A24 has garnered another victory for Asian-American representation with Beef. The US-based company has gained popularity owing to its diverse, daring, and engaging storylines. The newest addition is Beef, penned by comedy writer and producer Lee Sung Jun. The comic drama series is about a stressed-out duo of strangers who become intertwined after a road rage altercation. Beef is being called 2023’s best new TV show. And even though it begins with a road rage incident, there is a lot more to it.
The series debuted on Netflix on 6th April and gained 3rd position on the English TV Series top 10 with 34.08 million hours viewed.
The audience saw the first trailer on March 15, which opened with the two lead characters Amy Lau played by Ali Wong, and Steven Yeun plays Danny Cho. Both of them have their share of struggles. Also, both are opposites in terms of financial standing. Amy is living a lavish lifestyle, and as for Danny, he is barely making ends meet. A road rage episode brings these two strangers together. The altercation rapidly aggravates into a reckless car chase. But it doesn’t end there.
Their anger consumes them so much that it becomes an obsession. Both of them cross each other’s paths and are adamant to destroy each other’s lives. If you look into the regular explanation of the word Beef the title indicates the road rage incident between Amy and Danny, which is the main plot of the show. The creator of the show Lee Sung Jin has based the show on a real-life traffic incident he had with a stranger.
Both Danny and Am go to ridiculously elaborate lengths throughout the series to disturb and wreak havoc in each other’s lives. Since they both belong to different social backgrounds, this, too, acts as a stimulus to their feud and their struggles. At the same time, it also raises the question if their anger is legitimated or misguided due to their unresolved issues.
The cast of Beef is mostly Asian-American, and its star actors such as Remy Holt and Joseph Lee will play the roles of Junie and George, Amy’s daughter and husband. Patti Yasukate plays the role of Amy’s mother-in-law, Fumi. Ashley Park from Emily in Paris is Amy’s colleague. David Choe and Young Mazino are Danny’s family. And Justin H. Min plays Danny’s friend.
Although the TV show is a comedy, the creator says that he wants the audience to know that it is more than just a show about road rage. The show depicts deeper themes of loneliness and why things are the way they are. He said that he wishes that the audience will be able to gauge from the trailer that it is not only a regular revenge show. This show is interesting and worth watching if you are looking for something fun and engaging on Netflix.
