Weak Hero Class 1

Incredible. This show is deserving of it's almost 10 rating it has. It's super heavy and intense and I found my anxiety and heart rate spiking through the roof every time I watched an episode. It is VIOLENT.. there are fights every episode and they aren't small. I think this drama did a really good job of capturing the feeling and emotion that the kids were facing.. hopelessness.

First I want to give props to all of the actors, but especially Park Ji-Hoon. The way he played Yeon Shi Eun was incredible. The dead look in his eyes when fighting, but the warmth you can see on his face when he's around his friends is such an amazing skill and really added a layer to the overall story. It had me feeling everything for him and wanting him to be happy.

I have not read the webtoon for this, so I had no idea where the story was gonna go and I'm still confused on where things twisted. I usually am good at predicting how things are gonna play out in dramas, but this one had me. Right when I was getting comfortable and starting to like everyone, it throws you a curveball and you can't do anything except let it hit you right in your face.

I also want to point out that I loved the way they did the fighting scenes. I'm usually not one for action, but the way they use how smart he is and what he's studied in the fights itself was really cool and unique in my opinion. It added a really cool layer of knowing what was in his head before he actually acted. Every move was thought out and it made it super interesting.

Dark, emotional and intense.. I honestly can't wait for season 2.

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A Tale of Three Boys All On Their Own

The commonality of the 3 main characters were their school and personal lives. All were growing up on their own and having to watch out for themselves. In school they all were the targets of bullies but handled it in different ways. Their paths collided in Weak Hero: Class 1 and ignited a poignant tale of survival, betrayal, and loss.

Si Eun - the ML. He is an exceptionally quiet loner focusing on his studying. He has a routine he sticks with day in and day out. He has parents but they are busy with their careers and frequently out of the picture so he is alone most of the time. In the first couple of episodes, he becomes the target of a gang of bullies in his class. Two things help him. His intense stare along with the clicking of his pen (which acts as a threat), and another classmate, Su ho, who is an expert fighter and takes on these class hoodlums.

Su ho - the class sleeper who uses a cute pink pillow. He is not interested in school at all and not planning on going to college. Outside of school he works 3 jobs and takes care of his grandmother. He does not have parents. Along the way he has trained in fighting so can defend himself when necessary, and uses it to defend others. In this storyline, he defends Si Eun and they become friends.

Beom Seok - a transfer student who also gets targeted by the class bullies. Su ho defends him and all three become a tight friend group. Of the three, I believe Beom Seok had the hardest life which made him different from the other two. The writer did not develop his storyline too well, but this is the jist of what I got. He is the adopted son of a high up politician who works all the time and needs a perfect image. He has a family, but not really. There is a picture of Beom Seok, his political father, a "wife" and a "sister" in their expensive, luxurious apartment. Beom Seok tells Si Eun and Su ho that he was adopted, the others were stand-ins to give the appearance of a family. His father treats him horribly and regularly beats him in cruel and demeaning ways. So Beom Seok is abused by bullies at school, and abused at home by his father. He has no where that is safe nor secure, or loving nor nurturing. His life day and night is surviving the abuse. The damage to him emotionally and mentally shows up in the latter part of the story.

All three boys support each other first in school by getting the main bully kicked out and the others leave them alone. They are also targeted by the head of a gang who extorts kids for money and lures them in for a life of crime whom they lead the police to and get him arrested. This part of Weak Hero Class 1 is the best. After this the 3 are best friends and hang out everyday together.

Then the story changes, mainly because of a girl. When Yeongi comes into the picture, Beom Seok feels left out and abandoned by his other two friends. He hardens his heart and turns against them, especially Su ho. The story becomes really dark as Beom Seok sinks into maddening urges to get even and destroy.

The drama is sprinkled through with a variety of fights complete with blood, broken bones, bruises, and even some hospital stays. It does not end well for any of the 3 main characters, and the preview for season 2 appears to keep the darkness and fighting going. What made this drama great were the actors in all of the 3 lead parts. Their characters and their acting was superb. What makes this drama not so great is the darkness of bullying, constant fighting, and the emotional cost is takes on a person's mental stability. We are being taken on a journey of the main character, how he just keeps to himself trying to study, but there are those who keep messing with him, so he does what he has to in order to survive. His survival includes others joining in to help him survive but (though no fault of his) end up paying serious consequences for it. The story also shows Si Eun sinking more and more into darkness and emotional instability. It's a push and pull of your senses and emotions as you cheer him on in defending himself, but you cringe at the lengths he is willing to go to hurt others in that defensive moment.

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The Weakest of Heroes (Affectionate ) <3

I actually tried this show months back but gave up after 5 episodes. Boy was I being impatient. This show was beyond my expectations after I dropped it. I'll get straight into my Pros list (yes, just pros as I think there is barely enough cons to even warrant a list for it).

