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Creative director Han Jun Hee and director Yoo Su Min reveal what it took to bring Weak Hero from the webtoon to the screen.
Weak Hero Class 2 is a tale of growth and survival of model student Yeon Si Eun (Park Ji Hoon), who transfers to a new school carrying the trauma of failing to protect a friend while standing against violence. Determined never to lose another friend again, he confronts greater violence, unfolding a desperate struggle for survival.
Director Han Jun Hee spoke about the challenges the team faced during the production of Class 2, saying, "I believe it's a miraculous thing for any project to come to fruition. It takes the coming together of many people and constant persuasion to make it happen... Director Yoo and the teams at Wavve and Netflix also put in a lot of effort with goodwill to continue Weak Hero's story. That much I can say for sure. Even though it was a difficult journey — with compromises to make and pushing forward to make the next chapter — I felt it was absolutely worth continuing, not because of the result, but regardless of how it would be received once released."
(Director Han Jun Hee)
Speaking on the differences from Class 1, director Yoo Soo Min said, "I can't say we didn't intend for some parts to feel lighter, but since more people from various countries would be watching, we thought the tone should be less emotionally draining and [the drama] easier to watch. We also aimed to give it a bit more of a genre-specific feel." "In terms of the narrative, we didn't want to lose sight of the fact that Class 1 and 2 are one continuous story. We tried to maintain the concept that they're like the first and second volumes of a novel. Yeon Si Eun meets new people in a new environment, and we wanted to portray that as part of his journey of growth because it's a story of Si Eun meeting others."
Regarding the reason for diverging from the original work in the adaptation, director Yoo said, "In the original, there was no relationship between Park Hu and Na Baek Jin. We felt there was a need to create a more dramatic emotional arc by establishing a relationship between the two. I also think that kind of relationship may have helped create a sense of cohesion throughout the story."
The drama also zoomed in on Na Baek Jin's story and his tragic ending. Director Han said, "In the original work, there was a setup that Baek Jin came from a wealthy background, but if that felt contrived in our version, then I think that's something we fell short on. Some of the editing was done to better convey emotion, and one of our main focuses was on the distribution [of the story] among the seven characters. Rather than allocating time equally, we aimed to give each one [a corner of the story] that viewers could understand and accept. That was our intention."
(Director Yoo Soo Min)
Director Yoo Soo Min commented, "I wanted Na Baek Jin and Yeon Si Eun to look like two sides of the same coin. They're both good students, and if you look at their first appearances, they both start off by receiving awards. I saw them as very similar characters. But in the end, they arrive at completely different outcomes. What I told the actors was this: Yeon Si Eun starts out alone but gains many friends, while Na Baek Jin ends up alone. The contrast and difference between them was structured around whether or not they had a sincere, heartfelt desire to protect [their precious ones]. Na Baek Jin's death was also the same in the original work. It's a cruel concept, but I saw it as a kind of hidden equivalent exchange. Maybe it's because I'm not a fan of simple happy endings, I think I saw it as an equivalent exchange in that sense."
Director Han Jun Hee added, "We talked about this for quite a while, and as I recall, the editor said, 'I think this story ends with some kind of price being paid. There's no way it can end without having to pay no cost.' I think adults are the villains (the reactionary figures) here. Whether it was Beom Seok or Baek Jin, since they are just high school students, teenagers, I saw their actions as mistakes. Adults commit wrongs knowingly, but it's the kids who end up paying the price. I thought, 'Isn't it the children who suffer the consequences of the adults' actions?' That's why, if the story ends that way, it leaves room for thought. Can you say there's a single good adult in Class 1 or 2? Even with Yeon Si Eun's parents, though they try, there are things in which they're irresponsible, where they should have done more but didn't. It's not really about one specific person being the problem — school and home are both systems, aren't they? And I think what makes Weak Hero compelling is that those systems come across as antagonists."
They also shared their thoughts on the success of Weak Hero Class 2, which topped Netflix's global rankings just three days after its release. Director Yoo Soo Min said, "I feel very grateful for all the love the show has received. Class 1 was also released internationally and got reactions, but this time I can really feel that it's being watched in many more countries."
Director Han Jun Hee added, "I also feel deeply thankful. There's no way to prepare something like this without worries, but I'm grateful so many people have enjoyed it. I've received a lot of messages. I got messages from the director of The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and actor Ju Ji Hoon as well. They congratulated me and seemed genuinely happy. I had so much fun during Class 1 and believed it would do well, but the response exceeded expectations, and I was just so happy. Now, a few years later, with both seasons released back-to-back [on Netflix] and receiving so much love, I'm truly thankful and overjoyed. I think there's a universal sentiment at play here. The story of the weak standing up against the strong has that [kind of] underdog sentiment, [which exists across cultures]. And because it's an action series, I think it made the story more approachable for people."
Regarding the possibility of Weak Hero Class 3, Director Han Jun Hee said, "Like it is with all projects, the decision for the next season isn't really up to us. To us, it's a precious project, but we do let our imaginations run and talk about how the story might continue. However, it's still difficult to make [those ideas] concrete [at this point]. If the show continues to receive a lot of love, something might come of it, but I think director Yoo's decision will be of paramount importance. Maybe we could do a lighthearted, sitcom-like story. Just being able to do something like this feels like a happy time and a happy ending."
Director Yoo Soo Min, responded, "I haven't really thought about Class 3 really," keeping his thoughts more reserved.
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