"He really is quite similar to me" — Lee Jun-young reveals why he chose to play Geum Seong-je in Weak Hero Class 2
In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar Korea, Lee Jun-young revealed that his decision to portray Geum Seong-je—also known as “Wolf”—in Netflix’s hit thriller Weak Hero Class 2 was driven by the striking similarities he felt between himself and the character.
Geum Seong-je, nicknamed “Wolf,” is introduced in Weak Hero Class 2 as the Union’s sadistic yet magnetic lieutenant, whose unpredictable brutality marks him as one of Eunjang High’s most feared figures. Released on April 25, 2025, the series adapts the eponymous webtoon and picks up where season 1 left off, placing Yeon Si-eun (Park Ji-hoon) in an even more dangerous school landscape.
Lee Jun-young disclosed that director Han Jun-hee directly linked Seong-je to his real-life persona, telling him, “This character is basically just you, Jun-young.”
“Director Han Jun-hee said, ‘This character is basically just you, Jun-young,’ so I took it on. And he really is quite similar to me. There’s a romantic side to the real Lee Jun-young that I think shows in Geum Seong-je as well.”
Lee Jun-young talks about his recent Netflix hits When Life Gives You Tangerines and Weak Hero Class 2
From its first day on Netflix, Weak Hero Class 2 soared in global charts: it entered the Top 10 in 91 out of 93 countries within 24 hours and climbed to No. 2 globally, amassing 708 points on FlixPatrol by April 26.
By April 27, Weak Hero Class 2 held No. 2 worldwide and seized No. 1 in 32 countries, outperforming other international hits. In Korea, it dominated Netflix’s Top 10 non-English series chart and remained No. 1 in 63 countries, including major markets like Brazil, Mexico, and France.
Lee Jun-young’s career spans K-pop idol beginnings with U-KISS (2014) to nuanced acting roles in DP and Mask Girl. His leap into Geum Seong-je further showcases his range, proving his ability to anchor a dark thriller with genuine emotional nuance.
By selectively choosing characters that mirror facets of his own persona—romantic sincerity in When Life Gives You Tangerines and ruthless brutality in Weak Hero Class 2—Lee cements his reputation as one of his generation’s most authentic performers.
On April 30, 2025, in the interview with Harper’s Bazaar Korea, Lee Jun-young also spoke about his other Netflix hit series, When Life Gives You Tangerines, which earned him global praise for portraying Yeong-bum, IU's first love.
When Life Gives You Tangerines is a 2025 South Korean romance slice-of-life series directed by Kim Won-seok and written by Lim Sang-choon, released on Netflix from March 7 to 28, 2025.
In the series, Lee Jun-young portrays Park Yeong-bum, a devoted and somewhat sheltered young man whose life revolves around his relationship with Geum Myung (played by IU). Yeong-bum’s character arc explores themes of familial duty, romantic idealism, and personal growth as he navigates both his protective mother’s expectations and his own heartfelt desire to nurture his first love.
In the interview, Lee was asked why Yeong-bum behaves in a notably timid way during a pivotal parents’ meeting scene. In the scene, Yeong-bum's mother humiliates Geum-myeong in front of her parents and also looks down on her family for being poor, while Yeong-bum stays quiet throughout.
With a laugh, he admitted to being "frustrated" at the character's behavior for not standing up for his fiancé and her family. He said,
“Exactly, why didn’t he scoop the scorched rice soup? Everyone keeps asking me these days, and honestly, I was frustrated too.”
Lee Jun-young also noted the familial impact of the series, describing how his own mother has rewatched the drama multiple times, moved to tears by its portrayal of intergenerational love. This sincerity, Lee believes, stems from the character’s relatable mix of earnestness and vulnerability—qualities that mirror his own approach to both art and life.
Riding the momentum of Weak Hero Class 2, Lee Jun-young will lead KBS2’s new drama Pump Up The Healthy Love, aka 24-Hour Health Club, premiering April 30, 2025, as Do Hyun-joong, promising audiences another layer of his dramatically different, heartfelt presence. The drama will be available on Viki.
Meanwhile, When Life Gives You Tangerines and Weak Hero Class 2 are available on Netflix for streaming.
