Review: ‘Beef Season 2, Episode 8 “It Will Stay This Way and You Will Obey”

Josh wakes up. He is hanging from a swing set. His mouth is taped and there is rope around his neck. A man is standing in front of him reading a letter as if he is Josh wanting to take his own life. The man tries to finish the job, but the swing set collapses, freeing Josh. He takes a knife from the man and kills him. Josh runs back into the house, gets his things and knocks on Troy’s door. He apologizes for the sudden pop-up Josh asks for the private jet to take a last- minute trip to Korea to surprise the girls. Troy is hesitant, but he agrees. He says he’ll be right back to get things together. Time passes, and Josh is still sitting in Troy’s living room. He investigates and hears Troy on the phone, talking about how he’s stealing money from the club and he’s going to report Josh  to the police. Josh runs out as fast as he can before he heads home to pack everything to head to Korea. 

Everyone has landed in Korea, incredibly apprehensive about their actions as they are all aware that they are under surveillance. As their phones are confiscated, Eunice quietly slides Austin the USB which he swallows before they are guided to dinner. Everyone is uncomfortable as they are trying to hide the fact that they know about the murder. They all go back to their rooms heavily guarded. 

Ashley gets a notification on her phone; she has one viable embryo. Meanwhile, the USB passes through Austin and he explains how he’s leaving Ashley and going to start a new life with Eunice. Ashley shows him her message. They’re going to be parents. She explains to him that because the chairwoman is so powerful, if they return the USB to her, she could give them money as a thank you for covering her. They can raise their kid, and have a happy life. Austin decides to sleep on this decision and puts the USB in his backpack. The next morning, the USB is nowhere to be found. Austin, of course, suspects Ashley, but she claims she has no idea where it is. They’re now on the hunt for it.  

Josh lands in Korea and is kidnapped by Dr. Kim and his men. He wakes up in a car, handcuffed. Josh tries to strike up a deal with them: they need money to cover up the murder, he works at the club that they are taking the money from. If he extends his contract, he can keep helping them. They aren’t having it, but Dr.Kim signals at Josh to bend down. He slowly slides Josh the handcuff keys. Josh escapes. 

Lindsay, Ava, Austin, and Ashley are sitting in the waiting room as Ava is put under for surgery. Dr. Kim calls them aside and monologues about his wife.  Chairwoman Park  is extremely powerful. She has all the money in the world and can do anything with it. Life has turned on them. He thinks she should be arrested for trying to cover up the murder. Chairwoman Park catches them talking and a chase happens! Bullets are fired, and one strikes and kills Kim. Lindsay, Austin, and Ashley escape. Josh is on the other side of the street and he calls out Lindsay’s name which draws attention to all of them. They are caught and put into secluded rooms.

Josh and Lindsay discuss a  plan since they suspect that Austin and Ashley will turn on them. They want to protect each other. One of the security guards takes Josh, and he  admits responsibility for everything. Lindsay is shocked. In the other rooms, Ashley wants Austin to be safe. Austin tells her that he doesn’t love her anymore and that because she’s from a broken family, she only wants the idea of him. Ashley tells him that she’ll always love him. She throws the USB in a little crack in the wall connecting the two rooms. She had it the whole time. Austin grabs it, climbs to the ceiling, and runs to get the nearest taxi.

While in the taxi, Austin calls Eunice and tells her that he loves her, and that he’s going to report Chairman Park to the FBI. Eunice has trouble saying I love you back, even after Austin tells her that he broke up with Ashley. Something clicks in Austin. He asks his driver to change directions. He then goes to Chairwoman Park and presents her with the USB. Josh is taken away by a police officer. Lindsay goes hysterical after seeing Josh being taken. She jumps the fence and runs to Josh, and they embrace their love with a kiss. Cut to black. 

There is a title card: Eight Years Later. The club looks exactly the same from the very first minute of the first episode. Austin and Ashley are giving a speech about how much they love the club and how much they adore Chairwoman Park. They have a son too. They are best friends with Troy and Ava. Josh is in prison doing a round of greetings as if he is at work in the club. Lindsay sits in her bathroom watching a video of Josh. He is being interviewed before he is released from prison. Lindsay and her new husband and daughter check on her. Chairwoman Park visits  Dr. Kim’s grave. She apologizes for all she did and hugs his grave. Then, there is a montage of all of the episodes before we cut to black.

This episode was a perfect way to wrap everything up. While Josh and Linsday ended up cutting each other’s strings, they were there for one another and were able to protect each other from everything thrown their way. Lindsay found  the right guy for her and she got the child she always wanted. Austin’s last minute decision to return the USB was shocking, but really powerful, as he realized that he truly did love Ashley, and he knew that she wanted the absolute best for the both of them. They also got to start their own family and be managers of the club. Chairwoman Park did win, but she did give Austin and Ashley everything that they wanted. Everything came full circle for all of our characters, and we know that they are going to be able to live their lives fully from now on.  

10/10   

Amanda Romero: Amanda Romero is a MFA student in Film & Television Producing at Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film & Media Arts. She is a dedicated producer and aspiring journalist with a strong passion for storytelling across film, television, and digital media. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Cinema & Digital Media, with a minor in Communications from the University of California, Davis. From a young age, Romero was captivated by the power of film and television to bring stories and characters to life—an early fascination that evolved into a lifelong commitment to creating impactful and meaningful content. Romero's professional experience includes collaborating with The Hollywood Reporter’s Scott Feinberg, further enriching her understanding of the entertainment industry and strengthening her skills in media research. She continues to explore the intersection of storytelling, journalism, and production.
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