The romantic comedy series To My Beloved Thief took a dramatic turn with its fifth episode, introducing a body-swap plot that changes the relationship between the main characters. Episode 5 aired recently, pushing the prince and the thief into each other’s lives in the most personal way possible. For viewers around the world, here is a recap of the key events and all the details for watching the next episode.
To My Beloved Thief Episode 5 Full Story Recap
The entire episode centers on the shocking moment when Hong Eun-jo and Lee Yi Yeol wake up to find they have swapped bodies. Eun-jo, a doctor who secretly lives as the righteous thief Gil Dong, is now trapped in the body of Yi Yeol, whom she believes to be a simple police officer. Yi Yeol, who is actually the Grand Prince, finds himself in Eun-jo’s body. Neither knows the other’s true identity at first, leading to panic and confusion.
Their first instinct is to find each other. Eun-jo, in the prince’s body, tries to flee the palace with the help of her friend, Shin Hae-rim. During her escape, she stumbles upon her own physical body, unconscious. At the same moment, Yi Yeol wakes up inside it. The mutual shock forces them to accept their bizarre situation and agree to work together to find a way back to their own bodies.
A major emotional revelation occurs when Lim Jae-i, a man from Eun-jo’s past, visits. Yi Yeol, speaking from Eun-jo’s body, learns that Eun-jo was not married to Jae-i as he had assumed. Instead, she was married to Yi Yeol’s own late grandfather. She entered the marriage as a sacrifice to protect her family, a burden she carried completely alone. This discovery changes how Yi Yeol sees her.
Later, Yi Yeol is forced to reveal his own secret. When summoned to the palace by the Queen Dowager, he tells Eun-jo the truth: he is not a police officer but the Grand Prince. Eun-jo is stunned and embarrassed by her past bluntness with him, but Yi Yeol asks her not to treat him differently.
Yi Yeol asks her not to change. He wants her to treat him as the same man, not as royalty hiding behind a title.
To survive, they begin training each other. Yi Yeol teaches Eun-jo royal etiquette to face the Queen Dowager, while they exchange personal stories to avoid suspicion in their daily lives. While staying at Eun-jo’s home, Yi Yeol learns another painful truth: her parents never knew about her sacrificial marriage. He sees firsthand the loneliness of her life.
The episode’s tension escalates with two key events. First, Eun-jo, using her medical knowledge while in the prince’s body, saves the King from a poisoning attempt by putting out a toxic incense stick. This act of heroism surprises the palace and attracts unwanted attention from the king’s concubine and others involved in a conspiracy.
Second, a man pretending to be the thief Gil Dong is captured and killed, putting Eun-jo’s real identity in greater danger. The episode builds to a climactic misunderstanding where Eun-jo and Yi Yeol, each believing the other to be an enemy, engage in a sudden sword fight. They only realize who they are fighting when their blades cross. This moment solidifies their new alliance.
Where to Watch To My Beloved Thief with English Subtitles
For international fans, the primary streaming platform for To My Beloved Thief is Rakuten Viki. The service offers the series with multiple subtitle languages, including English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, and Portuguese.
Viki operates on a hybrid model. Viewers can watch the first two episodes for free, but to access the full series, including the latest episodes, a Viki Pass subscription is required. The subscription removes ads and provides full access to the Viki library. The series is also available for free with ads on Viki’s free tier, though the available episodes may be limited.
To My Beloved Thief Episode 6 Release Date and Time
New episodes of To My Beloved Thief are released twice a week. The series follows a schedule of one episode on Saturday and another on Sunday.
Episode 6 is scheduled to premiere on Sunday, January 25, 2026. The episode will be available at 21:20 Korean Standard Time (KST). For global viewers, this translates to:
- United States (EST): Sunday, January 25 at 7:20 AM
- United Kingdom (GMT): Sunday, January 25 at 12:20 PM
- India (IST): Sunday, January 25 at 5:50 PM
- Australia (AEDT): Sunday, January 25 at 11:20 PM
The series is planned for a total of 16 episodes, running from January 3, 2026, to February 22, 2026. Each episode has a runtime of approximately 60 to 75 minutes.
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What to Expect in Episode 6 of To My Beloved Thief
Following the intense end of Episode 5, the story is poised for more complications. The preview and early discussions suggest Episode 6 is titled “The Lie Finally Starts to Crack!”. The central body-swap will continue to create chaos in both the palace and Eun-jo’s world.
The consequences of Eun-jo’s actions in the prince’s body will likely unfold. By saving the King, she has directly interfered in a palace conspiracy involving the king’s concubine and other officials. This will undoubtedly put Yi Yeol, in his own body but with Eun-jo’s consciousness, in significant political danger. Furthermore, the death of the fake Gil Dong means the authorities are actively hunting for the thief, increasing the risk of Eun-jo’s secret being exposed.
The dynamic between the two leads will be tested as they navigate each other’s lives. Fan reactions to the body-swap have been positive, with one viewer noting, “The actors did a great job conveying the other person’s mannerismsโฆ The confusion felt genuine”. Their growing understanding and bond, forged through shared secrets and vulnerability, will be central to the episode’s development.
