Several weeks after its debut, Beef has remained a hot topic of discussion. Upon its premiere on April 6, 2023, it was hailed as one of the best Netflix series in recent years, nabbing an almost 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and climbing streaming charts worldwide. Lee Sung Jin’s dark comedy follows the story of two strangers, Amy Lau (Ali Wong) and Danny Cho (Steven Yeun), who become involved in a wild road rage incident. But instead of letting the incident go, the two seek each other out, becoming deeply embroiled in one another’s personal lives in their unrelenting mission for revenge.
The show has received high praise for Wong and Yeun’s stellar performances and their incredible onscreen dynamic. Additionally, Beef has also been praised for its Asian American representation and its poignant commentary on class division, anger, frustration, and trauma. The show offers a moving and darkly humorous look into two very messy and self-destructive people. However, at times it does veer more into darker territory, as Amy and Danny’s feud grows more ferocious. Things get especially crazy in episode 9, “The Great Fabricator,” as their feud takes a turn for the worse.
Episode 9 is very shocking, but it’s actually episode 7, “I Am a Cage,” that signals a change in direction and delves into darker territory. This episode features a significant time jump and proves the end is in sight when Amy seemingly carries out an unforgivable act of revenge.
How does Beef episode 7 end?
In Beef episode 7, things are actually starting to look up for both Danny and Amy. The episode takes place eight months after the events of episode 6, “We Draw a Magic Circle,” in which Danny got his cousin Isaac (David Choe) sent to prison. In this time span, it seems as if both Danny and Amy have finally moved beyond their feud and achieved their goals. Amy has closed her deal with Forsters, and now owns a lavish vacation home. However, she is still struggling with her marriage and her husband George’s (Joseph Lee) emotional affair. Unfortunately, Amy’s life blows up all over again when her husband gets wind of her affair with Danny’s younger brother Paul (Young Mazino).
Meanwhile, Danny has gained some financial stability from swindling his church in Orange County. Aside from Edwin’s (Justin H. Min) suspicions, the church is blissfully unaware of Danny’s actions, and he has been accepted by the congregation as a worship leader. He is in a relationship with a church-goer and has finished building his parents a new house. Danny is reunited with his parents at the airport, excited to drive them to their new home, and pleased that he has fulfilled his duties as their son. This is when the episode’s curveball comes in, as Danny’s pride and happiness dissolve when he pulls up to the home he built to find it has been burned down.
But what does this mean?
Unfortunately, the episode ends without giving viewers an explanation for the house’s demise. However, at first glance, it’s easy for viewers to immediately suspect Amy. Danny was the one who inadvertently inspired Paul to tell Amy’s husband about their affair to hide his own criminal activity. When Amy’s husband learns of the affair, she comes home to find he has taken their daughter and left. It’s not hard to imagine her making a rash decision, and getting revenge on the Chos by burning down their parents’ home. Of course, Danny and Paul are seen following this line of thinking too, raising the feud between Danny and Amy to entirely new and dangerous heights.
As the show progresses though, viewers will find that it doesn’t actually matter who burned the house down. It is simply an opportunity for Danny to begin partaking in the same self-destructive actions as before, to try to numb the pain of failing to provide for his parents. Whether Amy did do it or not, Danny knows it would be easier for Amy to have done it. In fact, he wants Amy to have done it, so that he can have someone to blame. Regardless of who burned the house down, Danny will use it to continue his feud with Amy and dodge accountability for his actions. Hence, the burning house kicks off the path to Beef‘s ending, but not in the way that one might expect.
(featured image: Netflix)
