Son Ye-jin, sassy ‘Scandal’… Ji Chang-wook and Nana also join [Official]

Netflix has confirmed the production of its new series ‘Scandal (tentative title)’ and has revealed a casting lineup that is raising expectations, including Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and Nana.

‘Scandal (tentative title)’ is a Netflix series that depicts the story of ‘Madam Cho’, a woman with extraordinary talent who is too talented to be confined as a woman during the Joseon Dynasty, and the sassy and dangerous love bet between Joseon‘s best lover ‘Cho Won’, and the story of ‘Hee-yeon’, a woman entangled in the bet.

The series is based on the 2003 film ‘Scandal - The Love Story of Men and Women in Joseon’. The original film is a romance novel about the French upper class in disarray due to conspiracy and ruin just before the French Revolution, based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclo’s ‘Dangerous Liaisons’, which was brought to the Joseon Dynasty when love and seduction were forbidden. It beautifully and cheekily portrayed a story of fatal seduction, betrayal, and revenge between the nobles, and was well-received by audiences. Despite the youth viewing restriction at the time, the original film recorded 3.52 million box office sales and was greatly loved for its captivating narrative and beautiful costumes and art, which makes people curious about how the original will evolve into a Netflix series. ‘Scandal (tentative title)’ Set in the Joseon Dynasty, when desire itself was taboo, ‘The Scandal’ will tell the story of those who defy the strict Confucian order by making bold bets on love and seduction.

Son Ye-jin, who has demonstrated irreplaceable character digestion in dramas such as [Crash Landing on You], [Pretty Sister Who Buys Me Food], and movies [Classic] and [Be With You Now], plays the role of ‘Madam Cho’, who has outstanding talent and charm, but who makes a behind-the-scenes bet on love against the backdrop of the reality of the times where women are born and can do nothing. ‘Madam Cho’ is a character who shows the side of a top strategist by first proposing a bet of seduction to ‘Cho Won’, who is in love with her.

The role of ‘Cho Won’, the biggest womanizer in Joseon and a man who pursues pleasure and fun rather than success by rising to a government position, will be played by Ji Chang-wook, who has shown acting that goes back and forth between intensity and softness in the Netflix series ‘Annarasumanara’, the movie ‘Revolver’, and the dramas [Gangnam B-side], [Welcome to Samdalli], and [The Worst Evil]. ‘Jo Won’ is a charming man who does not believe in love and only enjoys romance. He is a character who will do anything to win the bet and win the heart of ‘Madam Jo’.

Nana, who has shown an unrivaled presence in various genres such as the Netflix series ‘Masked Girl’, ‘Glitch’, and the movies ‘Confession’, ‘The Swindlers’, plays ‘Hee-yeon’, who loses her husband and is living a life of chastity, but tries to cut off ‘Jo Won’, who approaches her. ‘Hee-yeon’ is a character who tries to pull herself together but is swayed by inexplicable feelings for ‘Jo-won’, and shows a complex inner self that is gradually drawn to him.

Meanwhile, the direction and screenplay of ‘Scandal (tentative title)’ was taken on by Director Jung Ji-woo, a representative Korean film director who directed ‘Tune in for Love ’, ‘Happy End’, and who has presented new things by crossing genres with his first series, ‘​Somebody​, for Netflix. Here, writer Lee Seung-young of [The Art of Negotiation] and writer Ahn Hye-song, who adapted ‘Somebody’, participated in the script, and Movie Rock, which has presented various genres of works such as ‘Pilot’, ‘Cheongseol’, ‘Tune in for Love’, ‘Witness’, ‘Midnight Runners’, etc., was in charge of production.

With the production confirmed, ‘Scandal (tentative title)’, which is garnering attention for the unique chemistry shown by Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and Nana, will be released only on Netflix.

Jeong Hee-yeon, Donga.com reporter shine2562@donga.com

This article is automatically translated using Google AI. If you notice any inaccuracies, please let us know at allkstar@donga.com.