The sensational anthology series “Beef” debuted in 2023 and dominated awards season that year, winning eight Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes and many other accolades. Season 2 was released on Netflix on April 16, featuring an entirely new and bigger cast while taking a slight step down from its predecessor.
Creator Lee Sung Jin’s ambitions to out-beef his earlier creation are clear, with the catalyst of the show’s spiral centered around four characters rather than two like last season. This season follows two couples — Josh and Lindsay, a high-level general manager and interior designer for a country club, played by Oscar Isaac (“Ex Machina”) and Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”) — and Ashley and Austin, a low-level beverage cart girl and trainer for the same club, played by Cailee Spaeny (“Priscilla”) and Charles Melton (“Warfare”). When Ashley and Austin accidentally witness a major altercation between Josh and Lindsay, they take this opportunity to advance their lives.
Early on, a third couple somehow gets laced in: Chairwoman Park, a Korean billionaire who has taken ownership of the club, played by Youn Yuh-jung (“Minari”), and her husband, Dr. Kim, played by Song Kang-ho (“Parasite”). The entire ensemble features many heavyweights, and all actors undoubtedly excel in their performances, most notably in episode six. The four main characters’ chemistry proves a highlight of the season, not only with their significant others, but with pairings across the couples, such as Josh and Austin as well as Lindsay and Ashley.
The show dissects themes of love across the three central couples, each representing a different generation and stage of life. The juxtaposition feels effective, depicting Gen-Z love as full of naivety and oblivion, while relationships moving into old age appear strained and purely transactional. Chairwoman Park and her husband embody an additional layer of emotional disconnect complicated by cultural standards and privilege from her wealth.
Despite these strengths, Season 2 struggles under the weight of its own ambition. The shift to an eight-episode format down from 10 in Season 1, culminates in a finale that feels overcrowded and rushed. The show’s absurdity, a tone that worked seamlessly in the first season, feels less earned and messy. The series finale seems to excuse its chaotic end with its perceived commentary on cycles that doesn’t live up to what it thinks it achieves.
In trying to raise the stakes with additional characters and intersecting storylines, the series loses some of the sharp focus that made season one so compelling. Characters like Dr. Kim are neglected, despite being played by one of the most influential actors in the South Korean film industry. While Season 2 doesn’t quite reach the searing, well-done product of Season 1, “Beef” remains a well-crafted and bold piece of television.
3 ½ ants out of 5
