Latest news with #Si-eun
Korea Herald
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Produce 101' star hits new career high tackling school violence
Park Ji-hoon discusses becoming Si-eun in Netflix's 'Weak Hero: Class 2' Park Ji-hoon, who rose to breakout fame after finishing second among 101 trainees on the hit K-pop audition series "Produce 101: Season 2 (2017)," is experiencing another major career high -- not as an idol, but as a rising star in the acting world. The singer-turned-actor has gripped audiences with his performance as the lead in the "Weak Hero" franchise, playing a troubled yet calculating high schooler who confronts school violence head-on. The adrenaline-filled youth drama initially found success on Korea's Wavve platform when it was released in 2022. Now it has been picked up by Netflix for its second season -- titled "Weak Hero: Class 2" -- and has quickly achieved international traction. The sophomore installment topped Netflix's global top 10 chart for non-English-language series in the fourth week of April, signaling Park's arrival as a global force. In the series, Park portrays Si-eun, a quiet but fiercely intelligent student who strategically resists bullies. According to Park, he mainly aimed to portray the character's deepened emotional complexity in the second season. 'In 'Weak Hero: Class 1', Si-eun transfers schools carrying trauma, and it ends with the simple question, 'Will he be able to make friends again?'' Park said during a group interview held in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on Monday. 'I depicted Si-eun with the mindset that he naturally grew attached to and relied on his friends such as Soo-ho and Beom-seok, who went through the incident together,' Park continued. ''In season two, I felt proud and relieved to see Si-eun open up his heart and begin to form friendships again as he grew.'' The show's hard-hitting action, a signature element of the series reflecting the raw violence among high school boys, was taken to new heights in the second season, Park noted. 'Season 2 had much more to express, which made it more difficult. I worried a lot about whether I could show something different from the first season,' he explained. 'In the second season, Si-eun is in a very broken state. He takes sleeping pills and wakes up from nightmares. A student who used to only study is now seen only sleeping at school. I talked a lot with the director about how to express not only his outer condition but also his inner collapse. I tried hard to portray Si-eun's desperation -- his eyes saying, 'Let's end this pathetic situation somehow.'' Going forward, Park is poised to continue the momentum with his next feature film, "The Man Who Lives With the King (working title)." The historical fiction project, featuring veteran stars Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Mi-do, centers on a dethroned young king taken in by a village chief and his people. "I now want to become an actor who can share and connect with viewers through the emotions I portray. I think that's one of the challenges I need to overcome as an actor,' he reflected. yoonseo.3348@
Korea Herald
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
'Produce 101' star hits new career high tackling school violence
Park Ji-hoon discusses becoming Si-eun in Netflix's 'Weak Hero: Class 2' Park Ji-hoon, who rose to breakout fame after finishing second among 101 trainees on the hit K-pop audition series "Produce 101: Season 2 (2017)," is experiencing another major career high -- not as an idol, but as a rising star in the acting world. The singer-turned-actor has gripped audiences with his performance as the lead in the "Weak Hero" franchise, playing a troubled yet calculating high schooler who confronts school violence head-on. The adrenaline-filled youth drama initially found success on Korea's Wavve platform when it was released in 2022. Now it has been picked up by Netflix for its second season -- titled "Weak Hero: Class 2" -- and has quickly achieved international traction. The sophomore installment topped Netflix's global top 10 chart for non-English-language series in the fourth week of April, signaling Park's arrival as a global force. In the series, Park portrays Si-eun, a quiet but fiercely intelligent student who strategically resists bullies. According to Park, he mainly aimed to portray the character's deepened emotional complexity in the second season. 'In 'Weak Hero: Class 1', Si-eun transfers schools carrying trauma, and it ends with the simple question, 'Will he be able to make friends again?'' Park said during a group interview held in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, on Monday. 'I depicted Si-eun with the mindset that he naturally grew attached to and relied on his friends such as Soo-ho and Beom-seok, who went through the incident together,' Park continued. ''In season two, I felt proud and relieved to see Si-eun open up his heart and begin to form friendships again as he grew.'' The show's hard-hitting action, a signature element of the series reflecting the raw violence among high school boys, was taken to new heights in the second season, Park noted. 'Season 2 had much more to express, which made it more difficult. I worried a lot about whether I could show something different from the first season,' he explained. 'In the second season, Si-eun is in a very broken state. He takes sleeping pills and wakes up from nightmares. A student who used to only study is now seen only sleeping at school. I talked a lot with the director about how to express not only his outer condition but also his inner collapse. I tried hard to portray Si-eun's desperation -- his eyes saying, 'Let's end this pathetic situation somehow.'' Going forward, Park is poised to continue the momentum with his next feature film, "The Man Who Lives With the King (working title)." The historical fiction project, featuring veteran stars Yoo Ji-tae and Jeon Mi-do, centers on a dethroned young king taken in by a village chief and his people. "I now want to become an actor who can share and connect with viewers through the emotions I portray. I think that's one of the challenges I need to overcome as an actor,' he reflected.
