The Nice Guy

Nice guy in a not very nice drama

I believe the reason i didn't really like this drama is because it promises something and gave us another thing, or at least that's not what I expected before starting it.

It's a romance, family, drama, but all we got were gangs war.
Romance was very little to none in the beginning, it's all about the two gang leaders and the animosity between them, of course Seok Cheol is caught in the crossfire.
The family parts is only about the mess the older sister made and the hopeless dating case of the younger, Seok Cheol had little influence on both, he's just there trying to pick up the broken pieces.

I saw someone comparing this drama to "call it love" because it has the same vibes and I agree, it has the same atmosphere but heavily focused on other things aside from the romance.

I believe if they just cut the romance and advertise it as a gangster drama it would have been much better.

Another thing is the slow boring pace, and I mean in general, it's not a calm healing drama, though it has all the aspects of being so, it is about struggling with things you have no influence on, which makes your heart heavy unnecessarily, I'm of course talking about Seok Cheol in this case and I can't not focus on him because he is the ML.

The FL is lovely and adorable but I don't know what they wanted her character to be, in the very beginning we meet this introverted character with a traumatic past that made her life miserable and had a hard time maintaining a job related to her passion for music, she feels better performing in front of a camera than a few people (her words not mine) then suddenly she is performing on the streets, in bars and in front of the whole republic of Korea.

I think the drama is generally good it's just need some polishing here and there, so if you like family dramas and gangs this one is for you, if you are watching for the romance drama part, I don't think you will be satisfied much ~

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Not bad but not good.

Not bad but not good!
I would say that this drama is for a family time. I don't really recommend it, I only watch it because of the ML and FL. After divorce insurance and this, why they giving bro this type of drama!! And both at low ratings. I agree to you all, I only watch 4 episodes of divorce insurance and completed this one while skipping some scenes, why all these flashbacks.
Ep 1 was nice, but overall not. I don't recommend this drama if you searching one for having a good time or some fighting action.
Maybe for some viewers, it can be their cup of tea, all I would say if you can't decide whether to watch it or not, seeing the bad ratings and comments. I would tell you watch 2 episodes or 4 and decide. I know because of the actors you want to watch it, like I have done, but "not bad but not good".
Also it's just my opinion, I not telling you to don't watch it or something else. Everyone has their own opinion and are free to share.
Always be respectful.
A shop for killers, please come quickly.

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You're in it for life!

I must say, a lot of people were in bad moods when reviewing this series. I'm not sure why, because I thought this was a pretty decent drama. It kept your attention and curiosity coming back for more. Was it Wookie's best? definitely not, but overall, the combination of him and the rest of the supporting cast, it proved some good entertainment.
I thinking about halfway through the series, things started to slow a bit too much, and what usually happens, did ... the story got rushed toward the very end. Instead of dragging several story lines too long in the middle of the series, it might have been better to shorten certain parts and stick more with the main characters.
I know the series is called "The Nice Guy", but Wookie's character, Seok Cheol was a bit too nice, a bit too laid-back for a gangster. Nothing against Dong Wook, I think he did a great job at showing us the character he was suppose to be, a guy trying to have a normal life with a normal job and a normal temperament.
The ending also matched the Nice Guy theme .. while it was a happy ending pretty much all around, it kind of lacked a great conclusion to the story. No big surprises, no major revelations to any of the characters. It basically delivered exactly what you thought would happen in the end, a nice finish!!

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The Fate of a Gangster Who Wants to Repent

Surprisingly! The Korean drama "The Nice Guy" received such poor ratings? Episodes 1 and 2 only received a 7.1 rating from Mydramalist. Surprised, considering the cast includes beloved actresses and actors.

Lee Dong-Wook, the main lead, shot to fame after playing the Grim Reaper in the Korean drama "Goblin," while Lee Sung-Kyung, a popular actress after her role in the Korean drama "Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo," won an Excellent Actress award.

Perhaps audience expectations were too high, leading to low ratings for "The Nice Guy." The drama does deliver a terrifying first episode, with the stabbing of Park Seok-Cheol (played by Lee Dong-Wook).

So it seems like the pace will be fast and filled with suspenseful scenes, like the Korean dramas "Bloodhounds," "Evilive," and "Bad and Crazy," starring Lee Dong-Wook.

It turns out not to be. The Korean drama "The Nice Guy" is indeed about a gangster family, but like other family stories, there are many sweet and adorable scenes, such as when ML's mother pinches the hand of her daughter who runs away from home.

