The swoon-worthy historical romance led by actors Nam Ji-hyun and Moon Sang-min is already making hearts race.
Episode 2 of To My Beloved Thief, which aired on the 4th, reunited thief Hong Eun-jo (played by Nam Ji-hyun) — who stole a prince's kiss — with Grand Prince Lee Yeol (played by Moon Sang-min), who is hunting her down. According to Nielsen Korea, the nationwide household rating climbed to 4.5%, with peak minute ratings hitting 5.2%.
On a night of falling "flower rain," both Eun-jo and Yeol relived their surprise kiss in their own ways. Eun-jo confided in her mother, Chunseom (Seo Young-hee), disguising her own story as something from a book — only to panic when her mother read it as budding romance. Meanwhile, Yeol summoned court ladies to profile the woman who fled after the kiss, nodding when someone said, "Maybe she ran because it's a difficult love," hinting at his growing curiosity. To evade Yeol — who had summoned witness Dongju's wife (Lee Jin-hee) to the police bureau over her ties to the thief, Gil-dong — Eun-jo donned a butcher's mask. When Dongju's wife was insulted by the Chief Censor, Eun-jo stepped in as a royal physician, insisting treatment was needed, then exploded in anger at his abusive words. Determined to help, Eun-jo raided the Chief Censor's storeroom — only to come face-to-face with Yeol, who revealed himself as a military officer, turning up the tension.
Yeol shocked Eun-jo by declaring, "From now on, stay within my reach — only as much as I can hold," promising he would stop the chase. But the brief truce shattered when patrol guards appeared. Chasing the fleeing Gil-dong, Yeol was struck by an arrow and, wounded, took refuge at the Hyeminseo clinic.
There, Yeol met Eun-jo again and teased her by recalling the kiss: "Flower shoes. Flower rain. Caught you — a single blossom," leaving her rattled and hinting that their relationship is headed for even deeper tension and butterflies.
After Episodes 1 and 2, viewers raved: "Their chemistry is so good," "We love the sudden acceleration," "It's fast-paced but thrilling," and "These two were born for historical dramas."
Meanwhile, To My Beloved Thief airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:20 p.m. KST.