In JTBC’s upcoming series The Nice Guy, premiering on July 18, beloved actor Lee Dong Wook steps into the role of Park Seok-chul—a reluctant gangster with the heart of a poet and the scars of a fighter.
The Nice Guy sets the stage for an emotional noir unlike any other. Park Seok-chul is the eldest grandson of a three-generation gangster family, but behind his rough exterior lies a deeply sincere man. His journey tangles with Kang Mi-young (Lee Sung Kyung), his first love and a dreamer chasing stardom as a singer. Their bittersweet love story explores sacrifice, resilience, and the unshakable pursuit of dreams—even in the face of heartbreak and harsh realities.
Directed by master storytellers Song Hae-seong (Failan, Our Happy Time) and Park Hong-soo (No Longer Human), and penned by veteran writers Kim Woon-kyung and Kim Hyo-seok, The Nice Guy promises emotional depth, nuanced storytelling, and cinematic beauty. With a powerhouse cast including Park Hoon, Oh Na-ra, Ryu Hye-young, and Chun Ho-jin, expectations are soaring.
Recent character teasers of Lee Dong Wook are already turning up the heat:
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In the ‘Noir’ concept teaser, Lee Dong-wook’s brooding transformation is front and center. His haunted eyes, a bloodied bandage, and the line “a man who had a lot to protect” hint at an internal war just as fierce as the external.
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The ‘Literature’ teaser adds unexpected tenderness. As Park Seok-chul reflects on a Hemingway quote—“As long as the sun rises, there is hope”—we glimpse a man wrestling with the possibility of redemption after a life of burning out too fast, too soon.
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And in the full-length teaser, his dual identity—aspiring writer and unwilling gangster—clashes dramatically. “I chose the path less traveled. And because of that, everything changed,” he narrates, leaving us to wonder where fate will lead.
Lee Dong Wook’s character is more than a gangster—he’s a man reclaiming his past and rewriting his future. As Park Seok-chul sets out to rekindle his dream of becoming a novelist, his unexpected reunion with Kang Mi-young stirs up memories and possibilities he thought were lost forever.
The Nice Guy will premiere with back-to-back episodes every Friday at 8:50 PM, beginning July 18, signaling a gripping and heartfelt start to the weekend. Don’t miss this layered tale of love, loss, and second chances.