Michelle Topham 
K-drama To My Beloved Thief continued its upward momentum on Saturday night as Episode 5 recorded the highest ratings of the series so far.
According to Nielsen Korea, My Beloved Thief, Episode 5’s nationwide ratings were the KBS2 drama’s highest yet, as it garnered 7.0 percent of the national audience share on Saturday night versus Episode 4’s 6.30 percent last week.
The Korean drama also grabbed its best ratings from viewers in Seoul, jumping from last week’s 6.2 percent to this week’s 6.8 percent.
It seems then that Episode 5 marked another turning point for the Korean drama, as it combined emotional depth with a bold plot twist that, from comments all over social media, clearly resonated with audiences. (I won’t spoil it for you, if you haven’t watched it).
Much of the excitement also stemmed from the episode’s escalating stakes, as well as the increasingly layered and increasingly fun relationship between the two leads.
Last night, however, the story moved beyond set-up and into emotionally charged territory, giving viewers stronger insight into the characters’ motivations, while the K-drama still kept its audience happy by maintaining its playful fantasy tone.
To My Beloved Thief‘s international fan reaction
The reaction online has been swift and enthusiastic for To My Beloved Thief’s, Episode 5 this morning, particularly among international fans.
On social media platforms like X and Reddit, for instance, viewers praised the performances and pacing.
One international fan wrote:
Episode 5 is where everything finally clicked. I wasn’t expecting to be this emotionally invested so soon.
Another commented, “The chemistry is unreal. Even the smallest scenes feel meaningful now.”
Fans also highlighted how the episode elevated the drama’s appeal.
While a viewer from Southeast Asia said,
I started watching casually, but Episode 5 convinced me this drama is something special,
and a European fan noted,
This is one of the few recent sageuks that feels fresh without trying too hard.
With ratings climbing and online discussion expanding beyond Korea then, it appears To My Beloved Thief is shaping up to be a sleeper hit. Both internationally and in South Korea.
As anticipation builds for upcoming episodes, I don’t know about you, but I am very interested to see whether future episodes of To My Beloved Thief can maintain their momentum and grab even higher ratings as the story continues to unfold.
Let’s see then, eh?
To My Beloved Thief stars Nam Ji Hyun, Moon Sang Min, Hong Min Gi, and Han So Eun. Look out for its next episode, which premieres later on tonight.
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