Love in Disguise (2026) is a South Korean romantic thriller starring Yim Si Wan and Seol In Ah (also credited as Seorina). It premieres on Monday, October 19, 2026, at 8:50 p.m. KST on tvN, with Prime Video listing the series for international streaming in supported countries. The story begins with a murder investigation: a wealthy corporate heir becomes the main suspect, and an undercover detective disguises herself as a man to get a job as his personal secretary. The closer she comes to the truth, the harder it becomes to separate her mission from her growing feelings for him.
This Love in Disguise 2026 review and release-date preview explains the confirmed story, cast and characters, upcoming episode schedule, creative team, webtoon origins and international streaming arrangements. It also examines the interesting tension between mistaken identity, romance and a serious criminal investigation. With the premiere still ahead, this is a spoiler-free guide, not a claim to have watched the entire drama or learned the murderer’s identity.
Love in Disguise (2026) Release Date, Episodes and Prime Video
| English title | Love in Disguise |
|---|---|
| Year / country | 2026 / South Korea |
| Premiere | Monday, October 19, 2026 |
| Korean broadcast time | 8:50 p.m. KST |
| Original broadcaster | tvN (South Korea) |
| Broadcast pattern | Mondays and Tuesdays |
| Season length | 12 episodes listed for Season 1 |
| Streaming | Prime Video in participating regions |
| Genre | Romantic comedy, crime mystery, thriller |
| Director | Park Dhan-hee |
| Leads | Yim Si Wan, Seol In Ah |
| Production | CJ ENM STUDIOS and PITAPAT STUDIO |
The Korean launch date and time are consistently listed in the show’s tvN publicity reports. An official Prime Video listing confirms the cast, synopsis and international streaming presence. The first season is listed with twelve episodes in regional viewing guides; new Korean broadcasts follow the Monday/Tuesday schedule rather than releasing the whole season at once.
On October 19, viewers should expect the opening episode, with the next Korean broadcast planned for October 20 if the announced schedule continues. A complete table of exact streaming upload hours would be misleading because Prime Video releases can differ by country and time zone. The Korean airtime is not automatically the moment the episode becomes available in every international catalog.
Search results often use several versions of the performers’ names. Seol In Ah is also credited as Seorina, while Yim Si Wan may appear as Im Siwan. These spellings refer to the same two lead actors, not different casts or separate productions.
Love in Disguise Plot: A Murder Suspect and a Detective in a False Identity
Yoon Yi Jun is the next-generation heir to Taegang Group, one of South Korea’s leading business conglomerates. He is wealthy, self-assured and used to being treated as someone whose decisions are rarely questioned. His carefully arranged world begins to unravel when he becomes a suspect in a serious murder case. Being rich and influential does not make him innocent; it makes the investigation more complicated because everyone around him may have something to gain or lose from its outcome.
Kang Jae Hee approaches the case from the opposite side. She is a detective with a military background, including service in the Republic of Korea’s special forces. She is direct, physically capable and determined to finish any investigation she starts. Rather than observing Yi Jun from a distance, she adopts a male identity and applies to work as his personal secretary. The job puts her close to his schedule, conversations, private life and business associates.
The disguise creates the central dramatic irony. Jae Hee knows why she is there; Yi Jun believes that his new assistant is a man working for him. She must listen carefully, conceal her real professional identity and avoid revealing how much attention she pays to suspicious details. He is used to controlling the terms of every relationship, but suddenly depends on someone he does not fully understand.
As they investigate the circumstances surrounding the murder, the two gradually develop a complicated attachment. Their growing affection is not merely a romantic complication; it challenges the structure of the case. Can Jae Hee remain objective if she starts believing the man she was sent to watch? Can Yi Jun trust somebody whose name, gender presentation and stated reason for employment are false? The premise promises a mixture of mistaken-identity humor and genuine doubt about responsibility and guilt.
It is important not to confuse the allegation against Yi Jun with a confirmed verdict. Advance publicity identifies him as a prime suspect, not as a proven killer. The identity of the murderer and the legal consequences of the investigation are not yet revealed in the official materials.
Why the secretary role makes the mystery personal
A detective watching a suspect from outside can maintain some distance. A personal secretary cannot. The assistant may see the executive exhausted, embarrassed, unguarded or affectionate; she may also witness behavior that looks suspicious without understanding its full context. This environment creates opportunities for Jae Hee to discover information, but it also makes emotional boundaries difficult.
