Actor Moon Sang Min called himself "Gildong," and with charisma emanating from behind the mask he swallowed the nights of Joseon.
In episodes 13 and 14 of the KBS2 weekend miniseries To My Beloved Thief (written by Lee Seon, directed by Ham Young-gul, produced by Studio Dragon), which aired on the 14th and 15th, Moon Sang Min, who plays Yi Yeol, prince Dowoldae, awakened amid a life-or-death crisis and instantly took control of the story's flow.
After being ambushed and standing on the brink of life and death, Yi Yeol miraculously regained consciousness after Nam Ji-hyun's desperate nursing. He told Nam Ji-hyun, "I have seen Joseon through one woman's eyes. Wherever it ends, I want to go with you," revealing his resolute will to protect the lives of the people.
Later, even when accused of being Gildong by Im Jae-yi (Hong Min-gi), Moon Sang Min delicately portrayed the strange bond beneath hostility, three-dimensionally completing the relationships between characters. And when King Lee Gyu (Ha Seok-jin), driven mad, turned his blade toward Hong Eun-jo, Yi Yeol donned a butcher's mask and stepped forward, creating the singular character of "a prince turned Gildong" and sending shivers through the audience.
Especially notable was Moon Sang Min's acting, which visually projected the character's inner growth and boasted a deeper intensity. He simultaneously radiated the noble dignity of a prince and the sharp spirit of a thief, moving between two polar identities—prince and thief—and delivered a subtly precise dual-role performance comparable to the recent soul-change situation.
At the end of the broadcast, the kiss he shared with Hong Eun-jo after overcoming countless ordeals also provided overwhelming immersion. With the weighty confession "My dream was always you," Moon Sang Min conveyed the sincerity that ran through Yi Yeol's entire life, solidifying his position as a "romance craftsman" through deep gazes and excellent emotional control.
Meanwhile, the Moon Sang Min–led weekend miniseries To My Beloved Thief, which has gained cross-generational popularity by showing a broad acting spectrum, will air episode 15 on the 21st at 9:20 p.m. on KBS2.
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