Itaewon Class 2 has a variety of characters from various backgrounds. Their backstories and how they meet Saeroyi add surprises and laughs to the story. His Honey Night pub in Itaewon is not going well, but there is a lot of drama behind the scenes and friends that add to it. Saeroyi brings together such an eclectic, diverse mix of characters into the fold that ensures future entertainment. Itaewon Class 2 centers around a future worker, how she met Saeroyi, and her sociopathic antics, thereby keeping readers on their toes.
Created by Kwang Jin, translated by Kakao Entertainment, and lettered by Madeline Jose, the volume’s primary focus is Yiseo Jo, famous on social media. The only thing is, she’s a sociopath. The Yen Press comic showcases her fearlessness in a positive light as she targets bullies and schools that ignore complaints. So, she seems less sociopathic and more a person who refuses to back down. She’s similar to Saeroyi in that regard. Thanks to how the comic introduces her, she feels like an essential and fascinating character to the story and Saeroyi’s success.
Itaewon Class 2 Showcases a Fascinating Character
Yiseo is one of the most exciting characters introduced into the series thus far. While her actions seem to stem from a moral code that balks at injustice, her motivations are another story. Adding fun and dynamic characters like this builds the broader scope of the story. At first, the story makes Yiseo seem incredible, posting video evidence of a school bully online because the school—despite repeated reports—did nothing.
Of course, her devilish personality does not detract from readers’ joy when she stands up to the bully’s mom, who slaps her, records that, and lets the mom know she will make their lives miserable. And Yiseo is not the girl to stay hit. She does hit back. It’s refreshing to see because girls and women in these stories often allow others to strike them. But Itaewon Class 2 does not play that.
Complex Characters Build a Fascinating Array
The characters have a murky quality, even among the protagonists. It does not allow a clear delineation between hero and villain among many characters. It allows for a nuanced and more entertaining reading of the characters. Besides Yiseo, there is Saeroyi’s love interest who now works for the company of the family who destroyed his life. Even the son who ran Saeroyi’s father over feels more complex, given his father’s abuse. Messy characters make stories more exciting, and Itaewon Class 2 demonstrates that the series knows how to deliver that.
Itaewon Class 2 builds up the competition for the future while crafting compelling characters for readers to cheer on. They already set up Saeroyi’s back story so folks could cheer for his victory. But readers also know it won’t be that simple, and challenges and betrayal are incoming. It feels like the MCU’s beginnings, allowing audiences to connect with characters before assembling them as a team. Itaewon Class 2 excitingly follows up the first volume with the start of Saeroyi’s pub while focusing on the people helping him run it.