Yi Jun’s position creates a different kind of vulnerability. He has authority over his employee, yet the person closest to his working life is hiding a dangerous secret. The comedy comes from his growing attraction to someone he believes to be male, while the thriller tension comes from the possibility that the disguise will be discovered at exactly the wrong moment.
How Does the Male-Secretary Disguise Change the Romance?
One of the show’s promotional scenes has Yi Jun confessing unexpected romantic feelings and Jae Hee cutting him off before he finishes. She has to preserve her male persona, so his affection becomes inconvenient evidence that the investigation is moving beyond the script. That dynamic is described in the September tvN teaser coverage, not a fabricated post-release scene.
The strongest version of this plot would treat the disguise as more than an excuse for awkward jokes. Yi Jun might begin questioning assumptions about himself, while Jae Hee confronts the consequences of allowing an innocent personal relationship to form under false pretenses. The drama can explore how trust is built, and how easily it can be damaged when people learn that essential facts were hidden.
Seol In Ah’s character has an advantage over many undercover heroines in romantic comedies: her backstory provides a reason for physical confidence and a disciplined manner. She does not need to become a completely different person to perform the job; she needs to control which parts of her real self others are allowed to see. The same qualities that make her useful in an investigation may end up being the qualities Yi Jun admires.
Meanwhile Yi Jun’s arrogance gives the writers something to challenge. A corporate heir who believes he can control everyone might find himself relying on someone who quietly refuses his assumptions. Their relationship could expose both his blind spots and Jae Hee’s tendency to see people primarily as subjects of investigation.
Love in Disguise Cast and Characters
| Actor | Character | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Yim Si Wan (Im Siwan) | Yoon Yi Jun | Taegang Group heir and murder suspect |
| Seol In Ah (Seorina) | Kang Jae Hee | Former special forces member working undercover as a male secretary |
| Kim Jung Hyun | Kim Si Hyun | Yi Jun’s old friend and Taegang legal-team attorney |
| Yeonwoo | Lee Hye Jung | Secretary to Taegang Group’s chairman |
| Choi Jin Ho | Yoon Tae Sik | Yi Jun’s father and chairman of Taegang Group |
The central cast and character descriptions are supported by tvN’s early cast publicity, the supporting-cast introduction and Prime Video’s credits. New characters can be added to this guide when further roles are officially identified.
Yim Si Wan as Yoon Yi Jun
The male lead is not simply a wealthy romantic prospect. He enters the drama already facing a severe accusation, forcing audiences to wonder whether his seemingly arrogant behavior hides danger, fear or something else. Yim Si Wan’s ability to shift between confidence and uncertainty is central to making that ambiguity convincing. Promotional interviews suggest an intentionally sharp contrast between Yi Jun’s controlled public persona and the less predictable feelings he develops around his secretary.
Seol In Ah as Kang Jae Hee
Jae Hee is defined by commitment to her mission. Her military and police experience allows her to move decisively when others hesitate. Yet undercover work asks her to do almost the opposite: watch, wait, listen and let an apparent suspect make the next move. The tension between action and restraint could make her one of the story’s most interesting characters.
Kim Jung Hyun and Yeonwoo
Kim Si Hyun’s role as Yi Jun’s friend and company lawyer raises questions about legal strategy and personal loyalty. A lawyer inside the conglomerate may want to protect the business as much as the individual. Yeonwoo’s Lee Hye Jung works close to the chairman, potentially giving her a different view of the power struggles inside Taegang. The publicity confirms these relationships, but not who may be involved in the murder.
Is Love in Disguise Based on a Webtoon?
Yes. The new tvN drama draws from the web novel and webtoon commonly translated as “Why Don’t You Know She’s a Woman?” The premise of a woman hiding her identity in the workplace has appeared in other dramas, but this adaptation adds a criminal investigation and corporate power structure to the central romance.
Knowing that there is an original story does not mean the television version will reproduce its every scene or reveal. Producers may alter motivations, combine characters or revise the ending to work across twelve episodes. For viewers who care about surprises, reading an alleged webtoon ending should not be treated as a reliable spoiler for an unaired drama.
The adaptation format also raises an interesting question: how does a familiar gender-disguise device work when the female lead is investigating a possible murderer? In a purely romantic comedy, deception may lead to misunderstandings and eventual confession. Here it has a professional purpose, and exposure could compromise both the investigation and the people involved.
Love in Disguise 2026 Preview: Romance, Suspicion and Corporate Secrets
What looks promising is the double source of suspense. Audiences will want to know who committed the murder, but they will also wonder when Yi Jun discovers the truth about Jae Hee. The two questions create different stakes: one concerns justice and possible danger, while the other concerns intimacy, trust and embarrassment.
