The Korean action drama Mercy for None released on Netflix on June 6, 2025, and already the violent revenge narrative has stolen the attention of audiences and critics alike. Mercy for None follows the story of Nam Gi-joon (So Ji-seob) – a former gangster and enforcer in the Seoul criminal underground. When Nam Gi-joon’s brother, Nam Gi-seok, is murdered after insulting the heir to one of the most powerful gangs in Seoul, Nam Gi-joon returns from exile armed with a baseball bat to exact his revenge on everyone involved with his brother’s murder.
Based on the webtoon Plaza Wars: Mercy for None by O Se-hyung, all seven episodes of the show are packed with intense drama and nail-biting action. But what elevates Mercy for None, even among other bingeable K-dramas, is its absolutely star-studded cast. Most of the actors in Mercy for None have decades of experience in Korean television and cinema. With all the incredible Korean dramas available on Netflix, Mercy for None still manages to stand out with its gripping narrative about loyalty and revenge.
Actor | Character |
|---|---|
So Ji-seob | Nam Gi-joon |
Huh Joon-ho | Lee Joo-woon |
Ahn Kil-kang | Goo Bong-san |
Lee Boem-su | Sim Seong-won |
Gong Myoung | Joon-mo |
Cha Seung-won | Mr. Kim |
Choo Young-woo | Lee Geum-son |
Lee Jun-hyuck | Nam Gi-seok |
Cho Han-cheul | Choi Sung-cheol |
So Ji-seob as Nam Gi-joon
Born November 4, 1977
Actor: So Ji-seob was born in Seoul, South Korea, and broke into the world of Korean television with the 2001 show Law Firm. He won a Star Asia Rising Star Award in 2009 after his role as Lee Kang-Pae in Rough Cut. So Ji-seob uses his fluency in Korean, English, and Japanese to connect with an international audience.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Title | Character | Year |
|---|---|---|
I’m Sorry, I Love You | Cha Moo-hyeok | 2004 |
Rough Cut | Lee Kang-Pae | 2008 |
Cain and Abel | Lee Cho-in | 2009 |
Ghost | Kim Woo Hyun | 2012 |
Character: So Ji-seob plays Nam Gi-joon in Mercy for None, the former top enforcer of Seoul’s underworld who retired eleven years before the show began. However, he is pulled back into that life after his brother’s brutal murder.
Huh Joon-ho As Lee Joo-woon
Born April 14, 1964
Actor: Born in Seoul, South Korea, Huh Joon-ho is a pillar of the Korean film and television industry. After starting as a theatrical actor, he broke into the world of film and television in 2003 with the show Silmido, for which he won Best Supporting Actor at the Grand Bell Awards.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Title | Character | Year |
|---|---|---|
Silmido | Sergeant Jo | 2003 |
The Emperor: Owner of the Mask | Dae Mok | 2017 |
Innocence | Mayor Chu Shi-jang | 2020 |
Escape from Mogadishu | Rim Yong-su | 2021 |
Character: In Mercy for None, Huh Joon-ho plays Lee Joo-woon. Joo-woon is the head of the Joowoon Group in Seoul, one of the top gangs in the city. His position of extreme power stands in direct contrast to Nam Gi-joon, who single-mindedly pursues vengeance alone.
Ahn Kil-kang as Goo Bong-san
Born August 24, 1966
Actor: Ahn Kil-kang was born in Seoul, South Korea. Although he has been a staple of Korean cinema for decades, his first lead role in Korean television came in the 2008 TV series, Il Ji Mae, where Kil-kang played Kongkal Ah Je.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Title | Character | Year |
|---|---|---|
2009: Lost Memories | Myung-hak | 2002 |
Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War | Sergeant Huh | 2004 |
The City of Violence | Wang-jae | 2006 |
Il Ji Mae | Kongkal Ah Je | 2008 |
Character: Ahn Kil-kang plays Goo Bong-san in Mercy for None. Goo Bong-san is the leader of the Bongsan Group in Seoul, the primary rival gang to Lee Joo-woon’s Joowoon Group.
Lee Boem-Su as Sim Seong-won
Born January 3, 1970
Actor: Also known as “Tiger Lee,” Lee Beom-su was born in Chungju, South Korea. After several years of relatively minor roles in Korean movies and television, Boem-su gained recognition and notoriety after portraying Pil-ho in the 2006 movie, The City of Violence.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Title | Character | Year |
|---|---|---|
The City of Violence | Pil-ho | 2006 |
Lifting King Kong | Olympic Bronze Medalist Lee Ji-Bong | 2009 |
Giant | Lee Kang-mo | 2010 |
Battle for Incheon: Operation Chromite | Lim Gye-jin | 2016 |
Character: Lee Beom-su plays Sim Seong-won in Mercy for None, the CEO of a highly specialized cleaning company. Seong-won’s company, NClean, specializes in cleaning up after murders. In a series as bloody as Mercy for None, NClean’s services are essential.
Gong Myoung As Joon-mo
Born May 26, 1994
Actor: Gong Myoung is the stage name of Kim Dong Hyeon, who was born in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. Myoung entered the spotlight in 2013 as a member of the Kpop and acting group 5urprise, which he was a member of until the group disbanded in 2020.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Title | Character | Year |
|---|---|---|
Drinking Solo | Gong Myoung | 2016 |
Extreme Job | Jae-hoon | 2019 |
Way Back Love | Kim Ram-Woo | 2025 |
Character: In Mercy for None, Gong Myoung plays Joon-mo, the son of Goo Bong-san. At the start of the show, Joon-mo is the managing director of the Bongsan Group. However, everyone expects him to take over from his father, Goo Bong-san, eventually.
Cha Seung-won as Mr. Kim
Born June 7, 1970
Actor: Cha Seung-won was born in Anyang, South Korea. Seung-won appeared in numerous small roles in Korean movies and television in the early 2000s, but he got his first leading role in the 2003 series, Bodyguard.
Notable Movies & TV Shows:
Title | Character | Year |
|---|---|---|
My Son | Lee Gang-Sik | 2007 |
The Greatest Love | Dokko Jin | 2011 |
Splendid Politics | Yi Hon, Prince Gwanghae | 2015 |
Night in Paradise | Director Ma | 2020 |
Character: Cha Seung-won plays Mr. Kim in Mercy for None. Mr. Kim is the moniker that Cha Yeong-do uses when working as a manager for the Bongsan Group. In his more legitimate life, however, Cha Yeong-do is the head of the Seoul police department’s planning and budgeting department.
Mercy For None Supporting Cast & Characters
Choo Young-woo as Lee Geum-son: Choo Young-woo plays Lee Geum-son, a prosecutor for Seoul’s central district, in Mercy for None. Choo Young-woo is best known for his roles in Korean dramas like Oasis (2023) and Once Upon a Small Town (2022).
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Lee Jun-hyuck as Nam Gi-seok: Lee Jun-hyuck plays Nam Gi-jun’s brother, Nam Gi-seok. It is the violent murder of Nam Gi-seok that serves as the inciting incident for Mercy for None. Lee Jun hyuck is best known for playing Seo Dong-jae in the TV series Stranger from 2017 to 2020.
Cho Han-cheul as Choi Sung-cheol: Cho Han-cheol plays Choi Sung-cheol in Mercy for None, Lee Ju-woon’s right-hand man and a director of the Juwoon Group. Cho Han-cheul is best known for playing a king in the 2018 Korean historical drama, 100 Days My Prince.