There are also many other romantic scenes, between ML and FL (of course, right? 😀😀), scenes between a grandson and his grandmother, and between ML's younger sister and her lover.

Strangely enough, in the Korean drama "The Nice Guy," the annoying one isn't the antagonist (who is considered the second lead and regrets that FL didn't end up with him), but rather ML's older sister, a grown woman with a large body but a childish mind.

Fortunately, the ratings for the Korean drama "The Nice Guy" have risen, with mydramalist ratings rising from 7.1/10 to 7.3/10 in episodes 7-8. The great chemistry between Lee Dong-Wook and Lee Sung-Kyung is likely the reason.

Unfortunately, the IMDb rating has gone the other way, from a 9.2/10 in the first episode to a mere 7.1/10.

Will it plummet to a 6.0? It's unlikely, considering that viewers were told from the beginning that the male lead would be stabbed, leaving viewers wondering: Will the Korean drama "The Nice Guy" have a sad ending? Or the opposite?

Oh yes, there are sweet songs scattered throughout "The Nice Guy," as the female lead is a singer. Unfortunately, the female lead (Lee Sung-Kyung) isn't the one singing, as she's multitalented, adept at singing and playing music. Read the full review at
https://www.maria-g-soemitro.com/2025/08/the-nice-guy-nasib-gangster-bertobat.html

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politely mid

✨ THE “IT’S GOOD, I GUESS?” PACKAGE:
Solid cast, moral lessons, and just enough emotion to make you nod thoughtfully , like, “Yeah… that’s nice.” But it’s the cinematic equivalent of a handshake: polite, firm, and instantly forgettable.

🎭 THE “WHERE’S THE SPICE?” ENERGY:
The story moves like it’s stuck in traffic meaningful stares, dramatic pauses, and nothing actually happening. You keep waiting for fireworks… and get a sparkler instead that if you get anything .

💔 THE “MAYBE NEXT TIME” DEPARTMENT:
It wants to be profound, but it’s more like a motivational quote printed on a mug. Beautifully acted, sure most of it , but underwhelming like a good man who shows up on time… and that’s it.

🎯 FINAL VERDICT:
A wholesome snooze that means well but never quite wakes up.

Watch if: You like moral gray areas, nice people doing nice things, and not breaking a sweat emotionally, perfect mid.
Skip if: You expected grit, chaos, or at least one unhinged plot twist.

Best paired with: ☕ A decaf latte and that “it’s fine, I guess” mood we all get on Sundays.

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Based on flawed script and dumb story, masterful acting, powerful commentary

Written after ep 14:
I watched to the end bc I was stuck indoors for a while and so I decided to do research, "how to kill a drama" and concluded that this drama is DULL and DEAD bc there is no communication, everyone is isolated doing their own thing, and there is no character growth. It is the same old same old stuff ... for 12 episodes. And as the commentator below so astutely noticed, NOBODY IS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS. That is why there is no character growth and no movement forward and THE WHOLE DRAMA IS DULL AND BORING. All characters are losers. There is some streak of maturity in the Policeman friend, that's it, so he is generally fun to watch except when he is not, bc he too is rather dumb. .

The first and only spark of life is in ep 13... maybe some in ep 14.

The only truly alive scene in this entire drama was in ep 13 when Tae Hoon and Seok Cheol speak in the hospital, and TH genuinely gets interested to hear what is going on and tries to troubleshoot, and shows his caring side and also his ATTENTION and ALIVENESS.
He wasn't squinting with a poker face as usual. I am not sure if they changed the hair of that actor too, was his hair slightly shorter?
But in any case, the ATTENTION AND CARE he put in to COMMUNICATE with SK made him look very alive, a lot younger and very cute. ****That is basically the only instance of a real communication in this drama.***** Tae Hoon actor is suitable for a wide range of roles with a wide range of emotions and will do great in a family drama, rom com, thriller, in all kinds of good and bad roles, he can be a swooning charming good guy, a swindling sales person, etc.
We never got to see if he kept his promise to quit thug life. Perhaps he didnt bc we didnt see him in the epilogue.

The drama totally killed the Grim Reaper actor - he is such a great actor but they made him so subdued and dull and flat, slow motion guy...
SK is stupid, playing John Wayne macho man who leaves his true love to go bust some thungs ALL ALONE and get killed - and he almost did.. And we see him killing someone with a great gusto.... His thug life DID make him a monster. Keeping him in jail for 2.6 years was a great idea to help him detox.

