The upcoming drama To My Beloved Thief has revealed new details about its characters, highlighting the stark contrast between the lives portrayed by Nam Ji Hyun and Han So Eun. The two actresses take on roles shaped by vastly different backgrounds, values, and choices, setting the stage for layered emotional conflict.
To My Beloved Thief follows the story of Hong Eun Jo (Nam Ji Hyun), a woman of humble origins who unexpectedly becomes the bandit known as Gil Dong, and Yi Yeol (Moon Sang Min), a Joseon prince who swaps souls with her while pursuing the thief. Through this sudden twist of fate, the two come to save one another and ultimately work to protect the people. Alongside them, Shin Hae Rim (Han So Eun) and nobleman’s son Lim Jae Yi (Hong Min Ki) form an intricate emotional web that deepens the narrative.
Despite her low status, Hong Eun Jo is bold and unyielding, refusing to submit to the abuse of those in power. Guided by compassion, she cannot ignore the suffering of the weak or the hungry. By day, she works as a physician tending to the ill; by night, she becomes Gil Dong, stealing from corrupt officials to aid starving neighbors. However, as Yi Yeol and Lim Jae Yi begin to closely observe her, the fragile balance of her double life comes under threat, raising questions about how long she can continue to live between two identities.
In sharp contrast stands Shin Hae Rim, a young woman from a prestigious family who lost her parents early in life and was raised under the strict care of her older brother. Proper, composed, and well-regarded, she is engaged to Lim Jae Yi, the second son of the chief royal secretary. Although she has yet to meet her future husband, she quietly dreams of genuine love within the boundaries of her arranged marriage.
That certainty is shaken when she unexpectedly encounters Yi Yeol in the marketplace and falls for him at first sight. Experiencing such emotions for the first time, Shin Hae Rim finds herself caught between the security of her engagement and the pull of newfound love, making her inner conflict a key emotional thread of the drama.
While Hong Eun Jo and Shin Hae Rim come from entirely different worlds—one shaped by survival and resistance, the other by order and expectation—their paths converge through shared relationships and evolving bonds. As they navigate love, duty, and personal choice, both women reveal distinct and compelling forms of strength.
To My Beloved Thief is scheduled to premiere on January 3 at 9:20 p.m. KST.
