amy and George attend couples therapy as Danny tries to retaliate. Danny attends Edwin's church and is invited to do repair jobs around the building. During a stressful meeting with Jordan, who leaves her alone waiting in the backyard, Amy opens up to Paul over the phone. Amy admits to George that she feels blocked, but he does not seem to understand. After Danny is rejected for a loan, he and Isaac decide to take out a loan in the name of the church. Jordan brings Amy the term sheet for their deal, which involves Amy staying on for five more years, to Amy's dismay. Paul visits Amy's store and she admits to catfishing him, but Paul kisses her. | |||||
| 4 | "Just Not All at the Same Time" | Hikari | Alex Russell | April 6, 2023 | |
| Amy reveals to Paul that she is married and will be leaving for Las Vegas to speak at a conference. After getting Danny and Isaac drunk, Paul steals Danny's truck and drives to Las Vegas. When they recover, Danny and Isaac follow Paul to Las Vegas. Paul meets with Amy at her hotel room and they spend the night together, although Amy insists they keep their relationship platonic. As Amy talks at the conference, Isaac spots Paul in the hotel restaurant and chases him to Amy's room, where Danny and Isaac confront him. Danny and Isaac spot Amy at the conference as they leave the hotel, and Danny heckles her about the road rage incident. After another chase, Danny and Isaac are apprehended by police as Amy watches, gloating. | |||||
| 5 | "Such Inward Secret Creatures" | Hikari | Marie Hanhnhon Nguyen & Niko Gutierrez-Kovner | April 6, 2023 | |
| After crossing state lines to find Paul in Las Vegas, Isaac is placed under house arrest. Danny befriends George using a false name. Danny visits Isaac and tries to convince him to steal valuable artworks from George and Amy's home. However, Isaac lashes out over his arrest and the money Danny owes him, and does not agree to the plan. Danny convinces Isaac's associates Michael and Bobby to rob the house, but when George confides in him about his loneliness, he feels guilty and tries to call off the robbery. Danny convinces George to leave home temporarily. Amy returns home, and invites Paul. They have sex, but argue after Paul asks her for money. Amy orders Paul to leave. Amy's neighbor Naomi becomes suspicious about her involvement in the road rage incident, which Amy has been covering up, and starts investigating. George's mother Fumi sneaks into the home to look at the artworks, intending to sell them. Michael and Bobby break in and are confronted by Fumi. After she threatens them with Amy's gun, she trips and falls down the stairs. | |||||
| 6 | "We Draw a Magic Circle" | Jake Schreier | Joanna Calo | April 6, 2023 | |
| Isaac takes over running the renovation operations at the church. Danny tries to get Paul to open up about his breakup with Amy, but Paul remains closed off. Naomi visits Fumi, trying to investigate the connection between Amy's road rage incident and the robbery. Amy administers Fumi with extra painkillers, leaving her unconscious and unable to talk to Naomi. Amy meets with Danny, and she agrees to pay him enough to clear his debt with Isaac to implicate someone else in the incident. However, Fumi tells Naomi there is no connection, which leads Amy to call off the deal with Danny. Isaac is arrested because the road-rage episode becomes public and the police believe he was the one driving his truck. | |||||
| 7 | "I Am a Cage" | Jake Schreier | Lee Sung Jin & Kevin Rosen | April 6, 2023 | |
| Eight months later, Amy has finalized the sale of her business. She and George have bought a vacation home, and have hired a nanny to help care for their daughter, June. Danny has become a praise leader and built his parents a house using cash Isaac hid in the church. Edwin asks to get involved in Danny's business, but Danny denies any illegal activity and rejects him. After George admits to an affair with Amy's former assistant, Amy expresses her doubts about her marriage to their couples counselor. George invites Danny to a party celebrating his art, where he realizes Amy was the woman Paul had been seeing. After arguing with Danny, Amy asks George about moving out of the city. Paul goes through the business accounts and becomes suspicious, but Danny diverts him by revealing Amy used Paul to further their feud. Paul impulsively tells George about his affair with Amy. Danny picks his parents up from the airport and drives them to the house he built for them. When they arrive, they find that the house has burned down. | |||||
| 8 | "The Drama of Original Choice" | Jake Schreier | Lee Sung Jin & Jean Kyoung Frazier | April 6, 2023 | |
| Amy remembers traumatic events from her youth that have prompted her to conceal things and lie to people as an adult. Amy reveals her feud with Danny to George, who asks her for a divorce. Danny suspects the house fire was caused by arson, and attacks Edwin at his home after seeing him at the scene. Edwin denies any involvement. Danny learns that his own faulty wiring caused the fire, but tells Paul that Amy set it with gasoline. Danny visits George at home, still using a false name, intending to plant evidence incriminating Amy. George discovers Danny's identity and tells June to get in the car. Danny and George fight. Danny knocks George unconscious and flees in his truck, but realizes that June is in the backseat. | |||||
