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If you've been watching Netflix's The Scandal, you may have discovered that the story has an earlier Korean film adaptation.
The 2003 movie is known internationally as Untold Scandal.
But its original Korean title is much longer:
스캔들 — 조선남녀상열지사
Scandal — Joseon Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa
The 2026 Netflix series uses the shorter Korean title 스캔들, while the earlier film included a phrase with a surprisingly rich literary history. The 2003 film and the new series are both connected to the French novel Dangerous Liaisons.
So what does 남녀상열지사 actually mean?
And why does it tell us something that the English title Untold Scandal cannot?
What Does Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa Mean?Namnyeo sangyeoljisa (남녀상열지사, 男女相悅之詞) is a historical Korean expression associated with songs and lyrics about romantic or sexual attraction between men and women, particularly as judged by Joseon-era commentators discussing Goryeo songs.
Let's break it down.
| Korean | Hanja | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 남녀 | 男女 | Men and women |
| 상열 | 相悅 | Mutual delight or affection |
| 지 | 之 | Of |
| 사 | 詞 | Words or lyrics |
Put together, the expression can be understood literally as:
“Words of mutual delight between men and women.”
But that translation only explains the characters.
It doesn't explain why the phrase became culturally significant.
For that, we need to travel back to a period before Joseon.
Why Is a Joseon Movie Title Connected to Goryeo Love Songs?
Before the Joseon Dynasty, Korea was ruled by the Goryeo Dynasty.
Goryeo produced songs that expressed a wide range of human emotions.
Some were about longing.
Some were about separation.
Others described attraction and intimate relationships much more directly.
These works are commonly studied as part of 고려가요 (Goryeo gayo), or Goryeo songs.
Some are also described as 고려속요 (Goryeo sokyo), referring to the popular-song tradition of the period.
The Academy of Korean Studies explains that Goryeo songs are a major category of Korean literary history, including works with a folk-song character.
What makes this interesting is that many of these songs survived through records compiled in later periods.
That means people living under Joseon could encounter songs expressing values and emotions that did not always fit comfortably with their own ideals.
And this is where 남녀상열지사 enters the story.
Why Did Joseon Scholars Call Some Songs Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa?
Joseon society increasingly emphasized Neo-Confucian moral principles.
Those principles influenced family relationships, marriage, education, and ideas about proper behavior.
When Joseon-era commentators considered certain Goryeo songs, they sometimes viewed their direct expressions of romantic and sexual desire as inappropriate.
남녀상열지사 became a way of describing that kind of lyrical content.
The National Institute of Korean History explains that the expression was used by Joseon people when evaluating the contents of Goryeo popular songs preserved in later collections.
This is an important distinction.
The phrase does not simply mean:
“People falling in love.”
It carries a historical association with how expressions of desire were judged.
The same song could be heard as a sincere expression of human emotion by one audience and criticized as morally inappropriate by another.
That's what makes the phrase so interesting in the context of The Scandal.
What Does “Joseon Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa” Mean as a Movie Title?
Now return to the original Korean title:
스캔들 — 조선남녀상열지사
Let's separate its two parts.
스캔들 (seukaendeul)
This is the Korean adaptation of the English word scandal.
조선남녀상열지사 (Joseon namnyeo sangyeoljisa)
This combines the name of the Joseon Dynasty with the older literary expression.
A natural explanatory rendering might be:
“Scandal: Words of Love and Desire Between Men and Women in Joseon.”
That is not an official English title.
It's a way of helping English-speaking readers understand what the Korean words communicate.
The interesting part is the contrast.
A phrase historically associated with criticism of openly expressed desire is placed inside the title of a story about love, temptation, and social restrictions.
The title brings desire and the society judging it into the same sentence.
That's a layer that disappears when the movie is called simply Untold Scandal.
Is Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa the Same as a Love Story?
Not exactly.
A love story can describe almost any narrative involving romance.
It might be joyful, tragic, innocent, or complicated.
