Mercy for None wastes no time in getting into its dark, brutal world. With just two episodes, this new Korean revenge drama pulls us into a violent power struggle filled with betrayals, bloodshed, and brothers bound by pain. If you’re into intense action, broody anti-heroes, and stylish noir, this one’s already shaping us to be a must-watch
Mercy For None K-drama Episode 1: Lee Jun Hyuk
Mercy For None Episode 1 Recap
The show kicks off in 2010 in Yeouido, Seoul. Gi-jun tells his younger brother Gi-seok that Chairman Lee Ju-woon has agreed to bring him into the company. Gi-jun then heads straight to a gang fight, and we immediately see just how capable he is in a brawl.
Mercy For None K-drama Episode 1: Gong Myung
Fast-forward to the present, a manager from Bongsan Group is taken out by foreign assassins hired by none other than Gu Jun-mo, the reckless son of Chairman Bong-san. Chairman Bong-san asks his old ally, Chairman Ju-woon, to “clean up” the mess for him. In return, he promises help with a real estate deal. Ju-woon hands the task to Gi-seok, who’s now Ju-woon’s right-hand man and heir, although Gi-seok admits he wants to leave this world behind.
Reluctantly, Gi-seok confronts Jun-mo and orders the assassins to leave Korea within three days. Jun-mo mocks him and brings up Gi-jun’s past. Apparently, both chairmen once let Gi-jun live but punished him by slicing his Achilles tendon. Gi-seok doesn’t take the taunt lightly — he beats Jun-mo down and walks away.
Mercy For None K-drama Episode 1: So Ji Sub
He later visits Gi-jun, who’s been living off the grid in a quiet forest. They haven’t seen each other in six years. Gi-seok confesses he’s being groomed to take over but is unsure about it all. The reunion is short-lived. Back home, Gi-seok senses something’s off — and he’s right. He’s ambushed in the parking lot. Though he holds his own, he’s ultimately stabbed.
Next, we’re at Gi-seok’s funeral. Everyone’s shocked and tense. Chairman Ju-woon’s son, prosecutor Lee Geum-son, shows up but is turned away. Then comes the biggest moment — Gi-jun appears for the first time in years. Everyone bows in respect. From that moment, we know something big is coming.
Mercy For None Episode 2 Recap
Episode 2 picks up right where we left off. A mysterious man in sunglasses talks to Ju-woon and says he’ll look into Gi-seok’s death — but also hints that Ju-woon should decide whether to stick to old rules or change them entirely. At the prosecutor’s office, we learn more about the two chairmen’s shady past with a gang once run by Chairman Oh. There are layers to this criminal history, and it’s clear that old pacts still hold weight. The Deputy Chief asks Geum-son to investigate Gi-seok’s death — but not too deeply.
Mercy For None K-drama Episode 2: So Ji Sub
Meanwhile, Gi-jun is already on the move. He pressures Hui-chan’s younger brother into talking, and we learn about “The Graveyard,” an anonymous chatroom where runaway kids are recruited for shady tasks. Hui-chan was hired there — and now even has a lawyer, Ms. Yoon, to protect him.
Gi-jun jumps into Ms. Yoon’s car and forces her to reveal everything. That leads him to NClean, the front company for this operation, run by Sim Seong-won. It turns out that Seong-won knows Gi-jun and is terrified of him. After Gi-jun wrecks the office and beats him down, seong-wo confesses: Gu Jun-mo ordered the hit.
Mercy For None K-drama Episode 2: Huh Joon Ho, Ahn Kil Kang
Word spreads fast. Ju-woon is told about Jun-mo’s involvement. His team wants retaliation, but he holds back— clearly afraid of starting a war. But there’s more: his son Geum-son has bugged his office and is secretly listening to everything. On the other side, Chairman Bong-san confronts Jun-mo and beats him for what he did. Jun-mo insists he wanted revenge because Gi-seok humiliated him.
Mercy For None K-drama Episode 2: Choo Young Woo
Gi-jun gets ready for his next step. He meets an old friend to get a custom bat made, just like the one he used in the past. He even straps on a metal brace for his injured ankle — a chilling reminder of how far he’s already gone.
Later, Gi-jun teams up with Hae-beom (Gi-seok’s loyal junior), and together they track down Jun-mo’s location using NClean’s network. The episode ends with a major development: a search and seizure warrant for Ju-woon is ready, and Geum-son seems ready to use it.
Mercy for None Review
These first two episodes are fast, dark, and so, satisfying to watch. Mercy for None doesn’t spend too long on exposition — it drops you right into its dangerous world and lets the tension build naturally. The action scenes are slick and intense, and I loved how differently Gi-seok and Gi-jun fight. One’s clean and controlled, the other raw and brutal.
Mercy For None K-drama Lee Jun Hyuk
The emotional weight behind the revenge plot is what makes this more than just another gangster story. You can feel Gi-jun’s grief, his range — and even though we still don’t know much about him, the way others fear him tells us everything we need to know.
The power dynamics between the two chairmen, the betrayal, the secrets — it’s all building up nicely. The world feels lived in, dangerous, and unpredictable. If the next episodes keep up this pace and tension, we’re in for one hell of a ride.
Final Thoughts
After just two episodes, Mercy for None already has me hooked. The drama doesn’t waste time — it throws us straight into a gritty world full of blood, betrayal, and dark secrets. The chemistry between the brothers, the sleek action scenes, and that raw emotion make it super engaging to watch. Gi-jun’s revenge arc is shaping up to be intense and emotional, and I honestly can’t wait to see how far he’ll go. If you love slow-burn revenge thrillers with strong characters and powerful storytelling, definitely don’t miss this one.
It is Streaming on Netflix
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