'Defendant' pummels rival TV shows as it nears final stretch

"Defendant" maintained its pole position in the Monday-Tuesday late night TV drama race, data showed Wednesday, as viewers tuned in to see whether the gripping crime thriller, near its final stretch, can deliver a satisfying ending.

The show's 16th episode that aired Tuesday night recorded 25.4 percent viewership, according to Nielsen Korea. It dropped 0.2 percentage point from the previous broadcast, but still squashed its main competitors.

MBC TV's "Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People," a period work based on the lore of Hong Gil-dong, a Robing Hoodesque Joseon-era bandit, raked in 10.4 percent, while "Ms. Perfect" scored a meek 4.7 percent.

In "Defendant," Ji Sung takes on the role of Park Jung-woo, a former prosecutor who is framed for murdering his family and is now a death row inmate. He tries to unravel a conspiracy in the face of mounting odds.

Um Ki-joon is cast as the antagonist, the mastermind behind Park's demise and a psychopath who kills his twin CEO brother and assumes his family and life. Yuri of idol group Girls' Generation plays the public defender who aids Park.

The plot thickens for the show in which Ji's character, who has escaped from prison to find his missing daughter, has surrendered to prosecutors to clear his name through a retrial. SBS TV has added two more episodes to the initially 16-part series due to strong demand. (Yonhap)