| 9 | "The Great Fabricator" | Jake Schreier | Lee Sung Jin | April 6, 2023 | |
| Isaac is released from prison. Amy visits Jordan at her house when George calls, telling her that Danny has kidnapped June. Danny brings June back to the motel, where Isaac assaults him and demands his money. An Amber alert is issued for June, prompting Isaac to kidnap her, restraining Danny and Paul. He demands a $500,000 ransom from Amy. Amy encourages him to rob valuable artifacts from Jordan's home instead. Amy calls George to collect June, but asks him not to call the police. Isaac and Michael break into Jordan's home, holding Jordan, Naomi, and Amy at gunpoint. The police arrive, panicking Isaac and Michael. Danny and Paul escape their restraints but are held at gunpoint and brought into the house by Michael. Jordan and Naomi attempt to escape to a panic room, but Jordan is killed by the automatic door. Danny convinces Paul to escape over a garden wall as a firefight breaks out, but he is seemingly shot by the police on the other side. Michael is killed and Isaac is arrested. Amy learns that George has taken June home without her and that she will be denied custody. Danny escapes Jordan's house through a drain and leaves in a stolen truck. He encounters Amy by the road and they enter another car chase, but they both lose control of their vehicles and drive off a cliff. | |||||
| 10 | "Figures of Light" | Lee Sung Jin | Lee Sung Jin | April 6, 2023 | |
| Injured after their car crashes, Amy and Danny attack each other, but are stranded with no cell phone reception. Amy forces Danny at gunpoint to forage for food, which leads them to consume poisonous berries. They both become sick and dehydrated and, believing themselves to be dying, confide in each other and come to an understanding about their respective sadness. They survive, and make their way back towards the city. Danny learns Paul is alive. As they reach safety, George appears and shoots Danny. Amy waits by Danny's hospital bed, embracing him as he lies unconscious. Days pass, and Danny returns her embrace. | |||||
Production
The project, created by Korean director Lee Sung Jin and set to star Steven Yeun and Ali Wong was first announced in March 2021, with a bidding war happening over the series rights.[7] Netflix would eventually win the rights.[8] In December, Lee Isaac Chung was reported to be directing the pilot episode.[9] In March 2022, additional castings were announced, including David Choe and Patti Yasutake,[10] and the pilot episode would instead be directed by Japanese director Hikari. She was also confirmed to direct several additional episodes.[11]
Filming had begun by April 2022.[12]
Lee Sung Jin has planned the show to last three seasons: “There are a lot of ideas on my end to keep this story going. I think should we be blessed with a Season Two, there’s a lot of ways for Danny and Amy to continue. I have one really big general idea that I can’t really say yet, but I have three seasons mapped out in my head currently.”[13]
Music
Release
Beef premiered at the 2023 SXSW Festival on March 18, 2023.[14] It premiered on Netflix on April 6, 2023.[15]
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 98% of 113 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.4/10. The website's consensus reads: "Ali Wong and Steven Yeun are a diabolically watchable pair of adversaries in Beef, a prime cut comedy that finds the pathos in pettiness."[16] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 86 out of 100 based on 34 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[17]
.jpg.webp)
Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave Beef 3.5 out of 4 stars. In his review of the show, he noted that the general mood of the country, which is characterized by anxiety, frustration, and anger, was effectively used to create a "tonally daring" show that vacillates between comedy, drama, and thriller. Tallerico praised the show for its well-structured plotting and lauded the performances of Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, calling them the best he has seen that year, and applauds their ability to make their characters relatable and grounded. However, Tallerico also noted that the show's penultimate episode became "a little hard-to-swallow" and took away some significant decisions from the characters, which detracted from the thematically rich narrative.[18]
In her review for Variety, Alison Herman praised Beef for the excellent chemistry between Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, as well as for their performances. She noted that the show starts grounded in emotional concerns but spirals ever further out into surrealism and caricatures, sometimes distracting from the show's "core insights".[19] In a review for NPR, Linda Holmes explained that the show is interested in big questions about meaning and purpose in life and "tackles them with inventiveness and deep empathy". She praised the show's stunning, surprising, and empathetic portrayal of the muddled humanity of its very messy characters and its ability to blend humor with deep existential questions. Herman also praised the performances, especially Steven Yeun's, and the show's production design.[20]
