SUMMARY: A compassionate physician leads a secret life as a righteous thief. A young prince is obsessed with capturing the thief. A mysterious soul switch forces them to live each other’s lives.
“To My Beloved Thief” is set during the Joseon Era. Hong Eun-Jo is a gifted physician who serves the poor. Hong Eun-Jo is a low-born (i.e. the daughter of a nobleman and a slave woman, which makes her status “low-born,” but not a slave herself). She lives and works in the house of her father and he allows her to work at the public hospital. Her father is a kindhearted yangban (noble) official who was branded as a traitor and lost his official position and political influence because of “The Purge”.
Her upbringing gave her a unique perspective on Joseon’s rigid class system which she refuses to accept. Hong Eun-Jo leads a double life that is shaped by her mixed social background. She secretly moonlights as the elusive and righteous thief Hong Gil-Dong, and uses her skills and sharp intellect to challenge corruption and protect the vulnerable. All the villager know everything and nothing about the “righteous thief”. When asked none of them can agree on a story or a description. He’s tall. He’s short. He wears black and covers his face with a mask. No! He appears like a ghost and then vanishes. It’s a mystery.
ENTER Prince Yi Yeol, a charismatic royal with a passion for solving crimes. His has a growing fascination with the mysterious and righteous thief Hong Gil-Dong. He meets him Hong Eun-Jo accidentally on the street and there is confusion about their “class”.
There was a mishap and Yi Yeol’s princely attire was ruined. His guard left him alone to return to the palace and get a change of clothes. Meanwhile, he put on some clothing that a someone gave him. When Hong Eun-Jo bumped into him, he was behaving like a prince but dressed like a pauper. She assumed he was mentally ill, suffering from a delusion that he was a real prince.
Hong Eun-Jo’s father had bought her a silk dress because he was arranging for her to marry a nobleman. He couldn’t let her meet her future husband in her everyday clothes. She needed to make a good impression. Yi Yeol assumed that Hong Eun-Jo was a noble lady based on the clothes she was wearing. Hong Eun-Jo didn’t bother to correct him. How do you reason with someone who is mentally ill?
Their interaction with each other was becoming confusing and chaotic. He insisted on being treated in a manner befitting a royal. She just shook her head and wondered how to deal with him. However, when she saw certain people coming in their direction who knew she wasn’t a lady, she grabbed Yi Yeol’s arm and dragged him away. He tried to protest but she aid they could both get killed. Killed? That statement required some explanation. Who would dare kill him? He’s a prince!
Yi Yeol made Hong Eun-Jo agree to meet him again. He planned to be dressed properly the next time they met. When she arrived, he intended to mete out just punishment for her insolent behavior toward a prince. But a lot happened to Hong Eun-Jo before they met again. Hong Eun-Jo learned that she would be married to an elderly mind who would die soon. After that she would become a young widow unable to ever marry again. She would never know the joys of womanhood, the love and touch of a virile husband. And she would never be a mother. It was an act of filial piety. Her youth had to be sacrificed for her family.
Yi Yeol was standing alone at the place where they had agreed to meet. He was proud, haughty, and dressed like a prince. He saw her running toward him and before he could object she kissed him passionately. Then she ran away from him. Yi Yeol just stood there and couldn’t move because he was too stunned. When his guard returned to ask if he had dealt with the noble lady, he said: “I’ve been robbed.” Hong Eun-Jo had stolen a kiss. What could he to do right this injustice?
Little did they know, their paths would cross again … and again … and again … and …
My personal rating is the same as the Viki viewers.
“To My Beloved Thief”, a 2026 Korean drama, inspired by the folk legend of Hong Gil-dong. I have stopped counting the different versions of this famed folk hero that have been adapted to a Korean drama. I love them all!
Nam Ji Hyun Is A Physician By Day And Thief By Night In New Drama ‘To My Beloved Thief.’ | Soompi
Moon Sang Min Falls In Love With Nam Ji Hyun At First Sight In ‘To My Beloved Thief.’ | Soompi
Kdrama Goddess. “To My Beloved Thief (2026).” YouTube, 1 Dec. 2025, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyywMlPhdqo.
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