Scandal Eve (2025) : Japan’s Bold Take on Fame, Power, and Tabloid Wars

Credit: Netflix/ABEMA

As the year draws to a close, Netflix continues to release Japanese dramas for all the J-drama enthusiasts. One of the latest additions to the streaming service, which is also currently airing, is "Scandal Eve," a show produced by ABEMA.

Scandal Eve, or スキャンダルイブ (Sukyandaru Ibu) in Japanese, delves into the realm of entertainment scandals and the clash between a talent agency and a weekly tabloid magazine. The narrative centers on Saki Ioka (portrayed by the renowned Kou Shibasaki), the president of the talent agency Rafale, and Kanade Hirata (played by Haruna Kawaguchi), a journalist for the weekly magazine who is committed to uncovering the truth about celebrities and their scandals.

After leaving a major agency, Saki established her own company “Rafale.” Four years later, she finally manages to elevate Kuryu Fujiwara, a rising young actor signed to Rafaele, to the starring role of a TV drama, putting her agency on the brink of major success.

At that precise moment, information comes in that a weekly magazine plans to release an article revealing Fujiwara's supposed affair. The publication is scheduled to be available in a few days, marking the start of the countdown to the scandal becoming public. This sparks an intense confrontation between Saki, who is striving to defend her star actor, and Kanade, who is determined to disclose the truth.

As you delve deeper into the world of J-dramas, you inevitably encounter the gossip and drama within Japan's entertainment industry. While every country's entertainment sector thrives on celebrity gossip and chatter, Japan approaches it in a slightly different manner.

In my view, Japanese celebrities are held to a much higher standard than, for instance, their American counterparts. This is due to various factors, primarily the social etiquette and expectations placed on public figures. Consequently, scandals and rumors can have a much more significant impact on the careers of not only the actors involved but also their agencies and families.

So far, only two episodes of Scandal Eve have been released, but I have appreciated how they depict that beneath the glitz and glamour of the entertainment world, there are intense power struggles, financial interests, media manipulation, and human vulnerability. However, the series doesn't solely focus on the entertainment aspect; it also explores the power of information, journalistic responsibility, and the nature of truth.

From a production standpoint, ABEMA consistently impresses me with their exceptional cinematography and overall production quality. It seems that every show they create looks stunning and tells a story that is not commonly seen in J-dramas. Shows like Miss King and Scandal Eve are excellent examples of the talent ABEMA possesses, and I hope this continues beyond 2026.

On a different note, I've been pleasantly surprised that Haruna Kawaguchi, who often plays kind-hearted and lovable main characters in her shows, has chosen a role like this one, where she portrays a gossip journalist who isn't shown in the best light. It's a refreshing change from her usual roles, and I hope she continues with this variety. We don't need her to keep playing the same role repeatedly. It's exciting and enjoyable when mainstream celebrities like Haruna Kawaguchi take on morally complex and realistic characters, rather than the typical "happy-go-lucky" girl.