They say no chemistry between FL and ML - of course not!!!! she is like a child and he is like her babysitter. There can be no romantic chemistry there. The female lead stayed a mentally off chronically anxious scared and cowardly stupid person. She goes in person to threaten the mafia boss that she will protect SK. She is a true dumb moron.

Written after ep 11 or so:
This drama is american style, we see stuck characters in toxic actions and relationships, and NO GROWTH. There is no plot, no story, just a bunch of images passing by in a video.... That is depressing and boring and that is why I and many other people do NOT watch american stuff anymore. It lacks meaning and content.

Kdramas are about CHARACTER GROWTH and this drama lacks any of that. Except the gambler finally coming home at ep 9!!!!! you had to wait NINE episodes to see that little bit!!!!

Also, this drama totally goes overboard with the kdrama trope of FL being a dumbo snowflake. THIS ENTIRE DRAMA IS BASED ON WEAKNESS, IMMATURITY AND STUPIDITY OF FL WHO DID NOT TELL ML, HER GANGSTER BOYFRIEND WHOM SHE LOVES!!!! THAT ANOTHER GANGSTER WAS COURTING HER AND BULLYING HER AND ADMITTED TO TRYING TO KILL HIM BC OF HER.

14 EPISODES MADE OUT OF THAT!!!!!

It is incredible incredible **** D U M B N E S S **** the classic kdrama plot created by dumbness of mentally unstable irrational incapable INSECURE SCARED RASH WEAK SELFISH SCARED IRRATONAL INCAPABLE ILLOGICAL IMPULSIVE UNSUCCESSFUL **** BROKEN **** looser FL
and ML tolerating and supporting her immaturity and weakness and having to bail her out and babysit her

Of course FL acting is always super boring bc she is always that weak scared character so female actors just need to act a pained / scared / worried / anxious face. THIS KILLS KDRAMAS.

MOST KDRAMAS ARE ABOUT DEPENDENT INCAPABLE WEAK WOMEN HAVING TO DEPEND ON SOME GUY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM

ALL WOMEN SHOULD MOVE TO S KOREA, THE LAND OF SUGAR DADDIES WHO BABYSIT AND TAKE CARE OF ANY STUPID WOMAN WHO CATCHES THEIR FANCY, WITHOUT ANY REGARD HOW BROKEN AND DEPENDENT SHE IS

BUT THIS DRAMA IS EVEN BEYOND THAT into some serious grave real mental illness realm where a grown up woman is keeping secrets that could KILL her lover - just because she is scared to talk about things and thinks that she can just gloss over stuff.
She is like that all the way to ep 10, when the gangster becomes serious and admits he did try to kill ML and will be killing him. THat stupid FL still does not say a word to ML.

FL is incredibly incredbly INSANE, literally INSANE. If she is sane then she is incredibly selfish.

Overall FL is incredibly immature dumb little girl in adult body.

FL IS MENTALLY OFF, PSYCHIATRIC CASE, A 3 YR OLD IN A BODY OF ADULT. This is often the premise of kdramas. I can count just a few kdramas that have a strong FL. The rest are all real losers.
But this kdrama goes even further into WOW WOW WOW INSANE FL.
To not tell him that another gangster is after her... ???? how dumb is that?
WHICH ADULT WOULD KEEP SILENT ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT????
and then you make entire FOURTEEN (14) EPISODES OUT OF THAT

So that is why ppl dont feel connected with this drama. THERE IS NO COMMUNICATION AND NO CHARACTER GROWTH WHATSOEVER.

and yeah ML as a professional gangster for what - 30 years?? - lacks any skills for self care. He is so oblivious to dangers of his job.

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It started ok. I watched the first few episodes thinking, ok this sets the tone. However, nothing changed. the characters never ever communicated or changed.
This is what I wrote after first 2 episodes:

This kdrama is not about cool hot guys car chases and fights. THis is not "One Class hero" or something like that. This drama is not pretty faces beating each other and trashy plot. This kdrama is a LOT worse than those kiddo dramas.... bc ... in all those dramas the families are rotten and sacrifice their kids.... and in the case of this kdrama, we see WHAT HAPPENED AFTER HIGHSCHOOL, how the kid was basically sold into slavery and had to slave as a thug for like 30 years and cannot even retire from that life bc his own father and family keep messing him up. We get to see the practical effects of a disfunctional family.
So this kdrama is not for just fights scenes.
THis kdrama *has* a PLOT. It has a very complex STORYLINE with many different and very ***complex characters***, spanning all walks of life, and very serious psychological, economic, and socio-political issues.

