Heroes Next Door and Hitman: Agent Jun share strong similarities in their storytelling through the use of hidden identities, action-comedy tone, and character-driven stakes. In Heroes Next Door, former special-forces soldiers try to live quietly as regular neighbors, working ordinary jobs and blending into society, but when criminal threats emerge, their military training and tactical instincts immediately surface. This mirrors Hitman: Agent Jun, where Jun appears to be a harmless webtoon artist and family man, yet is secretly a legendary assassin whose past returns to disrupt his peaceful life. Both stories use humor to highlight the contrast between mundane routines—like family interactions or neighborhood concerns—and sudden bursts of high-level combat, gunfights, and strategy. The action is not just for spectacle; it is motivated by deeply personal reasons, such as protecting loved ones and preserving a normal life they fought hard to build. Additionally, both emphasize camaraderie, whether through the tight bond between former soldiers in Heroes Next Door or Jun’s uneasy reconnections with people from his past. These shared elements create narratives that balance intense action with emotional depth and comedy, making both stories feel grounded despite their exaggerated circumstances.
Both movies include elements of space, and both movies shows the sacrifice and courage it takes to overcome adversity.
The main character is misunderstood, similar to the one in New Smiling Proud Wanderer. Similarly, both main characters question whether good people are as good as they seem and are bad people really bad. They come to the concept of a grey area where there isn't inherently absolute good or bad. They both try to follow unconventional ways of fighting. They both go through betrayal and trauma and eventually get stronger and try to fight their way through.
