SEOUL, Sept. 9 (Yonhap) -- Actor Son Ye-jin, who has made a long-awaited return to period dramas with "The Scandal," said Wednesday she was charmed by her role in the new Netflix series as Lady Cho, an independent woman who tried to defy the conservative atmosphere of the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910).
The eight-part series, also featuring Ji Chang-wook and Nana, is a remake of the popular Korean film "Untold Scandal" (2003), which was inspired by the 1782 French novel "Dangerous Liaisons."
In the Korean series, Lady Cho and Cho Won (Ji), her longtime friend and relative who has grown up into a famous playboy, begin a dangerous game involving virtuous widow Hui-yeon (Nana), a move that unsettles the lives of all three.
The 2003 film featured Lee Mi-suk as Lady Cho and Bae Yong-jun and Jeon Do-yeon as Cho Won and Hui-yeon, respectively.
Actor Son Ye-jin speaks at a press conference for the Netflix series "The Scandal" at a hotel in Seoul on Sept. 9, 2026. (Yonhap)
"I was charmed by Lady Cho as I read the script and also felt that I was at an age where I could express her feelings well," Son said at a press conference in Seoul.
"The fact that the series talks about human desire and is set in an era where such desires are considered taboo, as well as returning to historical drama after a long time, were all reasons I decided to accept the role," she said.
When asked about the pressure of taking part in a remake of a popular film, Son said the series delves deeper into the narrative of the characters compared with a film with a running time of two hours.
"As the story moves on, Lady Cho becomes a more complex character ... the way she views Hui-yeon becomes peculiar, and audiences will naturally become curious about their fate," Son said, adding that building the character meticulously felt like doing a fun homework assignment.
Actors Nana, Son Ye-jin and Ji Chang-wook (from L to R) pose for a group photo at a press conference for the Netflix series "The Scandal" at a hotel in Seoul on Sept. 9, 2026. (Yonhap)
Director Jung Ji-woo reaffirmed that the remake is "very different" from the 2003 film, saying the upcoming series goes back to the French novel and rewrites the characters and their relationship, stressing the difference would be obvious once audiences watch the series.
As much as the series is set in the Joseon Dynasty, Jung said he borrowed the structure of "pansori," or traditional Korean opera, saying he wanted to show through the work how beautiful and interesting the musical genre is.
A lot of effort was also put into making hanbok costumes for each of the characters, which was sometimes used as a means to express their sentiment.
"As Lady Cho's desire becomes bigger, she appears in dark-colored hues. I was mesmerized by the restrained beauty of hanbok ... the same goes for the costumes for Cho Won and Hui-yeon, with the white hues of Hui-yeon's hanbok really fitting her character," Son said.
"The Scandal" is set to premiere on Netflix on Sept. 18.
Director Jung Ji-woo speaks at a press conference for the Netflix series "The Scandal" at a hotel in Seoul on Sept. 9, 2026. (Yonhap)