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Netflix Drops The Scandal, a Joseon Reimagining of Dangerous Liaisons

The eight-episode period drama reframes a classic seduction tale in Joseon to show how rigid honor codes magnify personal cost.

Overview

  • Netflix released all eight episodes of The Scandal as a single global drop on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, featuring Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and NANA in lead roles.
  • The central premise follows a noblewoman’s wager that a famed playboy will seduce a young widow, a setup that critics say shifts the story from pure spectacle to character-driven moral conflict.
  • Reviewers have highlighted strong performances from the three leads and praised the series’ production design, cinematography and Jung Ji-woo’s restrained direction.
  • The season finale deliberately leaves key outcomes unresolved, a choice that has focused audience discussion and comes without any official confirmation of a second season.
  • The Scandal positions itself in a line of adaptations of Les Liaisons dangereuses and the 2003 film Untold Scandal and is part of Netflix’s push to globalize high-profile K-period drama and showcase established film and TV stars.