10/10 Mercy For None.
This is one of the best series I have seen in this genre. It is faithful to its title. The writing, directing, acting, and all other aspects of the series are excellent. I cannot find a fault. What it says is what you get.
It is a story about men in deadly competition. There are maybe two scenes with a female and a few with civilians, but it is not targeted to male viewers only. As a woman, I enjoyed this, as did other females. (We like Film Noir, too!) It is a testosterone-filled action all the way.
The characters are a product of their environment, and the main leads undergo development within their world and its rules. Violence reigns supreme, and blood flows from flashing blades, but it is not gratuitous. Everything happens for a reason and is within the context of the story.
These are men who, if playing sport, would keep running if their legs broke because in this world, to stop is to die.
Adrenaline is a powerful drug.
While seeing some get their well-earned karma is satisfying, others provoke sympathy for what could have been or what was lost. I developed a liking for the main lead particularly, and understood a many of the others.
I recommend a binge-watch with Korean snacks and soju or beer. :) Sandra, Australia. June 2025.
It beats any gang-related series totally. I include The Godfather series, which I dislike because it romanticises the Mafia story. This series most certainly does not romanticise Korean gang rivalry and its internal politics.
As an older female in Australia who loves KDrama and JDrama and reads the English subtitles, I thoroughly enjoyed this and wish I spoke Korean.
It is a story about men in deadly competition. There are maybe two scenes with a female and a few with civilians, but it is not targeted to male viewers only. As a woman, I enjoyed this, as did other females. (We like Film Noir, too!) It is a testosterone-filled action all the way.
The characters are a product of their environment, and the main leads undergo development within their world and its rules. Violence reigns supreme, and blood flows from flashing blades, but it is not gratuitous. Everything happens for a reason and is within the context of the story.
These are men who, if playing sport, would keep running if their legs broke because in this world, to stop is to die.
Adrenaline is a powerful drug.
While seeing some get their well-earned karma is satisfying, others provoke sympathy for what could have been or what was lost. I developed a liking for the main lead particularly, and understood a many of the others.
I recommend a binge-watch with Korean snacks and soju or beer. :) Sandra, Australia. June 2025.
It beats any gang-related series totally. I include The Godfather series, which I dislike because it romanticises the Mafia story. This series most certainly does not romanticise Korean gang rivalry and its internal politics.
As an older female in Australia who loves KDrama and JDrama and reads the English subtitles, I thoroughly enjoyed this and wish I spoke Korean.
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