MBC TV's "Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People" took the lead in the Monday-Tuesday late night drama race, outstripping its hard-hitting rival "Whisper," data showed Wednesday.

Tuesday night's 26th episode of "Rebel" recorded 12.4 percent nationwide viewership, up 0.3 percentage point from the previous broadcast, according to Nielsen Korea. SBS TV's legal thriller "Whisper," which maintained the lead for several weeks, clocked in at 11.9 percent, dropping 4.1 percentage points from Monday. KBS 2TV's "Ms. Perfect," which competes during the same time slot, stood at 4.9 percent.

"Rebel," which first aired in late January, is based on the lore of Hong Gil-dong, a Joseon-era bandit who takes from the rich to give to the poor. Throughout most of its run, the period series was largely overshadowed by the overwhelming spotlight towards "Defendant" and later by its successor "Whisper."

Tuesday night's episode of "Rebel" focused on the victory achieved by Hong and his group of resistant fighters in successfully overtaking the army led by the merciless tyrant King Yeonsan.

Nearing its final stretch, "Rebel" is expected to continue its neck-and-neck race with "Whisper" until the end of its 30-episode run next month. (Yonhap)