# The Rebel (South Korean TV series)

The Rebel (Korean: 역적: 백성을 훔친 도적; RR: Yeokjeok: Baekseong-eul humchin dojeok; Literal: Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People) is a South Korean television series starring Yoon Kyun-sang, Chae Soo-bin, Kim Ji-seok, Lee Hanee, and Kim Sang-joong. It aired on MBC TV every Monday and Tuesday at 22:00 (KST) from January 30, 2017 to May 16, 2017.
The series was a success with average viewership ratings of 11.34%, and was praised by both critics and audiences for its plot and performances.

## Synopsis

Set during the reign of famous tyrant Yeonsangun, it tells the story of Hong Gil-dong, the son of a slave who stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and his journey in becoming Joseon's first revolutionary.
Hong Gil-dong (Yoon Kyun-sang) is the son of slave Hong Ah-mo-gae, which gives Gil-dong no legal standing in Joseon society. With no opportunities to do any legitimate work despite his brilliance, Gil-dong becomes the leader of a band of smugglers who steals from the rich to give to the poor. Gil-dong's contemporary, Yi Yung, becomes the tyrannical Yeonsangun (Kim Ji-seok) who oppresses the lives of the common people. The King's faithful concubine is Jang Nok-su (Lee Hanee) who secretly can't forget her first love, Gil-dong.

## Cast
### Main

* Yoon Kyun-sang as Hong Gil-dong
** Lee Ro-woon as young Hong Gil-dong
* Chae Soo-bin as Song Ga-ryung
    Gil-dong's love interest and later wife.
* Kim Sang-joong as Hong Ah-mo-gae
    Gil-dong's father. A brilliant and ambitious slave who frees himself and later becomes the leader of the Ilkhwari.
* Kim Ji-suk as Crown Prince Yi Yung (later Yeonsangun)
* Lee Hanee as Gong-hwa (later renamed to Jang Nok-su)
    Yeonsangun's concubine and Gil-dong's first love.

### Supporting
#### Hong Family

* Shim Hee-sub as Hong Gil-hyun / Park Ha-sung
** Lee Do-hyun as young Hong Gil-hyun
    Ah-mo-gae's eldest son and Gil-dong's older brother.
* Shin Eun-jung as Geum-ok
    Ah-mo-gae's wife and Gil-dong's mother.
* Lee Soo-min as Hong Uh-ri-ni / Sang-hwa
** Jeong Soo-in as young Hong Uh-ri-ni
    Ah-mo-gae's daughter and Gil-dong's younger sister.

#### Ilkhwari

* Park Jun-gyu as Hong So-bu-ri
* Lee Jun-hyeok as Hong Yong-gae
* Kim Do-yoon as Hong Se-gul
* Heo Jung-do as Hong Il-chung
* Lee Ho-chul as Hong Kkeut-shwe
* Kim Byung-chun as Soo Noh-man-sub
* Lee Myung-hoon as Hong Eob-san
** Jo Hyun-do as young Eob-san
* Kim Ha-eun as Jeok Sun-ah

#### Royal Court

* Kim Jung-tae as Yi Jung, Prince Chungwon
* Choi Moo-sung as King Seongjong
* Park Soo-young as Kim Ja-won
* Ahn Suk-hwan as Left State Councillor Noh Sa-shin
* Ryu Tae-ho as Yu Ja-gwang
* Choi Yong-min as Yun Pil-sang
* Park Ji-il as Yi Se-jwa
* Choi Dae-chul as Park Won-jong

#### Others

* Kim Byeong-ok as Magistrate Uhm Ja-chi
    A third-generation deputy magistrate. He later becomes a town magistrate with the help of Ah-mo-gae.
* Hwang Seok-jeong as Wol-ha-mae
* Kim Joon-bae as Heo Tae-hak
    A thug and Ah-mo-gae's rival.
* Kim Jung-hyun as Mo-ri
    Heo Tae-hak's right-hand man, later a rival of Gil-dong.
* Ahn Nae-sang as Song Do-hwan
* Seo Yi-sook as Lady Jo
    Jo Cham-bong's wife.
* Park Eun-seok as Jo Soo-hak
** Kim Ye-jun as young Jo Soo-hak
    Jo Cham-bong's son.
* Song Sam-dong as Lee Uk-gong
* Jung Da-bin as Ok-ran
* Lee Do-gyeom as Do-ho
* Park Ji-a as Jin-soo
* Lee Chung-mi as Han-deok
* Kim Hee-jung as Baek Kyun
* Kang Hui as Yeong-hui
* Cha Geon-woo
* Shim Eun-woo as shaman

