Beef Season 2 Is Messy In All The Right Ways, But I’m Also Thinking About Its Take On Racial Identity

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Spoilers for the latest season of Beef lie ahead.

Beef Season 2 is a must-watch for more than a few reasons. The show, which is available to Netflix subscription holders, features a stellar cast, a complex story, and plenty of dark humor. Of course, there are also plenty of messy narrative beats that arise amid this 2026 TV schedule entry due to the feud between couples Josh & Lindsay Martin and Ashley Miller and Austin Davis. The series is still just as chaotic as fans would expect, but what I also took from it was the keen focus on racial identity.

How Does Beef’s Second Season Shed Light On Racial Identity?

There are some layered characters to be found amid this second iteration of Lee Sung Jin’s Emmy-winning anthology series (which may or may not be set in the same universe as Season 1). Charles Melton’s Austin Davis definitely fits that bill, as there’s far more to the fit and aspiring personal trainer than meets the eye. It’s established that Austin is biracial, as he has a white mother and a Korean father (just like Melton himself), and, as the season progresses, he begins to ponder the Korean side of his heritage more.

Austin’s intrinsic examination of his race begins to manifest when he starts to move up within the employee ranks of the Monte Vista Point country club. Via the club’s new owner, the ultra-wealthy Chairwoman Park (Youn Yuh-jung), Austin gets a taste of Korean culture and affluence, and it’s intriguing to watch him take it all in.

I appreciate how Jin and his co-writers bring these elements into Austin’s life and prompt him to ask questions about his relationship to his culture. As a result, viewers get an idea of not just how Austin perceives himself but also how his partner views him. One key scene that illustrates that point involves a conversation between Austin and Ashley, who says she’s never viewed her fiancé as Korean, just “Arizonian.” That comment becomes even more interesting in the context of Austin’s attraction to Park’s assistant and translator, Eunice.

What’s also worth noting is the fact that by the start of the season, Austin has never even been to Korea, though that changes when he, Ashley, Lindsay and more get there in the finale. The natural progression of Austin’s yearning for his culture and a solidification of his identity is a credit to the writers, and Melton also deserves praise for his layered performance.

This Beef Subplot Could Mean A Lot To A Portion Of Viewers

As an African American man with two Black parents, I can’t specifically relate to the experience Austin is having. That lack of familiarity definitely doesn’t diminish my appreciation of this aspect of the show, though. I can also imagine that it could mean a lot to those who are biracial and have had struggles with their identity. And, while Charles Melton’s personal experience greatly differs from his character’s, he appreciates having had the opportunity to examine identity in this way.

The May December star “lived in Korea for six years” and, as he explained to People, he was cognizant of his position as a Korean American. So, for him, Season 2 of Beef was like “coming home” since he got to film in Korea. Meanwhile, Austin must grapple with the absence of Koreans in his life until just recently. Melton’s take on his character’s idea of “Korean-ness” speaks to the sense of belonging that many seek from a cultural standpoint.

So, yes, Beef’s second season offers up the craziness (like the finale’s fight/escape scene in Korea), but, like its predecessor, it also offers some thoughtful ideas. Check it out for yourself on Netflix now and take note of the deeper themes amid the more diabolical story beats.