This drama is some serious acting. So yeah it has to be slow enough to ACT those very complex interactions and events. The Grim Reaper actor is excellent.

This drama addresses some serious issues, including the tradition of addiction (gambling and drinking), the tradition of gangsterhood, money issues, riots, redevelopment, rulings by gangs, etc and also we have "proper ppl" on the other side, like doctors, etc.

This drama is a masterpiece. This kdrama is a severe and serious SOCIAL COMMENTARY of all kinds of issues that all of us have to worry about. The uniqueness of this kdrama is that is includes both good and bad guys.... we get to see BOTH sides... and their OVERLAP.

THIS IS SERIOUS STUFF. Like gangs of thugs redevelping a poor hood. GENTRIFICATION. this issue should be familiar to everyone. THis issue is something that everyone everywhere has to worry about - unless you are THE rich thugs...

If you dont make your own money and pay your own rent and even own your own house or business, this drama wont be interesting to kiddos.....
This is not a cartoon nor a toy drama to excite the kiddos who love to see ppl fighting.

It is not too slow. REAL LIFE IS NOT TOO FAST. If you want to watch a drama on steroids, it will be bad for yourbrain, it will contribute to brain damage due to high level of distraction.

Also, if you want to SEE SOME ACTING then it has to be slow enough so that you can see emotions and thinking of the characters. If you think that thinking boils down to "which side shall I hit next" then rethink that and think about what your neural patterns must be like if you really believe that is "cool". What really CAN go on in your head if you have those kinds of habits? The answer: nothing. You cannot think clearly. You have to SLOW DOWN to think clearly and to FEEL.

THIS DRAMA IS ABOUT LIFE AND LIFE IS RATHER SLOW, and THIS DRAMA IS ALSO FAST bc it covers tons of issues. In the 2 episodes, we know all the history, they met again, MS healed her singing issue, sister was found and rescued, and we have laid in front of us issues of ... money, jobs, addictions, single parenting, bullying, phobias, taking care of elderly parents, and changing one's life from thug to a normal person. And his family's bertrayal and his dad selling him into slavery for 30+ years and he cannot even quit

THIS IS A LOT and I just finished watching ep 2!!!!!!!

So this kdrama is something to be watched carefully, very carefully.

It is a psychological drama

I am not giving it 10 yet bc I am leery of Disney. Disney loves to make stories about people who we should not glorify, and then glofiry them. And never shows the solutions for ordinary people. And the ending is always hopeless, or somehow magical and impossible for anyone except that ONE person in millions. Disney is sneakily evil in its brainwashing.

So I will see if this will be such. brainwashing under pretense of entertainment, or of there will be substance to it.

Kdramas are always powerful socio economic politicial commentaries and that is their value, they show proper ways of doing thing and solving and getting ahead for ORDINARY PEOPLE

American stuff is always about thugs prostitutes etc someone "out of line" someone outside of the fringes of law, it is never about John Smith.

So I will see and watch.

Ah last but not least. The FL is th typical mentally disabled loser who cannot take care of herself in real life and requires a guy to keep rescuing her. That is such a trashy sexist plot that kdramas use, most are like this, and this makes plot that is BORING.

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Written after ep 3 or so:
The pace of this kdrama is still too slow and the characters are isolated and do not communicate. I hope they will soon. But the feeling is still of desperation more than living


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WRITTEN AFTER EPISODE 5:
Gees it is the same old kdrama sexist cliche - a mentally unstable damsel in distress FL who cannot even talk and a loser ML who has to keep saving her. UTTERLY BORING. The stupid woman creates the plot by failing to tell her gangster bfriend that another gangster is after her. IS HER IQ ZERO?

Also, how it is filmed - it goes for looooong scenes which are mostly meaningless. WE GET TO WATCH THEM LIVE THEIR LIFE, openng doors, and sitting in cars etc. UTTERLY BORING.

You have to pick a few moments that are meaningful, not just show them live their life moment to moment

THE MOST BORING THING - that makes it feel like an american movie - is that NOTHING HAPPENS INTERNALLY, NOBODY IS GROWING, THEY ARE ALL **** STUCK **** IN THE MUCK OF THEIR LIFE

WE DONT WAnT TO WATCH A BUNCH OF LOSERS BEING STUCK FOREVER.

WE WANT TO SEE INNER CHANGE AND CHARACTER GROWTH.