### Special appearances

* Son Jong-hak as Jo Cham-bong
* Ko In-bum as Jo Cham-bong's uncle
* Moon Sook

## Production

* Actors Namkoong Min and Ji Sung were first offered the lead role.
* The first script reading took place on December 30, 2016 at MBC Broadcasting Station in Sangam.

## Ratings

* In the table below, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
* NR denotes that the drama did not rank in the top 20 daily programs on that date
| Episode # | Date | Average audience share | Average audience share | Average audience share | Average audience share | Average audience share |
| Episode # | Date | TNmS Ratings | TNmS Ratings | AGB Nielsen Ratings | AGB Nielsen Ratings | AGB Nielsen Ratings |
| Episode # | Date | Nationwide | Seoul National Capital Area | Nationwide | Seoul National Capital Area | Peak |
| 1 | January 30, 2017 | 8.3% (20th) | 8.2% (17th) | 8.9% (NR) | 9.1% (16th) | 11.0% |
| 2 | January 31, 2017 | 8.4% (17th) | 9.3% (8th) | 10.0% (8th) | 10.2% (6th) | 12.1% |
| 3 | February 6, 2017 | 9.9% (12th) | 11.3% (5th) | 10.5% (7th) | 10.8% (5th) | 13.3% |
| 4 | February 7, 2017 | 11.4% (7th) | 12.5% (5th) | 12.3% (5th) | 12.3% (5th) | 14.5% |
| 5 | February 13, 2017 | 9.8% (11th) | 11.8% (5th) | 10.7% (7th) | 10.9% (6th) | 12.9% |
| 6 | February 14, 2017 | 9.1% (10th) | 10.9% (5th) | 10.6% (8th) | 11.1% (5th) | 12.9% |
| 7 | February 20, 2017 | 9.4% (10th) | 11.4% (5th) | 11.4% (5th) | 11.9% (5th) | 13.3% |
| 8 | February 21, 2017 | 9.4% (9th) | 10.9% (5th) | 11.5% (5th) | 12.1% (5th) | 14.0% |
| 9 | February 27, 2017 | 10.6% (7th) | 11.7% (5th) | 11.7% (5th) | 12.0% (5th) | 14.3% |
| 10 | February 28, 2017 | 11.4% (7th) | 11.9% (5th) | 12.5% (5th) | 13.4% (5th) | 15.2% |
| 11 | March 6, 2017 | 8.9% (12th) | 10.0% (5th) | 10.3% (8th) | 10.6% (6th) | 12.1% |
| 12 | March 7, 2017 | 9.5% (11th) | 10.5% (6th) | 10.5% (7th) | 10.5% (5th) | 12.0% |
| 13 | March 13, 2017 | 9.8% (10th) | 10.5% (6th) | 10.6% (7th) | 10.5% (5th) | 12.3% |
| 14 | March 14, 2017 | 9.7% (7th) | 10.5% (5th) | 10.4% (7th) | 10.3% (5th) | 11.0% |
| 15 | March 20, 2017 | 9.6% (12th) | 10.7% (7th) | 9.7% (7th) | 9.3% (9th) | 10.9% |
| 16 | March 21, 2017 | 8.9% (11th) | 9.7% (6th) | 8.8% (7th) | 8.9% (6th) | 10.0% |
| 17 | March 27, 2017 | 11.9% (7th) | 12.3% (5th) | 13.8% (5th) | 14.3% (5th) | 15.9% |
| 18 | March 28, 2017 | 12.3% (7th) | 13.1% (5th) | 13.9% (4th) | 14.8% (5th) | 16.3% |
| 19 | April 3, 2017 | 11.2% (7th) | 11.6% (5th) | 12.9% (5th) | 13.7% (5th) | 15.7% |
| 20 | April 4, 2017 | 12.8% (5th) | 14.1% (5th) | 12.5% (5th) | 12.6% (5th) | 15.7% |
| 21 | April 10, 2017 | 11.5% (7th) | 12.6% (5th) | 12.7% (5th) | 13.1% (5th) | 15.0% |
| 22 | April 11, 2017 | 12.5% (7th) | 13.8% (5th) | 13.0% (5th) | 13.1% (5th) | 15.7% |
| 23 | April 17, 2017 | 13.0% (5th) | 14.2% (5th) | 13.5% (5th) | 14.2% (5th) | 16.0% |
| 24 | April 18, 2017 | 13.0% (6th) | 14.2% (5th) | 13.3% (5th) | 14.0% (5th) | 15.6% |
| 25 | April 24, 2017 | 11.6% (7th) | 12.6% (5th) | 12.1% (5th) | 12.6% (5th) | 14.1% |
| 26 | April 25, 2017 | 11.6% (5th) | 12.8% (5th) | 12.4% (4th) | 12.7% (4th) | 14.3% |
| 27 | May 1, 2017 | 12.6% (5th) | 14.7% (4th) | 13.0% (5th) | 13.7% (4th) | 15.9% |
| 28 | May 8, 2017 | 13.3% (5th) | 15.4% (4th) | 12.3% (5th) | 12.4% (5th) | 15.8% |
| 29 | May 15, 2017 | 11.7% (7th) | 12.5% (5th) | 12.1% (6th) | 12.8% (5th) | 13.9% |
| 30 | May 16, 2017 | 13.8% (4th) | 15.6% (4th) | 14.4% (5th) | 15.1% (5th) | 17.0% |
| Average | Average | 10.8% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.1% | 13.9% |
* Episode 28 did not air on May 2 due to the broadcast of a presidential debate.
* Episode 29 did not air on May 9 due to news coverage of the presidential election.