Hindustan Times
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Weak Hero Class 2 full cast: From Park Ji-hoon to Lee Jun-young
'Weak Hero Class 2' introduces a fresh wave of characters and talented actors who bring the Netflix K-drama to life. Here are the major cast members you'll encounter in this next chapter: Park Ji-hoon returns to the series to reprise as Yeon Si-eun – the former model student who attends the troubled Eunjang High School. Although he is still reeling from his guilt from the events of season 1, Si-eun finds himself in the middle of a notorious gang's turf war. Park is an actor and South Korean singer who was a former member of the project group Wanna One. His first big break was in the 2019 historical K-drama 'Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency.' At the beginning of the second season, Jun-tae is the head lackey for school bully Choi Hyo-man, who helps him steal the phones of Eungang students. Min-yeong is best known for playing Dae in the rom-com series XO, Kitty. Baku is the strongest at Eunjang High and the head of the Basketball club. He also has a reputation as a fighter. While also being good-natured, he has tried to make Eunjang a peaceful place, but he has unfinished business with Union leader Na Baek-jin. The clash may push the school back into violence. Ryeoun made his acting debut in 2017 and got his big break in romance and youth web series. His best work was for his main role in the 2023 fantasy drama 'Twinkling Watermelon.' Gotak is Baku's teammate and best friend, who also has a history with Baekjin and the Union. Min-jae rose to fame with his performance as Seo Geon-hu in the 2023 drama 'Crash Course in Romance.' Na Baek-jin is the leader of the Union – a rowdy gang of students from local high schools. Being one of the best fighters in the area, he is determined to bring Eunjang and his childhood friend Baku under his control. Bae Na-ra debuted as a musical actor in 2013 in stage productions such as Kinky Boots, Grease, West Side Story, and Evil Dead The Musical. His silver screen acting began with the K-drama 'D.P.' Seong-je is Baek-jin's chaotic evil lieutenant in the Union. Jun-young began his career as a K-pop idol in the group U-KISS in 2014. He has also starred in various movies since 2017, like 'Imitation' and 'Love and Leashes.' The Eunjang bully, who confronted Si-eun in the season 1 finale, returns in the new season. Yu Su-bin is best known for portraying Kim Ju-muk in the romance K-drama 'Crash Landing on You.' Si-eun regularly visits his best friend Su-ho, who is still in coma since the events of the first season. Hyun-wok has skyrocketed to fame with fan favourites like 'Racket Boys' and 'Twenty-Five Twenty-One.' The timid third member of season 1's trio, he is lingering in Si-eun's thoughts. Kyung is a Baeksang Arts Award-winning actor, known popularly for his roles in K-dramas like 'School 2017' and 'Lovers of the Red Sky.'
