The ‘Beef’ With South Korean Billionaires

Plus: What’s Going On With Clavicular?

View in browser | Update preferences SUBSCRIBE FOR FULL ACCESS 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! HILLARY BUSIS, SENIOR EDITOR Why this ad? Everything You Need to Know About Chaebols BY NATASHA O'NEILL The second season of Netflix’s Beef is focused on the nepotistic oligarchs who rule South Korea’s economy, a class of people so privileged that they’re literally above the law. READ MORE Get more as a Vanity Fair subscriber Exclusive offer: Subscribe to get one month of Vanity Fair free START YOUR FREE TRIAL More Great Reads IN CONVERSATION Pete Davidson Is Over Fame. Socks Are His Exit Strategy BY MAXWELL ADLER “No one gives a fuck about movies or television or any of that shit,” the comedian tells Vanity Fair as he plots a way out of the celebrity churn. READ MORE CULTURE What I Learned After Getting Kicked Out of Alix Earle’s Beverly Hills Pop-Up BY MAXWELL ADLER When asked about the beef with Alex Cooper, one person waiting in line said, “I don’t think there’s anything else happening in the world except for this feud.” READ MORE From the Archive Sade Lady BY MICK BROWN For the April 1988 issue, VF’s Mick Brown spoke with Grammy-winning songstress Sade—who was announced as one of the 2026 inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame this week. READ MORE Why this ad? In Case You Missed It What’s Going On With Clavicular? “He doesn’t have the normal infrastructure of a celebrity,” a source close to the “looksmaxxing” influencer tells VF. “It’s a lot of money, it’s a lot of pressure for a very young person—especially for a man who is neurodivergent.” MORE FROM VANITY FAIR POLITICS BUSINESS HOLLYWOOD STYLE ROYALS CELEBRITY This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All rights reserved.