A promotional poster featuring a muscular hand with prominent veins sparked intense online debate after viewers mistook the grip for the male lead rather than the female bodyguard in the new television series Love in Disguise, 香港01 reported.
The tvN romance thriller, adapted from a web novel and webtoon, upends traditional drama tropes by pairing an elite former special forces operator turned bodyguard with a vulnerable corporate heir. The series follows Kang Jae-hee as she takes on a bodyguard role to investigate a mysterious death linked to executive Yoon Yi-jun.
Viewers initially assumed the strong, vein-lined hand gripping a watch in the official promotional poster belonged to the male protagonist. The hand actually belongs to the female lead, Kang.
Kang works as a close protection officer with extensive martial arts training, including a fifth-degree in judo, hapkido, and taekwondo. Her short hair and commanding presence reflect her military background rather than a disguise adopted solely for her undercover assignment at Taegang Group.
The original story addresses societal expectations surrounding physical strength and gender roles, according to the reporting.
The plot centers on a fatal incident involving corporate secretary Han Eun-young. Yoon Yi-jun, an executive at Taegang Group, becomes a prime suspect because the victim’s defensive wounds match his left-handedness.
Kang infiltrates Yoon’s inner circle by applying for a security role that officially restricted applicants to men. She conceals her gender to gain access and investigate the homicide.
Action sequences throughout the series subvert the standard dynamic where the male lead shields the female character. When a ceiling chandelier falls during a confrontation, Kang kicks Yoon out of the path of the debris.
Yoon maintains a demanding and fastidious demeanor, shaped by childhood pressure to meet perfectionist family standards. He demands that his staff show unconditional affection, masking deep-seated insecurity behind a sharp exterior.
The series continues its broadcast schedule on tvN with subsequent episodes detailing the investigation into the executive’s case.
