Jack Kang (강정연, Kang Jeongyeon; "Jeongyeon Kang") is a secondary antagonist of the Yoosun Arc in the Webtoon, Weak Hero. He is Jimmy Bae's right-hand man and a student of Yoosun High School.
Appearance
Jack is a medium-height, tanned, and lean teenager. His hair is a high-fade with the top gelled back. Jack wears the traditional Yoosun uniform which consists of a white polo shirt with a checkered collar and slacks minus the beige blazer.
Personality
Jack's defining personality trait is his loyalty. He is willing to put himself in harm's way for his friends such as when he stood up to Yoosun's previous head, Steve Nam, after he taunted Jimmy for losing to Eunjang and when he tried to fight Jimmy for beating up one of his middle school friends.[1][2]
Jack is usually stoic in demeanor, rarely losing his temper unless Jimmy's honor is threatened.[3] However, he often holds grudges.
History
Jack Kang attended Gilshin Middle School along with Minjae, Hayden Ma, and an unnamed red haired friend. After Minjae was beaten up by Jimmy who was in another class, Jack confronted him and demanded a fight, not knowing that Minjae had insulted Jimmy's artwork. The fight was a close one, but Jimmy won in the end. The next day, Jimmy decided to become friends with Jack and they began to hang out more. As second years, they defeated the third years and took over Gilshin.
Jack, Jimmy, and Hayden ended up encountering Manwol's Squad 2 one night, but Manwol let them go after realizing Gilshin isn't on the watchlist for Union-affiliated schools. Jimmy still provoked them into a fight but in the end, the three middle schoolers lost. Jimmy felt that he was being looked down on by the Union for not including Gilshin, despite not knowing what the Union is. He and Jack attend the Union's inauguration meeting and due to Jimmy not having a reputation outside of Gilshin, the other attendees looked down on them. As they leave, Jimmy overheard Donald asking Kingsley who's not on the list. Kingsley told him Domyeong and Gilshin and asked if he should send them away but Donald said to let them stay because sometimes you need mutts to clean up the shit. Jimmy became angry but Jack calmed him down and they leave.
Later, Jimmy beat up Hayong Jeong when he was alone and won. In retaliation, Hayong and his squad kidnapped Jack while he was walking around Dorim Street (which Jimmy had told him to avoid walking alone) and beat him up. On the way to rescue Jack, Goseon caught up to him and advised him to put aside his pride and go to Donald for help because they'd just lose if they headed over there on their own. Jimmy relented and begged Donald for help in return for joining the Union. Donald sends the Union's Action Squad with Jimmy and Goseon to defeat Squad 2. Jack is rescued.
Leading up to Ben Park and Jimmy Bae's first fight, Jack had accompanied Jimmy when Jimmy went to antagonize Alex Go and the other Eunjang students[4]. One of Jimmy's lackeys noted that Jack did not participate in the rock-paper-scissors game to decide who would approach Alex Go's group.
After about 10 minutes, Jack arrives alongside Jimmy and two other unnamed Yoosun students to see Sean Shin and other Eunjang students attacking the Yoosun student that lost the rock-paper-scissors game[4]. He watches Jimmy beat up Alex Go until Ben Park arrives. During Ben Park and Jimmy Bae's fight, Jack was shown to jump in to attack Ben when it appeared to him that Jimmy was overwhelmed. [5] He was easily rebuffed by Ben and watched as Donald Na enters the scene. When Donald's fight with Ben Park is interrupted, Jack leaves with the rest of the Yoosun students alongside Donald and Jimmy.[6]
Plot
Yoosun Arc
Jack's first appearance in the series is when he is seen standing next to Jimmy and inquiring about Phillip Kim. [7] Jimmy orders him to get the boys and find Ben Park.[7] He is later seen heading towards the underpass to overtake Ben Park and bring him to Jimmy.[8] He remains stoic throughout Gray Yeon's fight with Helmet until Helmet is defeated. He stands as if to approach Gray but then Gerard Jin appears. As he threatens Gray and Gerard, Ben and Alex interrupt and declare their alliance with Gray.[8]
The situation continues to irk Jack as Ben taunts him. After Ben makes a comment that insinuates Jimmy is only imitating Donald Na, Jack loses his cool and tells Ben to shut up unless Ben wants him to take care of his other arm.[9] This alludes to Ben's injury which he sustained during their middle school years after an altercation with Donald. Alex respond poorly to this taunt and attacks Jack. Alex throws some punches but is rebuffed by a powerful blow from Jack. As the Yoosun guys gang up on Alex, Ben stops Jack's punch from landing. During his fight with Ben, it is shown that Jack is someone who places a level of pride in his own strength and was surprised to be easily overpowered by Ben Park[9]. After their defeat, Jack returns to report back to a displeased Jimmy.
