"I think Yeon Si-eun resembles me the most". Yeon Si-eun from 'Weak Hero' did not just appear out of nowhere. The boy who became a hero in the 'Weak Hero' series, which captivated global fans after transitioning from the Wave platform to Netflix, is singer and actor Park Ji-hoon.
Park Ji-hoon conducted an interview on the morning of the 28th in Samcheong-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. He played the role of the main character Yeon Si-eun in the Netflix original series 'Weak Hero Class 2' (shortened as Weak Hero 2), delivering an outstanding performance once again after season 1. During this event, Park Ji-hoon candidly shared about 'Weak Hero 2' and his recent updates with the domestic press.
'Weak Hero 2' is a drama that depicts the brutal survival and brilliant growth story of the exemplary student Yeon Si-eun (Park Ji-hoon), who transfers to Eunjeonggo after facing trauma from failing to protect a friend against violence. It is based on the popular webtoon of the same name, and the first season was released on Wave in 2022, receiving high praise.
Unlike the first season, season 2 has moved to Netflix. This led to the expression 'Netflix adopted child' being created. The effect of being released on the global platform Netflix manifested as international popularity. According to FlixPatrol, a global OTT ranking aggregation site, 'Weak Hero' rose to 2nd place in the global TV show rankings just three days after its release.
Did Park Ji-hoon, who starred in the work, also feel the difference? He noted, "I think the strength of this school drama that many viewers like lies in the enhanced action and the narrative about the protagonist, mixed with a sense of sorrow and a sad bromance chemistry. I thought there would be various heroes who were good at fighting and studying during our school lives. I also had friends like that, so I think those aspects combined made a lot of people enjoy it."
However, he remarked, "Actually, I'm not someone who pays much attention to the reactions," and added, "It seems like nothing has changed just because something has changed. I tried to focus on developing the story of Yeon Si-eun more."
Nonetheless, it was a topic of discussion when 'Weak Hero 1' was re-released through Netflix after three years. Park Ji-hoon expressed, "From the actor's and the production company's perspective, it's very good. It’s a great honor," he smiled. He continued, "After filming 'Weak Hero 2', the positive response for season 1 made me feel that we did well. It was a joy to synchronize with the other actors."
In fact, the 'Weak Hero' series has been praised not only for Park Ji-hoon but also for the friendships and bromance chemistry among the cast. In season 1, the strong and multifaceted relationships between Yeon Si-eun, Ahn Soo-ho (Choi Hyun-wook), and Oh Beom-seok (Hong Kyung) garnered attention. In 'Weak Hero 2', the relationships that Yeon Si-eun forms with new friends such as 'Baku' Park Hu-min (Ryeowoon), 'Go Tak' Ko Hyun-tak (Lee Min-jae), and Seo Joon-tae (Choi Min-young), as well as with villains like Choi Hyo-man (Yoo Soo-bin), Geum Seong-jae (Lee Jun-young), and Na Baek-jin (Bae Na-ra), show powerful performances.
"Before we released it, we all did a 'group viewing' together," he revealed, expressing a unique attachment and camaraderie among the cast. He recounted, "I actually cried during the 'group viewing.' For some reason, it left a long-lasting impression. After seeing the final scene, I had a thought: 'We ran this far for this moment.' I wonder if everyone, including the actors and the director, was running toward that one moment. The memories of how we shot the action scenes, or even when we were sweating and crying on hot or cold days, all came rushing back to me. There was an overflow of emotion from that."
He also talked about the dynamics with his new friends, saying, "They are all actors with very different strengths. In fact, I didn’t start filming in such a close relationship. I wasn’t filming while being super close. It was still a lot of fun during season 1, and the director felt like a close brother, making it comfortable to shoot."
He added, "Baku really resembled Soo-ho. I wondered who could display such lively energy, and while filming, I felt a resemblance. I tried to express it that way. Joon-tae shows a side that never breaks down even in front of the strong, and I thought that this friend truly embodies 'strong against the weak' philosophy. It’s not just that strength alone makes someone fall; it’s admirable, and I thought I’d act that way too if I were them. Go Tak should not be left out of the story, and I felt that Go Tak exists because of Baku. The characters were very well crafted."
