So Ji-sub Makes a Dark and Gritty Return to Screen in New ‘Mercy for None’ Trailer

So Ji-sub’s upcoming drama, Mercy for None, puts him at the heart of a noir action story, playing a man consumed by revenge. And if the show’s trailer is anything to go by, he’s about to unleash the kind of chaos that knows no forgiveness.

Mercy for None marks So Ji-sub’s return to the screen after his 2022 role in Doctor Lawyer, where he played Han Yi-han, a genius surgeon who becomes a lawyer after losing everything in a rigged operation. That same year, he appeared in the films Alienoid as Moon Do-seok, a detective chased by aliens, and Confession as Yoo Min-ho, an IT CEO who becomes a prime murder suspect. In this new story, his savage side is fully on display, fueled by a relentless vendetta. The trailer foreshadows the plot’s gritty and gripping potential as So Ji-sub’s character goes rogue in his mission, hinting at the raw emotional power and cinematic thrills set to unfold in the series.

Directed by Choi Sung-eun, Mercy for None is based on O Se-hyung’s webtoon Plaza Wars: Mercy for None (Gwangjang in Korean). The source material follows Nam Gi-jun (So Ji-sub), an ex-gangster known for his prowess in the underworld, playing a key role in his gang’s rise. But Gi-jun leaves that part of his life behind to avoid clashing with his brother Gi-seok (Lee Jun-hyuk), who joins the rival gang.

More than a decade later, Gi-jun has settled into a low-key life as a drink distributor. But his brother’s sudden death triggers a chain reaction, unleashing Gi-jun’s long-suppressed brutality as he vows to avenge the killer, drawing him back into the dark underworld.

Mercy for None also includes Heo Jun-ho, Ahn Kil-kang, Tiger Lee, Gong Myoung, Choo Young-woo, Jo Han-chul, and Cha Seung-won in pivotal roles. As apparent from the trailer visuals, the story blends the rawness of noir, the weight of Gi-jun’s inner struggles, and the gritty realism of the action genre. The drama is scheduled to release for streaming on Netflix on June 6.