Netflix K-Drama "The Scandal" Hits No. 7 Worldwide, Charts in 10 Countries

Netflix's new Korean drama "The Scandal" has climbed into the streamer's global non-English Top 10 just three days after its release. The series, which stars Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook and Nana in a Joseon-era love wager, ranked No. 7 after charting in 10 countries, including South Korea.

Released on Sept. 18, "The Scandal" logged 1.9 million views, a figure Netflix calculates by dividing total watch time by a title's runtime, along with 14.5 million hours viewed. The numbers were enough to secure the No. 7 spot on the platform's global non-English television ranking.

The show broke into the Top 10 in South Korea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Set in Joseon-era Korea, "The Scandal" follows Lady Jo (played by Son Ye-jin), a woman whose talents push against the limits placed on her, and Jo Won (Ji Chang-wook), regarded as Joseon's most notorious seducer. The two enter a dangerous wager over love, and their bet pulls in Hui-yeon (Nana).

Since its release, director Jung Ji Woo has drawn attention for how he uses the Joseon setting to explore the characters' desires and shifting relationships. Reviewers have pointed to the letters the characters exchange to reveal their thoughts and feelings, along with late-Joseon-era landscapes, hanbok and props, and the use of pansori, a traditional Korean vocal storytelling form, as defining features of the show.

The three leads have also drawn attention both in South Korea and overseas. Son Ye-jin portrays the tangled emotions of a woman who hides her own desires. Ji Chang-wook plays a man carrying a long-held affection for Lady Jo who begins to change after meeting Hui-yeon. Nana shows Hui-yeon's transformation from someone who has lost the will to live into someone changed by her connection with Jo Won.

Alongside the Top 10 news, Netflix released 11 previously unseen stills. The images center on how the love wager reshapes the ties between Lady Jo, Jo Won and Hui-yeon, as well as the figures moving around them.

One still shows Lady Jo and Jo Won standing close together, hinting at the long history between two people who first met as children and stayed in touch as pen pals. Another captures Lady Jo pulling Jo Won into an embrace, while a separate image shows Jo Won in tears with a letter in his hand.

Hui-yeon's transformation is also on display. An earlier look shows her drained and withdrawn, in contrast with a later shot of her in bright clothing and looking noticeably more lively. In one image, Jo Won fixes the chin strap on Hui-yeon's gat, a traditional Korean hat, as she wears men's clothing, a small gesture that reflects how their bond has shifted.

A separate still of Lady Jo standing alone on a snowy night hints at the central question of where the three characters' entangled story is heading. Netflix also released images of Bun-hui (Han Sun-hwa), So-ok (Shin Yoon-ha) and In-ho (Kang Chan-hee), bringing the supporting characters back into focus.

"The Scandal" is streaming now on Netflix.