ART DIRECTOR

From its angrily ornate title cards to its icily appointed doom house of crowns, the art and design elements of “Beef” — Netflix’s 10-episode series from creator Lee Sung Jin — provide the bleak road rage dramedy with a subtle brand of ardent aggression to match its one-upmanship revenge fantasy. The tactile, class-conscious aesthetic of haves (Ali Wong’s Amy) and have-nots (Steven Yeun’s Danny), created by production designer Grace Yun and art director Michael Hersey, pursue a metaphorical vision.

Here, curated paintings, sculptures and furnishings — in gallery and home settings — are equitable to the mood swings of its principal characters.

“The characters are real and complex. The rage coming from Amy and Danny was so well-written, and before I even read the first episode Sonny [Lee Sung Jin’s nickname] sent me an idea for the character art,” Yun told Variety. “I knew where I wanted its look to go.”

- Variety