Emmy-nominated writer and director Lee Sung Jin has signed with PRETTYBIRD for U.S. commercial and music video representation. The three-time Emmy nominee and two-time WGA nominee is looking forward to bringing his sharp comedic perspective to the world of advertising.
Lee is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of the Netflix series Beef, which has been a critics’ favorite since its debut in April 2023. Lee wrote multiple episodes of Beef and directed the finale, “Figures of Light.” The series, which is currently “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with over 100 reviews, was nominated this month for 13 Primetime Emmys including two for Lee–Outstanding Directing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and Outstanding Writing for a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. He has previously written episodes of Dave on FX, Tuca & Bertie on Netflix, and Silicon Valley on HBO. His first career Emmy nod came for Silicon Valley as Outstanding Comedy Series in 2015. His two WGA Award nominations were for Silicon Valley in 2016 and Dave in 2022.
Beef follows an epic, ever escalating feud–triggered by a single, off-the-charts road rage incident–between two strangers portrayed by Ali Wong (Always Be My Maybe) and Steven Yeun (Minari, The Walking Dead). The twists and turns, while darkly entertaining, say a lot about our society, laying bare the rage, angst, ugliness and insecurities that have become so prevalent–but still managing to cast a cathartic ray of hope somehow reflecting the better side of human nature.
Ali Brown, PRETTYBIRD president, said, “The second I watched Beef, I had to find out who was behind it. Sonny has such an incredibly unique point of view–as a storyteller, filmmaker, and artist. His ability to create worlds and characters in a way that is recognizable in its stressfully hilarious familiarity makes him a perfect addition to the roster.”
At PRETTYBIRD, Lee joins an award-winning roster of filmmakers and creatives, including Academy Award-winning duo Daniels (Everything Everywhere All At Once), recently signed A.V. Rockwell (A Thousand and One), and comedy duo Tim & Eric.
Upcoming, Lee is writing Thunderbolts for Marvel, which will reunite him with a pair of Beef colleagues–director Jake Schreier and actor Yeun. For his role on Beef, Yeun is an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. Schreier also received an Emmy nomination for his directing of the Beef episode titled “The Great Fabricator.”
