'Beef' creator says suicidal ideation in show was based on real experiences
The creator of Netflix’s “Beef” used his acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards on Monday night to call attention to a critical issue.
The creator of Netflix’s “Beef” used his acceptance speech at the Emmy Awards on Monday night to call attention to a critical issue.
Following his show’s win for best limited series, Lee Sung Jin spoke about his struggles with suicidal ideation. It’s an issue that factors heavily into the backstory of the show’s main character, Danny, played by Steven Yeun.
“A lot of the suicidal ideation in this show was based on stuff that I and some of the folks up here have struggled with over the years,” Jin told the audience. “So I’m really grateful and humbled by everyone who watched the show and reached out about their own personal struggles.”
Steven Yeun, left, and Young Mazino in "Beef." NetflixIn the first episode, Danny, a struggling contractor, tries to return several hibachi grills. It’s later revealed that the grills are part of a plan to commit suicide through carbon monoxide poisoning, which he never carries out. Jin thanked the fans who reached out with their own stories, saying their words were very “life-affirming.”
Though “Beef” has consistently made headlines this awards season for its success, the show’s themes of suicide and mental health have been less discussed. But they point to a larger issue across the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. While the overall Asian American and Pacific Islander suicide rate is less than half that of the white population, suicide was the leading cause of death for Asian and Pacific Islanders ages 15 to 24 in 2019. And Asian American males in high school were 30% more likely to consider attempting suicide compared with white male students.
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