Mercy For None ending explained: 7 burning questions answered in So Ji Sub's dark Netflix noir

Indian Express

7 hours ago

South Korean actor So Ji Sub made a comeback to the screen with Netflix's adaptation of the hit webtoon Plaza Wars. Interestingly, So's casting in this Korean thriller noir was a fan-driven move that director Choi Seong Eun wisely considered. The K-drama mini-series, which dropped on June 6, has already shot to the top of the platform's viewership charts and is racking up well-deserved praise from critics and fans alike. The story follows ex-gangster Nam Gi Jun as he returns to the bloody underworld to avenge his younger brother Gi Seok's death. With just seven episodes, the series packs a punch, and the plot is wildly unpredictable. So here's the full breakdown of what really went down at the end. Spoiler alert: If you haven't watched it yet, now's the time to hit pause.
Ten years ago, when Gi Jun walked away from the crime scene with his Achilles tendon slashed, it wasn't just an injury; it was penance. He took the fall for killing Oh Seung Won, heir to Beomyeongdong, the Seoul-based gang that once ruled the underworld. Chairman Oh ran the empire with Lee Ju Woon and Gu Bong San as his left and right hands. And Gi Jun was their fiercest weapon. But when Oh decided to pass the throne to his right and left hands, his son Seung Won ordered hits on both. That's when Mr. Kim spotted a power vacuum. He whispered to Gi Seok, Gi Jun's younger brother, that Seung Won was planning to kill Gi Jun. Panicked, he made the first move and killed Seung Won.
Also read: Mercy For None: 3 reasons you can't skip this Netflix webtoon adaptation serving up Korean noir action with So Ji Sub and Lee Jun Hyuk
At first, it looked like Gi Seok was murdered by a bunch of street punks, hired through some shady hit-for-hire site called Graveyard. Turns out, it was Gu Bong San's hot-headed son behind the hit. The same spoiled brat who had his manager killed just for putting him in check. When Gi Jun found out, he went straight for the kill. Still, something didn't add up. How does a trained fighter like Gi Seok, who was next in line to replace Ju Woon, get dropped by a gang of amateurs? He didn't.
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When everyone believed Jun Mo was behind the killing, Gi Jun connected the dots and uncovered the real mastermind, Lee Geum Son, Ju Woon's own son. The gang boss had done everything to keep his son out of the dirty business and stayed easy, thinking Geum was doing fine as a Seoul prosecutor. What he didn't see coming was that his son craved power, not just over Ju Woon, but Bong San too.
Geum joined hands with cop Cha Yeong Do. They planned to kill Gi Seok (using a professional assassin called Shimane, framed Jun Mo for the killing, brought Gi Jun back from hiding to make things easier for them, and let Gi Jun kill Jun Mo and then kill So Ji Sub's character. This would clear the path for Geum Son to control both gangs.
As tension between the Juwoon and Bongsan groups explodes, Geum and his father set up a police raid on Bongsan. Lee ends up killing Bong San. But right after that, Cha Yeong Do kills Lee Ju Woon, and now, Geum Son is left in charge, just like he wanted.
Gi Jun, who had made peace with his camping business after walking away from the crime scene, returns to Seoul, boiling with rage. He first kills Jun Mo. He knew Jun Mo wasn't the actual killer, but just the thought of him even considering killing his own brother was enough. Then he tracks down the real mastermind and wipes out everyone involved. Kills Shimane, the assassin. Kills Cha Yeong Do. And finally, goes after Geum Son. Before Gi Jun can finish him, Geum Son tries to take his own life. But Gi Jun doesn't let him off easy; he gives him a brutal ending, slicing his throat.
After all the killing, Gi Jun returns to the countryside, badly wounded, with bullet holes all over, and eventually succumbs to his injuries. As he's dying, he remembers his last conversation with Gi Seok. They had talked about leaving the gang life behind and running a quiet camping site together.