남녀상열지사, in its historical literary context, has a more specific association with expressions of attraction and desire.
Compare these ideas:
| English expression | Main idea |
|---|---|
| Love story | A narrative about love |
| Romance | Love or romantic relationships |
| Scandal | Behavior that causes public disapproval |
| Namnyeo sangyeoljisa | Historically associated with songs expressing romantic or sexual attraction, particularly in Joseon evaluations of Goryeo lyrics |
The last expression is not a perfect synonym for any of the English terms.
That's why the original Korean movie title is worth exploring rather than translating word for word.
The Goryeo Song That Helps Explain the Expression
One famous example is:
쌍화점 — Ssanghwajeom
This is a Goryeo song associated with the reign of King Chungnyeol.
The Academy of Korean Studies identifies Ssanghwajeom as a representative song that was described in Joseon as 남녀상열지사.
The title itself refers to a shop selling ssanghwa, a type of filled bun.
That may sound like an unexpectedly ordinary setting for a song remembered for its suggestive content.
But that's part of what makes the work interesting.
It shows that older Korean literature was not limited to solemn poems about loyalty, scholarship, or nature.
It also explored desire and relationships.
We won't reproduce the song's lyrics here, but the cultural point is worth remembering:
People in premodern Korea wrote and sang about attraction, intimacy, and complicated human feelings too.
Did Joseon Completely Ban Goryeo Love Songs?
No. The history is more complicated.
Some Goryeo songs were criticized or excluded from certain court-music settings.
Others were preserved, adapted, or given different lyrics.
For example, the Goryeo song Ssanghwajeom was adapted into 쌍화곡 (Ssanghwagok) during Joseon.
The National Institute of Korean History explains that the adapted version replaced the original suggestive content with words praising royal virtue.
Think about what that means.
A song could survive musically while its words changed to suit a different cultural environment.
The music remained connected to an older tradition.
But the message was transformed.
This is one of the most interesting ways to understand the relationship between Goryeo and Joseon culture.
Why This Matters When Watching The Scandal
Netflix's The Scandal is set in Joseon and follows characters whose desires collide with social expectations.
The series stars Son Ye-jin, Ji Chang-wook, and NANA and reimagines the earlier Korean film, which itself adapted the French novel Dangerous Liaisons.
The original film's Korean title adds a specifically Korean cultural frame to that story.
It suggests more than:
“Here is a scandalous romance.”
Through 남녀상열지사, it also evokes the tension between intimate feelings and moral judgment.
That's particularly interesting after learning about other Joseon concepts in this series.
We've already explored:
양반 — yangban
The privileged social group associated with Joseon's ruling elite.
과부 — gwabu
A widow, whose remarriage could be subject to strong social expectations.
안채 — anchae
The inner residential space associated especially with women's domestic life in later Joseon homes.
첩 — cheop
A concubine whose position differed from that of the principal wife.
서얼 — seoeol
Certain descendants of yangban men born to concubines.
Now add:
남녀상열지사 — namnyeo sangyeoljisa
A literary expression that helps us understand how romantic and sexual desire could be discussed and judged.
Together, these words reveal a much bigger cultural picture.
Why Didn't Netflix Keep the Full Korean Title?
The 2026 series is titled:
스캔들 — The Scandal
The 2003 film was titled:
스캔들 — 조선남녀상열지사
The difference is clear, but we shouldn't assume the exact reason for the shorter title without a statement from the creators.
What we can say is that the longer film title contains a historical literary reference that the shorter title does not.
For Korean viewers familiar with the expression, that reference may evoke another layer of meaning.
For international viewers, it is an opportunity to discover a piece of Korean literary history through a drama they already know.
Related Korean Words
Here are five expressions worth remembering together.
남녀상열지사 (namnyeo sangyeoljisa)
A historical literary expression associated with songs about romantic or sexual attraction.
고려가요 (Goryeo gayo)
Songs and poetic works associated with the Goryeo Dynasty.
