Son Ye-jin Bought So Many Gifts for “The Scandal” Staff for One Thoughtful Reason
Son Ye-jin turned the wrap party for Netflix’s “The Scandal” into a memorable celebration for the production staff, arriving with a collection of gifts that included Apple products, shoes and perfume.
The story was revealed in the second episode of Netflix Korea’s promotional series “We Did Come Here to Promote,” released on its official YouTube channel on September 21.
Son appeared in the video alongside her “The Scandal” co-stars Ji Chang-wook and Nana, sharing stories that had remained behind the scenes during production.
While the selection of expensive prizes immediately attracted attention, Son’s explanation revealed that the event was less about displaying generosity and more about recognizing people whose work is often invisible to viewers.
Son Ye-jin Personally Selected Gifts for the Staff
During the video, the production team introduced a story submitted by a member of “The Scandal” staff.
The staff member recalled the wrap party as an especially happy occasion because Son had prepared an extensive selection of prizes. Rather than offering one type of gift, the actress reportedly chose products across several categories, including Apple devices, footwear and fragrances.
The gifts were distributed through a prize drawing, giving members of the crew an opportunity to take home something from the celebration.
Son explained that she wanted to express her appreciation to everyone who had worked on the series. Even after spending decades in the industry, she admitted that the demands of acting could make it difficult to look after all the people around her during production.
“When I’m working on a project, I become focused on my performance,” she said. “Even though I’ve had such a long career, it still isn’t easy to take care of other things.”
She added that she felt grateful to see every person giving their best in their respective position, but often wondered what she could do for them in return.
Preparing the gifts became her answer.
She Did Not Want Most People to Leave Empty-Handed
Son Ye-jin’s most revealing explanation concerned the number of gifts she prepared.
She could have selected only a few expensive items and held a small drawing. Instead, she deliberately expanded the prize selection because she did not want the majority of the crew to leave without receiving anything.
“If I prepared only a few, too many people wouldn’t get one,” Son explained. “I wanted everyone to be happy after receiving a gift.”
Her comment shifted attention away from the brands and prices of the products. The quantity mattered because it increased the number of staff members who could participate in the moment.
A film or television production depends on large teams handling costumes, lighting, sound, makeup, cameras, sets, transportation and numerous other responsibilities. Audiences usually see only the performers on screen, but those performances are made possible by the coordinated work of people across the entire set.
Son’s wrap-party gesture acknowledged that collective effort in a direct and personal way.
“The Scandal” Marks Son Ye-jin’s First Netflix Original
Released on September 18, “The Scandal” is Son Ye-jin’s first Netflix original series.
The historical romance follows Lady Cho, a talented and captivating noblewoman forced to conceal her ambitions within the restrictions imposed on women during the Joseon era. She proposes a dangerous game of temptation to Cho Won, a famous playboy portrayed by Ji Chang-wook.
Nana plays Hui-yeon, a young widow who becomes entangled in their wager and complicates the pair’s calculated approach to desire and romance.
Netflix describes Lady Cho as a strategist who resists the limitations of her time, while Cho Won is a pleasure-seeking aristocrat who does not believe in love.
The eight-episode miniseries is directed by Jung Ji-woo and draws its central premise from “Les Liaisons dangereuses,” Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ influential French novel about seduction, manipulation and power. The same story previously inspired the 2003 Korean film “Untold Scandal.”
Netflix’s official description places the three main characters inside a dangerous game ignited by a secret proposal and their hidden desires.
Son Ye-jin Returned With a Complex Female Character
Lady Cho offered Son an opportunity to play a woman whose intelligence and desires conflict with the social order surrounding her.
Rather than openly pursuing power, the character must operate through carefully designed games and private negotiations. Her actions can be cruel, but the series also examines the restrictions that shaped her choices.
This complexity made “The Scandal” a significant addition to Son’s career, which includes internationally recognized films and dramas such as “The Classic,” “A Moment to Remember,” “Something in the Rain” and “Crash Landing on You.”
The Netflix series also places her at the center of a story built around three volatile relationships rather than a conventional romance between two characters.
The Gifts Revealed Another Side of the Production
Promotional interviews often focus on actors’ performances, difficult scenes or chemistry between cast members. The wrap-party story offered a glimpse of how Son viewed the people working beyond the camera.
She did not present the gifts as compensation for their labor or as an obligation expected from the project’s leading actor. She described them as one of the limited ways she could personally communicate her gratitude.
That distinction is what made the story resonate.
The Apple products, shoes and perfumes may have made the prize drawing exciting, but the lasting message was simpler. Son Ye-jin wanted the crew members who helped complete her first Netflix original to end the production feeling recognized.
For an actress who admitted that focusing on a performance can make it difficult to notice everything happening around her, the wrap party became a deliberate opportunity to turn her attention toward the people who had supported that performance.