Pros:
- This show was entertaining as fuck. Seriously, I like was barely ever even feeling a semblance of boredom throughout it. This is why some kdramas truly don't need to overcompensate for something but double its episode length instead of working with what you have. I'll take quality over quantity ANY day.
- The acting was fantastic; especially from Park Ji-hoon. That man is going places with how he can express so many emotions through a seemingly emotionless character. The other two's actor also played them very well. To be honest, majority of the acting was amazing.
- The show wasn't ugly to look at; the color filters truly fitted their scenes and I loved to see how they were linked with emotions. Si-eun's fantasies being a warm yellow sunset only to then turn into a bleak gray once he awakes to reality is truly heartbreaking to watch (is this why his name translates to "Gray"?)
- The fighting was insanely over the top and out of reality yet it didn't upset like it usually would because of how well choreographed it was and how genuinely painful they made the hits look and sound. I was wincing when Si-eun bonked people over the head and stabbed Yeong-bin in the shoulder with a pencil. That kid is a menace in sheep's clothing.
- I really liked how much depth they gave Beom-seok as an antagonist. He is insanely insecure, clingy, possessive, spiteful, and impulsive. He truly did put Su-ho on a pedestal of what his dream friend would be like, but the moment he couldn't live up to that he snapped and viewed him the same way as all the other controlling people in his life. Yet, I honestly pitied him more than hated him by the end because of how destructive he was toward his own future and the people around him. He loved putting the blame on other people too.
- Liked how they showed how different styles of parenting can be damaging to children. Beom-seok's father was blatantly abusive and controlling and this made Beom-seok aggressive and spiteful as a person. Su-ho's grandmother (though we don't see a lot of her) can be seen as kind and nurturing, which in turn made Su-ho a protective and confident person. Si-eun's parents were distant and put a veil over how they really felt which in turn made Si-eun distance himself from others and hide his emotions until they boiled over in destructive ways as he was never taught how to cope with them healthily. Yeong-bin's mother was one of those "my son can never be the one in the wrong and he is a perfect little sunshine" kind of parent, which made Yeong-bin selfish and feel a false sense of egotism and security. This is easily one of my favorite parts of the show.
- Dissed on the police system a bit when it came to those gangsters but made sure that they weren't painted as being 100% incompetent by at least arresting some people associated with the crime. Not everything is always black and white.
- Had some truly heart-touching moments; especially when Park Ji-hoon portrayed Si-eun's first wide smile when Su-ho was in the hospital for the first time. That touched my soul. I could sense his relief and happiness that he had bottled up and he looked genuinely glad to be alive for once (this was probably the happiest he ever was in the entire show).
- The music wasn't half bad. It contributed to emotional scenes well and didn't make me feel the wrong emotion. I was only slightly caught off guard by english lyrics when it's a Korean show. But this is one Netflix so I'm not really *that* surprised. The song itself wasn't bad either so it didn't really impact how I rated the soundtracks.

All in all: I liked this show quite a bit. Is it perfect? No. Will it be to just about everyone's liking? Probably not. Was it still entertaining as fuck despite any of its flaws? Hell yeah! To be honest, I'd take an entertaining show with a decent plot over one with style and little substance any day (don't @ me Flower of Evil enthusiasts).

Should you watch it? If you like action, friendship, betrayal, portrayal of youth struggles and a decent production; then yes! Why not? It's only half the episode length of the average kdrama, and packed with 200% more to appreciate!

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Solid Show, great first half -> poor second half

Honestly, the show overall was a solid show. One of my favorite aspects of the drama is that the pacing was really satisfying to watch unfold. It never felt like it was too fast nor too slow and did a great job at keeping my entertained throughout. There's not many dramas that I feel like can nail pacing as this one can. In particular, the fast-paced violence in the first half of the drama was especially satisfying, particularly when the bullies received their comeuppance.

While the plot was strong in the first half of the drama, the second half was not as well-executed.

The first half of the story was perfect. The character dynamics, the progression, the overall story was great. Then in the second half of the story the main focus turns to Beom Seok as he shifts into the main antagonist role. Unfortunately, the reasoning behind his villainous turn felt underdeveloped. His jealousy of Young Yi because Soo Ho followed her back on Instagram, while he was not, seemed like a weak catalyst for his actions. I get it, Beom Seok is written as an insecure individual who seeks validation from others. But using 2/3 scenes of Beom Seok stalking Soo Ho's following instead of showing Soo Ho getting closer to Young Yi when they hang out, would have been an example of a more believable way of showcasing jealousy imo. The catalyst for his transformation into the villain of the second half of the drama felt farfetched and unconvincing.

