The Scandal turns a seductive wager into a fight over power inside Joseon high society. Viewers who came for Lady Cho, Cho Won and Hui-yeon can find the same mixture of dangerous romance, court restrictions and shifting loyalty across several Korean historical dramas.
These 10 picks do not all copy its adult tone. Some lean into palace politics, fantasy or comedy, but each uses an older social order to make personal choices more costly. Catalog availability can vary by country, so the list is aimed at US Netflix viewers and comparable regional libraries.
- The Scandal release: September 18, 2026
- Episodes: Eight
- Setting: Joseon-era Korea
- Watchlist: 10 historical K-dramas
- Streaming focus: Netflix
Start with court romance and political traps
1. Captivating the King pairs strategic games with a romance complicated by royal power. 2. The King’s Affection builds its story around a hidden identity inside the palace. 3. Under the Queen’s Umbrella follows a queen fighting to protect her sons in a court where family is inseparable from succession.
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4. The Tale of Lady Ok examines a woman building a life under an assumed identity. 5. My Dearest moves beyond the palace and uses war to test a sweeping romance. Both choices suit viewers most interested in Hui-yeon’s vulnerability and the narrow paths available to women.
Fantasy makes desire even more dangerous
6. Alchemy of Souls combines magical body-swapping, rival families and romance in a fictional historical world. 7. The East Palace adds an occult mystery after a crown prince is found dead, sending its characters into a palace shaped by both politics and restless spirits.
8. Bulgasal: Immortal Souls stretches historical grievance across centuries. It is darker and less court-centered, but its fixation on desire, revenge and identities trapped by the past makes it a strong follow-up for viewers drawn to Cho Won’s changing loyalties.
Viewers who prefer political calculation over supernatural rules can stay closer to the palace selections, while those drawn to the series’ visual design may enjoy seeing how fantasy dramas reinterpret clothing, architecture and hierarchy. The useful connection is not identical plot. It is the pressure created when private desire collides with public duty.
Choose comedy or survival for a different tone
9. Mr. Queen uses body-swap comedy to expose palace rules and gender expectations. 10. Kingdom turns royal succession into a survival horror story, using a spreading plague to reveal how quickly elites protect power at everyone else’s expense.
The best next choice depends on what worked in The Scandal: begin with Captivating the King for romantic strategy, Under the Queen’s Umbrella for court politics or Alchemy of Souls for fantasy. Which historical K-drama truly belongs on the list? Add your recommendation in the comments.
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