Both of her parents were Japanese, and she was born in Japan. Her mother died giving birth to her, and her father, unable to bear his wife's death, fell ill and died when Hideko was five. Consequently, she moved to Joseon to be raised by her aunt. In other words, she is a Hikiagesha raised in Joseon. Her daily routine consists entirely of walking in the hills near the mansion or practicing reading books in the library for the recitals hosted regularly by her uncle. She lives like a bird trapped in a cage, facing an impending marriage to her uncle who covets her fortune. Despite her stunning beauty and immense wealth, she is somewhat dim-witted and innocent regarding men. She is traumatized by the suicide of her aunt, who treated her like a mother and hung herself from a cherry blossom tree, causing Hideko to suffer from nervous exhaustion and sleepless nights.

The daughter of a famous Joseon thief, she lost her mother early and was raised by Bok-soon, a skilled fence who runs a pawnshop called Boyeong-dang. She lives a difficult life, earning money by picking pockets or picking up abandoned babies to raise and sell to wealthy Japanese families.