Introduction
Weak Hero Class 2 (WHC2) is probably the most anticipated Kdrama in 2025, thanks to Netflix’s promotion, after its spectacular Weak Hero Class 1 (WHC1)’s performance, which was a low-key release in 2022. Does this second season uphold Season 1’s reputation?
If you have forgotten WHC1, don’t have time to watch it, or don’t want to watch it, below is a YouTube link to the drama recap: Netflix’s Weak Hero Class 1 Recap. If you have already watched it, I also wrote an editorial article on the prequel: Weak Hero Class 1: An Elegy on Youth Fragility.
You may wonder about the title. Aren’t pushing the limits and breaking the boundaries have similar meaning? Not really, you will get the idea of what I meant after reading my review, and I will put the answers to the two questions above in the Conclusion. My review is only based on the drama, with a bit of comparison to its prequel. I don’t read the Webtoon.
Drama Info
Drama title: Weak Hero Class 2
(Native title: 약한영웅 Class 2 )
Alternative title: Yakhanyeongung Sijeun 2
Genres: Action, Thriller, Youth, Drama
Aired: Apr 25, 2025
Episodes: 8 | Duration: 43 minutes
Director: Yoo Su Min ( 刘坦 )
Screenwriters: Yoo Su Min ( 刘坦 ), Park Hyun Woo ( 박현우 )
Adapted from the webtoon “Weak Hero” (약한영웅) written by SeoPass ( 서패스 ) and illustrated by Razen/Kim Jin Seok ( 김진석 )
Where to read the English-translated webtoon: Webtoon
Where to watch: Netflix
Content rating: 18+ Restricted (violence & profanity).
Trailer:
Synopsis
The weak must break their limits or be broken.
After transferring to Eunjang High School, Yeon Si Eun still carries the scars of his past – a brutal lesson in what it means to fight and fail. Determined to never lose another friend, he forms unlikely bonds with Park Hu Min, Seo Jun Tae, and Ko Hyeon Tak, but their friendship soon attracts the attention of Union, a ruthless gang led by the vicious Na Baek Jin.
Forced into yet another war of survival, Si Eun must push himself beyond his limits. But against an enemy stronger and more merciless than anything he’s faced before, will he be able to protect those at his side – or will he once again watch helplessly as they fall?
The fight for dominance begins. Only the strongest will stand.
Source: MyDramaList
Characters
Main Characters
Park Ji Hoon ( 박지훈 ) as Yeon Si Eun / Gray Yeon
A model student with past trauma who transferred to Eunjang High School.
To avoid losing any more friends, he decided to confront violence once again.
Ryeo Un ( 려운 ) as Park Hu Min / Ben Park
The righteous leader of the Eunjang High School gang. He is known as “Baku.” The captain of the basketball team.
With his unique charm, he approaches Yeon Si Eun and stands up against violence to protect their precious friends together.
Choi Min Yeong ( 최민영 ) as Seo Jun Tae / Eugene Gale
He is called “Team Leader”… by Eunjang High School bullies! The twist is, he is actually their slave.
Watching Yeon Si Eun confidently stand up against bullying, Jun Tae mustered the courage to fight for the first time.
Choi Min Yeong ( 최민영 ) as Ko Hyeon Tak / Alex Go
A former taekwondo athlete. He is Park Hu Min’s loyal friend. A reliable action-oriented person.
He is also known by the nickname “Gotak.”
Bae Na Ra ( 배나라 ) as Na Baek Jin / Donald Na
With a neat appearance, a poker face, and exceptional intelligence, Na Baek Jin is the pinnacle of the delinquent Union gang that eliminates anyone who gets in their way.
Lee Jun Young ( 이준영 ) as Geum Seong Je / Wolf Keum
Geum Seong Je is unpredictable. His true intentions are unknown.
As the person who seems the closest to Na Baek Jjin, they manage the delinquents from each school who joined the Union.
Supporting Characters
There are several supporting characters, but only one who is significant; he was even included in the main cast photo session, as well as the press conference during the premiere.
Yoo Soo Bin ( 유수빈 ) as Choi Hyo Man / Colton Choi
The Eunjang High School’s delinquent, who wants to join the Union.
He is a typical SWWS (Strong-weak-weak-strong). It means “powerful to the weak and weak to the powerful” (double standard) character.
Review
Story and Plot
The drama starts with a quote from the American controversial novel on adolescence, The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J. D. Salinger:
“What I have to do, I have to catch everybody… If they start to go over the cliff. I mean, if they’re running and don’t look where they’re going… I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That’s all I’d do all day.”
