Weak Hero Class 1

Broody and gripping

Weak hero class 1 was a refreshing take on the bullying system and school violence in Korean high schools. It came off as vaguely relatable and unusually intriguing. It showed an unique dynamic between three students who got into A LOT OF SHIT and showed their vulnerability as teenagers.

The cute bromance made up for the intense action-packed fights and adrenaline rushes. Sometimes, there's too much going on the screen and I ate up all that chaos wholeheartedly.

With one of the best pilots ever, it built a lot of expectations going ahead. The writing in the first ep was on point structurally. The screenwriter knew exactly what she wanted us to get introduced to in the first ep. Regretfully it immediately took a U-turn and started to be more plot-centric. Followed by some letdowns the focus changed to a controversial character who sadly wasn't that interesting to watch.

Shi Eun's nuance was skillfully incorporated by the writer and portrayed by the actor Park Ji Hoon. He was visibly blue, dull, and gloomy but his sudden outbursts and piercing words without a single emotion hit hard like that book he threw at Yeong Jin. Giving him chapped lips and a pale look delivered so well. I was very INTO his character and thought we would get more layers of him (which we didn't) so quite disappointed by that. It suddenly abandoned building his character and focused more on the plot.

Soo Ho was likable and cool. Hyun Wook played this character with charm and made him particularly memorable.
Isn't Bum Seok the new nation's enemy? Just kidding! I appreciated his arc and enjoyed scrutinizing his character. A big shout out to Hong Kyung's acting; he nailed it by making the character extremely unappealing.

The production value uplifted the whole show. The intro smoothly goes into my list of "unskippable intros" and the entire aesthetic it went for was so awesome. Still, I think the first two eps were far more well-executed than the rest. It was a shame that the entire concept of the latter half of the drama failed to deliver. My emotional investment in the show was not as high as I had expected.

Overall this was a contemplative show with some great acting though a slight letdown through the later eps.

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So good

No matter what I say nothing can describe how much I absolutely adore this show. This is the only show I haven't been able to watch while eating something because i genuinely couldnt take my eyes off of it, every second was so interesting and well filmed n acted. Oh the acting, Jihoons eyes can say so much without him having to actually say anything. All of the actors were so good, they brought the emotions of the story out so well, and the dynamics ugh I love it. Although I knew suho went into a coma whenever i started watching it, I still sobbed whenever it actually happened because I didnt know it happened like that. Beomseoks story breaks me, i understand those who hate him but i dont understand those who choose to ignore why be did what he did. It wasn't right and it was taken out on the wrong person but ignoring the story behind it is just ignorant and honestly no different than anyone in the story. I’m sad it took me so long to watch it but im also really glad i did, i can't believe i was missing out on a masterpiece

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MY FAVORITE TYPE OF SHOW

I am leaving this review after my 3rd rewatch of this show. It's so freaking good. The way the friendship started, the way it developed one side and slowly fell apart on the other side - just the perfect blend for me. And the action scenes? Brilliant. Anyone who saw even the first glimpse of the first episode should be intrigued by it. And the acting is chef's kiss 💋. I absolutely had no expectations for the acting since it is a mini mkdrama and the first seven episodes were even available on YT but from the first episode the brilliancy of their roles could be felt. I don't know why I felt like crying from the first episode. Maybe because it was just the story I was looking for? But nevertheless I loved this. the only actor I knew at first was Choi Hyunwook (from 2521) but damn now I love Park Jihoon. Outstanding actor!!! He even won the *BSA Best New Actor Award 2023* unanimously for this exact role! So proud of him. Everyone played so well. Now patiently waiting for the season 2 which has confirmed to start filming this year.

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Slightly Above Average

Am I uhh... Missing something? I'm seeing all these incredible reviews, so I decided to binge it one sitting as recommended and I'm feeling perfectly average.

The first half is 10/10, great pacing love the characters and their relationships. The friendships are 👌. Honestly I want at least another 6-10 episodes of these three together, learning to fight, supporting each other. Instead we get a sudden massive tone shift and a heavy ass second half entirely driven by character conflicts that are underdeveloped. Frankly by episode 5 I didn't care about any of the characters enough to be ready for their heated conflict.

And then the ending(??) Beom hasn't developed in a single way and just f**ks off to another country after causing so much conflict, Soo Ho is in a goddamn coma after apologizing to Beom just because he has to not because he knows anything about how Beom' s feeling (not totally his fault but whatever), and our main guy Si Eun learns the value of friendship I guess, too bad his only friends are out of the picture and he's all alone and then it all ends like it began with him and a pen in his hand. I just... For a second half so emotionally heavy they sure love to not give us any payoff. This might make sense in the context of a 200+ chapter webtoon, but not in an 8 episode drama.

It's an 8 from me.

