The Scandal on Netflix: Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook's Steamy Joseon Love Game Leads September's K-Drama Wave

September 2026 Is Stacked With K-Dramas, and The Scandal Is the One Everyone Will Be Talking About

If your watchlist has been looking a little empty lately, September 2026 is about to fix that in a big way. Netflix, Disney+, tvN, and Viki are all dropping fresh Korean dramas this month, and the lineup is honestly one of the strongest we have seen all year. Leading the pack is The Scandal, a steamy Joseon-era romance starring Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook that premieres globally on Netflix on September 18. Here is everything you need to know.

The Scandal: Son Ye-jin vs. Ji Chang-wook in a Dangerous Love Game

Let us start with the headliner. The Scandal is a period romance set in Joseon-era Korea, and the premise alone is delicious. Son Ye-jin (Crash Landing on You) plays Lady Cho, a brilliant woman whose talents far exceed what Joseon society allows her. Ji Chang-wook (Healer, The Worst of Evil) plays Cho Won, the greatest playboy of Joseon. The two enter a daring and dangerous wager involving young widow Hui Yeon, played by Nana, and things spiral into deceit, seduction, and genuine feeling.

What makes this a must-watch? First, it is Son Ye-jin's big return to period drama, and pairing her with Ji Chang-wook is inspired casting. Second, Netflix is dropping all episodes simultaneously, so no agonizing weekly wait. If you loved the slow-burn tension of The Red Sleeve or the romantic games of Dangerous Liaisons (the classic French novel this story echoes), this one is built for you.

Four More September K-Dramas Worth Your Time

The Scandal is not arriving alone. Here are four more premieres rounding out the month:

• The Ordinary Jackpot (tvN / Viki, Sept 10) — Lee Jun Hyuk stars as Gong Eun Tae, an ordinary sales employee who wins the lottery, only to discover the prize is not quite life-changing. Co-starring Seo Hyun Woo and Oh Dae Hwan, this office comedy about finding meaning in the mundane looks like a sleeper hit.
• A Love Other Than Yours (KBS2, Sept 12) — Seo Kang Jun and Ahn Eun Jin play a couple in their tenth year of dating whose comfortable relationship starts cracking in unexpected ways. A realistic romance for anyone tired of fairy-tale love stories.
• Dive Into You (Channel A / Viki, Sept 26) — A soul-swapping fantasy romance starring Bona (Kim Ji Yeon) as a top actress who swaps bodies with her twin brother and travels back in time to save her first love, played by Park Seo Ham. Weird, romantic, and totally bingeable.
• Made in Korea Season 2 (Disney+, already streaming) — Hyun Bin returns as the power-hungry Baek Ki Tae with Jung Woo Sung back as the prosecutor hunting him, joined by Woo Do Hwan and Seo Eun Soo. If you missed our earlier coverage, catch up now because Season 2 picks up nine years later with the stakes even higher.

Final Verdict: Clear Your Weekend

Between Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook's electric pairing in The Scandal, Lee Jun Hyuk's relatable everyman turn in The Ordinary Jackpot, and the fantasy twists of Dive Into You, September 2026 might be the best month for K-drama fans this year. Start with The Scandal on Netflix on September 18, then work your way through the rest. Your sleep schedule will recover eventually. Probably.