The strongest potential character conflict belongs to Jae Hee. A determined detective can be tempted to view every conversation as evidence. Her undercover role rewards patience and careful observation, but emotional connection may make her question her own conclusions. The more invested she becomes in Yi Jun, the less simple her job appears. A compelling script should allow her to remain intelligent and proactive without having romance erase her professional judgment.
Yi Jun’s family provides a wider context. A conglomerate succession can create pressure, rivalry and incentives for deception. The chief executive’s relatives, advisors and legal department could have competing goals even if none of them committed the crime. This lets the investigation connect private secrets to institutional power rather than centering everything on whether a single handsome heir is good or bad.
The main risk is tonal imbalance. Slapstick scenes built on the secretary disguise could undermine the seriousness of a murder inquiry if the writers don’t manage transitions carefully. Equally, an excessively complicated corporate conspiracy could overwhelm the personalities that attract viewers to a romance drama. The show will need to earn emotional credibility in both genres.
The romantic premise also raises questions about power dynamics. Yi Jun is Jae Hee’s employer under the false identity; he may hold authority over her working conditions even while unaware of her secret. The series can use that imbalance for comedy, but a thoughtful story should also acknowledge the consequences for both of them when the deception unravels.
What should viewers watch for in the first episodes?
Pay attention to how the murder investigation begins, the circumstances that make Jae Hee’s disguise necessary, and whether Yi Jun seems to know more than he admits. Watch how colleagues respond to the assistant’s unusual capabilities. The most revealing moments may not be big action scenes but ordinary conversations where two people assign entirely different meanings to the same remark.
These are questions to consider, not invented answers. We will be able to evaluate the romance’s pacing, the evidence behind the crime and the first major twists only once the series has premiered.
Production Team and Genre
The official Prime Video entry credits Park Dhan-hee as director, with CJ ENM STUDIOS and PITAPAT STUDIO as the production studios. The genre blends psychological tension, romance and crime mystery. It should not be marketed as a straightforward office comedy simply because its most memorable trailer moments involve a secretary in disguise.
The cast’s promotional photo shoots emphasize role reversal: sometimes Jae Hee physically supports the heir, while other images show Yi Jun holding her in a more conventional romantic pose. Those visuals communicate that neither character is fixed in a single dominant or dependent position, an idea the drama may explore beyond the posters.
Where to Watch Love in Disguise Online
tvN broadcasts the drama in South Korea beginning October 19 at 8:50 p.m. KST. For international audiences, Prime Video’s official Love in Disguise page provides a regional listing and information about subtitles and language tracks. The exact release timing and included languages should be checked in the viewer’s own Prime Video account, because catalog windows and rights are not necessarily identical worldwide.
If you’re looking for all episodes, note that the Korean series follows a weekly Monday/Tuesday release pattern and is listed for twelve episodes. It is not an eight-episode full-season launch on October 19. The latest available episode will depend on the date and the streaming region.
For another international premiere with an unusual workplace heroine, see our Extraordinary Attorney Minami preview, which covers a Japanese courtroom drama arriving on October 19.
Love in Disguise (2026) Frequently Asked Questions
When does Love in Disguise premiere?
October 19, 2026, at 8:50 p.m. KST on tvN in South Korea.
Will Love in Disguise be on Prime Video?
Yes, the series has an official Prime Video listing. Availability and the exact upload time depend on region.
How many episodes are there?
The first season is listed with 12 episodes, airing on Mondays and Tuesdays in Korea.
Who are the lead actors?
Yim Si Wan and Seol In Ah (Seorina) star as Yoon Yi Jun and Kang Jae Hee.
Why does Kang Jae Hee pretend to be a man?
She is an undercover detective who disguises herself as a male secretary to investigate murder suspect Yoon Yi Jun.
Is Yoon Yi Jun guilty of murder?
He is a suspect in the confirmed premise. His guilt has not been established or revealed in advance publicity.
Is the story based on a webtoon?
Yes. It adapts a webtoon and web novel translated as “Why Don’t You Know She’s a Woman?”
Is Love in Disguise a comedy or thriller?
It combines romance and mistaken identity with a murder mystery and corporate intrigue.
Sources and Images
Release date, cast and storyline: tvN announcement coverage, scene and plot preview, supporting cast and Prime Video. Promotional photographs were published with tvN publicity and are credited under each still. Copyright remains with the owners, and attribution does not establish a free-use license.
Prepared October 17, 2026, before the premiere. A spoiler-free editorial preview rather than a review of all twelve episodes.
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