The Future of Netflix’s “Beef” Currently Remains Unclear

Ali Wong and Steven Yeun’s standout performance in Netflix’s “Beef” has many wondering if there will be a season two. The show, which follows the back-and-forth between a defeated contractor named Danny (Yeun) and a wealthy, overworked mom named Amy (Wong) after a road rage incident, ends with Wong and Yeun’s characters basically destroying each other’s lives. In the final moments of the season, we see Danny in the hospital fighting for his life after being shot by Amy’s husband, George (Joseph Lee). We also witness a glimmer of empathy from Amy as she lies in bed next to Danny after losing everything.

“Beef” was initially billed as a miniseries and creator Lee Sung Jin told Rolling Stone in April that he wanted the show “to have a conclusive feel just in case.” He added, “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, 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.”

However, in a separate interview with Elle, Jin said if the show does get renewed, that would mean saying goodbye to Amy and Danny. “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],” he explained. “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.” As of now, Netflix hasn’t officially renewed “Beef” for a second season.

Since the show’s April 6 premiere, a previous controversy involving one of the show’s stars, actor David Choe, has resurfaced and people are criticizing the lack of response from Netflix and the cast and crew. According to The Hollywood Reporter, in 2014, Choe co-hosted a podcast with adult film actor Asa Akira, and in one episode, he described an encounter with a masseuse, alleging he compelled her to perform oral sex on him, which some have viewed as an admission of sexual assault. However, later in the episode, he added, “I just want to make it clear that I admit that that’s rapey behavior, but I am not a rapist.”

Choe previously apologized in 2017. In a lengthy Instagram message, he wrote in part, “How does one apologize for a lifetime of doing wrong? Through my past three years of recovery and rehabilitation, I’ve attempted to answer that question through action and understanding. In my life I’ve struggled deeply with an unnatural amount of hatred I’ve had towards myself.”

He continued: “In a 2014 episode of DVDASA, I relayed a story simply for shock value that made it seem as if I had sexually violated a woman. Though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen. I have ZERO history of sexual assault. I am deeply sorry for any hurt I’ve brought to anyone through my past words. Non-consensual sex is rape and it is never funny or appropriate to joke about. I was a sick person at the height of my mental illness ,and have spent the last 3 years in mental health facilities healing myself and dedicating my life to helping and healing others through love and action. I do not believe in the things I have said although I take full ownership of saying them. Additionally, I do not condemn anyone or have any ill will towards those who spread hate and speak out negatively against me, no one will ever hate me more than I hated myself back then.”

Related: Alok Vaid-Menon Reflects on “Beef” and Emotional Alchemy at Netflix’s “Release Your Rage” Event

On April 21, Jin, Wong, and Yeun addressed the controversy in a statement to Vanity Fair. “The story David Choe fabricated nine years ago is undeniably hurtful and extremely disturbing. We do not condone this story in any way, and we understand why this has been so upsetting and triggering,” they told the publication. “We’re aware David has apologized in the past for making up this horrific story, and we’ve seen him put in the work to get the mental health support he needed over the last decade to better himself and learn from his mistakes.”

Both Netflix and Choe did not immediately respond to POPSUGAR’s request for comment.

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