No Mercy (2025)

Empty and boring

Well, this was certainly a drama that lived up to its name for there was no mercy for my patience. When I came across this series, I was intrigued by the concept. I like revenge stories and the involvement of deepfake technology made the story more appealing. The drama was short so even though I picked it up when the first 5 episodes had already aired, I managed to catch up.

Looking back at it, I probably shouldn't have been so eager to jump straight into it.

If I had to describe No Mercy with one word, that would be mid. Everything was painfully average. The story, the production, the score, the acting. There was nothing exceptional or remarkable. I'm not saying that dramas should be groundbreaking. There have been many instances where a simple story and production can do wonders. But for that to happen, the overall writing must offer something. And unfortunately, No Mercy did not deliver what was promised.

The plot was a hot mess, it was clear that not much thought had been put into it. I cannot even bother pointing out all the plot holes that took place in every single episode. If I started, I'm afraid that my review would become a thesis. I can sometimes excuse some loopholes, I understand that not everything needs a proper explanation when we're talking about fiction but at one point, the writers need to realise that there are some limits. Sure, I can tune my brain off and just pretend that everything is normal but one can only endure only so much! When you don't bother explaining how the characters act the way they do, how they manage to do what they do, how they use the equipment etc, it's a sign of lazy writing.

Truth be said, after a particular revelation in episode 6, the story became more interesting because up until this point, it was going around in circles. The plot twist still didn't make sense, nor moved me but it was an interesting turn of events. Even though it was late for the series to pick up so late, at least I was invested in the last episodes and I was curious to see how the story would end. Plus, there was another nice twist in the end (even though it was kinda far fetched) which I didn't see it coming.

I'm kinda salty about the fact that such an interesting premise got wasted on bad writing. A revenge story that involves the usage of deepfake technology and scamming could have been so interesting to see. With the rapid development and spread of AI, one would think that the writers would have attempted to bring light into the dangers of technology and the stealing of identities online. However, that wasn't the case here. Even though the ground had been set for a unique setting and a story that could be relevant too, the creators simply did not know how to utilize it and the themes.

Throughout the eight episodes, there were some few moments in which the drama tried to highlight the dangers of deepfake technology and scamming. But instead of going into depth, it barely scratched the surface. Granted, I wasn't expecting from a revenge-driven thriller to educate me about the dangers in the online world, but when the whole setting revolves around it, they could have exploited it much more efficiently.

The pacing was all over the place. I don't even know how to put it into words properly, but after every episode, I had the impression that so many things had happened at once and nothing had occurred at the same time. While the story kept escalating, especially towards the middle part, the pacing was very weird. Many scenes seemed to drag and some others felt like fillers. The episodes' length was short and yet I felt so tired, as if I had finished a 3 hours long movie.

When a series does not offer an engaging story, I will try to cling into the characters in order to find some sort of thrill. But just like the rest of the drama, the characterisation was empty. I felt like I was starring into the void. Even know, after having watched the drama, I cannot pinpoint the characters' personalities for they were written as archetypes instead of actual human beings. The majority of them were one-dimensional, there wasn't an ounce of meaningful development and their emotions were nonexistent. The dynamics between them were handled in such a poor way to the point I couldn't even be convinced about their bond. And because of the poor writing, I just couldn't care less about the characters. I feel sad to admit it but I was indifferent towards So Min's parents loss. Okay, it was sad but why should I care? The writers didn't elaborate any further on their relationship, therefore I wasn't obliged to feel moved.

Aside from the lackluster characterisation, I'm saddened to say that the acting didn't do anything to elevate the characters. I am aware of the fact that this must have been a fault of the director too but the actors themselves didn't offer anything interesting in order to make me care about the characters. Lee Joo Young was good in the scenes where So Min used her manipulation skills to achieve her revenge but she was constantly wearing the same expressions. Even in some more dramatic scenes, she acted in an underwhelming way, particularly the plot twist on episode 6. She's by no means a bad actress, it's just that in this role, her acting was off.

The same criticism applies to Jun Hoe. He was ok, don't get me wrong but I cannot say I was impressed from his acting. At least he managed to bring some sort of charm when it was required and both him and Joo Young did their best with the material they were given.

If I had to name one good aspect from No Mercy, that would be Ji Seung Hyun's performance. Although his character wasn't particularly well-written, he owned the role from the very first moment I saw him. He managed to be charming, intimidating, dangerous and cunning at the same time. The way he changed his emotions, especially when he shifted from a confident criminal to a submissive servant of the Chairman, was truly impressive. I kid you not, at one point I almost started rooting for the villain, he was my most favourite character thanks to Seung Hyun's acting and I always looked forward to his scenes.

All in all, No Mercy was an empty mess. For me, the real crime is not the one that happened in the series. It's the fact that the writers screwed up such an interesting premise. I don't think I'd recommend this thriller to anyone, unless you're looking for something quick to watch. There are many better series out there, so you will not miss anything by not watching No Mercy (unless you have no mercy for yourself).

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? “No Mercy” — The Scam Just Got a Face! ?

Okay, so we’ve all heard of scam calls and fake messages, right? But what if one day you get a video call from your mom or bestie asking for money… and it’s not really them? 😳 Yeah, this drama dives right into that nightmare — and honestly, it feels way too real!
The best part about No Mercy is how it shows crimes that could actually become our future reality. It’s smart, chilling, and makes you think twice before trusting your screen again. Story-wise, it’s solid, and the message hits hard — but I’ll be honest, in terms of music and pacing, it’s a bit on the slower side.
Still, if you’re into tech-based crime thrillers and love that eerie “this could totally happen” vibe, give this one a shot. It’s a one-time watch that leaves you double-checking every video call from now on 👀📱.

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