If The Scandal left you craving venomous mind games, predatory seduction, and royalty weaponizing desire, consider this your ultimate binge guide. Finding genuine shows like The Scandal means tracking down stories where romance is a dangerous bloodsport, not just innocent hand-holding in a palace garden. Grab your popcorn, because these messy, high-stakes historical power struggles will scratch that exact itch.
15 Addictive Shows Like The Scandal You Need on Your Watchlist
1. Captivating the King (2024)
King Yi In finds himself trapped in brutal royal chaos, entirely unaware that the sharp Kang Hee-soo is playing a hidden game of revenge against him. Their connection turns electric once genuine attraction ruins their calculations. If you love watching ruthless masterminds slowly lose control over their own traps, this delivers the exact intoxicating tension that makes shows like The Scandal so addictive.
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IMDb: 7.6 | Where to Watch: Netflix
2. Empress Ki (2013)
Watching a lowly captive rise through raw intellect, calculated seduction, and sheer iron will to run an entire empire is the peak of bingeable revenge television. Her shifting loyalties and strategic romantic choices echo the ruthless ambition of top-tier shows like The Scandal, delivering over fifty episodes of pure palace intrigue, backstabbing consorts, and relentless social climbing.
IMDb: 8.4 | Where to Watch: Netflix
3. The Queen Who Crowns (2025)
Queen Wongyeong practically hand-carved Yi Bang-Won’s path to the throne, but royal gratitude curdles fast once a sea of ambitious concubines threatens her reign. Watching a queen maneuver through marital betrayal, bitter jealousy, and lethal status anxiety feels delightfully savage. It taps into the dark, competitive court politics that fans constantly chase when hunting down great period dramas.
IMDb: 7.6 | Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
4. Bloody Heart (2022)
King Lee Tae and Queen Jeong adore each other in private, yet they are forced to tear each other apart in council chambers for political survival. Every single look is loaded with agony, strategy, and mutual sacrifice. It turns courtship into a chess match where romance is inherently fatal, satisfying anyone who demands heavy emotional tension from their costume dramas.
IMDb: 7.3 | Where to Watch: Prime Video
5. The Crowned Clown (2019)
A street performer who mirrors an unstable monarch steps onto the throne to dodge assassination, only to catch the genuine affection of the lonely queen. Identity theft has rarely looked this visually sumptuous or felt this perilous. It belongs alongside premier shows like The Scandal because every romantic glance carries the immediate threat of execution if the truth surfaces.
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IMDb: 8.0 | Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
6. The Tale of Lady Ok (2024)
Ok Tae-Young lives inside a high-wire act where her husband, noble status, and name are completely fabricated. Enter Cheon Seung-Hwi, a smitten storyteller who instantly complicates her survival. The thrills here rest entirely on whether calculated deception can withstand genuine intimacy, making it an essential watch for viewers obsessed with glamorous tricksters keeping lethal secrets just inches away from exposure.
IMDb: 8.1 | Where to Watch: Prime Video
7. Queen for Seven Days (2017)
Chae-kyung achieves the ultimate noble dream by wedding her beloved crown prince, only to watch palace conspiracies destroy her world after merely one week on the throne. Her tragic struggle captures how quickly innocent pawns get shredded by toxic court politics. If you love seeing vulnerable figures caught between ruthless schemers, this heartbreaking tearjerker belongs on your screen immediately.
IMDb: 7.6 | Where to Watch: Prime Video
8. Love Song for Illusion (2024)
Things get gloriously unhinged when a revenge-seeking assassin crosses paths with a crown prince who hides a wildly chaotic alter ego. Navigating dual identities, creeping obsession, and unpredictable motives makes this romantic puzzle utterly wild. It provides an enticing change of pace for anyone curating unique shows like The Scandal that lean heavily into seductive, mind-bending psychology.
IMDb: 7.2 | Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
9. Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016)
A modern woman wakes up in the Goryeo dynasty and accidentally finds herself pursued, protected, and used by a pack of power-hungry princes fighting to the death. The shifting loyalties, devastating betrayals, and slow-burn seductions make it legendary among fans who want their romantic sagas packed with royal manipulation, heartbreak, and brutal palace politics.
IMDb: 8.6 | Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
10. The Red Sleeve (2021)
A lonely monarch desperately wants his favorite court lady, but she refuses to surrender her identity and become merely another royal plaything. The resulting push and pull is an absolute masterclass in romantic stubbornness, boundary games, and royal entitlement. It brings deep emotional consequence to court courtship, proving that romantic negotiations can feel just as intense as military campaigns.
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IMDb: 8.4 | Where to Watch: Netflix
11. The Princess’ Man (2011)
Think Joseon-era Romeo and Juliet, but with far bloodier political stakes and vicious dynastic betrayals. When family ambitions spark a deadly coup, two starry-eyed young lovers watch their world collapse into bitter conflict and vendettas. It is an absolute classic for lovers of high drama, grand gestures, and dangerous royal entanglements where desire clashes violently against family honor.
IMDb: 8.1 | Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
12. My Dearest (2023)
War upends Joseon society, thrusting an aristocratic beauty and a cynical wanderer into a brutal struggle for survival. Their chemistry is pure, devastating friction, showing two deeply proud people getting wrecked by circumstance and genuine devotion. It trades sly parlour room bets for epic emotional devastation, making it a standout highlight among the most passionate shows like The Scandal.
IMDb: 8.9 | Where to Watch: MX Player
13. The King’s Affection (2021)
Taking over her deceased twin brother’s identity forces a disguised princess to live under a permanent death sentence while fending off intrusive palace eyes. When an old crush re-enters her orbit, hiding her real self becomes an agonizing, daily challenge. For fans seeking stylish shows like The Scandal, this series turns secret identities and forbidden attraction into pure narrative crack.
IMDb: 8.0 | Where to Watch: Netflix
14. The Forbidden Marriage (2022)
A devastated king bans wedlock nationwide until a cheeky, fast-talking con artist claims she can channel the spirit of his dead bride. The fraud immediately spins out of control, blending cheeky comedy with genuine romantic vulnerability. It is easily the breeziest, most playful title on this list, offering fun palace deception without the crushing emotional doom.
IMDb: 7.5 | Where to Watch: Prime Video
15. The Secret Romantic Guesthouse (2023)
An enterprising young woman running an inn crosses paths with three mysterious scholar boarders, each concealing dangerous connections to a hidden royal heir. The clever mix of youthful chemistry, witty banter, and unfolding palace conspiracies makes it a delightful treat to finish your queue, proving that dangerous historical secrets always make the best romantic fuel.
IMDb: 7.4 | Where to Watch: Rakuten Viki
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Queue up your favorite pick from the list tonight, grab your coziest blanket, and enjoy all the deliciously messy drama.