Beef: It’s what’s for dinner, and it’s also back on Netflix. The second season of this pitch-black comedy introduces a full lineup of new characters—but its most intriguing storyline has to do with chaebols, the family-run corporations that structure South Korea’s economy and have far-reaching influence on every aspect of Korean society. I learned all about this cultural phenomenon by reading Natasha O’Neill’s fascinating deep dive into how chaebols were formed and how they’ve shaped one of the world’s biggest GDPs. Perhaps unsurprisingly, their dominance also helps explain why so many huge South Korean films and TV series (your Parasites, your Squid Games) are focused on class resentment. So much for American exceptionalism!
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