Korean Drama “The Scandal” Reimagines “Dangerous Liaisons”

Starring Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and Nana (Im Jin-ah), Netflix’s upcoming Korean drama The Scandal is set to premiere globally on September 18. The cast and production team held a press conference in Seoul on September 9, where director Jung Ji-woo teased that the series will feature more provocative and daring material than the original, including an original female–female romance storyline.

The drama is adapted from the classic film Untold Scandal <挑情醜聞>, which itself was inspired by the French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses. Even before its release, the drama has generated considerable buzz thanks to its bold reinterpretation of the original story.

Director Teases a Bolder Adaptation
Director Jung Ji-woo was the center of attention at the press conference. He openly hinted at “more explicit and provocative” scenes in the series, while revealing that the production team has added a completely new female–female romance plotline that was not present in the original. The expanded storyline gives the classic tale a more contemporary perspective, while introducing significantly bolder elements beyond the framework of the original work, he said.

Son Ye-jin Takes on Her Most Complex Emotional Role

Known for her elegant and refined image, Son Ye-jin makes a major departure from her usual roles by playing Madam Jo, a woman driven by desire, emotional conflict and inner struggles.

She said that one of the reasons she accepted the role was her desire to work with director Jung, but also because she felt she had “reached an age where I can express these kinds of emotions.”
She was particularly captivated by the character when she first read the script and decided to embrace the role as a new acting challenge.

Ji Chang-wook Puts His Own Spin on the Iconic Jo-won
Ji Chang-wook takes on Jo-won, the character famously portrayed by Bae Yong-joon in the original film. While Ji acknowledged that Bae Yong-joon’s performance left a strong impression, he stressed that his interpretation of Jo-won is completely different. Unlike the film, the drama has considerably more time to explore the character’s life story, motivations and emotional development, allowing Ji Chang-wook to portray Jo-won with greater complexity and subtlety, rather than simply recreating the previous performance.

Nana Sees Pressure as Motivation to Grow

For Nana, being part of such a high-profile remake naturally comes with pressure. However, she has chosen to view that pressure positively, saying that “pressure can also be a source of motivation.”

Her character’s ambiguous and intimate relationships with Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook, together with the newly revealed female–female romance storyline, are expected to become one of the drama’s biggest attractions.

Catch the Trailer for “The Scandal”: