On September 18, Netflix will premiere the drama «The Scandal» (스캔들), starring Ji Chang Wook, Son Ye Jin and Nana.

The series is a loose adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' famous 1782 novel, "Les Liaisons dangereuses".

Written at a time when Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI still sat fairly securely on the French throne, the book is an epistolary novel that paints a vivid picture of the hypocrisy and moral decadence prevalent among the high aristocracy of the era. At its core, however, is a gripping and witty power struggle between two irresistible manipulators – the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont. They treat other people as pawns in their games and eventually enter into a wager: the Vicomte is to seduce a lady renowned for her virtue, and in return, the Marquise will become his lover. In the end, Valmont genuinely falls in love with the married woman he has seduced, and later dies in a duel with the Chevalier Danceny, sent by de Merteuil. When the Marquise’s letters are subsequently circulated in society, they reveal her immorality and hypocrisy, costing her her social standing.

If you haven't read it yet, we highly recommend it.

The new Korean version is based on an earlier adaptation – the 2003 film «Untold Scandal», whose setting was moved to the Joseon era. In this new iteration, expanded to eight episodes, the director aimed to focus on the central question facing the characters: "Who am I?" They search for their true selves, unbound by any moral framework or societal prejudice. It is no coincidence that the series' tagline is «To desire the forbidden».

Son Ye Jin plays Lady Cho, a noblewoman who refuses to accept the restrictions imposed on women in Joseon society. She challenges the established order and embarks on a perilous game.

Ji Chang Wook stars as Cho Won, Joseon's most celebrated seducer, a man who does not believe in love. Driven by ambition and a desire to win, he accepts Lady Cho's wager.

Nana plays Hee Young, a young widow who has sworn to remain faithful to her deceased husband. She unwittingly becomes the object of the wager between Lady Cho and Cho Won.

On the eve of the drama's premiere, we offer a selection of screen adaptations of "Dangerous Liaisons" from around the world. We won't recap the plot each time – it remains essentially the same across all versions, albeit with certain adjustments.

SOUTH KOREA

«Untold Scandal»

(스캔들 - 조선남녀상열지사)

Feature film, 2003. Starring Bae Yong Joon, Lee Mi Sook, Jeon Do Yeon and Cho Hyun Jae. The film was notably erotic – by international, not just Korean, standards. It received numerous awards.

«The Great Seducer»

(위대한 유혹자, Love Game: The Great Seduction)

33 episodes, 2018, MBC.
Starring Woo Do Hwan, Joy, Moon Ga Young and Kim Min Jae.

The story is set in contemporary Seoul, and the plotline deviates significantly from the source material.

It revolves around wealthy individuals who become entangled in a dangerous game with people's emotions. Kwon Shi Hyun (Woo Do Hwan) is the heir to the nation's largest conglomerate. A consummate seducer, he enters into a wager he can only win by seducing Eun Tae Hee (Joy). She is cheerful and good-natured, but believes that succumbing to emotion is the most pathetic thing in the world. An unusual element is the character of the "Chevalier Danceny" (Kim Min Jae), who is genuinely and deeply in love with de Merteuil (Moon Ga Young).

The series was heavily criticised and garnered a record-low 2.2% viewership rating for its network at the time. That said, despite its flaws, this drama hardly deserves all the criticism it received – at the very least, watching the cast perform was a genuine pleasure.

CHINA

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(危險關係)

Feature film, 2012.
Starring korean actor Jang Dong Gun alongside Chinese actresses Zhang Ziyi and Cecilia Cheung.

This is a co-production between China, South Korea and Singapore, directed by Korean filmmaker Hur Jin-ho.

The action is set in Republican-era Shanghai in the 1930s.

The film was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Busan International Film Festival.

JAPAN

In the 20th century, Japan produced at least two films based on "Dangerous Liaisons," both under the title «Kiken na Kankei» – one in 1957 and another in 1978. However, information about them is scarce.

The 1957 black-and-white film starred Yumeji Tsukioka, Mie Kitahara and Hiroyuki Nagato.

The 1978 film, which featured Masayo Utsunomiya, Yoichi Miura and Yuko Katagiri, was billed as an "erotic drama." It was produced as part of Nikkatsu Studios' popular "Roman Porno" series, which speaks for itself.

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(Kiken na Kankei, 危険な関係)

65 episodes, 30 minutes each, 2005.
Starring Kaori Takahashi, Rikiya and Reiko Matsuo.

The story is set in Japan in the early 2000s, roughly at the time of the series' release. The Marquise de Merteuil is reimagined as Tōko – the wife of a wealthy businessman who indulges in immoral passions. She instigates a dangerous love game with a man she once loved, using an innocent woman as a pawn to test their love for each other.

Between 2009 and 2011, a manga titled «Vicomte Valmont: Dangerous Liaisons» («Shishaku Valmont: Kiken na Kankei») was published in Japan, offering a direct adaptation of the classic plot.

FRANCE

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(Les Liaisons dangereuses)

Feature film, 1959.
Director: Roger Vadim.
Starring Gérard Philipe, Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Annette Vadim.

This is one of the earliest and most famous French adaptations from a major figure in French cinema. It was both a sensation and a scandal at the time, as it transposed the 18th-century intrigue to 1950s France and reimagined Merteuil and Valmont as a married couple. They are thrill-seeking spouses for whom extramarital affairs are routine, and they openly share their sexual experiences with each other. Their only rule is: never fall in love with the objects of their seductions. But Valmont breaks the rule when he falls for a girl he meets at a ski resort. Despite attempts by authorities to ban the film for "indecency," it attracted over four million viewers in theatres.