Ben Travers of IndieWire gave the series a grade of B and stated that it does a fine job balancing the protagonists' practical intelligence and impractical passions. He added that the series is designed to evoke empathy for each combatant while exploring their shared humanity and collective hardships, and it delves into their demons while drawing parallels between the two leads. He noted that despite some of the plot twists feeling forced, Wong and Yeun "shine throughout".[21] Ellen E. Jones of The Guardian gave the show 4 out of 5 stars and described it at as a "dark, existential thriller" and a "delicacy worth savouring". She noted that the show's "extremely funny" dialogue and chaos highlighted the quality of its leads.[22]
In his review for The New York Times, television critic James Poniewozik described Beef as a "thrilling dark comedy" that "delves into the intricacies of anger via a road-rage feud between two drivers who share more in common than meets the eye". He praised the show's attention to the motivations that led to the conflict and the personal and cultural specificity of its study of anger. Poniewozik also noted that the show's Asian cast was both a casual fact of the setting and integral to its themes.[23] In a review for the Chicago Sun-Times, Richard Roeper described Beef as "bold, darkly funny, emotionally bruising, provocative and wicked-smart social satire". He commended the ensemble cast for their exceptional performances, particularly Ali Wong and Steven Yeun. Comparing the show to "Falling Down and Changing Lanes with a touch of The White Lotus", Roeper claimed that it was the best series he had seen all year.[24]
Accolades
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Set Decorators Society of America Awards | Best Achievement in Décor/Design of a Half-Hour Single-Camera Series | Kellie Jo Tinney, Grace Yun | Nominated | [25] |
| Television Critics Association Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Miniseries or Specials | Beef | Won | [26] | |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series | Pending | [2] | ||
| Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Steven Yeun | Pending | |||
| Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Ali Wong | Pending | |||
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Joseph Lee | Pending | |||
| Young Mazino | Pending | ||||
| Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Maria Bello | Pending | |||
| Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Lee Sung Jin (for "Figures Of Light") | Pending | |||
| Jake Schreier (for "The Great Fabricator") | Pending | ||||
| Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Lee Sung Jin (for "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain") | Pending | |||
| Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards | Outstanding Casting for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Charlene Lee and Claire Koonce | Pending | ||
| Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Helen Huang, Austin Wittick, YJ Hwang, and Mark Anthony Summers (for "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain") | Pending | |||
| Outstanding Picture Editing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Nat Fuller and Laura Zempel (for "Figures of Light") | Pending | |||
| Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Penny Harold, Andrew Garrett Lange, and Sean O'Malley (for "The Great Fabricator") | Pending | |||
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | Best Streaming Limited or Anthology Series | Beef | Pending | [27] | |
| Best Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Steven Yeun | Pending | |||
| Best Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Ali Wong | Pending | |||
| Best Supporting Actor in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Young Mazino | Pending | |||
| Best Supporting Actress in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Ashley Park | Pending | |||
| Maria Bello | Pending | ||||
| Best Directing in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Lee Sung Jin (for "Figures of Light") | Pending | |||
| Best Writing in a Streaming Limited or Anthology Series or Movie | Lee Sung Jin (for "The Birds Don't Sing, They Screech in Pain") | Pending | |||
| Hollywood Critics Association Creative Arts TV Awards | Best Casting in a Limited Series or TV Movie | Beef | Pending | ||
| Gotham Independent Film Awards | Outstanding Performance in a New Series | Steven Yeun | Pending | [28] | |
| Ali Wong | Pending | ||||
| Breakthrough Television Under 40 Minutes | Beef | Pending | |||
References
- Jones, Ellen E. (April 6, 2023). "Beef review – Ali Wong's dark, existential thriller is deliciously subversive". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 9, 2023. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
- Moreau, Jordan (July 12, 2023). "Emmys 2023: The Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
- Mooney, Jessie (April 3, 2023). "Here's Your Crash Course in the Characters of 'BEEF'". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
- Sun, Rebecca (April 10, 2023). "'Beef' Directors on the Mayhem and Metaphysics in Final Two Episodes: "It's Hinting at This Idea That This Is Universal"". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 17, 2023. Retrieved April 18, 2023.
