The Scandal Hits Netflix Sept 18 — Son Ye-jin & Ji Chang-wook's Forbidden Joseon Romance Is a Must-Watch

Netflix is bringing the seduction back to Joseon

If you've been craving a K-drama that hits like Crash Landing on You but wrapped in silk robes and court intrigue, Netflix has your September sorted. The Scandal, an eight-part adaptation of the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal, drops globally on September 18, 2026 — and honestly, the casting alone is enough to make you cancel all your plans.

Who's in it (and why it matters)

Son Ye-jin — the queen of Crash Landing on You and Something in the Rain — leads as Lady Cho, a woman whose wit and cunning far outgrow the cage of the women's quarters. Opposite her is Ji Chang-wook (The Sound of Magic, Revolver) as Cho Won, the most notorious playboy in all of Joseon. And then there's Nana, fresh off Mask Girl and Omniscient Reader, playing Hui-yeon — a chaste, widowed noblewoman who gets dragged right into their dangerous little game.

Director Jung Ji-woo, the mind behind Eungyo and Somebody, is calling the shots. That's a track record worth paying attention to.

What's the plot?

Think of it as a period-piece Dangerous Liaisons with even higher stakes. Lady Cho bets it all on a risky seduction game with the empire's greatest playboy, and poor Hui-yeon gets tangled in the middle of their escalating deceit. Forbidden love, sharp wit, and a whole lot of political danger — set in an era where passion like this simply wasn't allowed.

Why you should care

This is one of Netflix's most anticipated Korean originals of the fall slate, sitting right alongside 100 Days of Deception on October 10 and The Remarried Empress on Disney+. With Son Ye-jin back on screen (it's been a couple years since Thirty-Nine) and a director who never plays it safe, The Scandal is shaping up to be the K-drama event of September.

Clear your calendar for September 18. Mark my words — this one's gonna trend hard. (＾▽＾)