Furthermore, the character development in the second half of the drama was too focused on Beom Seok, which made the rest of the cast feel underdeveloped and less interesting by comparison. During the entirety of the show we get maybe 2 to 3 scenes that gave a good glimpse at Shi Eun's past and maybe 1 line from Soo Ho mentioning his family. We aren't given any reasoning as to why Shi Eun finds comfort in studying at all, nor maybe why Soo Ho got into MMA in the first place or why he stopped. No. Instead we're given so many scenes that showcase the tragic life of Beom Seok's suffering from his assemblyman father. It felt like it was repeated so many times to garnish sympathy points for Beom Seok's actions, but that left the rest of the main cast feeling underdeveloped and uninteresting by that point (in relative comparison). Consequently, the drama lost the balance it had in the first half, and the screen time was not distributed well for the plot it was trying to execute. However, in terms of character depth, this drama did deliver with internally complex characters such as Shi Eun, Beom Seok and even Seok Dae.

I think my main gripe in terms of the characters department was that both of the main characters were given no love in the second half of the show and felt like everything catered to Beom Seok. Beom Seok was always a step ahead, had connections to stronger people, and in the end even got away scot-free. It's crazy how they spent half the drama developing Beom Seok, yet at the end I couldn't care less what happened to him. Overall, just felt like the screen time went towards the wrong things (in the second half).

The acting was spot on by every single cast member. I have nothing but praise for all their efforts and their portrayal of their characters.

Overall, the Weak Hero Class 1 showed promise, but the second half's focus on Beom Seok's development at the expense of the other characters left much to be desired. It is hoped that a second season (if produced) will balance the focus on all of the main characters, allowing the audience to gain a deeper insight into the characters' backgrounds and motivations.

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Before it was released I was confused because Ahn Suho (Stephen Ahn) seems to have the traits of Park Hoomin (Ben Park) while Oh Beomseok ( Bryce Oh) is more like Seo Juntae (Eugene Gale) and I was like where are the others? Alex? Gerard? Rowan? and where the hell is the hot Donald Na?? I really thought they got the names wrong and the story will be very different from the webtoon but well, we really should watch it first and don't judge immediately. When I finished watching the 8 episodes only then I realized that it was Gray's back story all along that's why there is no Eunjang boys and Donald's army. I like how they gave the back story more depth and Stephen was a fighter. They made the trio's friendship so heartbreaking where in the webtoon Gray and Stephen do not have a deep connection with Bryce. The adaptation gave more reason and meaning for Gray's revenge. They made it so hard for him to execute it because of their friendship. I can say that it is one of the great adaptation out there. It was a fresh move to start with the back story to build up the main character because we tend to compare the adaptation and webtoon so this strategy poke my interest and I have no idea what's going to happen next (although Stephen end up with the same fate as in the webtoon). About the acting, the director didn't lie when he said that the cast is 10/10. They all pulled off their characters well and they gave more than they are expected. You definitely should watch it because it is worth it. All episodes are out so you can binge-watch it [and of course watch it on legal sites if you can:)].

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worth watching.

This drama is the prequel for the webtoon so if you're hesitating to watch because you haven't read it yet, you don't have to worry.

This drama is action packed! Every episode kept me at the edge of my seat. There is no dull moment so you'd find yourself clicking for the next episode.

It really portrayed how can harassment and bullying affect someone's actions and behavior. How friendships form and how they fall apart is also very evident in the story. The actors did a phenomenal job in giving life and personality to their characters especially Yeon Sieun and An Sooho. In contrast with Park Jihoon's image as a K-Pop Idol, his cold blank stare can really pierce you through your screen. In the drama, he is often composed, quiet, and confrontational and as a viewer, you'll find yourself grow with him as he navigate his high school life fighting bullies and form friendships. Probably one of my favorite scenes of Sieun and Sooho is when Sieun came early to school nad knowing that Sooho sleeps inside the classroom, he didn't turn on the lights and opened the windows so Sooho can sleep peacefully. A very subtle action but it shows how he is starting to care for Sooho.
It also shows the difference between bullies you respect and bullies you want to strangle through the screen. An Sooho is a very well written character cause it shows how he reasons and how he deals with situations. He's all about "not crossing the line" whether it be through words or actions, he kept up with that principle all throughout.

My adrenaline throughout the whole drama is shooting off the roof and you can't really tell what will happen next.
The 4 hour watch is totally worth it. The OSTs of the drama are all really good. It gives you that nostalgic feeling of being in high school and making memories with your friends.

Definitely a good watch 10/10.

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Who we are and how we got there

I work with kids from adolescence to eighteen years of age. To sit and listen to about half of this populated group is to hear the hurt....my dad is in rehab, my mom's boyfriend beats her up and we hide. The stories are endless and sometimes, by the time these kids are eighteen, they lose the light in their eyes. Each year, each unforeseen and tormenting circumstance results in hope fading. This drama was the best I've watched at the portrayal of anger, ambivalence and abuse from the trusted caretaker to a child and how these events shape who they are in their journey.

Korean actors never cease to amaze me because I cannot see where the actor ends and the character begins and especially in these eight episodes. Park Ji Hoon, Choi Hyun Wook and Hong Kyung seamlessly show each facet of emotional turmoil they are going through and even though I'm not a fan of violence, the fight scenes were so realistic that I went to check the behind the scenes to make sure the actors were okay. Shin Seung Ho has a small but impactful part in this and in my opinion, lights up the screen in both "Alchemy of Souls" and "Weak Hero Class 1". He will be one to watch out for in 2023.

As for the other three actors mentioned above, flawless performances from all even down to their micro expressions. The weak and strong intertwining for the sake of friendship, the weak and the flawed holding onto each other for dominance, every bit of this is told in a way that won't let the viewer go. Simply amazing.

The only thing I marked slightly below perfection is in rewatch value. To see each character's torment is something I cannot tear myself away from in the first viewing but to go down this emotional rabbit hole a second time this soon would be too much. It's that good, that precise, that realistic to life. I have fingers crossed there is a season 2 to show where the path leads next.

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Opposite to the title, the drama is strong

Weak Hero Class 1 is a high school thriller series that follows the story of 3 students who doesn’t care about anything else, and somehow gets involved in constant fights due to bullying.

Most of the school centric dramas are romance, which becomes monotonous watching after a certain point of time. Weak Hero Class 1,however, is a thrilling, yet sobering portrait of young students and the different struggles, difficulties and momentary joys they experience while growing up in a society that, too often, neglects and pushes them aside, that successfully stands out as one of the best dramas of 2022.

With just 8 episodes, the pacing is superb and the action sequences were well crafted. And perhaps what the series does best is to show the immeasurable toll such violence and abuse can take on one’s physical, emotional and mental health. Especially for teenagers who may be experiencing other types of abuse, hardship and struggles outside of the school walls as well.

School violence is certainly not a new theme for a K-drama. But Weak Hero Class 1 is able to take that familiar topic and present it in a way that focuses more on the characters, particularly the victims, and show the unfortunately lasting effects of such violence. The best part of the drama were the 3 leads who had an amazing chemistry on screen and their change in characters once the events turned dark.

Adapted from a webtoon, Weak Hero Class 1 is engaging, highly effective action packed school based drama. The finale teases a 2nd season and yes I am very much intrigued to see what happens next.

My Rating : 8.5/10

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A concussive flurry that leaves you in anticipation of what's next

--Summary--
A provocative, in-your-face kidnapping into the disturbing world of Korean school violence. High quality production with excellent action scenes, visuals, and sound. Gripping and fast-paced story with convincing setup. Reasonable plot progression without major holes, but also some plot convenience and noble idiocy that I was able to overlook. Captivating acting from the impressive young leads and veteran supporting actors added to the realism. Though more a prequel than complete narrative, it's a thrilling prelude hopefully to a well-fleshed out story.

I give it 8 (+0.5), which is very good score reserved for one of the best shows of the year. But it's difficult to rate higher because we've only been given a partial story and the compact S1 doesn't leave room for greater thematic depth or connection to characters. I may bump the rating if future seasons are able to develop this into a high quality, fleshed out story.

**Update after S2**: This originally received an 8 despite being an incomplete story based on the high production value and some promising plot elements. But when the rest of the assignment was turned in for S2, it became clear that S1 never had a complete story to begin with. So marking this down to 7.5

--Detailed Rating--
Update: 7.5 for the lack of continuity in S2.
✅ Plot (8.5) - The core of the plot is logical and moves the story along at the brisk pace. In the second half of the show, previously calculated and pragmatic characters like Ahn Soo and Yeon Shi both indulge in some noble idiocy and create a bigger mess for the very people they were trying to protect. In addition, Oh Beom Seok's descent into malevolence appeared too abrupt and unfounded as he betrayed Ahn Soo over minor slights while allying himself with bullies that have tormented him far more brutally. While these plot issues are not dealbreakers, they do stretch the plausibility and detract from the story.

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I didn't know what to expect going into this because the description on Viki didn't give too much away (which I appreciate). It had me hooked from start to finish and I ended up watching all 8 episodes in one day.

The story was interesting and I never knew exactly which way it would go. It kind of felt like there were two different story arches that happened over the episodes. That being said, I wish it was just an episode or 2 longer. Parts of it felt rushed at times but, ultimately, it was still enjoyable.

I LOVED the acting in this drama. I'd seen the other 2 main leads in otters dramas but this was the first time I'd seen Jihoon act. And he did AMAZING. He really transformed into the character and I honestly forgot the he was an idol. If I didn't know him before this, I would've thought he'd always been just an actor!

All in all, this was a great drama. I'd watch a season two.

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