Su-ho's Hidden Humor: The Wordplay That Made Si-eun Laugh

This post expands on my YouTube video where I talked about some translation issues in Weak Hero. There was so much more I wanted to share about Su-ho's unique communication style that didn't make it into the video, so I'm diving deeper here into the cultural nuances that make Ahn Su-ho such an endearing character—he's goofy like any 17-year-old, clearly adores his friends, but also carries the weight of being his family's breadwinner without falling into self-pity 🥖

There's this beautiful maturity mixed with genuine teenage goofiness that unfortunately gets lost when watching with English subtitles.

Su-ho's Communication Crisis: When Five Subtitles Tell Different Stories

I've been obsessed with Weak Hero for months, and there's something that's been bothering me: Su-ho has a unique communication style that's deeply rooted in Korean wordplay and cultural context. After reading the script book and rewatching everything multiple times, I realised there are layers to his character that might not be apparent in the subtitles.

One subscriber told me they'd seen five different English subtitle versions for the same Su-ho scene. Five! 😱 That's when I knew I had to share what Su-ho's saying in Korean.

The challenge is that Su-ho's way of talking is so rooted in the Korean cultural context and wordplay that it's difficult to convey the same feeling in English without extensive explanation.

Let's start with Season 1, Episode 4—the ox bone soup scene that gave us Si-eun's first real smile. This scene shows everything that makes Su-ho special, but English viewers got a different version.

Su-ho wasn't asking Si-eun for soup. He was just muttering to himself in front of the ambulance about wanting ox bone soup after getting treated for his injuries. Si-eun heard him and went out and bought it without being asked.

When Su-ho opens the container, his exact words were: "What is this feeling? I'm getting goosebumps right now." 🥶

He was genuinely shocked that Si-eun—this quiet kid—had actually listened to his random muttering and went out of his way to show he cared.

Then comes the part that made Si-eun smile. Su-ho says, "What's wrong with this kid? No wait, you're being too warm, aren't you?" And here's where Choi Hyun-wook ad-libbed: "Your eyes, actions, way of talking, your expression are 'disgusting.'"

But this was completely joking!

The English subtitles said, "It feels strange." I understand why translators made this choice—using "disgusting" could have confused international viewers who might not catch the playful tone. The translators did their best with a challenging piece of dialogue.

Even I struggled with how to translate this part! 😂 Su-ho said "기분이 더럽다고" (gibuni therupdago), which literally means "feeling dirty/gross." It's a really common emotional expression in Korea when you're overwhelmed by feelings, but I'm not sure this exact expression exists in English or other cultures.

I can totally see why Netflix translators went with "it feels strange"—they had to make a split-second decision about how to convey this very Korean emotional expression to a global audience. The amount of thought that must go into these translation choices! 😉

What Su-ho actually meant was that he was so overwhelmed by Si-eun's kindness that he had to deflect with humour. In Korean, his tone and the context make it clear he's being affectionate, not mean.

When Si-eun got the joke, that's when we saw his first real smile. That gorgeous, radiant smile. Probably my favourite moment from Season 1.

✋ Oh, wait, I should explain this one too! One of my subscribers pointed this out in the comments, and they were right—I glossed over this without explaining what it means.

🫰 Exactly! In Korea, when someone does something unexpectedly thoughtful or shows up with exactly what you need without being told, we jokingly ask, "Are you a ghost?"

It's like saying, "How did you read my mind?" or "Are you psychic?"

Another subscriber suggested a good English equivalent would be "Are you clairvoyant or something?" which captures that same sense of surprise at someone's mind-reading abilities.

What makes Su-ho different from Season 2 characters is his emotional defence system. When other characters are moved by something, they'll just say they're touched. But Su-ho? He deflects with humour instead of being direct about feelings.

This connects to his psychology, too. The more depressed he gets, the cooler he acts. But when he finds someone cute or feels touched, he teases them with jokes 💞

It's such authentic 17-year-old boy behaviour. Su-ho uses humour not just to connect with people but to protect himself when things get too overwhelming.

Before the soup incident, Si-eun had just taken down Gil-soo's gang. Su-ho was getting treated in the ambulance when he said, "I'm so hungry, I want ox bone soup."

When Si-eun responds with what subtitles translated as "Is this guy a bottomless pit?" — that's a clever adaptation! The translators found a way to keep the humour while making it accessible to English speakers.

What Si-eun actually said was: "Does he have a beggar in his stomach?"

In Korea, when someone's constantly hungry and eating like Su-ho, we jokingly ask, "Do you have a beggar in your stomach?" So Si-eun was making his joke—showing he was getting comfortable with Su-ho's humour and starting to play along! 😂

🎞️ Here's something from the script book that didn't make the final cut:

In Episode 4's amusement park scene, when Gil-soo runs and Si-eun chases him (that kid can really run!), Gil-soo pulls out a knife. The moment Su-ho shows up, he immediately starts taunting Gil-soo: "Hey! You need a good beating!"

According to the script directions, Su-ho deliberately provoked the guy with the knife to draw attention away from Si-eun and onto himself.

This shows so much about Su-ho that viewers might miss. He's not randomly jumping into fights—he's strategically using himself as a shield for his friends.

Another script book reveal: in Episode 5, when Su-ho and Si-eun exercise by the Han River after the karaoke incident, Si-eun had actually gone to see Su-ho in the morning after his delivery job ended.

That scene where Su-ho waits outside Daesung Academy for Si-eun? When he sees Si-eun coming out, he calls "Si-eun-ssi!" and stretches his legs (showing he'd been waiting a while).

🎧 Want to hear more about these translation nuances?

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