Who’s in The Scandal? The Netflix Joseon-era drama’s cast guide
Netflix’s The Scandal is stacked with star power—here’s who’s in the cast.
Set in the strict social world of Joseon, Netflix ’s new period drama The Scandal reimagines Dangerous Liaisons as a high-stakes seduction play. At its center is Lady Cho, a seemingly upright noblewoman whose “friendly” wager detonates into a power game of desire and reputation. The series is directed by Jung Ji-woo (Happy End, Eungyo), whose films are known for their sharp, adult look at love and consequence.
The wager targets Cho Won, a notorious aristocratic rake, and soon ropes in Hui-yeon, a woman whose fate becomes collateral in the pair’s elegant battle. What starts as flirtation becomes a dangerous web of temptation, secrets, and leverage—where one bad move can cost everything.
Cast and roles
- Son Ye-jin — Lady Cho (Crash Landing on You; Something in the Rain; A Moment to Remember; recently Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice)
- Ji Chang-wook — Cho Won (Suspicious Partner; The K2; The Worst of Evil; The Manipulated; recent zombie film Colony)
- Nana — Hui-yeon (The Good Wife; Into the Ring; Glitch; films The Swindlers and Confession; 2025 ’s Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy)
Netflix hasn’t announced the rest of the ensemble yet.
From page to Joseon
The Scandal traces its roots to the 2003 Korean movie Untold Scandal, which itself adapted Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel Dangerous Liaisons. That classic has fueled multiple screen versions, including Stephen Frears’ 1988 film Dangerous Liaisons and Miloš Forman’s 1989 take, Valmont. The new series keeps the intrigue and manipulation intact while filtering it through Joseon-era rules about gender, status, and honor.
The Scandal premieres September 18, 2026 on Netflix and runs eight episodes.
The streamer describes an intimate, adult-skewing period piece built around strategy, seduction, and fallout. The eight-episode season arrives on September 18, 2026.