So far, TV junkies have been treated to some unique pieces of content from Netflix’s 2023 TV schedule, and the streamer welcomed another excellent title earlier this month in the form of Beef. The A24-produced dramedy series, which features Steven Yeun and Ali Wong in the lead roles, is nothing short of fantastic. Much of the credit for that is owed to Lee Sung Jin, who serves as creator, showrunner and executive producer. One of the more refreshing elements of the show is that it features a main cast entirely made up of Asian talent. The characters’ race doesn’t actually play into the story itself much, though, and, while discussing scrapped Season 1 plans, Jin explained why that’s the case.
Those who’ve watched Beef and enjoyed it may have a tough time imagining any stars but Ali Wong and Steven Yeun in the lead role. However, you may be surprised to hear that Wong’s character, Amy, was initially set to be a white, middle-aged man. That’s a stark change, for sure, and one that Lee Sung Jin discussed with Variety. The cerebral showrunner explained that there were a couple of reasons why the change was made. But a major factor was the fact that a feud between Steven Yeun’s Danny feud and a white man would’ve sparked a conversation the producer was looking to avoid:
