It was announced by Jaedam Media in May 2021 that they had reached an agreement with Playlist to co-produce a drama adaptation of the popular Naver webtoon, Weak Hero.

To create the gloomy and cold atmosphere the titular character is known for, Park Ji-hoon revealed that he took inspiration from Won Bin's performance in The Man from Nowhere (2010) as well as Kwon Sang-woo in Once Upon a Time in High School (2004).

"[15] He said Park Ji-hoon, Choi Hyun-wook, Hong Kyung, Shin Seung-ho, and Lee Yeon are all new actors who have been working a long time in film, dramas, and on stage.

He believes Weak Hero to be an opportunity to introduce these actors (to a wider audience) and serve as a beginning as they go on to stand out in many works in the future.

On the casting of Park Ji-hoon in the lead, Han revealed that the idol actor was originally suggested by shotcake CEO and co-founder Lee Myung-jin.

[20] 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.

[22] Wavve held the largest ticket discount event to mark the opening of its original drama Weak Hero Class 1.

[23] 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.

[28] In December 2022, Viki, a platform specializing in Asian content, has additionally confirmed airing in Europe, Oceania, the Middle East, and India following the released in the United States.

[35] 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".

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".

"[37] 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.

"[39] 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.

"[40] 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.