LayarHijau – Intimate scenes featuring Ji Chang Wook and Nana in Netflix’s The Scandal have become a major talking point since the series premiered, sparking widespread discussion among viewers. Their bold scenes, including a nude bedroom scene, have put Ji Chang Wook’s portrayal of Cho Won under the spotlight. In Taiwan, netizens have since compared his performance with Bae Yong Joon’s portrayal of the same character in the 2003 film Untold Scandal. The comparison was highlighted by Taiwan-based media outlet World Journal.
The Scandal, starring Son Ye Jin, Ji Chang Wook, and Nana, premiered on Netflix on September 18, 2026. The series is adapted from Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ French novel Dangerous Liaisons and is connected to the 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal. In the Netflix series, Ji Chang Wook plays Cho Won, a Joseon-era aristocrat known for pursuing women, while Son Ye Jin plays Lady Cho and Nana plays Hui Yeon.
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One of the biggest talking points surrounding The Scandal has been the intimate scenes between Ji Chang Wook and Nana. World Journal reported that the two actors took on some of the boldest scenes of their careers for the series, including an extended kissing scene and a nude bedroom scene. The scenes quickly drew attention and fueled discussion among viewers after the series became available on Netflix.
That attention also brought Untold Scandal back into the conversation. World Journal reported that the 2003 film was being revisited and compared with the new Netflix adaptation, including the performances of the two actors who played Cho Won. Taiwanese netizens have compared how Ji Chang Wook and Bae Yong Joon portray the same character in two different versions.
In Untold Scandal, Cho Won was played by Bae Yong Joon. The film also starred Jeon Do Yeon and Lee Mi Sook and adapted the story of Dangerous Liaisons by relocating it to the Joseon era. The story centers on Cho Won and Lady Cho as they engage in a game of seduction and manipulation involving a widow known for her virtue.
Bae Yong Joon is a particularly familiar name to Indonesian audiences and viewers across Asia from the early days of the Korean Wave. He became especially associated with Winter Sonata, the 2002 Korean drama in which he starred opposite Choi Ji Woo. Bae Yong Joon played Kang Joon Sang and Lee Min Hyung, while Choi Ji Woo played Jung Yoo Jin.
The popularity of Winter Sonata helped establish Bae Yong Joon as one of the major stars of the early Korean Wave. That makes his role as Cho Won in Untold Scandal a striking departure from the romantic image that had made him so popular across Asia.
In Untold Scandal, Bae Yong Joon moved away from that romantic image to play Cho Won, an aristocrat who frequently pursues women and treats romantic relationships as a game. World Journal highlighted this transformation as one of the memorable aspects of his performance in the 2003 film. He was portrayed as a seemingly refined and elegant man who also had a dangerous side and enjoyed manipulating women’s feelings.
The film was also known for its strong sexual content. Bae Yong Joon appeared in several intimate scenes as part of the portrayal of Cho Won as an aristocrat involved with numerous women. The film itself became known as one of the early Korean movies to tackle desire, forbidden relationships, and sexuality in a particularly bold way.
The contrast between the two versions of Cho Won subsequently became a topic of discussion among Taiwanese netizens. Some considered Ji Chang Wook attractive in the newer version, while viewers familiar with the older film remembered Bae Yong Joon for giving Cho Won a more mischievous, dangerous, and calculating edge. World Journal also noted views that Ji Chang Wook’s version feels more nuanced because the television series has more time to develop the character.
Some Taiwanese netizens even described Ji Chang Wook’s version of Cho Won as more like a man caught up in his own emotions, while Bae Yong Joon’s portrayal was seen as more strongly emphasizing the character’s playboy and calculating nature. The differences have given the same character distinctly different qualities across the two generations of actors.
The comparisons among Taiwanese netizens also extended beyond the performances. The physical appearance of the two actors became part of the discussion because The Scandal features several intimate scenes, including one in which Ji Chang Wook appears nude. Some netizens revisited Bae Yong Joon’s appearance in the 2003 film, including his physique when he played Cho Won.
World Journal also quoted comments from netizens comparing the actors’ physiques. Some praised Bae Yong Joon’s physique in the 2003 film, while others made teasing remarks about Ji Chang Wook’s preparation for his nude scene. The discussion showed that the comparison between the two versions of Cho Won extended beyond the character itself to the physical appearance of the actors.
For viewers who first came to know Bae Yong Joon through Winter Sonata, the comparison also highlights just how different the role was from his earlier image. After playing the romantic Kang Joon Sang and Lee Min Hyung in Winter Sonata, he took on Cho Won in Untold Scandal, portraying a far more sensual and calculating aristocrat.
Now, 23 years after the film’s release, Ji Chang Wook has brought Cho Won back to the screen in The Scandal. The same character once again finds himself at the center of a game of seduction and manipulation, this time developed through a Netflix series with considerably more room for the story and characters.
The return of the character has also introduced Bae Yong Joon’s performance in the 2003 film to younger viewers. World Journal noted that some viewers encountering the older film for the first time were surprised by Bae Yong Joon’s sensual side and said it helped them understand why he had once been such a major Korean star across Asia.
The comparison between Ji Chang Wook and Bae Yong Joon therefore emerged after the intimate scenes in The Scandal became a major topic of discussion. Once the Netflix series brought Cho Won back to the screen, Taiwanese netizens revisited Bae Yong Joon’s performance in Untold Scandal, more than two decades after the film was released.
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