India Today
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Weak Hero Class 2 review: K-drama packs solid punch despite weak character arcs
When Weak Hero Class 1 landed, it didn't just break through the noise of high school dramas — it carved out a space of its own. Gritty, grounded, and heartbreakingly quiet at times, it understood violence not as action, but as aftermath. This season, though, doesn't quite rise to meet them. It simmers, it stings, but it never fully breaks the Weak Hero Class 1, the emotional deep dive into the characters' psyche made the audience resonate with them and internalise their pain. Through Yeon Si-eun's narration, we were granted access to his inner world — cold, calculating, but cracked with pain. Ahn Soo-ho and Oh Beom-seok were never mere sidekicks, they were layered, deeply human, shaped by bruises that weren't always physical. Beom-seok, in particular, was written with such nuance that even in betrayal, he never felt like a villain — just a boy too broken to choose the trailer of Weak Hero Class 2 here: However, this is (almost) completely missing in the second part. The fight sequences grow more intense, but there's always an emotional disconnect that does not let the audience immerse themselves completely into the Si-eun (Park Ji-hoon), now in a new school, carries more than trauma — he carries guilt, loss, and the kind of quiet fury that doesn't scream but simmers. Eunjang High might be a different battlefield, but the war — internal and external — has only escalated. Despite swearing off to not make any new connections, Si-eun finds an unlikely connection with Seo Jun-tae (Choi Min-yeong). Cornered and bullied, just like he once used to be, he tries to defend him, and a bond forms. He also forms a bond with Go Hyeon-tak, aka Gotak (Lee Min-jae), and Park Hu-min, aka Baku (Ryeoun), the latter being the person to keep violence off Eunjang High and preventing the students from joining the shady Union, run by Baku's old best friend turned adversary, Na Baek-jin (Bae Na-ra).Kang Hyun (Choi Min-young) brings a brief glimpse of what could be — camaraderie, maybe even peace — but we know that in Weak Hero, peace is always the calm before a storm. And when the storm strikes, it threatens, once again, to take away everything that Si-eun holds close. Park Ji-hoon plays Si-eun like a boy who's slowly calcifying into something colder. His silences speak volumes. His eyes — blank, then burning, then blank again — hold stories the dialogue can't touch. He recreates one of the most quietly devastating performances in a youth drama in recent years. There's no big breakdown, no cathartic moment of screaming rage; just a slow, crushing descent into numbness. And somehow, that hurts fight choreography remains a standout. It's quick, vicious, almost ugly at times — just how fights are supposed to be. It's intense, and fast, making you sit on the edge of your sofa during the sequences. The series, however, relies heavily on just the action. There are no slow, relishing-the-buildup kind of shots which made the first part stand out. Everything is hurried to reach the ultimate showdown, but, by then, you have significantly lost problem with Weak Heroes Season 2 lies with the character's alienation. What's Jun-tae's or Gotak's story, how did BFFs Baku and Baek-jin so detached that they became each other's arch nemesis, was Baek-jin also jealous of Su-eun's intellect - we never get to find out. It's worse for those who have read the Hero Class 2 wants to be a darker, more complex evolution of its predecessor. But in trying to escalate, it loses intimacy. It's still solid — well-acted, beautifully shot, and emotionally charged in flashes. But it doesn't cut as deep this time. And for a show that once knew how to wound with a whisper, that feels like a missed opportunity.3 out of 5 stars. advertisement
Time Magazine
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Breaking Down the Intense Ending of Weak Hero Class 2
