How many episodes does The Scandal have?

The Scandal consists of 8 episodes, each approximately 70 minutes long. All episodes were released simultaneously on Netflix on September 18, 2026.

Where can I watch The Scandal with English subtitles?

The Scandal is a Netflix original and streams exclusively on Netflix worldwide, with English subtitles available on the platform.

Is The Scandal based on a true story or a novel?

The Scandal is a K-drama adaptation of the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal directed by E J-yong, which itself was based on the 1782 French epistolary novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

Is The Scandal suitable for all audiences?

No. The Scandal is rated for mature audiences and contains explicit sexual content, nudity, and adult themes set within Joseon-era Korea. Viewer discretion is advised.

Is there a season 2 of The Scandal?

As of its September 2026 premiere, no season 2 has been announced. The show tells a self-contained story and ends with a narrative resolution for all three leads.

completed

The Scandal

Name: The Scandal
Genre: Drama
Cast: Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, Nana, Han Seon-hwa, Shin Youn-ha

스캔들

Year2026Episodes8NetworkNetflix

“Dangerous Liaisons meets the Joseon court”

In Joseon, a secret proposal ignites hidden desires in a gifted noblewoman, a famed lover and an unsuspecting lady caught in their dangerous game.

Drama

Son Ye-jin

as Lady Cho · LEAD

Son Ye-jin

Lady Cho

Ji Chang-wook

as Cho Won · LEAD

Ji Chang-wook

Cho Won

Nana

as Ahn Hui-yeon · LEAD

Nana

Ahn Hui-yeon

Han Seon-hwa

as So-ok's Mom · LEAD

Han Seon-hwa

So-ok's Mom

Shin Youn-ha

as Lee So-ok · SUPPORTING

Shin Youn-ha

Lee So-ok

Kang Ji-eun

as Lady Jeonggyeong · SUPPORTING

Kang Ji-eun

Lady Jeonggyeong

Kwon Do-kyun

as Chil-seong · SUPPORTING

Kwon Do-kyun

Chil-seong

Kang Chan-hee

as Kwon In-ho · SUPPORTING

Kang Chan-hee

Kwon In-ho

Streaming

Where to watch

Netflix

Availability varies by region · Data by JustWatch via TMDB

Quick verdict

Should you watch?

A bold, sensual Joseon remake with strong performances trapped inside an uneven script.

Story

6.7

Acting

7.5

OST

6.8

Pacing

6.3

8.5+

7–8.4

✓Fans of Dangerous Liaisons or Cruel Intentions, viewers who loved the 2003 film Untold Scandal, anyone who enjoys morally grey period dramas with psychological tension and mature content.

✗Viewers expecting clean romance, those sensitive to explicit content, or fans seeking the sharp wit of the original Les Liaisons dangereuses.

Story

What is it really about

A cunning Joseon noblewoman, chafing against Confucian constraints, drafts her libertine cousin into a calculated wager: seduce a chaste young widow who has sworn off men forever. What begins as cold manipulation spirals into genuine desire — and irreversible consequences — for all three.

Psychologically tenseDarkly eroticMorally greyBittersweetLavishly cinematic

Did you know

Trivia & facts

The series is adapted from the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal, itself based on the 1782 French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.

Principal photography ran from March 2025 to September 2025, with the show produced by Movierocks and Cine Forest for Netflix.

Han Seon-hwa's character (So-ok's Mom) was newly created for this Netflix adaptation and does not appear in the 2003 film or the original novel.

Rookie actress Shin Youn-ha was revealed to be part of the cast only on September 8, 2026, ten days before the premiere.

The 2003 source film Untold Scandal was the fourth-highest-grossing domestic Korean film of its year.