Beef

My spouse and I began watching "Beef" this week. We've only watched about two episodes so far, but I'm going to do my best to apply these questions to the episodes we've seen. This week was CMAS at my school so this was just about the only media I found myself experiencing this week

What is the global/historical focus of this artifact?  The show focuses on two Asian American characters- Danny Cho (played by Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong) who get into a road rage incident which then impacts their lives and relationships. The focus is on these characters and their families, all of whom are Asian American, and the way they navigate their lives, both in inter-personal ways and in systemic ways, like navigating race.

Whose history is portrayed in this message? There aren't many messages specifically about history in the first couple of episodes but there are allusions to family history and the cultural implications therein. Danny feels obligation to his parents to provide for them and make up for a previous business decision taht impacted them. They tell him to "go to church and meet a Korean girl" and he feels obligated to do so. His younger brother, Paul, feels no such obligation and that creates its own tension.

What is the counter story? Whose history is intentionally left out of the message or undermined by the current message? Who benefits from the historical perspective? Who loses?

The show initially places Danny and Amy as opposite stories that intersect. Danny is poor, trying to work for success in a system that is set up to disenfranchise him. Amy has gained a lot of success within the same system but is still striving to be accepted for who she is, and seen for who she really is. There are almost no white characters in this show who are recurring, and those that are are portrayed as secondary, antagonists, or unaware of the ways they may be negatively impacting Danny and Amy.

How is the subject of race addressed in this artifact?

We can see the ways race impacts Danny, Amy, and other characters of color in the show. We see characters referred to as the wrong culture/nationality ("Aren't you Japanese?" and other such comments). We also see Amy's success casually attributed to her husband (who is Japanese American), which brings up aspects of misogyny and patriarchy as well.

What are the implications of these portrayals for the group(s) role in society?

The main characters in the show are all existing in a society based on white supremacy and dealing with the racism that is in such a system. But they also have different benefits or difficulties they face within those systems, like facing poverty or misogyny.

Is there a racial group held in higher regard?

The show centers the experience of Asian Americans, but it also is an accurate portrayal and makes clear that the system in which they live is built on white supremacy

Who benefits from this portrayal of race?

I saw an interview in which someone in the show (I cannot remember if it was the creator or an actor) mentioned that with an all Asian cast (and an Asian writer and creator) that no one could say "oh yeah I like 'the Asian one'". All the characters get to be actual people, not "the Asian character" through tokenism. You can also feel this in the accurate and nuanced portrayals of certain family cultures (I don't say this from experience, just based on what I've heard from others who are represented by the story).

What does this portrayal of race imply about what is possible or not possible for this group?

I think there are several implications. Many of them are implications about capitalist systems and how people facing varying degrees of oppression operate within those systems.

What does this message say about how pain should be expressed?

We can see both main characters really suffering through pain initially in the show. Danny feels tremendous guilt and is considering self harm. Amy feels underappreciated and isn't getting the recognition she wants. Both are expressing their pain in unhealthy ways: Amy (and Danny in a secondary way) through road rage, both express anger in unhealthy ways. Danny internalizes a lot of pain and then channels it into suicidal thoughts

What does this message tell me about what it means to be happy?

I think it's clear through both portrayals that both characters deeply wish to be happy. Happy for both of them means success, including financial success, family and relationships, and stability.

Why does this advertisement/message work on a cultural level?

I can't connect to this as an Asian American person would but it's clear they are portraying messages about what it means to be an Asian American person and the ways Asian American people exist wtihin capitalist and supremacist systems.