What is Beef about? Why is Netflix series starring Ali Wong and Steven Yeun so popular - is there a season 2

Netflix’s new series Beef is being called one of the best shows of 2023.

The comedy drama which dropped on April 6, follows the story of two strangers, failing contractor Danny Cho (Steven Yeun) and successful entrepreneur Amy Lau (Ali Wong) who can’t let go of a road rage feud, and will go to extraordinary lengths to get back at one another.

Created by Lee Sung Jin and starring Steven Yeun (Minari) and Ali Wong (Tuca and Bertie), it has reached number one on Netflix’s top 10 TV shows list in the US and ranks number 3 overall for English language shows on the streaming platform.

Though initially billed as a limited series, following its success there is hope for season 2, with Lee revealing in an interview with Rolling Stone that he has “three seasons mapped out”. So, what is Beef about, why is it so good and will there be a season 2? Here’s everything you need to know.

What is Beef about?

Beef follows the story of failing contractor Danny Cho and successful entrepreneur Amy Lau who get into a road rage incident and can’t let it go. As they each try to outdo the other with their feud, things escalate further and further and start to have real-life consequences.

Netflix’s official Beef synopsis reads: “BEEF follows the aftermath of a road rage incident between two strangers. Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), a failing contractor with a chip on his shoulder, goes head-to-head with Amy Lau (Ali Wong), a self-made entrepreneur with a picturesque life. The increasing stakes of their feud unravel their lives and relationships in this darkly comedic and deeply moving series.”

Why is it so good?

The 10-episode series has received a positive response from fans, with many calling it one of the best shows of 2023. Beef has reached number one on the Netflix top 10 shows list in the US and ranked third for English shows overall. It has received an impressive nearly perfect rating of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.3/10 on IMDb.

After reaching the Netflix number one spot, Beef creator Lee Sung Jin thanked the team for the show’s success in a post on Instagram. He said: “Thank you to everyone who got us to #1. I won’t speak on how incredible they are at their craft because imho you can see that in the show. But what you don’t see on screen is their generosity, kindness and compassion. Truly the best.”

Will there be a season 2 of Netflix’s Beef?

Although initially billed as a limited series, following its popularity fans could potentially be seeing more from Beef, but there are no official plans as of yet. The first series was planned to be a complete story, but Lee has hinted that he would “love to explore them further”.

Reported by Elle, the Beef creator said: “Cards on the table, we did pitch this show as a limited anthology, so there is sort of a close-ended-ness to the story [of Danny and Amy]. But, if given the opportunity, of course, I’d love to explore them further, because Danny and Amy, I love those characters. But yeah, by design, though, this a close-ended narrative.”

Whilst in an interview with Rolling Stone he revealed he has “three seasons mapped out” with Lee explaining: “I wanted it to have a conclusive feel just in case, but there are a lot of ideas on my end to keep this story going. I think should we be blessed with a Season Two.” He continued: “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.”