Weak Hero (UA-16+)

Based on Manhwa/Webtoon/Webcomic "Yakhanyoungwoong" written by Seo Pae-Seu & illustrated by Kim Jin-Seok (first published from May 5, 2018 via Naver).

Casting In an interview at the 27th Busan International Film Festival, the directors Yoo Soo-min and Han Jun-hee explained the casting process. Han revealed they wanted to "invite actors who can lead Korean films in the next generation and actors who have great energy." He continued, "There are actors, former singers, some models, and people who worked out that I didn't know while watching the work. Now, with experiences in various categories, I can see the faces of actors with good expressions and performances. [...] I think it became a work that I liked because I could see the colourful faces behind it." He also revealed the casting of Park, Shortcake's CEO Lee Myung-jin originally suggested the idol actor for the role after being amazed by his performance in At a Distance, Spring Is Green. After reviewing his older work and interviews, he was convinced, and the suggestion was passed along to director Yoo Soo-min.

ReceptionCritical responseAfter being screened from episode 1 to episode 3 as an invitational film at the 27th Busan International Film Festival "On Screen", it has been evaluated as a perfect well-made drama with the story, directing, acting, and music and is considered one of the most anticipated drama in the second half of the year. At Letterboxd, 107 viewers give the series a composite score of 4.5 of 5 stars, and scored 9.7 points on Viki.YTN's Kim Seong-hyun consider "the most eye-catching work among numerous contents this year", praising the drama for its "appropriate balance of power between the characters shown by the three actors and the different charms they add to the densely packed story and the unpredictable development", with high-intensity action, which is "overflowing with a sense of impact and yet in touch with reality", and "Primary music filled with lyrical yet sensuous melodies". Sudarshana Ganguly of The Telegraph, an Indian English daily newspaper named the drama as "2022 Best K-drama". She then gave the drama a rating of 4.5/5 stars and said that the drama "stands out with its striking realism. It does not show a redeeming avenger but rather, flawed characters who often get caught up in the very cycle they are trying to break." She continue and praised Park Ji-hoon for his "nuanced acting, down to his expressions, [and the] delivery of subtle emotions", and Choi Hyun-wook's "charismatic character that stands out on his own". Writing for Forbes, Joan MacDonald opined that the drama "offers plenty of surprises and interesting character development. Intense, fast-paced and well-acted, a look at how devastating bullying can be." Kim Soo-hyun of The Chosun Ilbo wrote in the article the interesting points of the series are the realistic story of Sieun, Sooho, and Beomseok, fresh and original action movements that have never been seen anywhere else, three lead actors (Park Ji-hoon, Choi Hyun-wook, and Hong Kyung) who have established themselves as 'trustworthy actors' among the Rising Star, and the remarkable directing between two directors. Kim concluded by saying that Weak Hero is "the best well-made work in the second half of 2022, with the story, directing, acting, and action." Park Jin-young of JoyNews24 wrote that the series "enhances the sense of reality by containing the worries that everyone has experienced at least once in their adolescence, such as the bond with friends, a sense of belonging somewhere, and the desire to take a step forward for a better future." Gong Hee-jeong, a drama critic, said, "Although the action scenes are stimulating and horrifying, the point that makes us think about the faults of adults beyond children's violence by sufficiently capturing the position and inner feelings of each character stands out." A culture critic, Jung Deok-hyeon, analyzed, "At the point when you think about what kind of conflict there will be a new sense of immersion is formed as problems within the children's relationship erupt." Several Korean medias dubbed Choi Hyun-wook's character Ahn Soo-ho as the "Fighter of Loyalty".

Promotion On September 22, the official trailer video of Weak Hero Class 1 was released on the official website of the Busan International Film Festival, YouTube channel, and Wave YouTube channel, while the second trailer and poster were released on November 7. As the official sponsor for 27th Busan International Film Festival, Wavve installed several brand booth including a photo zone for Weak Hero Class 1 at the Haeundae Beach. On the premier day of 27th BIFF, director Yoo Soo-min, creative director Han Jun-hee, and actors Park Ji-hoon, Choi Hyun-wook, Hong Kyung, Shin Seung-ho, and Lee Yeon attended the festival's open talk event held at the Busan Cinema Center in Haeundae-gu.The press conference and production presentation for the drama was held on November 16, 2022, at CGV Yongsan I-Park Mall in Seoul.Wavve held the largest ticket discount event to mark the opening of its original drama Weak Hero Class 1. Wavve sells annual tickets at a 41% discount for 13 days from 10:00 (KST) on the day of its released. This marks the first time that a 12-month pass for all premium, standard, and basic products is offered at a discounted price.A choreography video for the second title track, "Brass Knuckle", was released on December 15, 2022, by Prime Kingz, a world-class crump dance team.

All eight episodes were released on Wavve on November 18, 2022, and simultaneously aired with multi-language subtitles on OTT media service for other countries. It was considered one of the most anticipated dramas in the year's second half after the screening at the 27th Busan International Film Festival.