In the novel, the protagonist imagines himself saving children running through a field of rye by catching them before they fall off a nearby cliff. In the drama, Si Eun imagines himself saving the weak, starting when he sees Jun Tae being sexually harassed by Hyo Man and the gang.
At that time, his imagination of stabbing Jun Tae’s bullies left and right remains an imagination, although eventually Si Eun saves Jun Tae. The imagination of becoming a hero and saving people is common among young people. And it’s common to if the imagination never becomes a reality for many reasons. For Si Eun, it’s guilt. I will expand more about Si Eun in the Character and Acting part, but clearly, this sequel is a journey of Si Eun to become a true weak hero. He not only saved a friend, but the whole school. Not as a lone hero, but together with his friends.
That being said, Weak Hero Class 2 is made to be a plot-oriented drama that tries to cover the whole entire Webtoon, including many characters, in just 8 episodes. I don’t read the Webtoon, but many did, and many are not satisfied with the changes and exclusions made that differ from the Webtoon. I assume it’s better not to read the Webtoon before watching WHC2. Or reading the Webtoon after watching it for more satisfaction. I wonder why Director/Screenwriter Yoo Su Min was such in a hurry to adapt it to only one drama?
It’s a given for watchers to watch or rewatch WHC1 before WHC2 because of the continuation of the story, subconsciously comparing the two dramas, thus many are not satisfied with WHC2. I think the significant difference between the two dramas is that WHC1 is character-focused, while WHC2 is plot-focused. To create WHC1, Director/Screenwriter Yoo Su Min pretty much created a new story using some features from the Webtoon, because its setting happens before Si Eun is transferred to Eunjang High School, where the Webtoon’s plot starts. Si Eun’s character is introduced, including his family/past background, and why he becomes like Si Eun in Webtoon. Not only is his character fleshed out, but also the characters of Su Ho (Stephen Ahn in Webtoon is shown in flashbacks) and Beom Seok (Bryce Oh in Webtoon is an insignificant character), thus also their relationship. The trio has great chemistry in good and bad times. Even in WHC2, with only two brief appearances, actor Choi Hyun Wook (who played Su Ho) and Hong Kyung (who played Beom Seok) still show great chemistry with Park Ji Hoon.
Meanwhile, WHC2 is full of actions and events. We see great fighting scenes, supported by the convincing acting, brilliant fighting choreography, smashing background sound, bloody makeup, etc. Since WHC2 is plot-focused, aka Director/Screenwriter Yoo Su Min trying to cover Webtoon’s arcs in one drama, we don’t see the fleshed-out characters besides Si Eun in this drama. There is a lack of character growth mapped out for the other main characters that I would like to address in the next section. The relationship/friendship growth between the four is also rushed. Suddenly, after the volunteer work in the museum, Si Eun, Jun Tae, Baku, and Gotak become buddies and start hanging out together.
I will Baku and Gotak are already buddies, but they also have their own basketball friends. Then we see the four hang out together, even Gotak teaching Jun Tae basketball and self-defense, and not hanging out with his basketball friends. Jun Tae also has friends who are also bullied by Hyo Man and the gang. We also know Baku and Baek Jin used to be best friends, but not in the present. We are not convinced they were best friends in the past, because of the lack of a separation process. We don’t know why the past Baek Jin becomes like the current Baek Jin.
Character and Acting
Yeon Si Eun and Park Ji Hoon
Si Eun in WHC2 starts as emotionally debilitated after what happened to Su Ho in WHC1. He has PTSD and dreams about the traumatic past events, as well as subconsciously finds himself sitting alone in a boxing ring. His PTSD is so bad that he’s been prescribed sleeping pills by his doctor, and they don’t work. Although Si Eun is no longer wearing headphones to shut himself in from every noise, he can easily shut himself in and not care about the bullying happening around him. When the feeble Jun Tae finally mustered his courage to fight his bullies in front of indifferent Si Eun, he saw flashbacks of Beom Seok, who was weak, being hit by the bullies. Even after fighting the bullies, Si Eun still feels guilty, repeatedly saying sorry to Su Ho. He doesn’t dare to visit the unresponsive Su Ho, only texts him with his remorse. Not until Jun Tae said that it’s not his fault that Su Ho is at the hospital now, and Si Eun’s long sleep, he had a healing dream.
"Awake... awakening from a dream I thought would never end."
("Awakening", Die Boy, Weak Hero Class 2 OST)
Because WHC2 is more focused on Si Eun than everyone else, we see a wonderful journey of Si Eun, from being cold and indifferent (he is called Ice Princess by Baku), to caring about his small circle of friends, to saving the Eunjang school.
