Netflix’s new series, “Scandal of Seduction,” starring Son Ye-jin (손예진), Ji Chang-wook (지창욱), and Nana (나나), has generated significant buzz since its official release. Beyond the plot, the show’s numerous explicit and intimate scenes have sparked heated discussion, with some netizens describing them as “no different from watching adult films,” leading to polarized audience reviews.
Following the premiere of “Scandal of Seduction,” Nana’s appearance also drew attention due to discussions about possible plastic surgery. Now, as the plot progresses, the series’ more explicit intimate scenes have become the main focus of netizens’ discussions.
The episodes of “Scandal of Seduction” currently considered the most explicit are episodes 4 and 7. In episode 4, to conceal his complex feelings for Madam Zhao, Zhao Won visits an entertainment establishment and interacts with a courtesan. The plot features a series of bold intimate scenes in bed, inside a sedan chair, and in a bath, with the nudity becoming a key talking point.
By episode 7, the characters played by Ji Chang-wook and Nana officially confirm their feelings for each other, and their relationship intensifies. The episode also includes more explicit intimate moments, including Nana straddling Ji Chang-wook with her breasts exposed, leading many viewers to exclaim that the show’s explicitness exceeded their expectations.
Compared to past, relatively conservative K-dramas, the inclusion of nudity and scenes depicting romantic relationships has clearly garnered attention. Many viewers found this type of portrayal quite rare, while others believed such arrangements were necessary for the plot, thus expressing surprise at the explicitness.
However, not all viewers were convinced. After watching the intimate scenes between Ji Chang-wook and Nana, some netizens felt that the entire sequence “was not as exciting as imagined,” and even bluntly stated that it was one of the most unremarkable and unnecessary parts of the entire series.
Others argued that while the nudity and intimate scenes in the drama were eye-catching, they didn’t genuinely advance the plot. Instead, they felt deliberately placed to generate buzz. Especially for some viewers who already had reservations about the plot’s development, these scenes further fueled their dissatisfaction.
One viewer commented on social media after watching episode 7 that the intimate scene between Ji Chang-wook and Nana was “one of the most unremarkable and unnecessary scenes in the entire drama.” They even suggested that the filming seemed to have deliberately used stand-ins or similar methods, making the visuals appear more unnatural.
Another group of netizens directly criticized, “Why were these nude scenes even included?” Some also felt that the proportion of intimate scenes in the drama was too high without corresponding plot content to support them, leading to a feeling of “eroticism for eroticism’s sake.”
However, some viewers believe that K-dramas have historically featured less direct depictions of intimacy, and “Scandal of Seduction’s” choice to boldly present them is, in itself, a departure from tradition.
Notably, this discussion isn’t confined to Korean social media; it has also sparked heated debate on international platforms like TikTok. Some viewers found the explicitness genuinely shocking, but many others shared the sentiment that these scenes did not significantly contribute to the plot’s development.
As “Scandal of Seduction” continues its run, controversies surrounding both its plot and explicit scenes persist, making this highly anticipated work an unexpected topic of discussion in recent K-drama discourse.
