K-Drama Sequel Scores Over 3x the Buzz of Season 1 — A New Hit Is Born!

One Korean drama is generating a serious buzz — and it’s performing over three times better than its first season.

Netflix original Weak Hero Class 2 debuted to a massive response, shooting up to No. 2 on the latest Good Data Corporation’s weekly buzz rankings. The series has attracted attention for scoring more than three times the buzz index of its first season.

On April 29, data analyst Won Soon-woo of Good Data Corporation released a breakdown of the series’ first-week performance. He explained, “Anticipation from fans who watched Season 1 carried over into the premiere of Season 2, leading to an immediate buzz score of over 40,000 points.” He added, “In terms of short-term impact, it’s the fastest-rising title among content released in the same period.”

Based on a popular Naver webtoon, Weak Hero first aired in 2022. Now, nearly three years later, Season 2 picks up where the story left off. This season follows honor student Yeon Si-eun as he transfers to a new school, Eunjang High, after the traumatic events of Season 1. Determined not to repeat past mistakes, he faces even more brutal violence head-on. While Season 1 focused on Si-eun’s growing pains, Season 2 explores how he transforms in the aftermath.

Director and writer Yoo Soo-min revealed at a press event, “We wanted to explore what it truly means for a boy to become an adult. In the end, our key theme was ‘reconciliation’ — with others, with the world, and most importantly, with oneself.”

Lead actor Park Ji-hoon emphasized the emotional depth of his character in Season 2. “I tried to express even more desperation through my eyes,” he said. “Watch closely to see what kinds of friends he meets and what battles he faces this time.”

To build anticipation, Netflix re-released Season 1 in March. It racked up 6.7 million views globally, hitting No. 2 on Netflix’s Non-English Series Global Top 10 and breaking into the Top 10 in 70 countries — a strong indicator of the franchise’s growing reach.

Meanwhile, Resident Playbook, the tvN spin-off of the beloved Hospital Playlist series, took the No. 1 spot in drama buzz rankings, even though its score dipped slightly by 10%. Still, actors Go Youn-jung and Jung Joon-won ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in individual buzz, respectively.

In third place was Netflix reality show When Life Gives You Tangerines, which continues to draw attention in its 8th week — scoring over 20% higher in buzz than Squid Game Season 2. ENA’s New Recruit Season 3 ranked 4th, marking three consecutive weeks of strong buzz. It now holds the second-highest popularity record in ENA history, just behind Extraordinary Attorney Woo. Rounding out the Top 5 was JTBC’s Heavenly Ever After, which saw a stunning 65% jump in buzz from the previous week.

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