Netflix has released The Scandal, an eight-episode South Korean period drama starring Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and Nana that adapts Dangerous Liaisons into the Joseon dynasty.
The miniseries became available on the streaming service on September 18, offering episodes ranging between 48 minutes and one hour and 20 minutes. It moves the classical French story of seduction, manipulation, and aristocratic ambition into historical Korea.
The story focuses on Lady Cho, played by Son Ye-jin, a brilliant noblewoman constrained by the strict social expectations of her era. Unwilling to accept her assigned place in society, she instigates a high-stakes wager with Cho Won, a celebrated nobleman and notorious seducer.
Bet and seduction in aristocrat society
Cho Won, portrayed by Ji Chang-wook, views romance as mere entertainment and boasts of his ability to charm any woman. Under the terms of Lady Cho's gamble, he sets out to conquer Hui-yeon, played by Nana, a young widow who is firmly committed to maintaining her chastity.
The scheme soon threatens to spiral beyond the control of its masterminds as genuine emotions and moral convictions disrupt the calculated game of influence. Hui-yeon finds herself entangled in a power struggle she did not choose, while Cho Won finds his casual attitude toward love tested by his evolving relationship with the widow.
Son Ye-jin's role as Lady Cho marks the actress's return to historical drama 24 years after her previous project in the genre. Her character presents a calm and composed exterior while concealing deep personal frustrations and hidden desires in a society governed by rigid codes of conduct.
Production design and artistic features
The production was created by Jung Ji-woo and Kim Jae-joong, with Jung Ji-woo directing the eight episodes. The creative team incorporated modern thematic perspectives into the narrative, placing particular emphasis on expanding the central conflicts between the female leads.
To build its historical atmosphere, the series incorporates voice-over reading of letters, traditional pansori musical elements, and Korean minhwa folk paintings alongside period costumes. The staging deliberately departs from standard conventions seen in typical Korean historical television productions.
The supporting cast features Chani, a member of the K-pop group SF9, who plays Kwon In-ho. Shin Yoon-ha appears as Lee So-ok, and Han Seon-hwa takes on a supporting role in the drama.
Source material and historical setting
The miniseries draws its foundation from Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's 1782 epistolary novel, Les Liaisons dangereuses, which originally critiqued the moral decay of French nobility prior to the French Revolution. By transplanting Laclos's narrative to the Joseon dynasty, the series explores how individual desire clashes with feudal social structures.
During the Joseon era, which governed Korea for over five centuries until the late 19th century, strict neo-Confucian ideals mandated strict gender separation and aristocratic decorum. In such an environment, as portrayed in the series, any violation of social boundaries could quickly become a destructive threat to personal reputation and safety.
