Netflix confirmed the release date for The Scandal, its new Joseon-era drama starring Son Ye-jin.
The Scandal Netflix release date is September 18, 2026, and every region gets the series on the same day.
This post covers the release time, the plot and its literary lineage, the three leads, and what the 19+ rating means for viewers.
Contents
- The Scandal Netflix release date and time
- What The Scandal is about: a Joseon Dangerous Liaisons
- The cast: Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and Nana
- Why The Scandal is rated 19+ — and who is behind it
The Scandal Netflix release date and time
Netflix confirmed the date on August 25, 2026, about three weeks before the premiere, together with a teaser poster and trailer. One report puts the premiere at 5:00 PM KST on Friday, September 18, 2026, with a simultaneous worldwide release.
That is 4:00 AM in New York and 9:00 AM in London on the same day.
Every region starts at the same moment, so there is no regional rollout to wait for.
The series is a Netflix original with no Korean broadcast run, so a Netflix subscription is the only way in. Korean coverage confirms the Netflix-exclusive setup.
 *Netflix confirmed the date 24 days before the series goes live*
| Release date | September 18, 2026 (Friday) |
|---|---|
| Release time | 5:00 PM KST |
| Episodes | 8 |
| Where to watch | Netflix only, worldwide |
| Korea rating | 19+ (adults only) |
| Director | Jung Ji-woo |
What The Scandal is about: a Joseon Dangerous Liaisons
The Scandal adapts Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s 1782 French novel Dangerous Liaisons, transplanted to Joseon-era Korea. The production describes it as a Joseon reinterpretation of the classic.
By premiere day the source novel will be 244 years old.
The series is also a remake of the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal, which starred Bae Yong-joon, Lee Mi-sook, and Jeon Do-yeon. Edaily reported the remake lineage when the date was confirmed.
The premise stays inside the official synopsis: Lady Cho proposes a dangerous love wager to Jo Won, and the young widow Hui-yeon becomes the target of their game.
The setting is Bukchon, the quarter where Joseon aristocratic families lived, and the wager is set up as a scandal that could shake that entire community.
 *One story, three eras: novel, film, and series*
The cast: Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and Nana
Son Ye-jin plays Lady Cho, a brilliant woman boxed in by the limits placed on women in Joseon, and the person who sets the wager in motion.
This is her first period drama in 24 years.
Her 2001 lead debut Delicious Proposal peaked at a 30.9% rating and won her an MBC newcomer award. TV Report profiled the return ahead of premiere week.
Ji Chang-wook plays Jo Won, who has spent his life chasing pleasure until a letter from Lady Cho pulls him back into her game.
Nana plays Hui-yeon, a widow who lost her groom before the wedding and now lives under enforced chastity — the person both players set their sights on.
Stills released September 3 showed Jo Won and Hui-yeon in a near-kiss, and Lady Cho and Hui-yeon together, without revealing how the wager ends. Newspim carried the stills with the seductive modern hanbok the series leans on.
Why The Scandal is rated 19+ — and who is behind it
In Korea the series carries a 19+ rating, adults only, which is rare for a romance K-drama and signals how explicit this adaptation gets. The rating was confirmed in Korean coverage in premiere week.
For viewers, that means this is not a gateway K-drama for younger family members — check who is watching.
Director Jung Ji-woo said he did not want a simple melodrama structure; his leads carry a modern sense of self into a world of Joseon-era taboos. His comments came with the date announcement.
The screenplay is by Lee Seung-young and Ahn Hye-song, and the series is produced by Movie Rock and Sumokwon.
The teaser poster carries the tagline "Crave what you cannot have."
Sources
- Sept 18, 2026, 5PM KST global release, 8 episodes, Jung Ji-w (cineplay.co.kr)
- 8 episodes, production companies, staff list (ko.wikipedia.org)
- 19+ rating, character details, Son Ye-jin sageuk return afte (news.nate.com)
Dates to check back
- Check The Scandal’s series page on Netflix on September 18 to confirm whether all 8 episodes drop at once or weekly.
- Verify the maturity rating shown in your region’s Netflix app, as 19+ classifications can differ by country.
- Check for English subtitles availability on the series page if you watch outside Korea.
- This post reflects information confirmed as of September 5, 2026.
FAQ
Q. How many episodes does The Scandal have, and do they drop all at once?
The series runs 8 episodes. Whether Netflix releases all 8 at once or weekly has not been announced, so check the series page on September 18.
Q. Does the 19+ rating apply outside Korea?
The adults-only rating is confirmed for Korea. Netflix maturity ratings by region have not been announced, so the label in your region may differ.
Q. What time does The Scandal release on Netflix?
5:00 PM KST on September 18, 2026, per the date announcement — that is 4:00 AM in New York and 9:00 AM in London the same day.
Q. Is The Scandal a remake of Untold Scandal?
Yes. It remakes the 2003 film Untold Scandal, and both trace back to the 1782 novel Dangerous Liaisons.
Mark your calendar for September 18 and turn on Netflix reminders for The Scandal so you don’t miss the global drop.
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