W arning: This article contains major spoilers for the ending of Weak Hero Class 2. Weak Hero Class 1 ends at the beginning—of the webtoon, that is. The final scene of the coming-of-age action drama's first season is the first scene of its source material. In it, introverted teen Si-eun (played in the drama by Park Ji-hoon) arrives as a new student at Eunjang High School, and is almost immediately targeted by class bully Choi Hyo-man (Crash Landing on You 's Yoo Su-bin). Unbeknownst to Hyo-man, Si-eun is not someone to be trifled with. At his old school, Si-eun beat up the boys responsible for putting his friend, Su-ho (Choi Hyun-wook), into a coma. He may be a bird-boned bookworm, but, when necessary, he uses the same brain that makes him a top student to inflict precise harm against bullies much larger than him. It was only Si-eun's former friend, the misguided Oh Beom-seok (Hong Kyung), who was spared retribution for his part in Su-ho's severe injuries. Wracked with guilt over Su-ho's injuries, Si-eun enters Weak Hero Class 2 determined not to let another friend suffer a similar, gruesome fate. In the webtoon, Si-eun's traumatic backstory is told through a series of flashbacks. For the live-action K-drama adaptation, director-writer You Su-min and executive producer Han Jun-hee decided to make that backstory an entire, eight-episode season in Weak Hero Class 1. 'The original webtoon is a straightforward and intuitive school action story, where Yeon Si-eun seems to almost clear one stage at a time, like a game,' You tells TIME of the decision. 'If we followed that storyline from the beginning, I didn't think we could create a complete story, and I thought we had to first address how Si-eun and his friends got close and then drifted apart in order to complete the narrative.' This frees up Weak Hero Class 2, which releases on Netflix today in its entirety a month after the first season arrived on the streamer, to focus on the main plot of the webtoon, without losing any of the complexity or weight of Si-eun's past. Let's break down the major plot points of the new season, the climactic ending, and what could be in store for a possible Season 3. '[Si-eun is] riddled with trauma [at the beginning of Weak Hero Class 2 ], but he still wants to make new friends,' Park tells TIME of his character. 'I was curious if that would actually be possible for him, emotionally.' While Si-eun is initially resistant, fellow students Park Hu-min (Namib 's Ryeo-un), Seo Jun-tae (XO Kitty 's Choi Min-yeong), and Ko Hyeon-tuk (Uprising 's Lee Min-jae) eventually break through Si-eun's defenses to become his new friends. Park Hu-min, or Baku, is considered the strongest fighter at Eunjang. 'I don't find him very skilled in fighting, but he's just a natural-born very strong person,' Ryeo-un says of his character. 'He's got very hard, strong punches, and instead of going for the more precise skills, he just deals a very big punch to someone or just makes him fly out of his way.' Baku's protection has kept Eunjang from falling under the violent control of the Union, an alliance of gangs based in the local high schools. When the season begins, Baku is out of school due to suspension, allowing the Union a chance to get their claws into the Eunjang student body. Ko Hyeon-tuk, also known as Gotak, is Baku's best friend and fellow member of the basketball team. His background in the martial arts makes him good in a fight. 'He's a former taekwondo athlete, so he knows how to use his legs, so he's got really good kicks,' says Lee. 'That's something that sets him apart from the other guys.' At the start of the season, Jun-tae has been coerced into acting as the Eunjang bullies' errand boy. He initially steals the students' phones, per Hyo-man's orders, but is inspired by Si-eun to stand up for himself and others. '[Jun-tae is] not a good fighter, but he's got skills,' says Choi. 'He knows how to take a punch and not make it feel too hurtful … While he might not be a good physical fighter, I think he has his own means in helping out in a fight, in a bigger sense.' How does union leader Na Baek-jin know Baku? While much of Weak Hero Class 2 is concerned with the formation of Si-eun's new friend group, it takes place within the violent pressures of the Union. The Union is run by teen Na Baek-jin (D.P. 's Bae Na-ra). Brilliant and ruthless, Baek-jin is almost impossible to beat in a fight. Baek-jin shares a complicated relationship with Baku. The two became friends as boys when Baku saved Baek-jin from bullies, teaching him how to fight back. Because of this, Baku feels responsible for the hurt Baek-jin has caused with those skills. Meanwhile, Baek-jin still wants to be Baku's friend, using threats against Baku's newly formed friend group to temporarily force Baku to join the Union, mid-season. 'I wanted to emphasize strong dramatic elements within the story,' You told TIME of his decision to tweak Baek-jin's backstory. 