Three years ago, I became enamored with Beef , the critically acclaimed Netflix series created by Lee Sung Jin, in which a trivial confrontation between two strangers spirals into an all-consuming, destructive rivalry. I particularly admired how set design served as a visual representation of the stark disconnect between the two foes played by Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, highlighting their inner demons behind closed doors and illustrating themes of class disparity, racial dynamics, and existential loneliness. As soon as it concluded, I began counting down the days until the next installment, and come April 16, Beef season 2 finally arrived. This time around, there’s an all-new cast of characters, but design once again magnifies the disconnect between the central players in a rivalry. A Gen Z couple—Ashley Miller (Cailee Spaeny) and Austin Davis (Charles Melton)—work as lower-level staff at an elite country club, Monte Vista Point.…