The recently released South Korean series ‘The Scandal’ on the OTT platform Netflix is ​​in a lot of discussion among the audience. Inspired by the famous 18th-century French novel ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos and the 2003 blockbuster Korean film ‘Untold Scandal’, the eight-episode series weaves a complex web of love, betrayal and social taboos that will keep the audience engaged till the end. Starring Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and Nana, the series depicts the immoral desires and emotional manipulation that flourished amid the strict rules and regulations of the Joseon period.

Conspiracy: an innocent stake and a deep conspiracy
At the center of the series’ story is Lady Cho (Son Ye-jin), an influential aristocratic woman. Feeling stifled by her life and social restrictions, Lady Cho makes a bet with her cousin and famous playboy Cho Won (Ji Chang-wook). The challenge is simple but dangerous—Cho Won has to woo a very simple and reserved young widow named Hui-yeon (Nana).

What initially seems like just fun and passing the time, slowly takes a sinister turn when attraction is replaced by true feelings and real love that interferes with the original plan. The Joseon period setting makes the game more serious, as honor, marriage and social status were at stake.

Strong acting: The depth hidden in the layers of the characters
Son Ye-jin (Lady Cho): Son Ye-jin doesn’t just portray her character as a ‘villain’ or a cunning woman. She portrays Lady Cho’s desperation, fear of losing control and inner vulnerability very effectively with her measured acting.

Ji Chang-wook (Cho Won): Initially seen as a carefree and flirtatious lover, Ji Chang-wook’s transformation is worth watching. As their faith falters and they are torn between true love and old loyalties, even their silence speaks on screen.

Nana (Hui-yeon): Nana’s character is not limited to being a ‘victim’. From a reticent widow to a woman who is conscious of her rights and truth, her acting is brilliant and balanced.

direction and visual excellence
Director Jung Ji-woo makes excellent use of the Joseon period atmosphere, gorgeous costumes and cinematography. The biggest feature of the series is its visual presentation. More than the dialogues, the gaze of the characters, the physical distance between the two persons and the body language multiplies the tension of the story.

Son Ye-jin gave many aspects to the character of Lady Cho
Son Ye-jin is the biggest reason to stick with this series. Lady Cho could easily have been a typical ‘manipulator’, using people like pieces on a board. Instead, the son gives them a mixture of control, frustration and weakness. She understands the rules of the world she lives in and knows well how far they can bend.

Also, it seems that Lady Cho’s games are partially a result of how little control she has over her own life. This contradiction makes his character more interesting. He is neither portrayed as a mere victim nor is he made a villain.

Ji Chang-wook complicates the character of Cho Won
Ji Chang-wook gets a different challenge as Cho Won. Initially, he is confident and flirtatious, and is comfortable treating romance as entertainment. Her bet with Lady Cho seems like another game she can easily win. His character becomes more interesting when his confidence starts to waver. Ji Chang-wook portrays Cho Won’s transformation very well, making it not seem sudden. Her acting is particularly impressive in the quieter scenes, where her character’s confusion is more apparent than her bubbly dialogue.

Her chemistry with Son Ye-jin also creates a lot of tension in the series. Their characters have histories and complex emotional connections, so their conversations about betting have a unique depth to them.

Nana is not the only woman caught in the middle
Nana’s character ‘Hui-yeon’ could also be portrayed as an innocent victim of Cho Won and Lady Cho’s game. But he has to do more in the series. Hui-yeon’s story begins as a young widow who is expected to maintain an image of good character. Nana has played this character with great restraint, due to which the emotions and doubts of the character gradually come to the fore. Things change as Hui-yeon becomes aware of what is happening around her. She is no longer just a woman being dictated to by two people with more power and freedom than her.

This is where ‘The Scandal’ becomes more than just a good old-fashioned romantic story. The series repeatedly questions what happens when people with little control over their lives try to regain that control through the emotions of others.

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Scandal: The visuals capture the mood of the story
‘The Scandal’ is one of those drama series where the visual presentation is an important part of the experience. Rather than serving as a history lesson, the production design, costumes, and cinematography present the Joseon period in a grand and charming manner.

Jung Ji-woo also uses body language to create tension. A glance, a pause or the distance between two letters sometimes says more than a long conversation. Hence, it features sexuality not just for effect, but to add to the story. Wills are complicated because there are many rules and regulations attached to them.

Where ‘The Scandal’ takes place
The biggest problem is that the eight episode format feels unnecessarily long at times. The main situation or stake of the story is set at the beginning, but the play sometimes revolves around the characters and their conflicts rather than moving the story forward. Some episodes take a long time to get to events that could have happened earlier.

This is where the series can test the audience’s patience. The main story is based on deception and its consequences, so the tension depends on how quickly the characters’ schemes are exposed. There are moments when characters’ decisions seem convenient to further the story rather than entirely relevant to the story.

Despite this, the slow-paced parts don’t dilute the good thing about it. When relationships become emotionally entangled, it’s easy to be interested in the drama.

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‘The Scandal’: The Verdict
‘The Scandal’ works best when it’s not just a story of seduction, but a story of people trying to take control in a society where they have very little control. The trio of Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and Nana is a strong one, and each brings different emotions to this dangerous game. Joseon’s background adds real intrigue to the story, while Jung Ji-woo’s direction gives the series an elegant and sensual visual identity.

It’s not as consistently interesting as the story would have hoped, and its pacing could have been a little better. But the relationships between Lady Cho, Cho Won and Hui-yeon have so much complexity and depth that watching eight episodes feels worthwhile.

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