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Revenge-based series Scars of Beauty (Beleza Fatal) is a Brazilian telenovela created by Raphael Montes, featuring Camila Pitanga, Camila Queiroz, and Giovanna Antonelli. It premiered on Max on January 27, 2025.
As a child, Sofia witnesses her mother Cléo's death at the hands of her aunt Lola. Taken in by the Paixão family, Sofia grows up with their support, while Elvira deals with the fallout of Rebeca’s failed surgery.
Years later, Sofia seeks revenge on those who wronged her, including Lola. At the same time, she reconnects with Gabriel, her childhood love, and Lola’s son, while struggling with the cost of justice.
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If viewers enjoyed Scars of Beauty for its themes of obsession and ethics, here is a list of seven revenge-driven series to watch.
Disclaimer: The following list is ranked in no particular order, and the opinions expressed belong solely to the author.
Story of Yanxi Palace, and 6 other revenge-based series to watch if you loved Scars of Beauty
1) My Name (2021)
My Name is a 2021 South Korean action crime thriller directed by Kim Jin-min, starring Han So-hee, Park Hee-soon, and Ahn Bo-hyun. The series follows a woman who joins a gang to avenge her father's death and becomes their mole within the police force.
After the sudden death of her father, Yoon Ji-woo (Han So-hee) seeks revenge by joining the Dongcheon drug gang, led by Choi Mu-jin (Park Hee-soon). She infiltrates the police under the alias, Oh Hye-jin, and is assigned to the drug investigation unit at Inchang Metropolitan Police Station, where she partners with Detective Jeon Pil-do (Ahn Bo-hyun).
Like Sofia in Scars of Beauty, Yoon Ji-woo joins a gang to avenge her father. Themes of treachery and the personal toll of retaliation are explored in both shows.
Where to watch: Netflix
2) Story of Yanxi Palace (2018)
A palace maid enduring the hardships in the Qianlong Emperor's court is the subject of the 2018 Chinese television series Story of Yanxi Palace. Created by Yu Zheng, with a screenplay by Zhou Mo, it was later adapted into a novel by Xiao Lianmao.
In 18th-century Beijing, during Qianlong's 6th year, Wei Ying Luo enters the Forbidden City as an embroiderer to investigate her sister’s r*pe and murder. She suspects Imperial Guard Fuca Fuheng and becomes a maid to his sister, Empress Fuca Rongyin.
Fuca Fuheng falls in love with Ying Luo and helps with her inquiry after the Empress, impressed by her cleverness, becomes her benefactor.
Wei Ying Luo enters the Forbidden City to uncover her sister’s killer, just as Sofia seeks justice for her mother in Scars of Beauty. Both series intertwine mystery and are revenge-based.
Where to watch: Prime Video
3) Revenge (2011)
Revenge, a drama television series, created by Mike Kelley, starring Madeleine Stowe and Emily VanCamp, premiered on ABC on September 21, 2011. The show is inspired by Alexandre Dumas' 1844 novel The Count of Monte Cristo.
A young woman returns to the wealthy beach town of the Hamptons under a false identity to exact revenge on the families that wronged her two decades ago. As she carries out her plan, she uncovers hidden secrets and affairs.
Like Sofia in Scars of Beauty, Emily Thorne seeks justice, facing powerful families and secrets on her path to revenge.
Where to watch: Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
4) The Glory (2022)
Kim Eun-sook and Ahn Gil-ho are the authors and directors of the South Korean revenge thriller The Glory. The series won three Baeksang Arts Awards, including Best Drama and Best Actress for Song Hye-kyo. It was released in two parts on December 30, 2022, and March 10, 2023.
Moon Dong-eun, a former victim of school bullying, seeks revenge on her tormentors after becoming a homeroom teacher at the elementary school attended by the child of the ringleader, Ha Ye-sol.
Some scenes are inspired by an incident in Cheongju, South Korea, in 2006. A group of middle school students extorted money from a classmate, subjecting her to repeated beatings and burns.
Much like Sofia's quest for justice in Scars of Beauty, Moon Dong-eun plots her retaliation against her childhood bullies. Trauma and the psychological effects of revenge-based actions plague both characters.
Where to watch: Netflix
5) Kevin Can F*** Himself (2021)
Kevin Can F**k Himself is a dark comedy television series created by Valerie Armstrong, who also serves as an executive producer.
It centers on Allison McRoberts, a clever and attractive woman trapped in a stereotypical sitcom marriage to Kevin, a childish, self-centered man, set in Worcester, Massachusetts.
After discovering a harsh reality, Allison teams up with her neighbor, Patty O'Connor, to take charge of her life and overcome her limitations.
Similar to Sofia's attempt to take back her destiny in Scars of Beauty, Allison takes control of her life and tries to leave her poisonous relationship. Both shows focus on women breaking free from controlling forces.
Where to watch: Netflix, Prime Video
6) Killing Eve (2018)
Killing Eve is a spy thriller television series produced by Sid Gentle Films. The show follows Eve Polastri (Sandra Oh), a British intelligence investigator assigned to capture the psychopathic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer).
Eve’s life as a spy isn’t what she envisioned when she began her career. She is an MI5 officer, bored with desk duties most of the time. In contrast, Villanelle is a capricious murderer who relishes the comforts of her profession.
Both women develop an equal obsession with one another, resulting in intense rivalry, with Eve being adamant about finding the lethal assassin.
The desire for vengeance in Scars of Beauty and Eve and Villanelle's rivalry is driven by intense emotions and personal grudges, with themes of power and obsession.
Where to watch: Lionsgate Play, Netflix, Prime Video
7) How to Get Away with Murder (2014)
ABC debuted the legal drama thriller How to Get Away with Murder. A law professor named Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) gives a course titled "How to Get Away With Murder."
In addition to her devoted staff, Bonnie Winterbottom (Liza Weil) and Frank Delfino (Charlie Weber), she chooses a group of exceptional students to help with cases at her criminal defense practice. Dark truths emerge when puzzles are solved, pushing people to their limits.
Like Sofia's crusade for justice in Scars of Beauty, Annalise Keating and her pupils handle revenge-based cases of murder and deception.
Where to watch: Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+
Viewers can watch the revenge-based series Scars of Beauty on Prime Video and Hulu.