'To do so, the buildup of the characters' relationships had to be done well, and the basic setting had to be well-established. Baek-jin and Baku's story seemed appropriate to emphasize the theme of our series and add strong dramatic elements to the storyline.' Thematically, the fractured friendship works well in a story that is so much about the joys of friendship and the pain of a camaraderie betrayed. In the final episode, it is revealed that Baek-jin has been donating the money he makes from his criminal consortium to an orphanage. It is implied that Baek-jin grew up there, as the woman who runs the place and accepts Baek-jin's donations, seems to know him personally. She is worried about where Baek-jin is getting the money. Weak Hero Class 2 builds to a massive showdown between the members of the Union and the Eunjang student body. The two groups meet on a muddy basketball court, and fight. If the Union wins, then Eunjang will join the Union. If the Union wins, then Baek-jin will disband the gang, leaving Eunjang in peace. Before the fight, Si-eun uses his smarts and study skills to come up with a plan. First, he recruits Geum Seong-ju (When Life Gives You Tangerines ' Lee Jun-young), Baek-jin's right-hand man in the Union. Seong-ju likes being part of the Union, but he likes the 'fun' of violence more. He jumps at the chance to cause greater havoc, agreeing to leak financial records. Si-eun asks Choi Hyo-man to spread the information to the Union's lower-level members, and the Eunjang bully agrees. He just wants to be a trusted part of someone's plan. News of Baek-jin taking tens of thousands of dollars out of the burner account spreads discord among Baek-jin's ranks, who are only in it for the money. On the day of the fight, the Union force's numbers and determination are diminished. Unfortunately, Seong-je knows no loyalty, and agrees to beat up Si-eun for Baek-jin on the morning of the fight. He lures Si-eun to Baek-jin's bowling headquarters, claiming there is more evidence there that could help take down the Union for good. Si-eun manages to escape, with Jun-tae's help, but he is late to the fight. In the meantime, Baku has given it his all to face off against Baek-jin. 'This is not why I taught you,' he tells his old friend, before going for his arms and shoulders again and again. The two are well-matched, but Baek-jin eventually comes out on top. Everyone thinks this is the end, and that the Union has won, until Si-eun shows up. He puts on his brass knuckles, and goes for Baek-jin's legs. Si-eun knows he cannot win against Baek-jin, but he can last until Baku has the strength to get up again. 'How wide is the margin of error, asshole?' Baek-jin asks Si-eun, once he understands that Baku's focus on his arms and Si-eun's focus on his legs was all part of Si-eun's plan. 'We're in it,' Si-eun, teeth bloodied and almost tapped out, tells him. 'We're in my margin of error.' Baku gets back up, and takes out an exhausted Baek-jin once and for all. Eunjang has won, and the Union has lost. There was a great deal of behind-the-scenes planning that went into the climactic fight, which took roughly a month to film. 'First of all, the safety of the actors was the top priority,' says Han. 'Since it was an action scene with dozens of people fighting while it was raining, emergency medical staff were always on standby, and we closely checked the actors' condition between takes.' Good condition meant not just physically, but emotionally, as the final fight includes some of the most emotionally intense scenes of the entire season. 'The actors who had to maintain such overflowing emotions for a whole month must have been very tired both physically and mentally, so we paid close attention,' adds Han. Ryeo-un says that, while filming was intense, it is the kind of action scene that boys grow up dreaming about being a part of. 'All of the actors there were actual actors, not just extras,' he tells TIME. 'So they were all very passionate about this scene. And while it was a little bit physically demanding, to be honest, Min-yeong, who didn't have to take part in that scene, would actually come over to the set to encourage us and to root for us.' Su-ho and Beom-seok's Weak Hero Class 2 appearances Weak Hero Class 1 ends with Su-ho in a coma. The uncertain fate of his best friend impacts Si-eun throughout the season. He often visits Su-ho in the hospital, and confides in his unconscious friend about what he is going through. 