WE WANT TO SEE **** SO LUTIONS THAT WORK *****

WE DONT WANT TO SEE A BUNCH OF LOSERS STUCK IN THEIR WAY AND JUST KEEP GOING DOWNHILL

WE WANT TO SEE THEM TRYING TO CHANGE AND GET BETTER.

**** THAT **** IS THE ONLY INTERESTING THING AND THE ONLY THING WORTH SPENDING TIME TO WATCH.

ML is a great actor and 2ML is pretty good too. FL is like a scared bunny, she is clearly a psych ward patient, and so her acting is just one sided and BORING. *** FL IS A BORING CHARACTER THERE IS NOT MUCH TO HER AT ALL ****. The plot makes no sense, why he and she cannot communicate - to each other or to others. They are mental health cases.

The oldest sister, the gambler, is such a bloody narcissist - so immature - cant go home because it is more important that her father will beat her up then that her own kid needs his mother. WHAT A DUMB IDIOT. And the lack of communcation between family members is just ASTONISHING. If you are losing the house, dont you want to say something??? or just make people be startled when the collectors come in??? WHAT IDIOTS.

This whole kdrama is about 10000% **** l o s e r s **** and that is why it is so hard to connect to it - there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that we can learn from these people. Nothing to like, really. It is all suffering out of their own will and stupidity. SO WHY SHOULD BE BOTHER TO WATCH THAT??? this kind is plot is typical in american movies and thats why they are so trashy and I would never watch them. This kdrama is starting to make me think I am wasting my time. Unless these characters GROW majorly real fast, this kdrama is indeed a waste of time.

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A Heartfelt Gem That Stole My Soul ? – The Nice Guy (2025)

The Nice Guy (2025) is one of those rare K-dramas that completely sweeps you off your feet without you even realizing it. From the very first episode, I was hooked by its warm yet emotional storytelling and the stunning chemistry between Lee Dong-wook and Lee Sung-kyung. They brought their characters to life with such grace and authenticity that every scene felt genuine — every smile, every tear, every quiet gaze carried a story of its own. I honestly didn’t expect to fall this hard, but by the time the finale hit, I was a complete emotional mess (in the best way possible 😭💞).

What really makes The Nice Guy special is its balance — it’s not overly dramatic, nor is it just a lighthearted rom-com. It’s deeply human. The supporting cast deserves as much love too — every single one played their roles perfectly, complementing the leads and adding warmth, humor, and soul to the story. There’s something comforting about how the drama flows, how it reminds you of life’s imperfections yet makes you believe in love and healing all over again. It’s been a long time since a K-drama made me smile so much while still making my heart ache.

And let’s talk about the soundtrack, because oh my god — pure perfection. 🎶 For Myself by Seo Young-joo is an emotional masterpiece, and I found myself replaying it nonstop ever since I started watching the drama. It captures every unspoken feeling between the leads so beautifully. Then there’s Be My Love by Rothy, a song that wraps you in warmth and nostalgia, and Unspoken by Lee Sung-kyung herself, which adds a deeply personal touch to the story. The OST isn’t just background music here — it’s the emotional heartbeat of the entire series.

In short, The Nice Guy (2025) is more than just a romantic drama — it’s a comforting, soul-touching experience. 💫 It reminded me why I fell in love with K-dramas in the first place. Every moment, every line, every song felt crafted with love. I swear I can’t even count how many times I’ve replayed my favorite scenes already. This drama is officially one of my Top 10 best romantic rom-coms of all time — and I mean that from the bottom of my heart. ❤️

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I'm a little worried but I still want to watch

What was that intro scene?? is this another M.R Plankton? Because I don't think my heart can handle that again, so soon.

I started this blind just knew that I love the actors and that Lee Dongwook was going to be some sort of ganster witha good heart.

I really liked the fact that they know each other already and it's obvious that they still like each other very much, like the. way he was looking at her Wow, I'd die right there.

I love the relationship between the 3 siblings, the way I laughed at that gamblers scene!! excelente introduction of the characters all of them were very nicely introduced.

I am worried about where this is going with that opening scene, I'm curious of how we're going to get there and hopeful for what happens after.

Please Disney, not another disappointment.

I'm coming back for an update on this, with all the new series coming out these days I missed a week so coming back today having to catch up with 4 episodes instead of 2 felt like too much, I don't know why because I did enjoy episodes 1-4 but watching episode 5 I got bored I had lost track of what was happening and decided to put this on hold for now.

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