Netflix's 'Scandal' Released... Joseon-era 'Dangerous Liaisons', Disappointing Due to Distracted Narrative

The Netflix original series ″Scandal″ was released on the 18th. This work expands the movie ″Scandal – Joseon Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa,″ which is based on the French novel ″Dangerous Liaisons,″ into an 8-episode series. ″Scandal″ centers on the story of Lady Jo (Son Ye-jin), who could not showcase her talents as a woman in the Joseon Dynasty, Joseon’s greatest lover Jo Won (Ji Chang-wook), and Hee-yeon (Nana), who is involved in their wager. The narrative of Lady Jo and Jo Won, which was briefly covered in the movie, is portrayed in more detail in the series. In the early part of the work, the forbidden love between Lady Jo and Jo Won is highlighted as the main storyline. The relationship between the two characters serves as an element that captures the viewers’ attention. However, to extend the series length, additional character stories beyond Lady Jo and Jo Won were added, which led to criticism that the immersion in the plot decreased. In particular, it was pointed out that because the focus of the story was concentrated on Lady Jo and Jo Won, the presence of Hee-yeon, the key figure in the wager, was weakened. Opinions stated that the process of Hee-yeon falling for Jo Won was not convincingly developed, causing the emotional line not to flow naturally. In the middle part, the wager between Lady Jo and Jo Won unfolds in earnest, but it was mentioned that tension only arises when their stories are presented. From episode 7, the rapid development of conflicts among all characters did not connect with the previous progression, giving the impression of a rushed conclusion. The acting skills of Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook contributed to enhancing the completeness of the drama. Son Ye-jin expressed Lady Jo’s complex emotions, and Ji Chang-wook portrayed Jo Won’s story with immersion. However, there were evaluations that left regrets regarding the narrative and direction. There were also opinions that the mise-en-scène did not meet expectations.