'BEEF' secures 8 trophies at the prestigious Emmy Awards

The Netflix drama 'BEEF' , directed by Korean-American director Lee Sung-jin and starring actor Steven Yeun, swept eight trophies at the prestigious Emmy Awards in the United States.

'BEEF' won 8 awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Director, Writing, Lead Actor and Actress, Casting, Editing, and Costume at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards held on the 15th in Los Angeles, USA.

Director Lee, who took the stage to receive the Writing award, stated, "When I first came to LA, I had no money, and my bank account balance was -$0.63. I even saved $1 to make up for it. At that time, I had no confidence in anything, and I had no idea that I would win something like this (Emmy trophy). Now that I'm standing here, I realize that I've been with amazing people," expressing gratitude to the actors and production team.

In his remarks after winning the award for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Lee mentioned, "The suicidal impulse of the characters in the early part of the work actually reflected the emotions I had experienced," and he expressed his gratitude to those who shared their difficult experiences after watching the show, saying, "It felt like I was being confirmed that I wasn't wrong."

In particular, Steven Yeun, who played the male protagonist 'Danny,' a man who relentlessly pursues businesswoman Amy after a violent hit-and-run, received praise for portraying the feelings of alienation and anger as a second-generation Korean immigrant.

After winning multiple awards, Steven Yeun said, "Honestly, there were days when it was difficult to live as Danny. There were days when I wanted to judge and ridicule Danny as I pleased, but I want to express my gratitude to Danny. Prejudice and shame are very lonely, but compassion and grace bring us together."

The New York Times (NYT) highlighted Steven Yeun's first Emmy win, stating, "Steven Yeun, the star of 'The Walking Dead,' defeated prominent candidates such as Terence Edgerton ('Blackbird'), Michael Shannon ('George and Tammy'), and Daniel Radcliffe ('Weird') to become the first Emmy nominee."

Against the backdrop of Korean content, including 'Parasite,' 'Minari,' and Apple TV's 'Pachinko,' receiving high praise at awards ceremonies in the US and Europe since 2019, 'BEEF,' which features Korean-American staff and actors, has now swept the Emmy Awards. This further proves the world's strong interest in Korean content.

The success of 'BEEF' at major US awards is attributed to the global popularity of Korean content and K-pop. Additionally, Hollywood's increasing focus on diversity and the recognition of 'Korean diaspora' (Korean immigrants) content in mainstream American culture contribute to this phenomenon.

'BEEF' previously won three awards in the same category, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, Lead Actor, and Lead Actress, at the Golden Globe Awards on the 7th, as well as four awards, including Outstanding Film, Lead Actor, Lead Actress, and Supporting Actress, at the Critics' Choice Awards on the 14th. They have also been nominated in three categories, including Lead Actor and Actress in a TV Movie or Miniseries, and Stunt Ensemble, at the upcoming Screen Actors Guild Awards next month, so their trophy streak is expected to continue.

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