Among the various characters, the combination of Yeon Si-eun and Geum Seong-jae, colloquially referred to by original fans as 'Yeon Geum War,' has garnered particular attention in 'Weak Hero 2.' In fact, before the release of the work, Park Ji-hoon confessed to feeling a sense of intimidation when seeing Lee Jun-young during a promotional web program. It turned out that the two are known to be close friends in the entertainment industry, which surprised many.
In this context, Park Ji-hoon shared, "In the bathroom scene, I always had to be tense when filming with Lee Jun-young, who plays Geum Seong-jae. Other actors also synchronize well and adapt to changes on set, but Jun-young was really that fast with his punches. I could actually hear the wind from them. Though we needed to stay tense while filming, I realized that if I didn’t concentrate, that could turn into serious trouble. I actually felt tense while filming. His punches were so fast. That day was the first shoot, and when he walked with his hands in his pockets, it just felt like Geum Seong-jae. Even on set, I told him, 'Hyung, you really are Geum Seong-jae.' Watching him walk like that made a scary impression. It was sharp."
"Hyung actually resembles Geum Seong-jae in personality," he noted, adding, "He’s not aggressive, but rather likes ‘romance’ and freedom, which I think makes him appear threatening." He also shared about Lee Jun-young, stating, "He's a hyung I really like and one who sincerely takes care of me, supports me, and likes me. Even on days we don’t shoot, we find a practice room together, and without a set time, we dance freely and express ourselves to the music. Both of us love street dance; he does hip-hop while I enjoy popping, so we end up chatting, meeting privately, finding a practice room, and just playing music, thinking ‘this song is nice,’ while expressing ourselves, filming videos, monitoring, and commenting. I cherish those times. I think those aspects fit well, leading to mutual fondness and quick bonding."
However, as Lee Jun-young is portrayed as an attractive villain, Yeon Si-eun's presence and so-called 'combat power' seem to have weakened relative to season 1. Still, Park Ji-hoon expressed, "Some might think that way," but added, "In season 2, I was trying to save Joon-tae from Hyo-man. However, it wasn’t from a place of affection; I didn't hit Hyo-man after transferring. I understand some might think selfishness could be a reason for not taking action. The character fought to protect friends but ultimately could not, and came to transfer while overcoming trauma. So, it might seem disappointing thinking he is a character who fights out of necessity rather than willingly. However, if you focus on the story of why Si-eun is reluctant to fight, you will understand."
Above all, he mentioned, "In season 1, I wanted to show the emotions accumulated from losing a friend," stating, "Instead, I felt that as Si-eun developed resilience, he became better at fighting. In the script, it seems that connecting to season 1 could lead to changes in Si-eun's fighting style or other emotions. Because of this, I felt that in season 2, the character was more infused with evil. Rather than finishing fights, it felt more like, 'Let’s stop this tiresome act.’ He fought better, and the way he attacked using objects felt more mystical."
The emotional changes of Yeon Si-eun were highlighted by Park Ji-hoon’s compelling performance and earnest expressions. There were reactions such as, 'Did he even calculate the trembling of the cheek?' Smiling, Park Ji-hoon commented, "I was surprised when I saw it too. Honestly, I don’t calculate. I just enter with a basic awareness of the situation. I don’t carry various strategies with me to the set. I only understand the framework of the situation. It’s like I take a sheet of A4 paper in my brain and manage only the situations and scene descriptions I comprehend. I write down what I should express as I go along."
Of all the scenes in 'Weak Hero 2', the moment when Park Ji-hoon expressed his most pleasing gaze was during the scene where he fights Na Baek-jin and confidently says, "I won!" and then looks back at Na Baek-jin. Park Ji-hoon explained, "Yeon Si-eun and Na Baek-jin have many similarities. Both are good at fighting and studying. Although their paths diverge at the end, I felt that there was a point where that friend could have walked the same path as me. Na Baek-jin ends up with no friends, while Si-eun gains friends by the end. I considered if there were similarities when looking at Na Baek-jin."
