Han Sun-hwa joins Netflix Joseon drama 'Scandal', dropping September 18

Han Sun-hwa in a Joseon love-bet drama

Han Sun-hwa is set to appear in Scandal, an 8-episode Netflix series dropping September 18, 2026. The show is based on the 2003 film Scandal: A Shocking and Immoral Deal and is set in Bukchon during the Joseon era, following a dangerous love bet — sparked by a single letter — that upends the lives of three people.

The cast is stacked. Son Ye-jin plays Jo-ssi Bugin, the woman who proposes the wager inside rule-bound Bukchon. Ji Chang-wook plays Jo Won, a man known for his way with romance, who accepts the bet after receiving the letter. Nana plays Hee-yeon, a young widow who becomes the subject of the bet itself. Shin Yun-ha plays So-ok, a concubine set to be brought into the household. Han Sun-hwa and Kang Chan-hee round out the lineup.

Director Jung Ji-woo helms the series. Lee Seung-young and Ahn Hye-song wrote the screenplay. Movirock and Sumokyowon produced.

From Secret to sageuk

Han Sun-hwa debuted with girl group Secret in 2009 and wrapped those activities in 2016. Her first drama role came in 2013 with Ad Genius Lee Tae-baek, playing Lee So-ran. In 2014 she took on Jenny — a character with a fraud record — in God's Gift: 14 Days, then landed the lead in MBC weekend drama Rosy Lovers the same year. That double run earned her rookie awards from two broadcasters in a single year. In 2020 she appeared in Backstreet Rookie as Yu Yeon-ju.

Scandal will be available simultaneously to Netflix subscribers worldwide. Netflix's previous Korean release, thriller Mole, pulled 2 million views in its first week and hit the global Top 10 non-English shows chart at No. 5, appearing in Top 10 lists across 13 countries.