Weak Hero Season 1 & 2

Strength in Vulnerability: Lessons from Weak Hero

If you’re into action — this is definitely for you. Although, just a heads-up, it can be pretty gruesome at times, showing very vivid scenes of blood and fighting. Beyond just the entertainment, there are some really important things to take away from this drama when it comes to bullying and how we, as a society, are helping — or failing — the adolescents of today’s world.

Bullying isn’t like the old '90s movies where it's just someone getting teased or picked on — it’s way deeper than that. It’s devastating to the soul and the mind. It doesn’t just hurt the adolescent who's trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into this crazy, complicated world; it also impacts their emotional and mental health on every level — through verbal, social, emotional, and mental abuse.

This series shows the raw anger Lee Si-eun, the main character, holds onto — and how he uses it to protect himself and the few meaningful relationships he builds along the way. For adolescents, friendships aren’t just about having someone to hang out with — they are absolutely critical. They represent the deep human connection we need to develop healthy social skills and a solid sense of self.

Without those connections, adolescents miss out on major developmental stages — not just learning about themselves, but also learning about how to be in this world. That’s why teenagers seek out their cliques — they’re trying to figure out who they like, what they like, who they get along (“vibe”) with, and their boundaries. And these things are learned through connection with other people.

When someone is isolated, when those deep connections are stripped away, the risk of depression and social anxiety increases.

Throughout the drama, you see the friendships that Lee Si-eun builds — and you see him grow emotionally and socially. It’s subtle but so powerful — the way his demeanor changes, the smiles he didn’t know he had, the moments that he thought was dreadful don’t seem so bad when he’s surrounded by people who care about him. Those moments aren’t just nice — they are critical to his mental, emotional, social, and even spiritual health.

We are social beings.
We need connection to thrive

And when that connection gets interrupted because of family issues, trauma, or past experiences, we retreat further into a bubble of fear and anxiety. But even then, deep down, we all still crave connection — it’s in our nature.

When we find the courage to open ourselves back up — even knowing there’s a risk we might get hurt again — we start learning that not every relationship will end in pain. And even if some do, we are strong enough to survive them, because there are other real connections out there waiting for us.

Lee Si-eun also goes through betrayal from a friend — and he falls into that pit of guilt and self-blame. But what’s beautiful is that, through new friendships he forms in Season 2, he learns that trust is possible again. Watching Weak Hero really shines a light on just how important these connections are. And if you’re finding yourself stuck — if there are roadblocks that are making it hard for you to build real connections — reaching out to a therapist can help you navigate through it, so you can experience the deep, genuine relationships we all need throughout every stage of life.