After a wait of two and a half years, the second chapter in the Weak Hero series, titled Weak Hero Class 2, debuted on Netflix on April 25, 2025, with much fanfare. The action thriller is based on the manhwa of the same name, created by Seopass and Kim Jin Seok.
Weak Hero Class 1 premiered on 19 November 2022, on Wavve, South Korea's homegrown streaming platform, but Netflix bought the rights for the second season after the unprecedented success of the first part.
Fans of the manhwa and series who quickly binge-watched Weak Hero Class 2 have taken to social media to share their disappointment, calling out Netflix for a lackluster adaptation that failed to meet expectations, skipped key details from the comic, and didn¡¯t live up to the seamless execution of the first part.
Weak Hero Class 2 picks up after the heartbreaking finale of the first part, which left Ahn Su Ho (Choi Hyun Wook) in a vegetative state while Yeon Si Eun (Park Ji Hoon) was forced to transfer schools. Carrying the burden of his guilt as he held himself accountable for Su Ho's state, Si Eun has sworn to practice solitude in his new school, Eunjang High. However, it doesn't take him long to realise that his uniform may have changed, but his circumstances have not, as he once again finds himself entangled in the dark and gritty world of bullies¡ª only this time, they're more dangerous than ever.
Just like in the first part, despite his cold and distant demeanor, he gets lucky with friends (let's forget Oh Beom Seok) and finds himself united with Park Hu Min (Ryeo Un), Seo Jun Tae (Choi Min Yeong), and Lee Go Hyeon Tak (Lee Min Jae). Together, they fight against the Union, led by Na Baek Jin (Bae Na Ra) of Yeoil High, his second in command Geum Seong Je (Lee Jun Young) of Ganghak High, the third in command Do Seong Mok of Yeonsung High, and Baek Dong Ha. The Union is supported by the gangster CEO Choi (Jo Jung Suk) of the Cheon Gang.
The series weaves a compelling narrative, showcasing the dehumanising bullying culture in South Korean schools, while also portraying heartwarming friendships that make the likes of Seo Jun Tae believe in the power of Newton's third law. To every good action, there's a good action.
Fans, especially those who have read the manhwa, are not feeling Weak Hero Class 2, with many pointing out that the second part, consisting of eight episodes, is too fast-paced and doesn't focus on the development of characters.
Several K-drama fanatics also accused Netflix of toning down on the fight sequences that made Weak Hero Class 1 the phenomenon it is today. Some also called out the "weak writing," which allegedly lacked impact.
Taking to X, one user wrote, "Netflix absolutely butchered Weak Hero 2!!! What was one of my favorite Kdramas of all time? Looks like shit now."
"Weak hero class 2!!! The live action didn¡¯t do justice; they¡¯ve just ruined my favorite webtoon¡ it¡¯s just a completely different story!!! Too many important characters are missing, and it's very rushed... I'm all excited for nothing.," one user added.
Meanwhile, fans on Reddit echoed similar sentiments, with one user writing, "I've only watched the first four episodes till now, and if I'm not lying, it's mostly a mess and nowhere close to either the manhwa or Class 1; they rushed it way too much. Character development is pretty bleak, ngl. Fight scenes are good, especially Grey and Wolf's fight; they nailed that one down. As for Donald, it's pretty weird to explain, as they changed his character way too much, and I'm currently unsure if that's a change for the better or worse. My thoughts might change a bit after finishing it, but yeah, for now, that's it."
Another user wrote, "Literally 220+ chapters in just 8, 30-minute episodes; it's nothing close to manhwa or season 1."
"Cool fight sequences, but the overall pacing was way too rushed for me. I felt like they were just going through the motions, and they really didn't show Gray doing much observing of his opponents or working his way up the ranks and making a name for himself ¡ª it feels like he lost most fights.
and everything was just sort of mashed together. Donald Na felt very underwhelming ¡ª not the actor's fault, but they nuked his backstory.
Everyone's acting is great, and the friend group (Gray/Ben/Alex/Eugene) has fantastic chemistry, but I couldn't actually buy into any emotional scenes because there was no build-up to them. The banter is delightful, though.
My favorite adapted character is probably Wolf; I loved him in the webtoon as well, and he really feels just as unhinged in the drama," added another Redditor.
Check out more comments in the Reddit thread below:
What's your thoughts about season 2?
byu/999_XXX_ inWeakHero
All eight episodes of Weak Hero Class 2 are now streaming on Netflix.
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