Park Ji Hoon reprises his role of Si Eun. He is the embodiment of Yeon Si Eun. The actor can speak with his eyes, and we see the indifferent, scared, angry, sad, and happy Si Eun.
Baku/Park Hu Min and Ryeo Un
Baku is the perfect guy. He’s tall-built, handsome, silly, and always happy-go-lucky. He’s liked and feared by the whole school. He has high self-esteem and self-confidence, despite his father being frequently drunk and belittling him, and his grades not being good.
He is also the perfect hero. With every positive trait, Baku is not arrogant. He apologizes and thanks people. He’s humble enough to acknowledge to Seong Jae that he’s not the top dog of Eunjang High School, in comparison to the weak but brave Jun Tae and Si Eun. Also, he carries a secret, a guilt in making a monster of his former best friend Baek Jin, that he doesn’t want to fight again.
Although with his big body, Ryeo Un doesn’t look like a high schooler, I think he was perfectly cast as our full-fledged hero. He knows how to be playful as well as how to be serious.
Seo Jun Tae and Choi Min Yeong
When I first saw Jun Tae on the screen, I was worried that he would be like Beom Seok, he would betray his friendship with the rest. He was Hyo Man’s slave, even stealing Si Eun’s phone. Luckily, that’s not the case. After he returns all cellphones with apologetic notes, Jun Tae is a hero. He is like a naive angel, a genuine weak hero. I said an angel, because a few times he saves Si Eun, by giving him vitamins so Si Eun can sleep, by telling Si Eun it is not his fault that Su Ho is hurt, when Si Eun is held by Seong Jae’s lackey. With his gentle voice, Jun Tae is the voice of reason.
Choi Min Yeong is lucky. As a child actor, he has played guest roles as the younger versions of male leads, as well as supporting roles. This is his first main role, with a good characterization, too. After Si Eun, Jun Tae has the most character growth amongst the four friends.
Ko Hyeon Tak/Gotak and Choi Min Yeong
This is the most character I don’t know about, only that he used to be a taekwondo athlete who got hurt after fighting for Baku. It seems Gotak is just there to be Baku’s replacement friend after Baek Jin is gone. Gotak and Baku are basketball buddies. His fighting skills are not that good either, even in comparison to Si Eun’s, because of his injured knee from fighting. However, his closeness to Jun Tae is cute, from teaching basketball to sneaking in together in the enemy’s lair.
Choi Min Yeong is good-looking, tho, especially when smiling. This is his first significant main role.
Na Baek Jin and Bae Na Ra
Baek Jin is also another character who, in my opinion, is underdeveloped. He is the main villain in WHC2 as he leads the Union gang. However, we don’t know much about him being Baku’s former best friend. Only in the last episode did we know he’s an orphan. He donates a lot to the orphanage. However, we don’t know why he becomes a bad guy and a bully. When Baek Jin was young, he was bullied a lot because of his status. He was saved by Baku and since then has become Baku’s friend. Baku taught him to fight. Then we saw him fighting and bullying the weak. He adamantly wants Eunjang to join the Union to overcome Baku, to make Baku surrender, and acknowledge that he, Baek Jin, is superior to Baku. I think Baek Jin has a friend syndrome. Si Eun questions that Baek Jin regards Baku as his friend, but does Baku regard Baek Jin as his friend? Especially after Baku states that they will go their separate ways, it hurts Baku’s ego.
Baek Jin’s character is similar to Beom Seok, who feels hurt by Su Ho since the latter hangs out more with Yeong I. The difference is, Baek Jin ‘retaliates’ Baku by becoming strong and having an ambition to overcome Baku.
Baek Jin’s face darkens when Baku no longer wants to be his friend.
Baek Jin cries when defeated by Baku and Si Eun, and Baku apologizes to him.
Bae Na Ra is the oldest of all the leading actors, and Na Baek Jin is his first main role. I think his cold character doesn’t need him to show up a lot of acting skills, though I think his two scenes above are the iconic.
Geum Seong Je and Lee Jun Young
Seong Je, although he is the second-in-command after Baek Jin in Union, I think he’s the scariest of all. Even the gangsters are scared of him. He’s unpredictable, even to Baek Jin and the Union. Seong Je can blow up in one minute and calm down in the next minute, or vice versa.
Seong Je, who acts like he’s a lone fighter, although he’s supposedly close to Baek Jin, is actually angry when Baek Jin only asks him about the burner account and not his well-being, after he fought Si Eun and was arrested by the police. So angry that he disappears to calm down. Therefore, he reluctantly admires the four friends for their loyalty and care for each other. My favorite scene below shows his respect spares Jun Tae his life.