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A life changing, soul shattering must see masterpiece

Holy moly this show was life changing, soul shattering and most importantly a beautifully tragic masterpiece. The casting was spot on. As always Park Ji Hoon put his whole into his performance and delivery of Yeon Shi Eun. So much so that even in the most heartbreaking moments I could not look away, I didn't want to look away. This show will stay with me for a long time, if not forever. The way the story was written and directed, sheer brilliance. Every member of the production team of this show, deserves the world and more.

When I started the show I knew the basics, but I was not truly ready for what it had in tale for me. The emotional rollercoaster speeding through the violence, the abuse, the pure bloody emotions that were ripped open for the viewers to see in all its ugly glory.

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Intensely Thrilling and Hard to Stop Watching

Weak Hero Class 1 is a gripping drama that packs an intense and violent punch, capturing your attention right from the start. The series thrives on its high-stakes environment and raw energy, consistently keeping you on the edge of your seat and eagerly anticipating what will happen next. Each episode is packed with action and emotional depth, making binge-watching incredibly easy.

The show does an excellent job of blending tension with character development, ensuring that viewers are not only thrilled but also deeply invested in the characters' journeys. This intense action and compelling storytelling make it a standout drama for those who appreciate a more intense viewing experience. It's the kind of series you'll find hard to stop watching once you start.

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I rarely give 10/10s across the board but this IS A 10!

Wow... Just wow. I mean, really this show just has it all. An amazing plot, characters that you either want to hug or kill, impeccably choreographed fight scenes, multiple scenes that give you physical reactions, i could go on...

The acting in this is so good that you feel the threat behind each word and you can almost see into their heads on what they're thinking. And the soundtrack was also so well chosen and made this even more enjoyable (no real repetitive songs like some kdramas (not that this is a bad thing but sometimes you get sick of it as the episodes go by hahaha)).

I really don't want to spoil anything for those thinking of watching it but if you need a sign to dive into it, please take this as that sign. This is now one of my top 5s and I'm probably going to give it another rewatch straight away tbh.

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Get ready with tissues, stress ball and enough sleep!

This series will give you a roller coaster of emotions from funny to sad to getting worked up on the intense fight scenes. Every character is on point and gave justice to their own roles. The feel of the entire movie also gets you more curious and drawn into the backstories of the main characters.

Si eun was definitely destined for Park Ji hoon, he performed with everything he has to give justice to the character. One can never unsee him as an actor after even an episode alone.

I can only rewatch twice, I have to give it sometime, or else I can just keep dreaming about it all day!

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Good Enough

Korean Drama "Weak Hero Class 1 " is a school drama about school violence.

The drama has some interesting main characters, which carry the drama through the very ending. Strong performances, in addition, complete a perfectly well done blend and enhance the entertainment of the story.

Likewise, the cinematography of the drama was spot on. The series didn't overdo it with the violence and the gore, even though the story is pretty dark. Rather, it focuses more on the friendship between the characters and their own life struggles.

So, overall, eight out of ten.

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One of the Most Brutal K-Dramas that Ever Existed

Back in late 2023, I happened to find this show as a very high-rated show in MDL, so I decided to give it a try. However, I only watched until ep 6 then stopped, never touched it again, and marked it as completed in my watchlist.

To be honest, the plot and storyline is not that bad, and I like all of the fighting scenes and violence depicted in this show. Nonetheless, I started to lose my interest when the third male lead popped up amidst the show. I never understood why he should turn against his two buddies who had protected him at the first place - it's like biting the hands that feed you, if I must say. Other than that, I don't seem to have any troubles regarding this show.

Acting is superb and most of the casts have done their best to bring out the essence of their characters (I only realized that Park Jihoon is one of Wanna One's former members wkwkwkwk).

Overall, a nine out of ten from me. Highly recommended for violence, bullying, gangster tropes' lovers :)

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A bullying story breathtakingly retold

I liked the seriousness of the series, but I did not like its ethics. The idea of revenge is something I am against in terms of making things right yourself. Also, the first 4 episodes seem like a completely different show than the last 4: while the first half focuses on a typical kind of conflict (with unexpected touches), the second half is more emotionally oriented - it deals with trauma and the unexplainable things it gets you to do. I would appreciate it more if the characters took responsibility for their actions rather than just treating everything as the world forcing it onto them. The only character that does that to some extent is Yeon Si Eun. Moreover, the ending of this season made me feel cold, sad, distressed and confused.
I am going to watch the second part as well, but it gave me a very weird impression and I can't really decide to what extent I liked it compared to which I simply got emotionally wrecked because of the continuous conflict of the show. Overall, I do believe it's a good series because of the effort to take on such a contemporary problem with new twists. Even if I do not agree with the way things are solved throughout the series, the fact that it's so messed up made it feel crazily real. That, I believe, is rare and it's what I most appreciate about Weak Hero Class 1.

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