The Rebel (South Korean TV series)

The Rebel (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.

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.

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 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.