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(Les Liaisons dangereuses)

Feature film, 2003.
Director: Josée Dayan.
Starring Catherine Deneuve, Rupert Everett and Nastassja Kinski.

This version is set in Paris during the 1960s. The filmmakers did not aim for a literal retelling but sought to use the spirit of the 60s to recontextualise the story for a contemporary audience. The costumes and visuals were designed by fashion icon Jean-Paul Gaultier, with a score by Angelo Badalamenti, known for his collaborations with David Lynch.

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(Les Liaisons dangereuses)

8 eposodes, 2022, Netflix.
Starring Paola Locatelli, Simon Rérolle and Ella Pellegrini.

The story is set in a modern-day school in Biarritz, where star student Célène is transferred. She falls for bad boy Tristan, unaware of the cruel wager he has made with Vanessa, the queen of social media.

«Merteuil»

(The Seduction)

6 episodes, 2025, HBO Max.
Starring Anamaria Vartolomei, Diane Kruger, Lucas Bravo, Vincent Lacoste and Noée Abita.

This is not a direct adaptation but a prequel, chronicling the youth of the Marquise de Merteuil before the events of the novel. The creators describe it as an "18th-century MeToo story," depicting how a young woman, humiliated by a man, decides to defy the established order.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(Nebezpečné známosti)

TV film, 1980.
Director: Miloslav Luther.
Starring Juraj Kukura, Emília Vášáryová, Soňa Valentová and Jana Nagyová.

This is one of the earliest and most accomplished European adaptations to retain the classic story's traditional historical setting. The film adheres closely to Choderlos de Laclos's original novel. It focuses on the cynical game between the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont as they weave intrigue and ensnare the trusting Cécile de Volanges and Madame de Tourvel. This adaptation stands out for its atmosphere and fidelity to the source material, and is considered one of the most successful television versions of the novel.

UNITED KINGDOM AND UNITED STATES

«Dangerous Liaisons»

Feature film, 1988.
Director: Stephen Frears.
Starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Widely regarded as the definitive adaptation, capturing the spirit and plot of the novel with exceptional fidelity. The film won three Academy Awards.

«Valmont»

Feature film, 1989, 
Director Miloš Forman.
Starring Colin Firth, Annette Bening, Meg Tilly and Fairuza Balk.

Released shortly after the triumph of the 1988 version, this film offers a more "sentimental" and softer take on the story, with a less tragic ending. The narrative focuses more closely on the Vicomte de Valmont.

«Cruel Intentions»

Feature film, 1999.
Director: Roger Kumble.
Starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon and Selma Blair.

A cult teen drama that relocates the action to late-20th-century New York. The characters are now spoiled teenagers from wealthy families at an elite college. The film has become a classic of the genre. Valmont and Merteuil are reimagined as step-siblings Sebastian and Kathryn. The wager: if Sebastian can seduce the virtuous Annette Hargrove before the start of the school year, Kathryn will sleep with him; if he fails, he gives her his car.

The on-screen chemistry was so electric that Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon married that same year. They later divorced, but their marriage lasted seven years and welcomed two children.

«Dangerous Liaisons»

8 episodes, 2022, Starz channel.
Starring Alice Englert, Nicholas Denton and Lesley Manville.

A prequel to the famous 18th-century novel, showing how the main schemers became the characters we know. Despite its ambitious premise, the series was cancelled after its first season. The story is set in Paris on the eve of the Revolution. Camille (the future Marquise de Merteuil) is a courtesan, while Valmont is a disgraced cartographer, and they are united by their desire to climb the social ladder through intrigue and seduction. This is the story of how their corrupt partnership was forged.

«Cruel Intentions»

Series, 2024, Amazon Prime Video.
Starring Sarah Catherine Hook, Zach Burgess and Savannah Lee Smith.

A series remake of the 1999 film.

The action takes place at Manchester College, an elite institution near Washington, D.C. At the centre of the story are ruthless step-siblings Caroline Merteuil and Lucien Belmont, who hold sway over the fraternity and sorority system. Their position is threatened after an incident involving brutal hazing, and to maintain control, Caroline makes a bet with Lucien: he must seduce Annie Grover, a naive freshman and the daughter of the US Vice President. The series includes numerous callbacks to the original film – such as a convertible, a cocaine-laced rosary, and a remix of "Bitter Sweet Symphony".

«Dangerous Liaisons»

A new version from Netflix. In 2025, it was announced that Netflix is preparing another modern adaptation, with the script to be written by the creator of the series «Influencers». The action is planned to be set in London in 2025. The creators describe the project as a "thrilling erotic thriller that explores themes of power, wealth, race and romance against the backdrop of the unapologetic sexual appetites of the British ruling class and the new elite".

BRAZIL

«Dangerous Liaisons»

(Ligações Perigosas)

10 episodes, 2016, TV Globo.
Starring Patrícia Pillar, Selton Mello, Marjorie Estiano, Alice Wegmann and Jesuíta Barbosa.

The series moves the action from 18th-century France to 1920s Brazil. The creators placed the classic tale in the atmosphere of the "Roaring Twenties," a move that allowed them to preserve the spirit of libertine morality that characterises the original.

At the centre of the plot is Isabel D'Ávila de Alencar (the Marquise de Merteuil), who is bent on revenge against her former lover. To achieve this, she persuades her friend and accomplice, the seducer Augusto de Valmont, to seduce the innocent daughter of her cousin.