Beef’s hidden meanings: Everything you didn’t spot in Netflix series

Netflix sequence Beef has been dubbed one of the best present of 2023 after scoring a coveted one hundred pc score on Rotten Tomatoes. 

The ten-episode black comedy sequence dropped final Thursday and tells the story of two strangers who get entangled in a street rage incident and the aftermath.

Beef stars Steven Yeun as Danny Cho, a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, who goes head-to-head with Amy Lau (Ali Wong), an individual residing a far totally different, picturesque life as a self-made entrepreneur.

Hundreds of followers have taken to Twitter to share their ideas on the drama, with many praising the present for being in contrast to some other they’ve seen. Nonetheless, there are a number of moments that viewers could have missed on the primary watch. 

Now MailOnline breaks down all of the symbolism within the present. 

One to look at: Netflix sequence Beef has been dubbed one of the best present of 2023 after scoring a coveted one hundred pc score on Rotten Tomatoes

The title 

Whereas it is rapidly obvious why Beef is named Beef, the title didn’t come rapidly to the showrunner. 

Lee defined: ‘There are surprisingly few catchy phrases or idioms that promote the feud side of the present, and the few that exist have been finished earlier than.

‘If Netflix had seen the listing of potential names, there may not be a present at present. They had been aggressively unhealthy.’

He revealed that he had initially toyed with the concept of calling the present Eye for an Eye however needed to seize the ‘aesthetic enchantment of a punchy one-word title’.

George’s sculptures 

Whereas George’s art work could have appeared merely as shapeless blobs, the artwork division made the sculptures in home, particularly designed to characterize George’s emotional state. 

Manufacturing designer Grace Yun revealed the ‘amorphous blob shapes represented how George floats via life and doesn’t actually prohibit himself. 

‘He’s very free-flowing and welcoming of what’s taking place round him.’

George’s artwork modifications after the time bounce, a choice that was made fastidiously along with his new psychological state in thoughts and whereas struggling to course of his break up from Amy. 

Grace defined they needed to point out, ‘he’s somewhat worn on the edges and like he’s grown and matured himself, we needed him to attempt various kinds of glazing and usher in colours that regarded just like the patina of one thing that was fired below plenty of warmth.

‘They’re a lot bigger items to replicate him turning into an even bigger fixture inside the house as properly, actually hanging inside the home. He’s not restricted to the basement.’

George’s sculptures: The artwork division made the sculptures in home, particularly designed to characterize George’s emotional state

The episode titles 

Viewers have praised the ‘stunning’ title sequence playing cards used on the episode and the prolonged episode names. 

Talking to Netflix, Beef’s creator and showrunner Lee Sung Jin revealed how he referenced influential texts and movies for the drama. 

Episode one is entitled The Birds Don’t Sing, They Screech in Ache and comes from a quote taken from German director Werner Herzog’s documentary Burden of Goals.

It’s a reference to Danny and Amy’s journey within the opening episode, initially seeming like two bizarre individuals earlier than the depths of their ache and trauma is revealed.  

Episode two, The Rapture of Being Alive, is a quote from American author Joseph Campbell, his response when requested by Invoice Moyers in an 1988 interview what he believed the which means of life to be.

It was chosen for the second episode as that is after we say the protagonists turn out to be obsessive about in search of revenge and tapping in to their primal impulses. 

Episode three, I Am Inhabited by a Cry, is a quote from Sylvia Plath’s poem Elm which presents a girl as an elm tree together with her expertise of misplaced love.

It resonates with the third episode because it exhibits Amy and Danny satisfied that their emotions of loss and vacancy will disappear in the event that they get hold of the issues they’re coveting in life. 

Episode 4, Simply Not All on the Identical Time, comes from the Betty Friedan quote ‘You possibly can have all of it, simply not all on the similar time’, her response when requested if girls can have all of it in life. 

That is proven within the episode when Amy insists it is potential throughout her Vegas Q&A, regardless of the actual fact her private life is in tatters.

Episode titles: Viewers have praised the ‘stunning’ title sequence playing cards used on the episode and the prolonged episode names

Episode 5 is entitled Such Inward Secret Creatures, a part of a quote from Iris Murdoch’s novel The Sea, the Sea.

Within the quote it refers to individuals inflating the significance of issues they worth and within the episode this proven via the character’s desperation to flatter their very own egos.  

