Go Hyun Tak/Gotak {BL?}

Baku's (Humin Park) character is a combination of outward cheerfulness and deep inner responsibility, which makes him a true leader and protector.

Here are his main character traits:

Radiant and cheerful: He has a very lively and outgoing personality, energizing those around him. The actor who played Baku specifically wore shorts and flip-flops in the winter to highlight this trait from his first appearance.
· Noble Protector: He has no interest in fighting for power and refused to join the Na Baekjin Alliance on principle. Baku is the school's informal guardian, stopping bullying and protecting the weak, even at the cost of his own peace of mind.
Guilt-ridden: Behind his smile lies a heavy burden. He feels responsible for his childhood friend Baekjin's violent behavior and is tormented by the trauma his loved ones suffered from conflict.
· Unwaveringly Loyal: Baku always tries to take responsibility for all his friends. He is willing to endure threats and do things he hates (like working for the Alliance) just to protect his loved ones from danger.

Thus, Baku is a complex character: behind the mask of a carefree strongman lies a man with a big heart and a heavy burden of responsibility.

The Beginning: A Cowardly Enforcer. At Jeongnang High School, Jun-taek is a typical underling for the local bully, Hyo-man. He's afraid and carries out dirty tasks, like stealing phones from his classmates. Yeon Si-eun directly calls him a coward at their first meeting, which becomes a painful but important shock for Jun-taek.
· Turning Point: An Act of Disobedience. Influenced by Si-eun and his principles (Newton's principle of "action equals reaction"), Jun-taek decides to change. His first step—disobeying the bullies—begins his transformation.
· Finale: A loyal and brave friend. He ultimately undergoes a complete transformation. He is willing to take risks and fight to protect his new team. His loyalty and emotional maturity are demonstrated in the finale, where he cries in relief upon learning that Si-eun is safe.

💎 Key character traits

Loyalty and kindness are at the core of his personality. After his transformation, he is often described as the "love and light" of the team.
· High emotional intelligence (EQ) - he understands the feelings of his friends better than others and knows how to support them.
· Cowardice and submissiveness (in the past) are his main shortcomings, which he successfully overcomes.
· Lack of combat skills—despite his bravery, he is weaker than Si-eun or the antagonists. This makes his risky choice in favor of friendship especially touching.

His journey is the perfect proof that being a hero doesn't just require fists. Jun-taek shows that the greatest strength lies in the ability to change and be loyal.

From the intimidated "errand boy": Juntae was initially quiet and submissive, meekly following the orders of school bullies (like Hyoman), fearing the consequences. This made him the most vulnerable in the school hierarchy.
· Towards a bold and determined ally: The impetus for change came after meeting Yeon Si-eun. Jun-tae began to seek his own path to the fight, realizing he no longer wanted to be a coward.
· Bravery without Fists: While he lacks fighting skills, he makes up for it with his observation skills and strategic mind.

A good-natured person and the life of the party
He's friendly, sociable, and always smiling. Unlike the sullen Si-eun, Go-tak makes friends easily and smooths over conflicts. He's the character who adds warmth to the otherwise dark atmosphere of the series.
Naive and gullible
Gotak sincerely believes in the best in people, which often gets him into trouble. His trust is easily exploited, and antagonists take advantage of this. This is his greatest weakness, but it also makes him human.
Brave, but not a fighter
Physically, he's much weaker than Si-eun or Joon-taek. He can't fight, but he's willing to take risks for his friends. His courage lies not in his fists, but in his loyalty. He doesn't run away, even when he's afraid.
Emotional and open
Unlike the reserved Si-eun, Gotak doesn't hide his emotions. He cries easily, worries, and empathizes—through him, the viewer sees the human side of this brutal story.
Role in the team:

• He is the anchor that keeps Si Eun from completely falling into the darkness,
• He is a bridge between new friends, as he knows how to reconcile people,
  "His trauma (he witnessed violence) adds depth—he's not just naive, but a man who chooses to remain kind despite everything."
  In the second season, he's the main source of pain for the viewer: villains often beat him to get to Si-eun. And it's for Gotak's sake that the protagonist most often loses his temper.
  🔥 Hot-tempered and impulsive: He acts without thinking, gets easily irritated, and is ready to immediately rush into a fight if he or his friends are offended. However, over time, he learns to better control his anger.
  · 👊 Loyal to the End: For him, loyalty is a matter of life and death. He's crazy about his best friend Ben, defends his honor, and is always ready to lend a shoulder to cry on, even when the odds are stacked against him.
  · 🏋️ Incredible resilience: He's not one to give up. Even when losing, Gotak gets up and continues the fight, demonstrating remarkable endurance and tenacity.
  · 🤝 Caring companion: Despite his aggressive appearance, he sincerely worries about his friends and is the first to rush to help when they are in danger.

Yeon Si-eun's character is a heady mix of genius, trauma, and barely contained rage. Here are his key traits:

Intelligence and cold calculation
He's not a fighter—he's a tactician. In a fight, he uses improvised objects (pens, books, a helmet) rather than his fists, instantly calculating his opponent's weak points. His IQ allows him to defeat physically strong opponents through strategy.

Temper and inner darkness
Behind his calm exterior lies an uncontrollable rage. He's unable to forgive insults and becomes berserk when he's seen as vulnerable or when someone close to him is touched. In the second season, he tries to suppress this, but to no avail.

Social withdrawal
A difficult childhood (domestic violence) left him withdrawn and distrustful. He hates physical contact and avoids emotional intimacy, but for those he considers his own (Soo-ho, Jun-taek), he's willing to do anything.

Integrity and cruelty
He has a strong sense of justice: he doesn't hurt the weak, but he crushes those who offend him without hesitation. He doesn't consider himself a hero, however—he's simply a survivor, using any means necessary.

In the second season he became:

• More withdrawn and gloomy due to the injury of the first season,
  — He trusts people less, but feels betrayal more acutely,
  — Tries to control anger, but loses it when new friends are threatened.

He could be called a "tragic loner" - too smart to be happy and too angry to be weak.