Furthermore, he noted, "Reflecting on season 1 through flashbacks felt quite fun, although it might be a dangerous expression to use; it was difficult to express the sad and complex emotions with those people. So, I thought about it a lot and studied it," he continued, "Subtly, that aspect was tough. There are scenes where the four of us are captured together, like when Baku says he got the numbers of female classmates, and there’s a moment where Si-eun glances at the number with a slight smile. I wondered if this frame of Si-eun shows how comfortable he is, which made capturing those moments challenging."
Yeon Si-eun, who overcomes the trauma of violence in season 1 and grows alongside new friends in 'Weak Hero 2', seems to reflect Park Ji-hoon’s own growth. This impact showcases that Park Ji-hoon, who drew attention as 'Wink Boy' and 'Saving Man' in 'Produce 101 Season 2', can also become substantial and serious through his acting.
Most importantly, Park Ji-hoon shared, "I thought this character was the one most similar to me. Since I relied on my parents during my childhood as a child actor, I spent a lot of time alone and had few friends. By considering and studying those aspects, I could express a lonely figure. It was quite similar to my own childhood. I felt a considerable degree of sync with this character. Emotionally, the times when I was alone feel most similar to Si-eun."
He stated, "I still haven’t found the answer to why I didn’t have friends. I wonder if it’s because I used dialects or something similar. That seems right. While being a child actor, I went for shoots in local settings, and I spent more time with my parents than my classmates. Naturally, I became distant from my friends. Although it’s a painful memory, I haven’t found an answer to it."
He added, "That said, I don’t think I can call the cuteness I express on stage acting. That too is a type of image. I think I have a certain cuteness that I can express. I wanted to show that even as a trainee. I liked those aspects. However, I’m not the type with a lot of cuteness. Yet, in those moments of expression, it felt genuine. Many people appreciated it, which helped me gain confidence and strive to express myself cuter."
Furthermore, Park Ji-hoon remarked, "When it comes to laughter scenes, I contemplated how much I should laugh. While studying, I felt happy thinking, 'In the end, everything is laughing?' Even if for a moment, Si-eun's smile is comforting, and seeing friends together gives me solace. It made me realize that Si-eun, who rarely smiles, is able to smile alongside these friends. It feels very comfortable, bringing comfort to me."
Park Ji-hoon, who felt a refreshing sense of happiness through the ending of 'Weak Hero 2', wonders if he will be seen in season 3. He cautiously responded, "If many people love it, I think the possibilities will open up," smiling. He added, "I don’t think it's my place to mention 'Weak Hero Class 3,'" showing modesty, and mused, "In my solitary thoughts, if season 3 were to happen, I think it could depict a growth story after the high school senior year or when we're adults. Although it sounds unreasonable, it could also be plausible and fun to have high schoolers dealing with some incidents involving adults."
Currently filming the new movie 'The Man Who Lives With the King' directed by Jang Hang-jun, Park Ji-hoon shared, "I’m enjoying filming with my seniors. I’m preparing to show a slightly different side. I’m working hard, trying to keep the emotional feelings I experience in the moment. I can’t go into detail about how it’s being filmed, but I’m researching and thinking about ways to show different charming aspects. I have taken on the role of Dan Jong, which allows me to express various interesting emotions, so I'm diligently filming."
'As the 'Saving Man' and Yeon Si-eun of 'Weak Hero', what will Park Ji-hoon's next goal be? He expressed, "Frankly speaking, while I have shown many appearances, I do not feel that I have been recognized as an actor. There are many areas where I lack, and I have a desire to express even more. Since my filmography isn’t extensive and there are many aspects I haven’t shown, I feel that to earn recognition, I must work on more projects and share various positive emotions with viewers."
[Photo] Provided by Netflix.
[OSEN]