속요 (sokyo)
Popular songs; a term used in Korean literary history for certain Goryeo songs.
연정 (yeonjeong)
Romantic affection or love.
정절 (jeongjeol)
Chastity or fidelity, especially important in historical discussions of marriage and widowhood.
Notice how these words approach relationships from different directions.
Some describe feelings.
Others describe literary expression.
And others describe the social expectations surrounding those feelings.
Quick Korean Tip
The next time you encounter an unusually long Korean movie title, don't assume every word is simply describing the plot.
Sometimes a title contains a reference to history, literature, or an older cultural expression.
For Untold Scandal, remember:
남녀상열지사
It's not just an elaborate way to say “romance.”
It points toward a historical conversation about love, desire, and morality.
Once you recognize that, the original Korean title becomes much more meaningful.
FAQ
What does Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa mean?
Namnyeo sangyeoljisa (남녀상열지사, 男女相悅之詞) is a historical Korean expression associated with songs and lyrics about romantic or sexual attraction between men and women, particularly in Joseon-era evaluations of Goryeo songs.
What is the original Korean title of Untold Scandal?
The 2003 Korean film Untold Scandal was originally titled 스캔들 — 조선남녀상열지사 (Scandal — Joseon Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa).
Is The Scandal the same as Untold Scandal?
No. Untold Scandal is the 2003 Korean film, while The Scandal is the 2026 Netflix series. Both are connected to the French novel Dangerous Liaisons.
Does Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa simply mean love story?
No. The phrase has a historical literary association with songs expressing attraction and desire, particularly those evaluated critically by Joseon-era commentators.
What is Ssanghwajeom?
Ssanghwajeom (쌍화점) is a Goryeo song associated with King Chungnyeol's reign. It was identified in Joseon as a representative example of namnyeo sangyeoljisa.
Why is Namnyeo Sangyeoljisa important to The Scandal?
The expression adds a Korean literary and cultural reference to the original film title. It helps viewers understand the tension between desire and social expectations that surrounds the story.
Recommended Korean-Learning Resources
If this lesson makes you curious about Korean literature, you don't need to begin with an expensive academic textbook.
Start by exploring reliable English-language resources about Korean history and literature.
Useful places to begin include:
The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture
An extensive reference resource for Korean history, literature, language, and cultural traditions.
The National Institute of Korean History
A valuable resource for understanding Korean history and the social background behind historical dramas.
A Korean-English Learner's Dictionary
Useful for exploring the modern meanings of words such as 연정, 정절, and 사랑.
A K-Drama Culture Notebook
Try recording a Korean title, its literal meaning, and the cultural meaning that an English translation might miss.
For this lesson, write:
스캔들 — 조선남녀상열지사
Then note:
Love, desire, literature, and the moral expectations of Joseon society.
That's a much more memorable way to learn than simply memorizing a translation.
Keep Exploring Korean Culture Through The Scandal
If you're following our The Scandal Korean culture series, continue with these lessons:
→ What Does “Yangban” Mean? The Korean Social Class Behind The Scandal
→ Why Couldn't Widows Easily Remarry in Joseon Korea? The Culture Behind The Scandal
→ What Is an Anchae? Why Joseon Women Lived in Separate Quarters in The Scandal
→ What Does “Cheop” Mean in Korean? The Concubine System Behind The Scandal
→ What Does Seoeol Mean? Why Children of Concubines Had Different Status in Joseon Korea
Explore more Korean expressions and culture through our:
Final Thought
The English title Untold Scandal tells you to expect a story involving forbidden relationships.
But the original Korean title offers something extra.
조선남녀상열지사
It connects the story to an older Korean literary expression and to the way love and desire were discussed across different periods of Korean history.
That's the beauty of discovering Korean through K-content.
Sometimes one unfamiliar phrase can open the door to an entirely different century.
Keep watching.
Keep listening.
Keep discovering Korean through the K-contents you already love.
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