Song Kang Ho and Youn Yuh Jung join 'BEEF' season 2 as power couple

22 Jan 2026, 17:22 by K-Soul · allkpop

Actors Song Kang Ho and Youn Yuh Jung will star together as a married couple in the upcoming season of Netflix’s original series 'BEEF.'

According to Netflix’s official Tudum site, on January 21, 'BEEF' Season 2 is scheduled for a worldwide release on April 16. The new season will consist of eight episodes, each running approximately 30 minutes.

Season 2 has drawn particular attention for the addition of Song Kang Ho and Youn Yuh Jung. Previously confirmed to be joining the cast, Youn Yuh Jung will portray Chairwoman Park, a billionaire power broker who owns an elite club, while Song Kang Ho takes on the role of Kim, her second husband and a doctor embroiled in scandal.

The announcement marks the return of 'BEEF' nearly three years after the release of Season 1 in April 2023. Netflix confirmed that the new season will premiere simultaneously around the world, with the involvement of the two acclaimed Korean actors adding significant weight to the project’s global appeal.

The story of Season 2 begins with newly engaged couple Ashley Miller and Austin Davis witnessing an explosive argument between Austin’s boss, Josh, and his wife, Lindsay. What starts as a chance observation quickly spirals into a web of favors, pressure, and entangled relationships among the four characters.

As tensions escalate, both couples compete to gain the trust of Chairwoman Park, the influential billionaire at the center of the elite social circle. At the same time, Chairwoman Park struggles to contain a scandal involving her second husband, Kim. Youn Yuh Jung and Song Kang Ho anchor this storyline as the powerful couple pulling the strings behind the scenes.

The season’s central characters, Ashley and Austin, are played by Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton, respectively. Oscar Isaac stars as Josh, while Carey Mulligan portrays his wife, Lindsay, completing a cast that bridges generations and social classes. Unlike Season 1, the lead characters have been entirely replaced, though the series maintains its core structure: a single incident triggering cascading conflicts driven by personal desires and power dynamics.

Direction once again falls to Lee Sung Jin, who also serves as executive producer and showrunner. He emphasized that 'BEEF' was conceived as an anthology series from the outset. While Season 1 focused on overt confrontations, Season 2 shifts its attention to suppressed emotions and passive-aggressive conflicts unfolding in workplaces and personal relationships. The narrative centers on a Gen Z couple facing their first major test as they become entangled with a millennial couple, setting the emotional engine of the season in motion.

The success of Season 1 provides concrete momentum for the new installment. Upon its release, 'BEEF' depicted the escalating feud between Danny and Amy, sparked by a minor road rage incident. The series went on to win three awards at the 81st Golden Globe Awards, followed by eight wins at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards across major categories, including series, acting, and writing. It also claimed four trophies at the 29th Critics' Choice Awards.

While Season 2 introduces a new cast and setting, it preserves the franchise’s defining theme: everyday fractures expanding into broader conflicts tied to power, class, and generational divides. The inclusion of two Korean actors in pivotal roles further broadens the series’ narrative scope and reinforces its global casting balance.

With the release date now confirmed, anticipation is building over whether 'BEEF' Season 2 can replicate the critical acclaim of its predecessor—or carve out a new kind of tension and emotional rupture when it premieres on Netflix this April.

Share this article SHARE