Does Joseph Lee Have a Wife? Inside the 'Beef' Star's Personal Life and Marriage to Diana Ryu

Joseph Lee dexterously brought to life a complicated character in Netflix and A24's new series "Beef." The nuance he displayed in his performance as a stay-at-home father and husband inspired a paradox of emotions in audiences, who now wonder how he leads his real personal life.

"Beef," Netflix and A24's latest hit series, follows the story of two individuals at significantly different points in their lives who have just about reached their limit. Danny Cho (played by Steven Yeun) and Amy Lau (Ali Wong) cross paths in a road rage incident that sparks a dangerous cascade of revenge plots that eventually threaten the lives of their loved ones.

The show expertly explores family and class dynamics, amid more narrow individual themes represented by the characters and their relationships with each other, without really offering an answer. And it's something Joseph Lee already had an idea about when he played George Nakai.

Nakai is a stay-at-home husband to Lau and father to their daughter June. Hailing from a wealthy background, he followed in his father's footsteps and became an artist. Though the audience never meets Nakai's father, his shadow looms over him, and for Nakai, it becomes an exploration of his masculinity, among other things.

His wife's obsession with getting back at Cho reveals the cracks in his marriage and those within himself as a man. And although he is a doting dad, which viewers come to love, Lee's portrayal of Nakai forces the audience to confront his flaws and consequently take half a step back.

The actor was lauded for the layers he unraveled and bore in his performance, which allowed audiences to sympathize at arm's length with Nakai's internal struggles. Now they wonder what Lee's real personal life comprises and just how much it imitates Nakai's.

Joseph Lee Is an Artist like His 'Beef' Character

The Korean-American actor drew his first breath in West Lafayette, Indiana, on December 29, 1987. He started acting in high school and debuted his on-screen career in 2011, appearing as Eric in "Nerve." He also had roles in "Rizzoli and Isles," starring Sasha Alexander, "NCIS: Los Angeles" co-led by Sean Murray and LL Cool J, and the thriller film "Searching," starring John Cho.

In addition, Lee is a fine artist, though this endeavor dates back to his youth as an only child. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting after graduating with a Theater degree, but his career became dual as he gained a large following for his art. Now and then, Lee hosts exhibitions.

Joseph Lee Found Love with Writer and Entrepreneur Diana Ryu

Diana Ryu owns Namu Home Goods, a woodwork business she launched toward the end of 2020. She and Lee were engaged in November 2019 and married the following year on September 19. The next day, Lee wrote, "I just married my best friend," alongside a picturesque wedding photo of himself and his bride.

A few weeks after their wedding, Ryu penned a touching dedication to Lee, reflecting, "This man has taught me compassion, kindness, creativity. He lives a life alive. He is generous with his cup and he has taught me what it means to drink generously from mine [...]."

Although Lee has limited his posts regarding his personal life, fans can catch glimpses of his life with Ryu on her Instagram profile. The entrepreneur frequently shares appreciation posts, including sweet birthday tributes, for her husband and updates her followers on their latest adventures as a couple.

Diana Ryu and Joseph Lee Don't Have Kids Yet

Ryu and Lee are yet to become parents, but it appears Lee's life will soon get busier without the presence of little ones, as magazine giants such as Esquire and Vanity Fair already view him as a rising star. In addition to his role in "Beef," he starred alongside Patrick Stewart and Michelle Hurd in "Star Trek: Picard." At this rate, Lee will likely take on more projects in the near future.