Why Is the Netflix Series Called BEEF? Watch the Trailer Now - Netflix Tudum

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    Why Is ‘BEEF’ Called ‘Beef’? Watch the New Trailer to Find Out

    Plus, showrunner Lee Sung Jin digs into the meat of it all.

    By Phillipe Thao
    March 15, 2023

Why is BEEF called BEEF? The upcoming dark comedy series from Netflix and A24 Studios isn’t about steak, in case you were hungry. It does, however, involve Steven Yeun’s character Danny peeing on European oak hardwood floors. Thankfully, the new trailer is here to answer your burning question — and if you’re still curious about the show’s title, well, thankfully creator, executive producer and showrunner Lee Sung Jin is ready to dig into the meat of it all.

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As the trailer shows, the central feud of BEEF stems from a road rage incident between Danny Cho (Yeun) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong), two strangers in Los Angeles. Danny is a blue-collar worker struggling to find his footing, while Amy is a self-made woman with a picturesque family. Everyone has a bad day, but few let a car honk turn into a high-speed chase. Throughout the 10-episode series, Danny and Amy’s feud spirals into an obsession with revenge that not only consumes each of them, but also takes over the lives of their loved ones. 

Beef Key Art

“There are surprisingly few catchy words or idioms that sell the feud aspect of the show, and the few that exist have been done before,” Lee tells Tudum. “If Netflix had seen the list of potential names, there might not be a show today. They were aggressively bad.” One contender that didn’t make his final cut is Eye for an Eye — Lee says he wanted to lean more into the “aesthetic appeal of a punchy one-word title” for the series.

When asked to distinguish the difference between a beef and a feud, Lee is ready to set the record straight. “A fight can be a beef, but a beef isn’t always a fight. A feud is always a type of beef, but some beefs aren't feuds,” he explains. “For example, I have beef with this question, but it’d be weird to be in a feud with it. This is the first time my brain has had to make these distinctions.”

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Wong and Yeun join Lee as executive producers in addition to starring in the project. BEEF also stars Joseph Lee, Young Mazino, David Choe and Patti Yasutake, with Maria Bello, Ashley Park, Justin H. Min, Mia Serafino and Remy Holt as recurring cast members. 

There’s only one thing Lee hopes audiences feel when they hear the word BEEF: “Hunger... to watch this Netflix series premiering April 6!” Well, you heard the man

BEEF is streaming now. Learn more about the outfits, the art and the house.

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