ReviewNetflix drama review: Beef – Steven Yeun, Ali Wong face off in A24’s outrageously sublime dark comedy series

From the production house behind Everything Everywhere All at Once comes a show with brilliantly observed details of Asian-American life yet universal appeal

A road rage incident between Yeun and Wong’s characters sparks an absurd vendetta, but it’s got so much more to say. This is 2023’s best new TV show so far

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Steven Yeun (front) as Danny and Young Mazino as Paul in a still from Beef. Photo: Netflix.

Published: 7:00am, 19 Mar 2023Updated: 8:35am, 19 Mar 2023

5/5 stars

Hot on the heels of Everything Everywhere All at Once’s historic victory at the 95th Academy Awards, US-based production company A24 scores another triumph for Asian-American representation with Beef, a darkly comic drama series about two stressed out strangers who become apocalyptically intertwined following a road rage altercation.

Oscar nominee Steven Yeun (Minari) and comedienne Ali Wong (Always Be My Maybe) lead an almost entirely Asian cast, which also includes Young Mazino, David Choe, Joseph Lee and Patti Yasutake.

The first two episodes of Beef premiered at the South By Southwest film festival on March 18, ahead of the entire 10-episode season debuting on Netflix on April 6.

Set in San Diego, Beef is the story of Danny Cho (Yeun), a frustrated and largely unsuccessful contractor, who literally collides with Amy Lau (Wong), a self-made business owner whose seemingly perfect life is equally unsatisfying.