From the U.S. to Taiwan, 'Weak Hero' takes over Netflix worldwide upon Season 2's release
On April 20, a press conference was held for Netflix's Weak Hero Class 2. Director Yoo Su Min, creative director Han Jun Hee, along with actors Park Ji Hoon, Ryeo Un, Choi Min Yeong, Yoo Soo Bin, Bae Na Ra, Lee Min Jae, and Lee Jun Young attended the event.
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.
Park Ji Hoon continues to take the lead in season 2 also. He described Weak Hero Class 2 by saying, "It's hard to introduce it in one word. It contains a lot of meaning," and defined the work as "a growth struggle against even greater violence."
Director Yoo Su Min said, "I'm happy to be able to present the next chapter of Weak Hero to viewers around the world."
When asked what kind of story Weak Hero Class 2 tells, he responded, "The central narrative we focused on while creating the Weak Hero series portrays the journey of a boy as he grows into an adult."
He continued, "If Weak Hero Class 1 dealt with the pain that comes with growing up, the next chapter explores the question, 'How did we become adults?' In the end, the keyword that came to my mind was reconciliation." "There's reconciliation with others after conflict, but also reconciliation with oneself, with the world, and the ability to acknowledge and accept things. That, I believe, is essential to becoming an adult."
He went on to say, "I tried to capture the growth of the boy Yeon Si Eun as he goes through that journey. And compared to Weak Hero Class 1, we focused a bit more on making it fun to watch. We also put effort into giving the series a more distinct genre tone, so I hope viewers will notice that aspect as well."
Regarding the series' release on Netflix, creative director Han Jun Hee expressed his thoughts, saying, "I'm deeply grateful and thrilled that we're able to present the drama to audiences around the world."
When asked about how Weak Hero Class 2 differs from other school dramas, he said, "There have been many excellent school dramas so far. I, too, enjoy them. But with Weak Hero, we wanted to create something that could stand the test of time and be considered a classic, even when watched years later. As someone involved in the project, I took pride in making it true to the essence of Weak Hero. Of course, how viewers receive the series is important, but the actors involved also took great pride in being part of this project."
Regarding the message he hopes to convey through Weak Hero, he shared, "Just like D.P., I didn't intend to place a social message or issue on the surface of this work. However, the characters and the story are inherently part of those issues, so we couldn't avoid them. The goal was to incorporate them smoothly. When thinking about how viewers around the world might interpret it, I see it as a story about friendship. There's a line where Si Eun says, 'It's nice to have friends,' and Si Eun's expression at that moment carries a deep resonance."
He also expressed his gratitude, saying, "Weak Hero went through a lot of ups and downs. Like any project, there were difficult times. But there were so many people who put in a lot of effort to stay on this journey together."
Weak Hero Class 2 is coming April 25, only on Netflix.