I think Lee Jun Young’s acting is the best among the leading cast, even compared to Park Ji Hoon. While Park Ji Hoon seems always typecast as a protagonist with a sad past, I have seen Lee Jun Young play a protagonist as well as an antagonist. Geum Seong Je annoys and also surprises me. If there is Season 3, I would love to see him as the top villain, along with Boss Choi, and his quest for becoming romantic, lol.
This is the post-credit scene with Geum Song Je. Will it be a Season 3 with him?
The Visuals
Costume
The Eunjang High School uniform looks very nice, which makes you think that Eunjang is a private high school, and you doubt the school has a bad reputation and has many delinquents. I compare Season 1’s Eunjang and Season 2’s Eunjang in the set section below. However, with the suit jacket and ties, some actors don’t look like high schoolers but older. This uniform is different than the school uniform in WHC1, but at least it makes you believe the older actors can look like teenagers.
Outside of the school uniforms, all students dress casually like teenagers in jeans, shirts, jerseys, and sweatshirts. The only exception is Na Baek Jin, who always dresses up. He even looks good in his school uniform!
Makeup
Despite the amazing fighting scenes accompanied by scary background music that emphasizes the sound of hitting, punches, screams, broken bones, falls, etc, the make-up doesn’t represent how bad the character’s or victim’s injury, lol. Only band-aids and some scrapes here and there.
Cinematography
The camera angles, shot composition, lighting, and special effects during fighting scenes are well done, making watchers believe that one really punches and the other one receives the hit. Many scenes are dark with dim lighting.
Si Eun’s dream is my favorite cinematic work. He is shown sitting in the dark corner of the boxing ring. After Su Ho is knocked out on the ring and is in a coma, Si Eun shuts down mentally, disabled by guilt.
Filming Set
Lots of filming takes place in the dark sets, for example internet cafe, Baek Jin’s lair, the bowling alley, the bike shop, the hospital ward, or Baku’s house.
Eunjang High School and Baek Jin’s high school also look nice. We can’t believe delinquent students and bullies study here, lol! The Eunjang classroom in this drama also differs from the one at the end of WHC1 when Si Eun is introduced by the home room teacher. It’s like Si Eun goes to a different school, lol.
Si Eun’s class in Eunjang HS (WHC1)
Si Eun’s class in Eunjang HS (WHC2)
Original Sound Track
Weak Hero Class 2 brings back some of Meego and Benzamin’s songs, including the somber opening theme “Hero”. “Hero” has an MV from this season’s opening credits. I will check again if or when the two OSTs will have their videos. My favorite OST is “Awakening,” which is played when Si Eun reunites with Su Ho at the end of the drama. The song and the scene brought tears to my eyes. Please enjoy the full album below:
Conclusion
As a conclusion, I will address the meaning of the article title. The Director/Screenwriter Yoo Su Min pushed the entire Webtoon to the 5+ hour limit of an 8-episode mini drama, took off characters and arcs, changing the contents around. Meanwhile, Si Eun breaks the boundaries of guilt, indifference, past trauma, and cowardice that mentally imprisoned him around the boxing ring. Did Mr. Yoo successfully push the limits, and will Si Eun finally be completely free from the bullies? Or should we have another season before he graduates from high school? As Park Ji Hoon states during an interview, if the audience likes the drama, maybe there will be Weak Hero Class 3. We will see.
Spoilers
Is it a happy ending?
Yes, so far.
What happened to Su Ho?
He wakes up and has a brief conversation with Si Eun.
What happened to Beom Seok?
Nobody knows. His appearances are only in a flashback and Si Eun’s subconscious conversation with him.
What happened to the villains?
Na Baek Jin dies (see next spoiler). Geum Seong Je is alive and well (see next spoiler). Choi Hyo Man redeems himself and joins the protagonists for the showdown. Later he’s in the election for student body president.
What’s in the post-credit scene?
Geum Seong Je is called by Boss Choi and is offered a bigger gangster business called Cheongang. He asks the boss what happens to Na Baek Jin? Boss Choi pretends that he doesn’t know. Next, we see a wreath from Cheongang at the funeral for Na Baek Jin. The four friends pay respect, and Baku cries bitterly. However, in the background, two Baek Jin’s lackeys smirk. Did Baek Jin fake his death to hide? Or did Boss Choi kill Baek Jin?
Will there be Weak Hero Class 3?
Who knows? The post-credit shows a possibility that there will be a next season. However, the Webtoon is finished, with a similar ending. Gray Yeon (Si Eun) finds Stephen Ahn (Su Ho) working part-time, and Donald Na (Baek Jin) dies, hit by a truck. The Webtoon creators have to make a sequel, or they have to work with the PD/Scriptwriter to create a continuation.