- Odman, Sydney (March 31, 2023). "Ali Wong and Steven Yeun on Stepping into Executive Producer Roles for Road Rage Dramedy 'Beef'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 3, 2023. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
- Otterson, Joe (April 15, 2022). "Steven Yeun, Ali Wong Netflix Series Beef Casts Ione Skye in Guest Role (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on May 28, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
- Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 16, 2021). "Hot Package: A24 Teams Its Minari Oscar Nominee Steven Yeun With Ali Wong For 10-Episode Series; Lee Sung Jin Showrunner". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 24, 2021). "Netflix Wins A24 10-Ep Half Hour Series Package Beef With Minari Oscar Nominee Steven Yeun, Ali Wong & Creator Lee Sung Jin". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- Barfield, Charles (December 30, 2021). "Beef: Minari Director Lee Isaac Chung Will Reportedly Reteam With Steven Yeun For Netflix/A24's Series". The Playlist. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- White, Peter (March 10, 2022). "Beef: Netflix Dramedy Rounds Out Cast Including David Choe With Maria Bello Among Guest Stars". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- White, Peter (March 10, 2022). "37 Seconds Director Hikari To Helm Netflix's Beef". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 10, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- Lapid, Alyssa (April 15, 2022). "Everything To Know About Netflix's Beef". Bustle. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
- Sepinwall, Alan (April 10, 2023). "'Beef' Star Ali Wong and Creator Lee Sung Jin Break Down That Wild Finale". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 12, 2023. Retrieved April 16, 2023.
- Paris, Martine (March 6, 2023). "The Ultimate SXSW 2023 Guide: Hottest Panels, Parties And Popups". Forbes. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- "'Beef' – Official Date Announcement and First Look". The Futon Critic. February 13, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
- "Beef (2023): Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 11, 2023.
- "Beef Reviews: Season 1". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
- Tallerico, Brian. "Beef movie review & film summary (2023)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- Herman, Alison (April 4, 2023). "Ali Wong and Steven Yeun Go Toe to Toe in 'Beef': TV Review". Variety. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- Holmes, Linda (April 6, 2023). "'Beef' is about anger, emptiness, and the meaning of life". NPR.
- Travers, Ben (March 18, 2023). "'Beef' Review: Ali Wong and Steven Yeun Are Knockouts in Netflix's Outsized A24 Drama". IndieWire. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- Jones, Ellen E. (April 6, 2023). "Beef review – Ali Wong's dark, existential thriller is deliciously subversive". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
- Poniewozik, James (April 5, 2023). "'Beef' Review: Mad in America". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- "'Beef' turns an ugly road-rage conflict into great entertainment". Chicago Sun-Times. April 6, 2023. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
- "Set Decorators Society of America Announces Nominations for 2022 Television Awards". Below the Line. June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
- Schneider, Michael (August 7, 2023). "'Succession' and 'The Bear' Dominate TCA Awards; Mel Brooks and 'The Carol Burnett Show' Honored (FULL WINNERS LIST)". Variety. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
- Anderson, Erik (July 11, 2023). "'The Boys', 'Yellowjackets', 'Abbott Elementary' lead 2023 HCA TV Awards nominations". AwardsWatch. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- Davis, Clayton; Lang, Brent (October 24, 2023). "Gotham Awards Nominations: 'All of Us Strangers' Leads With Four Nominations". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on October 24, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