Jimmy admonishes their group for their losses and dismisses everyone but Jack to discuss their future plans regarding Eunjang.[9] Some time after the fight at the underpass, Jack is seen alongside Jimmy and other Yoosun students waiting in front of Eunjang.[10] After Jimmy harasses an Eunjang student into finding Ben Park, he spots Gerard Jin and they take him to the incinerator. Shortly after Jimmy belittles and beats Gerard, Ben and Alex appear due to being summoned by the unnamed Eunjang student.[11] He remains stoic throughout the exchange between Ben and Jimmy, as well as, when Gray shows up. As Jimmy declares that he will kill all the Eunjang students gathered, Jack singles out Alex and comments that Alex's behavior around Ben really ticks him off.[3] Jack continues by asking Alex if Alex thinks he can disrespect Jack that way then follows up by punching Alex in the face. Ben steps into their fight and punches Jack in the face out of anger. As the two continue to fight, Phillip assesses that Jack will come out victorious in their fight. [12] Soon all fighters are captivated by watching Ben and Jimmy exchange blows. Jack thinks back to the first fight between Jimmy and Ben - he ruminates that around this time Jimmy was starting to get pushed back and Donald Na had stepped in. [13] It looks to him that Jimmy has fallen into Ben's pace and looks in shock as Ben knocks Jimmy out. With an unconscious Jimmy, the Yoosun gang leaves Eunjang. [13]
Jack makes a brief appearance at Yoosun with Jimmy[1]. They are sitting in the cafeteria as Jimmy looks at a text from Donald. Steve Nam approaches them and belittles Jimmy for his loss to Eunjang. Jack steps up and tells Steve that the two of them can fight instead. As the two of them argue, Jimmy steps in and defeats Steve. Jack muses to himself that this is the Jimmy Bae he knows. He also informs Jimmy that Helmet was seen hanging around with the guys from Hyeongshin. Jack isn't seen in the present timeline until after the Gilshin flashbacks. He is approached in the classroom by an unnamed Yoosun student who begs him to attend a blind date with him.[2] Jack declines the offer and tells him to go away before Jimmy gets irritated with him again. The unnamed student informs Jack that Wolf Keum is searching for Julia Chae because she stole money from Wolf. Jack thinks that is unlike her as he remembers her actions during a blind date he had attended.
Daehyeon Arc
When Jimmy is called into to speak with Donald at Yeouinaru, Jack accompanies him and waits outside.[14] Once Jimmy returns and complains about the meeting, Jack comments that Kingsley informed him Jake was also called in a couple days ago. As they are taking a smoke break in the underground garage, Wolf and Hwangmo appear. Jack watches in anticipation as Jimmy taunts Wolf and the two fight. Jack retreats with Jimmy when Jimmy decides to not prolong his fight with Wolf. [15]
In the Season 2 Finale, Jack and Jimmy are seen conversing. Jimmy warns Jack that what he is going to do is dangerous and to stay out of it. Jack declines and says that the worst case scenario is that they die.[16] Jimmy relents and the two of them go off to an unknown destination.
Mok-Ha Duo Introduction Arc
Cheongang Arc
Final Battle Arc
Aftermath
Relationships
Jimmy Bae
Jack is Jimmy Bae's right-hand man. Jack often carries out Jimmy's orders and orders others under Jimmy's leadership. Jack is also Jimmy Bae's friend in school and Jimmy seems to hold him in a higher esteem than the other Yoosun members.
Ben Park
It is unclear with certain events where Jack was involved with Ben, particularly when Jack implied that he was involved with breaking Ben's arm. But it's obvious that Jack and Ben do not like each other. Both Jack and Jimmy had bad blood with Eunjang since their Gilshin days due to Jimmy's loss to Ben Park.
Alex Go
Jack has a great disdain for Alex due to his bravado when around Ben Park. He takes this as disrespect to himself and gladly challenges Alex to a fight for underestimating him. Jack's rivalry against Alex is to the point of attacking him on sight unprovoked.
Goseon Pyo
Goseon is Jack's friend who attended Domyeong Middle School. Although they were in different middle schools, Goseon kept Jack up-to-date about the happenings in Domyeong and Doshin. After Jack is ambushed by Hayong Jeong and Manwol's Squad 2, Goseon rushed to find Jack and ended up bumping into Jimmy; he managed to convince Jimmy to go to Donald for help in rescuing Jack. After they graduated from middle school, Goseon enrolled into Yoosun High.
Hayden Ma
Hayden attended Gilshin Middle School and was acquainted with Jack. Although they weren't exactly friends, Jack tolerated Hayden enough to allow him to join get-togethers with the others. When Hayden gets angry at the others hanging out without him (despite not answering their phone calls), Jack steps in and tells him to knock it off. After Jack befriended Jimmy, Hayden hung around with them until their defeat at the hands of Manwol's Squad 2. After entering Ganghak, Hayden began to look down on both Jimmy and Jack since he considered Wolf Keum and Ganghak to be better.
Minjae Park
Minjae was Jack's friend from middle school. He would often hang out with Jack together with Goseon, Hayden, and their unnamed red haired friend. Minjae was beaten up by Jimmy after insulting his self-portrait, and Jack fought Jimmy to avenge his friend. Jack became angry when he heard the truth about the conflict and that Minjae had been the cause of it. After befriending Jimmy, Jack distanced himself from Minjae. Despite no longer being as close as they used to be, Minjae still seeks Jack out when he needs another person for a group date.
Abilities
Mental
Jack is capable of assessing his opponents mid-battle such as during his fight with Alex Go when he commented that Alex was only using haymakers. While he is not one of the most analytical fighters in the series, he is capable of assessing others and their abilities such as when he observed Jimmy's battle with Wolf Keum.
Physical
In fighting abilities, Jack Kang is shown to be a capable fighter represented by his status as Yoosun's number 2 and the trust put unto him by Jimmy and his other Yoosun companions. During the fight at the underpass, he is shown to be someone who holds his own strength in relatively high regard which is indicated by his surprise as Ben overpowers him. Despite not having any conclusive fights in the series, Jack is shown to be someone who can go toe-to-toe with Alex Go. He mainly relies on throwing punches which are meant to overpower his opponent.
Quotes
| “ | His grip...Even though I'm not one to lose in a battle of strength...
— Chapter 5, Jack thinking of Ben Park
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| “ | I can't stand the sight of you acting so tough when you're around that motherfucker Ben Park.
— Chapter 22, Jack to Alex Go
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| “ | Is that all you know how to do? Just throwing mindless haymakers? You really don't know how to adapt, do you..?
— Chapter 22, Jack to Alex Go
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