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Park Ji-hoon is known for his sublime depictions, especially while portraying complex characters, as in ‘At a Distance, Spring Is Green,’ ‘Weak Hero Class 1,’ and more.
Park Ji-hoon returns as Yeon Si-eun in ‘Weak Hero Class 2.’ Photo: courtesy of Netflix.
Park Ji-hoon’s upcoming Weak Hero Class 2 has been gaining traction for a while. In the run-up to its release, anticipation for the intense action high school drama has doubled since Netflix, in [what I believe] was a strategic acquisition, made the first installment, Weak Hero Class 1, available just before launching the new season, reviving the show’s popularity almost three years after its initial airing. In effect, it has also influenced the popularity of its cast, notably Park Ji-hoon, known for his consummate portrayal in the titular role.
Park has had a protracted career in Korean entertainment since 2006, making his mark in diverse roles and projects. Speaking of K-dramas, the following are his best works in the genre that I suggest you watch before Weak Hero Class 2 arrives.
Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency (2019)
This period drama unfolds in the Joseon era, when Hanyang’s famous Flower Crew marriage agency—comprising Ma Hoon (Kim Min-jae), Young-soo (Park Ji-hoon), and Do Joon (Byeon Woo-seok)—is approached by the new king to help him win a commoner girl he loves. As the matchmaking team undertakes the challenge of changing her so she can blend in with the royalty, several secrets and mysteries are unveiled while relationship dynamics evolve through various plotlines in this engaging romantic comedy.
Park Ji-hoon’s Young-soo adds to the appeal of Flower Crew with style, energy, and cuteness (often flashed in his aegyo moments). An adept groomer, Young-soo is loved for his impeccable fashion sense and makeover skills. However, he’s scarred from a harrowing past, pushing him to camouflage his reality and live life as a different person—a portrayal that Park breathes life into seamlessly, inhabiting the contrasting and complex aspects of Young-soo’s narrative.
Love Revolution (2020)
Based on the webtoon of the same name, this teen drama follows Gong Joo-young (Park Ji-hoon), an extroverted high schooler who falls in love with the very withdrawn Wang Ja-rim (Lee Ruby). She’s disinterested, bothered even by Joo-young’s advances and his flashy displays of affection. Even so, Ja-rim is compelled to accept his proposal when he keeps pursuing her and never gives up on her.
Known for deft acting, especially in playing nuanced characters, Park Ji-hoon was appreciated for precisely capturing the subtleties of adolescence as Joo-young navigates the feelings of first love, the various heartwarming moments of camaraderie, his burgeoning emotions for Ja-rim, and his challenges while coming to terms with his sense of self, all of which contribute to the overall charm of the drama.
At a Distance, Spring Is Green (2021)
At a Distance, Spring Is Green draws attention to the youth—their behavioral and mental health issues through the challenges of college life, peer and academic pressures, financial worries, and relationship struggles—dramatizing the hit webtoon but in a way diverging from the original story by removing the BL (boy love) angle.
The main protagonist, Yeo Joon (Park Ji-hoon), is a rich kid, jovial and the cynosure of eyes in his college circle. However, beneath his cheerful exterior lies a deeper, troubled self, hidden from the world. When a serious and cynical senior enters the campus, Yeo Joon seeks to befriend him for want of a real friend. They hit a rocky start with contrasting personalities and backgrounds, causing friction, but their shared pain bridges the gap as the plot progresses.
Park aptly captures the complex and often unspoken emotions of Yeo Joon, especially when he’s struggling with himself. He very convincingly portrays that suppressed pain, his desperate need for validation and love, and his struggle to find them outside of a dismissive family.
Weak Hero Class 1 (2022)
One of my favorite high school dramas to date, this one has only eight episodes but is so fully fleshed out and ends with the most intriguing cliffhanger, foreshadowing what’s to come in the second season.
Certainly one of his best portrayals, Park Ji-hoon had me hooked throughout his run in the episodes as he etched out in detail Yeon Si-eun and his experiences in the violent and notorious world of his school, plagued with bullying, social stratification, and, of course, teenage problems.
Another excellent live-action version of this acclaimed webtoon, Weak Hero Class 1, centers on Si-eun, who is meritorious but physically weak, leveraging his erudite brain to outwit his bullies. He beats and is beaten, attracting more foes when his classmate and expert fighter Ahn Su-ho (Choi Hyun-wook) comes to his rescue, as does the timid Oh Beom-seok (Hong Kyung), the son of an influential assemblyman. The three forge a uniquely solid bond, only to have it broken when bullying worsens, fights escalate, and misunderstandings deepen, resulting in a graphic tale of action, emotion, and betrayal.
The profound emotional connection between the standoffish Si-eun and the outgoing Su-ho hits a raw nerve, amped by phenomenal performances. The role earned Park multiple nods and awards, including Best New Actor at the prestigious Blue Dragon Series Awards (2023).
Love Song for Illusion (2024)
Sajo Hyun, an enigmatic crown prince who doubles as a fashion designer, and the accursed Ak-hee, his alter ego who suffers severe pain anytime Yeon Wol (Hong Ye-ji) touches him, are played by Park Ji-hoon in this webtoon-based fantasy period romance. Yeon Wol is actually from a royal family and a victim of political scheming who now intends to kill the king, but things get mired when she becomes Sajo Hyun’s concubine after losing her memories.
Park brings nuance to his characters, transitioning between being sensitive and fierce in a detailed portrayal of each side’s emotions and agendas effectively. His onscreen rapport with Hong makes their relationship engaging as they traverse the intricacies of their situations and finally fall in love.
