**Episode 1 of My Stand-In** introduces Joe, a daredevil stuntman, who finds himself on an expansive outdoor set nestled amidst the majestic mountains. As the cameras capture every moment, Joe accelerates on his motorbike with unbridled enthusiasm. However, fate takes a grim turn when the safety wire snaps, sending him tumbling over a precipice. As he plummets from a towering height, a haunting thought crosses his mind: whenever something promising looms on the horizon, something disastrous inevitably takes its place.
Upon awakening in the hospital, Joe's mother greets him with a warm embrace, but his eyes reflect confusion as he fails to recognize her, convinced instead that she has passed away. The doctor informs him that he's been in a coma for two years, reassuring him that feelings of disarray are quite normal. Joe grapples with the challenge of moving his limbs and is startled by the unfamiliar visage staring back at him in the mirror. Could it be possible that he now inhabits someone else's body?
The hospital staff harbors hope that Joe's memories will eventually return, but he's left pondering an absurd notion – that he's somehow swapped bodies and become this woman's son. During his stay, Joe encounters a visitor who mentions a coincidental twist: another friend named Joe, who also plummeted off a cliff and has been missing for two years.
A month later, fresh out of the hospital, Joe's path crosses again with Wut, the visitor from his hospital days. Catching a glimpse of a poster draped over Wut's shoulder, he remarks on the new model featured, who has only been working for the past six months. As Wut reminisces about his missing friend, he offers Joe a job at his entertainment company once he's ready.
Back at his home, Joe scoured the internet for any news pertaining to his supposed demise but came up empty-handed. In a deeply emotional exchange with his mother, he was heartbroken to learn that she had depleted her savings, accumulated over two years, to cover his medical expenses. Determined to make amends, Joe vowed to take care of her for the rest of her life.
Joe soon visits Wut's office, eager to find a role behind the scenes. Assigned to the props department, he meets Jojo, the head of the department. Drawing from his past life's experience, Joe inadvertently lets slip a memory of a dish that Jojo's wife once cooked, leaving both of them puzzled. Their conversation is abruptly interrupted when Yim announces that the team must work late due to Ming's shoot being moved up. Upon hearing Ming's name, Joe suddenly feels nauseated, begging to be allowed to leave early.
As Joe makes his way out, he encounters Ming in the elevator. However, Ming fails to recognize Joe's new face. As they exit, Ming grabs his arm, evoking a sense of deja vu in Joe, reminiscent of their first encounter. Ming wonders if they've met before, but Joe hastily dismisses the notion as a mistake.
Flashing back to three years ago, Joe recalls his first meeting with Ming. He had hugged him from behind, mistaking him for the actor Tong. On set, Joe performed stunts for Tong while Ming observed from behind the camera. Tong arrived late that day, wishing he had been even tardier. Ming invited him to dinner, but Tong cleverly avoided the invitation, promising to catch up another time.
The rain poured relentlessly as Joe offered Ming a lift, creating an awkward silence between them. Joe attempted to break the ice by jesting if Ming was a famous personality, but Ming promptly denied it. While driving, Tong rang Ming, inviting him to a party despite Ming's prior claim of working late. Tong's revelation that he was accompanied by a woman named May prompted Ming to abruptly end the call and suggest accompanying Joe back home instead.
At Joe's abode, Ming subtly hinted at a shared intimate night, as the tension between them escalated almost instantaneously upon entering. However, their moment of passion quickly fizzled when both hesitated to be the one to use a condom. The heat dissipated, leaving them to bond over a shared bowl of ramen instead.
Despite Ming's intention to stay overnight, neither could find slumber. Joe eventually confessed that he wouldn't mind receiving affection but had never been in such a situation before. Ming advised Joe to reserve his affections for someone who truly cared for him. Joe struggled to engage Ming in conversation about his feelings, but Ming remained tight-lipped. When Joe awoke the next morning, Ming was gone, leaving behind tidy dishes, leading Joe to ponder if it had all been a dream.
Ming returned to his affluent family home, where Tong showed up inquisitively asking about Ming's whereabouts the previous night and inviting him to dinner. At work, the props team enjoyed lunch catered by Jojo's wife. Joe's somber demeanor prompted colleagues to inquire about any relationship troubles. Yim hinted at Joe's potential alternative preferences, but Jojo remained oblivious.
Later, Tong and Ming reminisced about their past over dinner, catching up on the latest developments since Ming's return. Ming confirmed Tong's relationship with May. When May called, citing illness, Ming gracefully excused Tong to attend to her. As Tong left, Ming's thoughts wandered to Joe's similarly broad shoulders.
He called Joe to meet, but Ming arrived already intoxicated. When the waiter approached to take their order, Ming impulsively kissed Joe, causing him to blush. Ming reassured Joe to relax and ordered another round of drinks. Escorting the inebriated Ming back to his house, Joe laid him on the couch and headed for a shower. Ming soon stumbled in, visualizing Tong but instantaneously kissing Joe's back. Joe initially resisted but soon succumbed, conceding to Ming's desires.
The next morning, Ming was nestled against Joe, who took a moment to admire his face. In a voice-over from the present, Joe recounted how he initially believed his night with Ming was a dream, unaware that it was actually a harbinger of a life-shattering nightmare.
