Beef showrunner shares real-life inspiration behind Netflix drama

Watch the official trailer for BEEF on Netflix

Steven Yeun and Ali Wong are set to star in Netflix’s new comedy-drama series following a road rage incident that triggers an ongoing bitter feud between their two characters, Danny Cho and Amy Lau. Ahead of the show’s premiere this week, showrunner Lee Sung Jin told Express.co.uk and other media outlets that he is “very thankful” for the real-life incident that occurred, which inspired him to create the series. 

In Netflix’s upcoming Netflix series Beef, Steven Yeun plays Danny Cho, a struggling handyman in Los Angeles who becomes wrapped up in a road rage incident with Amy Lau, a wealthy entrepreneur played by Ali Wong. 

After the two strangers engage in an epic feud after a road rage incident, fans will follow the pair over the course of 10 episodes, as their simmering hatred fuels an escalating series of poor decisions. 

As the series progresses, their bad decisions begin to trickle down into their personal lives affecting their careers and relationships, ultimately bringing chaos into their lives.

The show was created by the writer Lee Sung Jin, who was able to lean on his own real-life experience that inspired him to create Beef’s unique storyline. 

Speaking to Express.co.uk and other media outlets, Lee Sung Jin addressed whether or not the series is based on a true story. 

Jin explained: “Yeah, it was a typical road rage thing where, you know, the light turned green. And I didn’t go fast enough.

“And it was also a white SUV, that was a BMW though,” he added, referring to how the incident in Beef also involved a white SUV vehicle. 

The showrunner then continued: “And for some reason that day, I was like, I’ll follow you, and I didn’t really have a plan in my mind.” 

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Although, Jin went on to admit that he wasn’t actually going to follow him but rather just pretend to. 

He recalled thinking: “In my mind, I was justifying it, like, I’m just following him as I’m on my way home, and I happened to be behind you,” as Jin happened to be going the same way as the person he has his road rage with.   

But the director used that as an opportunity to get the white SUV back, explaining: “And I’m sure for that person, it felt like I was tracking him the whole run of the 10 highway.”

Amid his road rage drama, Jin found a deeper meaning within all the anger and chaos. 

After assessing his road rage incident, Jin explained: “I thought there was something interesting there, like how people are very stuck in their subjective views of reality.

“And they’re projecting assumptions onto the other person. And yeah, that was the kernel of the idea,” he claimed. 

“So I’m very, very thankful for that incident,” Jin added. 

But Jin didn’t take his ideas for his series to the drawing board straight away.

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The TV writer revealed that it was “like a year, or a year and a half” before he started putting ideas together for the show. 

“I don’t advise doing road rages,” Jin then advised as he joked: ”But it does lead to shows!”

Although Beef is not solely based on Jin’s real-life road rage experience, it does follow a canny resemblance. 

Beef premieres on April 6 on Netflix.  

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