Beyond Beef Scoops 8 Emmys: What's the Show About? Everything You Need to Know

Source: Yahoo

Lee Sung Jin, the showrunner, describes it as a darkly comedic cocktail, swirling together humor, suspense, and passion. Think Paul Thomas Anderson meets "The Sopranos" with a dash of "White Lotus" madness, seasoned with Ingmar Bergman's melancholic touch and a sprinkle of Hirokazu Koreeda's warmth. Yes, it's a unique blend!

Inspired by Lee's own road rage experiences, "Beef" follows two strangers entangled in a hilarious yet unsettling car-honking incident. Their anger simmers, bubbles over, and ultimately takes them on a twisted journey that's equal parts absurd and strangely relatable.

So, with all these Beef Emmys and an intriguing premise, how can you resist trying a bite of "Beef"? Dive into this post to learn everything you need to know about the Emmy-winning dramedy, from its plot and characters to the reasons behind Beef winning Emmys.

Netflix’s "Beef" Winning Emmys 

On January 14, at the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards, Beef star Wong and Yeun won Emmy in their respective lead star categories, making Wong the first woman of Asian descent to win a lead acting Emmy. Further, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, and Maria Bello also earned nominations for their supporting roles.

Aside from the acting, Beef also captured awards for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie as well as directing and writing. Speaking on behalf of the production team, creator Lee Sung Jin gave a tightly paced acceptance speech for the biggest honor. 

Source: People

He said, “A lot of the suicidal ideation in this show was based on stuff that I and some of the folks up here have struggled with over the years,” he said. “I’m really grateful and humbled by everyone who watched the show and reached out about their own personal struggles. That’s very life-affirming, so thank you.”

Broadening out, he continued saying, “We live in a world that’s trying to kind of keep us separate. … For some of us, when we live in a world like this, we begin to think that there’s no way that anyone can ever understand you or like you, or, much less, you know, no potential empathy or love. So, the greatest joy of working on Beef has truly been working with the folks up here, who loved so unconditionally.”

To Lighten the mood toward the end of his speech, Jin said, “Everything I do is for my three dogs. So, the Federal Drug Administration, if you could please fast-track that anti-aging pill, that would be so lovely.”

Jin’s name is engraved on the two other non-acting Emmys handed out tonight, for outstanding writing and directing of a limited or anthology series or movie. The writing prize was for the episode titled “The Birds Don’t Sing, They Screech in Pain,” while the directing honor was for “Figures of Light.”

What is Beef about on Netflix?

The comedy-drama television miniseries, Beef follows the aftermath of a road rage accident between two strangers: Danny Cho, a troubled contractor, and Amy Lau, a self-made business owner. Throughout the 10 episodes of the first season, their incident rocketed into a full-on feud between the pair, eventually consuming their relationships and lives. 

Source: Netflix

During an interview with IndieWire, creator Lee said, “[Danny and Amy] are both people who are very ashamed of the darker parts of their psyche, and they’re trying to hide it from the people that they love. All their actions are to sort of protect what they see inside themselves as not worthy to be seen”. 

He continued saying, “It really took all these crazy events of Season 1 for them to break down their walls and basically look at each other and be like, ‘Oh, here’s the only other person who is as horrible as me, and they’re still climbing into a bed and holding me at the end of the day.’ That was the main feeling that we wanted to convey through the show.”

Who is in the Beef cast?

When it comes to the cast, Ali Wong and Steven Yeun co-star in Beef as Amy Lau and Danny Cho, respectively. Here are the main cast members:

• Steven Yeun as Danny Cho
• Ali Wong as Amy Lau
• Joseph Lee as George Nakai
• David Choe as Isaac Cho
• Patti Yasutake as Fumi Nakai
• Young Mazino as Paul Cho

Moreover, recurring roles include Maria Bello as Jordan Forster, Ashley Park as Naomi, Mia Serafino as Mia, Remy Holt as June, and Justin H. Min as Edwin, and more.

Is there going to be a season 2 of Beef?

Sadly, Netflix has not yet announced whether there will be a season 2 of Beef. however, based on the show’s solid performance and its recent success including Beef Emmys, renewing the comedy series seems like a no-brainer for the streaming giant. 

Last March in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter Lee said that they are helpful for another run, his exact words were, “When we pitched the show, we actually pitched it as a limited anthology series, Fingers crossed. I hope people love the show and we get to make more.” “I hope so,” Yeun added. “Tell your friends!”

If this TV miniseries becomes an anthology like HBO’s The White Lotus, unfortunately, we’d have to say goodbye to Yeun and Wong. Although, Sung Jin previously said that Beef was created as a “close-ended narrative,” he also stated that he would be open to exploring Danny and Amy further.

“But, if given the opportunity, of course, I’d love to explore them further, because Danny and Amy, I love those characters,” he told Elle. “But yeah, by design, though, this a close-ended narrative.” 

So, while we wait for word on a second season of "Beef," let's give a big round of applause for its Emmy success! This dark dramedy truly sizzled on the awards circuit, and it deserves all the accolades. Now, who's ready to rewatch and dissect every hilarious, honking moment? I know I am! And if you have not watched the first season of Beef yet, you can watch the trailer below.

Source: BEEF | Official Trailer | Netflix

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q. How many Emmys did Beef win?

Beef won a total of eight awards, including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Steven Yeun, Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for Lee Sung Jin.

Q. Who won the most Emmys last night?

With a total of six awards, the Roy clan of “Succession” and the found family of “The Bear” won the most Emmys at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards. The HBO family drama show and FX comedy dominated the 2024 Emmy Awards, including a best drama win for “Succession” and a best comedy win for “The Bear.”

Q. What award did Beef win?

“Beef” won eight awards in total, including five Primetime Emmy statuettes throughout the night. Those were for best limited or anthology series or movie, best actor in a limited or anthology series or movie (Steven Yeun), and best actress in a limited or anthology series or movie (Ali Wong).

Q. Is Emmy or Oscar more prestigious?

The answer is simple, The Oscars are the more prestigious as the Academy votes on them. The directors from the industry vote for Best Director, actors vote for the Best Actor and Best Actress awards, screenwriters vote for the Best Screenplay awards, etc. In short, the Oscar winners are selected by their Hollywood peers, which is the highest honor.

Q. Will there be a second season of Beef?

While Beef starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun was a big hit on Netflix, the streaming service has not yet announced whether there will be a second season 2. Creator Lee Sung Jin addressed Beef Season 1's ending and storyline after winning big at the Emmys, saying "It could stay limited — it was a very close-ended story for sure."