'To Si-eun, these two are the very first friends he's ever had, and he really desperately needed them when they came to him,' Park tells TIME of the importance of Beok-seok and Su-ho's Season 2 appearances. He can't just move on, not thinking about them.' In Episode 7, Si-eun imagines a conversation with Beom-seok. Si-eun apologizes to his friend, still wracked with guilt that he couldn't do more to save him from himself. 'When Si-eun is lying unconscious, he looks for Su-ho, and when he's dreaming, he dreams of Beom-seok who kind of scolds him, saying like, 'Are you making new friends again?'' explains Park. 'So I think these are moments that show how much they mean to Si-eun because these friends still live in his heart.' In Episode 8, Si-eun gets a call while he is out with Baku, Gotak, and Jun-tae: Su-ho has finally woken up. Wrought with emotion, he goes to see his best friend, bringing along his new friends. 'How's it going,' Su-ho asks Si-eun, like no time has passed. He notices his new friends. Su-ho, who has only ever wanted Su-ho to not be alone, is happy for him. 'That's good to see.' The season ends with Si-eun's smile. Who kills Baek-jin? Mid-credits funeral explained Following the fight, Baek-jin disappears. 'Will Baek-jin now get the right answer to the question he had gotten wrong?' wonders Si-eun in voiceover narration. He obviously feels sympathy for the antagonist, despite the hurt he has caused. If Beom-seok is the tragic character of Weak Hero Class 1, then Baek-jin is the tragic character of Weak Hero Class 2. In a mid-credits sequence, we see Han Jeong-mi (Hospital Playlist 's Jo Jung-suk) approach Seong-je with an offer to replace Baek-jin. Jeong-mi is the leader of Cheongang, the ruling adult gang of the district. When asked, Jeong-mi claims not to know where Baek-jin is but, when we cut to Baek-jin's funeral, a wreath sent by Cheongang implies that Jeong-mi was responsible for the teen's untimely death. Presumably, Baek-jin was killed for his failure in leading the Union, and therefore his failure within Cheongang. Si-eun, Baku, Go-tak, and Jun-tae all attend Baek-jin's funeral. Baku is particularly distraught at the death of his old friend. 'While we kind of grew apart, I think there was a little bit of that friendship left inside of Baku,' Ryeo-un tells TIME. 'When we were in that very last fight, when you see me in the action scene, I'm kind of smiling when I'm throwing punches and fighting with him. I think my character felt like he was poking fun with his old friend, like a play date, because they grew up playing together.' Of filming the funeral scene, Ryeo-un says: 'When Baek-jin actually died, my heart was broken, and I was actually quite emotional when I was on set filming that scene, because I am very good friends with him in person as well.' The heartbreaking scene not only teases that there may be more story left to tell, but also reinforces the preciousness of the friendship Baek-jin and Baku once shared. Even lost, first through Baek-jin's actions and then his untimely death, the value of what it once meant to Baku remains. 'While working with director You on Class 1 and 2, we talked a lot about how this is a story about friends,' Han tells TIME of the series' ultimate theme. 'The concept of friends is familiar to everyone, and we sometimes forget their importance, but in the series, Si-eun also has a line saying, 'I realized it's good to have friends.'' And, like that line, I think it will be a series that you can relate to more when you think about your friends and the meaning of the friends around you.' Weak Hero Class 3: Will the K-drama have a third season? While there has been no official announcement about Weak Hero Class 3, another season seems likely, given the series' success so far. The first season reached Netflix's Global Top Ten following its release on Netflix, three years following its initial premiere. However, a third season is no doubt dependent on how Weak Hero Class 2 does. 'After the final mixing of Class 2, director You and I had a drink and talked about what it would be like if we were to do the next story, but that's about it,' says Han. 'I think there are definitely stories left that we can do in a fun way, but of course, it depends on how much viewers love Class 2. Of a potential third season, he adds: 'If there's a Class 3, we are ready to cover the period from Si-eun's third year of high school to graduation.'
