Ji Chang-wook heats up ‘The Scandal’ with his first-ever love scene

For years, Ji Chang-wook has been the dependable K-drama heartthrob. In Netflix’s The Scandal, he steps into riskier territory. The A-lister had often wondered what his first love scene would be like and whether he could even do one. That career milestone finally arrived with this steamy period drama.

The series reimagines a classic tale of seduction and betrayal. It is based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 18th-century novel Dangerous Liaisons, which also inspired the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal, a record-breaking 19+ rated hit that transported the story of European aristocracy to the Joseon era. Ji plays Cho Won, a libertine who bets his cousin, Cho Yoon (Son Ye-jin), that he can seduce a virtuous widow. The mix of forbidden desire, rivalry, and slow-burning tension gives the drama its heat.

Ji did not accept the role lightly. “I thought several times about whether I could do a love scene,” he told the press. He also had concerns about the level of nudity and explicitness in some scenes, but he wanted to embrace new challenges. What ultimately convinced him was the character.

“I could do it if it were Cho Won,” he said.

The filmmaker also played a key role in his decision. Working with director Jung Ji-woo gave him confidence, and “I think I found the courage to give it a try,” he explained.

The role also reflects where he is in his career. At 39, as he approaches his 40s, Ji sees bold choices like this as part of revealing a more authentic side of himself as an actor.

“It was a major challenge in my life, and one that was worth taking on,” he said of the role.

For fans accustomed to his charming leading-man image, The Scandal reveals a bolder and more dangerous side of the actor.