Netflix’s Korean drama The Scandal is gaining international attention after entering the streaming platform’s Global Top 10 for non-English TV shows. The historical romance drama, starring Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and NANA, premiered globally on September 18, 2026.
The eight-episode limited series is set in Joseon-era Korea and follows a dangerous relationship game involving three characters whose personal choices gradually create consequences they cannot easily control.
Rather than being a straightforward historical romance, The Scandal combines period drama, romance and psychological tension. The series is directed by Jung Ji-woo and reimagines the story behind the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal, which itself was inspired by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ classic novel Dangerous Liaisons.
What Is The Scandal About?
The Scandal centers on Lady Cho, Cho Won and Hui-yeon.
Lady Cho is an intelligent and influential noblewoman who is dissatisfied with the restrictions placed on women in Joseon society. She becomes involved in a dangerous wager with her cousin, Cho Won, a man known for his reputation as a skilled seducer.
The wager involves Hui-yeon, a young widow who has remained distant from romantic relationships after losing her husband.
Cho Won accepts the challenge and attempts to win Hui-yeon’s heart. What initially appears to be a game gradually becomes more complicated as genuine emotions begin to interfere with the original plan.
Netflix describes the story as a dangerous game of desire and deception, with the three main characters becoming increasingly connected as the wager develops.
Son Ye-jin Leads the Drama as Lady Cho
Son Ye-jin plays Lady Cho, the character at the center of the story.
The role marks Son Ye-jin’s return to a major Korean drama series after several years away from television drama. International audiences may recognize her from Crash Landing on You, one of her best-known projects, as well as Something in the Rain and Thirty-Nine.
Lady Cho is written as a character who does not simply accept the limitations of her social position. Her intelligence and willingness to take risks become important parts of the drama’s central conflict.
The character also gives Son Ye-jin an opportunity to play a role that is very different from some of her previous romantic-drama characters.
Ji Chang-wook Plays the Joseon Era’s Notorious Playboy
Ji Chang-wook stars as Cho Won, a man whose reputation for romantic adventures makes him the obvious choice for Lady Cho’s challenge.
Cho Won initially approaches the wager with confidence. However, his relationship with Hui-yeon becomes increasingly complicated as the story progresses.
Ji Chang-wook has previously appeared in several popular Korean productions, including The Sound of Magic, Welcome to Samdal-ri and Lovestruck in the City.
In The Scandal, the actor takes on a period role that requires him to balance the character’s confident public image with the emotions developing beneath it.
NANA Plays Hui-yeon
NANA plays Hui-yeon, a noblewoman who becomes the unexpected focus of the wager.
Unlike Cho Won, Hui-yeon is not looking for a romantic adventure. Her character is initially presented as a woman protecting herself from further emotional pain.
As Cho Won begins pursuing her, the situation becomes more complicated. The story therefore does not depend only on the original wager; it also explores what happens when the people involved begin developing feelings that were not part of the plan.
NANA has appeared in projects including Mask Girl and has continued expanding her acting career across television and film.
A Joseon-Era Reimagining of a Classic Story
One of the notable aspects of The Scandal is its connection to an older literary and cinematic story.
The Netflix series is a reimagining of the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal. That film was itself based on Dangerous Liaisons, the 18th-century French novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.
Instead of keeping the original European setting, the story has been adapted to Joseon-era Korea.
This allows the series to explore familiar themes such as manipulation, romance, social expectations and forbidden relationships within a very different historical environment.
The production also places significant attention on Joseon-era settings, costumes and visual design, helping distinguish the drama from contemporary Korean romance series.
Why The Scandal Is Getting International Attention
The drama’s international performance is one of the reasons it has become a notable Netflix title in recent weeks.
According to Netflix’s weekly viewing data for September 21–27, The Scandal ranked third among the platform’s Global Top 10 non-English TV shows during its second week. It recorded 2.8 million views and 21.9 million hours viewed during that weekly period.
The series was also listed among the non-English titles appearing in Netflix’s global rankings, showing that its audience extends beyond South Korea.
Its international visibility is helped by several factors, including the popularity of its lead actors, its historical setting and its connection to a story that has already been adapted in different forms.
The Drama Has Eight Episodes
The Scandal is a limited series consisting of eight episodes.
The episodes follow the development of the wager and its consequences rather than introducing an unrelated storyline every week. This gives the central relationship between Lady Cho, Cho Won and Hui-yeon the majority of the narrative focus.
The episodes range from under an hour to around 80 minutes, giving the final episodes more room to resolve the conflicts created throughout the story.
The complete limited series is available to stream on Netflix.
What Makes The Scandal Different From a Typical Historical K-Drama?
Many Korean historical dramas combine romance with political conflict, royal families or large-scale action. The Scandal takes a more intimate approach.
The main conflict is driven primarily by relationships and personal decisions.
The wager between Lady Cho and Cho Won creates the starting point, but the story becomes more complicated as the characters’ emotions change.
The drama also focuses on the restrictions faced by women in its historical setting. Lady Cho’s intelligence and determination are particularly important to the story because she refuses to remain entirely within the role expected of her.
This combination of historical setting and relationship-driven storytelling gives The Scandal a different focus from action-heavy period dramas.
Is The Scandal Based on a True Story?
No. The Scandal is a fictional historical romance.
However, it is connected to earlier fictional works. The Netflix series reimagines the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal, while that film was inspired by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel Dangerous Liaisons.
Therefore, viewers should not treat the characters or central wager as historical events.
Where Can You Watch The Scandal?
The Scandal is available exclusively on Netflix.
The series premiered globally on September 18, 2026, with all eight episodes forming a complete limited-series story.
Netflix lists Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and NANA among the principal cast and classifies the series under Korean television, romantic drama and period drama.
Final Thoughts
The Scandal has become one of Netflix’s notable Korean releases of September 2026, particularly after reaching the Global Top 10 for non-English TV shows.
Its appeal comes from the combination of a historical Korean setting, a relationship-focused storyline and three recognizable performers. Son Ye-jin’s return to a major drama, Ji Chang-wook’s role as the confident Cho Won and NANA’s portrayal of Hui-yeon give the series a cast that has attracted attention from Korean-drama viewers internationally.
For viewers who enjoy Korean historical romance with complicated relationships and a more character-focused story, The Scandal offers a different approach from many traditional period dramas.
With all eight episodes now available on Netflix, viewers can watch the complete story and see how the dangerous wager between Lady Cho and Cho Won ultimately affects all three characters.
