The Scandal Ending Explained: The ending of this much-anticipated Netflix K-drama comes to an explosive end and leaves a heart full of misery in its wake for its viewers. The series doesn’t shy away from making bold statements and hinting at salacious emotions that were considered inappropriate in Joseon-era Korea.
Following noblewoman Cho Yun, the series showcases a bet she makes with her cousin Cho Won that leads to destroying their lives, but that of a young widow. The 8-episode romance starts from a calculated game of seduction that invariably turns nasty and complicated when emotions start to appear from between the cracks.
The last episode is a devastating consequence of these games, highlighting how secrecy, lying and playing with people’s emotions can never have good consequences.
The series (스캔들) stars Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and NANA, and is directed by Jung Ji-woo. The series is inspired by the French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.
The Scandal Ending Explained
Why Did Lady Cho Turn Against Hui-yeon?
While the series starts with Yun being sure about her control over Won’s feelings, as the episodes draw to a close and the consequences start to trickle out, it becomes increasingly clear to her that Won has some feelings for Hui-yeon that she hadn’t predicted. While he still has his emotions tied to Yun, Won has grown fond of Hui-yeon and wants to save her, something that Yun hadn’t realised was possible. Thus, when her own reputation and Won’s life come under fire thanks to the king, she decides to do what’s best and get rid of Hui-yeon, egging her to end her life as intended to rid herself of her issues.
Unfortunately for her, Won refuses to let Hui-yeon end her life and makes her promise to continue living the way she desires. In the end, Yun realises that Won can have feelings for someone else, even if that comes at the cost of threatening her own safety.
Does Cho Won Really Fall in Love With Hui-yeon?
In a way, yes. While it’s not made apparent that Won is head over heels for Hui-yeon, he definitely has tender feelings for her after he got to know her resolve and personality after spending several days together. Hui-yeon’s genuine feelings for him stir his heart and make him look at someone other than Yun, something he had not expected to happen. However, as he continues to lie to her, he realises how Yun has played with his heart over the years in a similar manner, leaving him to make the difficult decision to make her leave while choosing to face the consequences of the choices that he has made.
Does Cho Won Die in The Scandal?
In episodes 7 and 8, we see Won heartbroken because of the choices that he has made thanks to Yun. Unable to accept this, he jumps off a boat into the ocean, choosing to end his life rather than continuing to thoughtlessly cause misery to the people around him. Plus, his time with Hui-yeon has forced him to control feelings that he has long kept buried surrounding Yun, and he couldn’t simply walk away as he has done time and time again in the past.
However, the ending is left a bit ambiguous, as we see both Yun and Hui-yeon convinced that Won might still be alive, and hoping to see him one day. The ambiguous ending works because it puts Yun in the same situation that Won has been in for so many years thus far – she is racked with longing for someone she can never get.
What Does The Scandal Ending Mean?
The heart of the story surrounds the question of what happens when people think that they can toy with human emotions. Yun and Won began the story with a wager to make Hui-yeon fall in love with him. Won is confident that he can make her love him without being affected. However, Hui-yeon is someone who has more depth, and she, too, changes him just as he changes her. As a result, all three characters have to confront their genuine feelings for one another, something that breaks the illusion that all of them have been living under.
The title, thus, highlights not only the scandal that will take place if the truth gets out, but also the emotional scandal that the characters go through as they desire things that society deems unattainable.
Watch The Scandal on Netflix. Let us know your thoughts about the new K-drama in the comments below!
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