{"id":155359,"date":"2023-04-12T22:31:48","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T22:31:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/culture.org\/?p=155359"},"modified":"2023-06-12T13:54:22","modified_gmt":"2023-06-12T13:54:22","slug":"netflixs-beef-exposes-struggles-of-success-class-and-the-art-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/culture.org\/art-and-culture\/netflixs-beef-exposes-struggles-of-success-class-and-the-art-world\/","title":{"rendered":"Netflix&#8217;s &#8220;Beef&#8221; Exposes Struggles of Success, Class, and the Art World"},"content":{"rendered":"           <!--  <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n                jQuery(document).ready(function() {\r\n                    jQuery(\".key-accordion-item .key-menu\").on(\"click\", function() {\r\n                        if (jQuery(this).parent().hasClass(\"active\")) {\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                        } else {\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-content\").slideUp();\r\n                            jQuery(\".key-accordion-item\").removeClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).parent().addClass(\"active\");\r\n                            jQuery(this).next().slideDown();\r\n                        }\r\n                    });\r\n                })\r\n            <\/script> -->\r\n\r\n\r\n            <!-- start html -->\r\n\r\n            <div class=\"news-key-takeaway-wapper\">\r\n                                <span style=\"background-color:#4db2ee;\">Key Takeaways<\/span>\r\n                <ul class=\"news-key-nbox\" style=\"border-color:#4db2ee;background-color:rgba(77, 178, 238, 0.1);\">\r\n                                                        <li>\"Beef\" explores the struggles of success, class, and the role of art in people's lives.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The art in the series serves as a catalyst for conflict between characters, as well as a tool for understanding one another.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The series incorporates various references to art and literature, adding depth and contemplation to the story.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The importance of connection is emphasized as the characters grapple with their own struggles and ultimately find common ground.<\/li>\r\n                                                                    <li>The show challenges viewers to consider the complexity of human emotions, the role of art in our lives, and the necessity of connection in times of struggle.<\/li>\r\n                                                <\/ul>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n            \n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Netflix&#8217;s latest series, &#8220;Beef,&#8221; centers around a heated rivalry that begins with a road rage incident between Amy Lau Nakai (Ali Wong), a well-to-do plant business owner, and Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), an economically struggling contractor.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the series unfolds, it delves into the complexities of success, class, and the role of art in their lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Art as an Expression of Class<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The art in &#8220;Beef&#8221; initially blends into the background, featuring ceramics created by Amy&#8217;s husband, George (Joseph Cho).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, as the story progresses, George&#8217;s sculptures become the focal point of the series.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An attempted theft of the ceramics by Danny&#8217;s cousin&#8217;s friends propels these abstract pieces to the forefront, highlighting the underlying tensions between the two main characters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The series explores the difficulty of achieving success in the United States and how easily that success can crumble when faced with life&#8217;s challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artworks, often seen as exclusive and valuable objects, become the epicenter of anxieties surrounding stability and class.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>                        <!-- <div class=\"container-c\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- <div class=\"row justify-content-between\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- <div class=\"col-post-800\"> -->\r\n                        <!-- start html -->\r\n                        <div class=\"blockquote-wapper\">\r\n                            <div>\r\n                                <span class=\"text_quot\">\r\n                                    <p>Netflix&#8217;s latest series, &#8220;Beef,&#8221; centers around a heated rivalry that begins with a road rage incident between Amy Lau Nakai (Ali Wong), a well-to-do plant business owner, and Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), an economically struggling contractor.<\/p>\n                                <\/span>\r\n\r\n                                <div class=\"quot_icon\">\r\n                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-content\/themes\/culture\/icons\/i_quot.svg\" type=\"image\/svg+xml\">\r\n                                <\/div>\r\n                            <\/div>\r\n\r\n                            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"quot_tick\" src=\"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-content\/themes\/culture\/icons\/i_quot_tri.svg\" type=\"image\/svg+xml\">\r\n                        <\/div>\r\n                        <!-- end html -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                        <!-- <\/div> -->\r\n                                    <\/h2>\n<h2><strong>Art, Connection, and Conflict<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In &#8220;Beef,&#8221; art often serves as a catalyst for conflict between characters, as well as a tool for understanding one another.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A scene in which Amy and George argue during an art exhibition reveals the growing tension between them, with Amy accusing George of being obsessed with money.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout the series, art provides little solace for the characters, who are preoccupied with trying to survive and maintain their status.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This struggle is reminiscent of the film &#8220;Parasite,&#8221; in which art becomes a weapon in a larger class struggle.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Significance of Art and Literature in &#8220;Beef&#8221;<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Beef&#8221; incorporates various references to art and literature, with each episode title alluding to thought-provoking quotes or works.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Artist David Choe, who plays Danny&#8217;s cousin Isaac, contributes his paintings to the title cards of each episode.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These references add depth to the series, offering viewers a chance to contemplate the themes and emotions explored throughout the story.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, as the show focuses on who truly gets to appreciate and love art, these glimpses of Choe&#8217;s work are quickly taken away.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Finding Connection in Adversity<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both Amy and Danny grapple with their own frustrations and personal struggles, but the series ultimately emphasizes the importance of connection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Through their ongoing feud, the two characters are forced to look beyond themselves and, eventually, find common ground in their shared experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;Beef&#8221; serves as a meditation on the pervasive sadness and anger that many people face, suggesting that true connection can only be found when individuals confront their own darkness and acknowledge the imperfections in themselves and others.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Amy and Danny&#8217;s conflict evolves, the series challenges viewers to consider the complexity of human emotions, the role of art in our lives, and the necessity of connection in times of struggle.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":155360,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[410,3384],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-155359","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art-and-culture","category-film-and-tv"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155359"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155359"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155359\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155360"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155359"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155359"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/culture.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155359"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}