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Nominated Person | Result |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Kim Sang-joong | Won |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Best Drama | The Rebel | Nominated |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Best Production Director | Kim Jin-man | Nominated |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Best Screenplay | Hwang Jin-young | Nominated |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor | Kim Ji-seok | Won |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress | Lee Hanee | Won |
| 2017 | 10th Korea Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actor | Yoon Kyun-sang | Nominated |
| 2017 | 1st The Seoul Awards | Best Drama | The Rebel | Nominated |
| 2017 | 1st The Seoul Awards | Best Actor | Yoon Kyun-sang | Nominated |
| 2017 | 1st The Seoul Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Kim Ji-seok | Nominated |
| 2017 | 1st The Seoul Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Lee Ha-nui | Won |
| 2017 | ABU Prizes | Commended Prize | The Rebel | Won |
| 2017 | Asian Television Awards | Best Drama Series | The Rebel | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Grand Prize (Daesang) | Kim Sang-joong | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Drama of the Year | The Rebel | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Writer of the Year | Hwang Jin-young | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Kim Sang-joong | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Yoon Kyun-sang | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Top Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Lee Hanee | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Excellence Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Chae Soo-bin | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Golden Acting Award, Actor in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Kim Byeong-ok | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Golden Acting Award, Actress in a Monday-Tuesday Drama | Seo Yi-sook | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Popularity Award, Actor | Yoon Kyun-sang | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Popularity Award, Actress | Lee Hanee | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Kim Jung-hyun | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Best New Actor | Shim Hee-seop [ko] | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Best New Actress | Lee Soo-min | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Best Young Actor | Lee Ro-woon [ko] | Won |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Best Young Actor | Jung Soo-in | Nominated |
| 2017 | 36th MBC Drama Awards | Best Character Award, Fighting Spirit Acting | Kim Sang-joong | Nominated |
| 2018 | 54th Baeksang Arts Awards | Best Actor | Kim Sang-joong | Nominated |