‘Beef’ creator open to turning show into anthology “if Netflix wanted”

Beef creator Lee Sung Jin has revealed that he is open to expanding the world of the hit series if Netflix “wanted”.

• READ MORE: The 75th Emmy Awards: see the full list of winners

Speaking to a couple of media outlets backstage at the 75th Emmy Awards – per a Variety report – Lee said that despite the future of Beef up in the air at Neflix, he sees “so many paths” forward.

While acknowledging that it “could stay limited”, Lee also suggested that it could turn into an anthology. “I feel like there are so many paths. It could stay limited — it was a very close-ended story for sure. But if Netflix wanted to continue, it could also be anthology. It could be many things. It’s up to the great algorithm. We’re all waiting to hear.”

Lee’s comments came after Beef nabbed five of the 13 awards it was nominated for at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards earlier today (January 16). Among the awards Beef won, were three major accolades: leading actors Steven Yeun and Ali Wong both took home their respective awards for Outstanding Leads in a Limited Series or Movie. It was also awarded the Emmy for Outstanding Limited Or Anthology Series.

The other two awards Beef won were awarded to Lee Sung Jin for Best Writing and Best Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie.

In August 2023, Lee Sung Jin said he was “really open” to the idea of a second season. “We initially pitched the show as an anthology series where every season is a new beef with new characters,” he revealed. “At the same time, I really love Danny and Amy and George (Joseph Lee) and Paul (Young Mazino) and the world we created. So, I’m really open to it all.”

Beef was named NME‘s third best TV show of 2023, with Andrew Trendell writing: “One act of retribution only fuelled the next as our two protagonists became even more unwittingly entwined in another’s lives and shady goings on. This was squeaky bum time TV at its very best.”