Netflix's 'Scandal' reimagines 'Dangerous Liaisons' in Joseon-era Korea

In the rigid, patriarchal landscape of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), a woman’s brilliant intellect was often viewed as a dangerous liability. Enter Lady Cho, an extraordinarily gifted aristocrat whose grandest ambitions and deepest desires are choked by the strict societal limits placed upon her gender.

Now, Netflix is bringing this timeless struggle of hidden desire and dangerous games to life in its upcoming original series “Scandal,” slated to premiere worldwide on Sept. 18. Adapted from the classic literary premise best known through Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 French novel "Dangerous Liaisons" — which previously inspired Korea’s acclaimed 2003 hit film "Untold Scandal" — the series promises a sleek, psychological dive into human vulnerability disguised as period romance.

Netflix released a new trio of character stills, Thursday, featuring lead actors Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and Nana, showcasing a web of seduction, secret correspondence and tragic ambition.

Son, returning to period dramas for the first time in 24 years, plays Lady Cho. Trapped in an era that denies her agency, she buries her intellect beneath the polite facade of a virtuous noblewoman — only to privately orchestrate a daring, high-stakes love wager. One evocative still captures her with unraveled hair in an inner robe, holding a traditional long pipe, a striking visual contrast to the rigid modesty expected of noble women.

Opposite her is Ji as Jo Won, Joseon Dynasty’s most notorious playboy. Born into prestige and blessed with striking looks, Jo Won abandons his potential after losing touch with his childhood pen pal and cousin, Lady Cho. When a long-awaited letter from her finally arrives years later, he plunges recklessly into her dangerous gamble to claim what he has always secretly desired.

Meanwhile, Nana steps into her first period role as Hui-yeon, a young widow forced into lifelong chastity after her betrothed dies before their wedding. When she unexpectedly becomes the central target of Lady Cho and Jo Won's wager, her quiet, resigned existence is violently disrupted.

Directed by Jung Ji-woo, "Scandal" relies heavily on psychological tension and intricate storytelling.

"All three characters live with a massive gulf between their revealed selves and their hidden selves," Jung said. "The psychological tug-of-war as they peek into each other's secrets will build intense visual and narrative suspense."

Framed by elegant Korean aesthetics and complex character arcs, "Scandal" offers a modern, cinematic lens on historical repression and unspoken desire, according to Netflix.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.