The 'Scandal' of the Joseon Dynasty, which had to hide its desires, was more dangerous than the forbidden love game of French nobles... [K-EYES] Overseas reviews on 'Scandal'

*This content was translated by AI.

Ranked 7th globally, .. mostly rated 4 out of 5 points

Netflix's series "Scandal," which transposes the forbidden love game of French nobles to the Joseon Dynasty, ranked 7th on Netflix in its first week of broadcast. Reviews from major media outlets in Hong Kong and India indicate that overseas critics noted how the Joseon setting, entirely different from 18th-century France where the original work is set, created even greater tension in a story dealing with desire, temptation, and betrayal.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post (SCMP) highlighted in its "Scandal" review on the 18th the premise of transposing Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' 18th-century novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" to the Joseon Dynasty.

SCMP noted that while it might initially seem incongruous to move a story about seduction and conspiracy among French nobles to the Joseon era, the patriarchal social structure of Joseon actually served as a "perfect backdrop" for this narrative. The analysis suggests that the strict social order that severely restricted men's and women's desires and behaviors generated new tension in the original love game. SCMP gave "Scandal" 4 out of 5 points.

"Scandal" is a work that transposes "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," published in 1782, to the Joseon Dynasty. The story unfolds as Lady Jo (Son Ye-jin), a woman with exceptional talents for living in the Joseon era, and Jo Won (Ji Chang-wook), the greatest lover of Joseon, engage in a dangerous love bet, while Hee-yeon (Nana) becomes entangled in the process.

In the original work, the story revolves around aristocratic socializing and seduction, but in the Joseon setting, it unfolds within constraints based on reputation, social status, and gender. In a society where desires cannot be freely expressed, simply wanting someone can become a dangerous choice, further complicating the relationships among the three characters.

Indian media outlet India Today also gave "Scandal" 4 points in its review on the 18th. India Today evaluated that in the Joseon era, what one wanted, whom one wanted, and even whether one could desire something at all could determine the direction of one's life, and the work presents this as a game of seduction and manipulation across eight episodes.

India Today pointed out that while focusing on the acting performances of Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wo to highlight the show's tension, it was not as groundbreaking as expected given its title "Scandal." Although sensual scenes appear, there are moments suggesting the work carefully calculated boundaries it would not cross. At the same time, it offered positive evaluations regarding the acting of the three actors, visual aesthetics, and color grading.

Another element highlighted in overseas reviews is Nana's transformation. In "Scandal," Nana portrays Hee-yeon, who lives under social constraints after losing her husband. The character itself serves as another axis reflecting the Joseon social order that restricts desire and freedom of choice.

India-based media outlet Leisurebyte analyzed "Scandal" in its review on the 18th as a Joseon-era romance centered on "manipulation," "forbidden desire," and "dangerous wager." It particularly evaluated that in a situation where Confucian social order suppresses individual identity and desires, characters reveal their desires in dangerous ways.

Leisurebyte cited the chemistry between Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wo, powerful acting performances, and impressive visual aesthetics as strengths, giving it 4 out of 5 points. However, it noted drawbacks such as the plot becoming overly slow as the story unfolds across eight episodes and some characters' choices appearing convenient for advancing the narrative. This review is currently registered on the film and TV review site Rotten Tomatoes.

The three overseas reviews did not offer unconditional praise for the work. While generally giving high marks to Joseon's social constraints, the acting of the three actors, and visual aesthetics, they pointed out issues such as slow pacing and a level of boldness that fell short of expectations.

Interest in the work was also confirmed through Netflix viewing metrics. According to Netflix's weekly rankings, "Scandal" ranked 7th among global non-English TV shows from September 14 to 20. Since the series was released on September 18, the ranking reflected viewership data for three days following its release. During this period, viewership reached 1.9 million, with total viewing time amounting to 14.5 million hours.

"Scandal" also appeared in the top 10 non-English TV shows on Netflix in 10 countries including South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

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*This content was translated by AI.