Episode six, We Draw a Magic Circle, comes from Ingmar Bergman’s movie By way of a Glass Darkly, which describes constructing a a wall round what you wish to imagine as a fashion of self protection. 

That is proven in Amy’s robust perception that every one the negativity in her life, from the street rage incident to her mother-in-law’s fall down the stair through the theft, isn’t her fault.

Episode seven, I Am a Cage, comes from Franz Kafka’s Die Zürauer Aphorismen – a group of aphorisms – with the complete quote being, ‘I’m a cage, seeking a hen.’

The protagonists present their emotions of vacancy and uncertainty within the episode – with Amy saying she has feeling in her chest that ‘looks like the bottom’, whereas Danny seeks solutions at church. 

Episode eight, The Drama of Unique Selection, sums up the season by referring to Simone de Beauvoir’s ebook The Ethics of Ambiguity.

It takes a take a look at Danny and Amy’s life from delivery to the current day, exploring the domino impact the place the alternatives we make at present are predestined by our pasts.

Episode 9, The Nice Fabricator, comes from French thinker Simone Weil’s quote that attachments are the best fabricator. 

Within the penultimate episode issues come to a head because the attachments start to unravel, with Isaac in search of revenge on Danny, Naomi selecting to save lots of herself over Jordan within the panic room and Danny and Paul chopping ties.  

The ultimate episode, Figures Of Gentle, is a play on the Carl Jung quote: ‘One doesn’t turn out to be enlightened by imagining figures of sunshine, however by making the darkness aware.’

That is demonstrated within the finale because the characters lastly start to deal with their behaviour and poisonous traits relatively than conceal and shift blame.  

Jordan’s home: The aesthetic was designed to appear like a personal exhibition house for herself, with the furnishings picked to look uninviting however unique

Jordan’s Home 

Jordan’s house is designed to replicate her ‘eccentric, distinctive, highly effective’ character.

The aesthetic was designed to appear like a personal exhibition house for herself, with the furnishings picked to look uninviting however unique. 

The set designers additionally needed to lean into the theme of personal curation and cultural appropriation with the crown room.

They ensured that the objects had been from Asia or South America as a result of character’s have to acceptable issues. 

Amy’s wardrobe 

Head of costume, Helen Huang, ensured that Amy’s outfits had been heat, impartial colours and shapeless garments.

Ali defined that Helen had advised her: ‘I feel it’s so fascinating if Amy wears these garments which might be seemingly zen and impartial, however then she has these insane ideas.’

Revealing the way it influenced her performing fashion, Ali continued: ‘My costume already kind of felt like a cage in a manner. 

‘And it wasn’t alleged to really feel like that — Amy selected these garments, but it surely’s just like the particular person she needs to be and somebody who she is just not.’

Amy’s wardrobe: Head of costume, Helen Huang, ensured that Amy’s outfits had been heat, impartial colours and shapeless garments

Amy’s home: The design of Amy and George’s house is intentionally chilly and unwelcoming, with the wood slats on the staircase designed to appear like a cage

Amy’s home 

The design of Amy and George’s house is intentionally chilly and unwelcoming, with the wood slats on the staircase designed to appear like a cage. 

The set designer defined: ‘I spaced them out somewhat extra in order that whereas they’re seemingly very zen, additionally they make your home really feel like a cage.’

Ali stated: ‘I simply all the time had that feeling, as soon as I bought into costume and bought to the set, the place I felt like I used to be in a cage. However no one else might see it or really feel it however me, ? 

‘And it made me really feel somewhat alone. So I’ve to offer credit score to these individuals for actually serving to me get into character.’

Danny’s condominium

The set designers had been eager to showcase the distinction between Danny and Amy via their very totally different aesthetics. 

They defined: ‘That was one of many distinctive and enjoyable challenges for the situation division, discovering areas for Danny and for Amy which might be very totally different.

‘Amy’s world may be very slick and clear and aspirational and Danny’s is far grittier.’ 

The group got down to ‘make the most of the starkness and the angles of that location to actually present [Danny’s] character and the place he comes from’, including they ‘needed [it to] really feel trapped, however differently from Amy’s home, in a way more cluttered and enclosed manner.’ 

Danny’s condominium: The group got down to ‘make the most of the starkness and the angles of that location to actually present [Danny’s] character and the place he comes from’