This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling anime and manhwa.
In the world of Solo Leveling, hunters like Sung Jin-Woo make a living by clearing dungeons, fighting terrifying magical beasts, and gathering loot. The higher the level of the dungeon, the better the rewards, from rare mana crystals to high-grade weapons that can help a hunter survive.
However, with great rewards come even greater risks, which Jin-Woo totally understands for most of Solo Leveling. Risking his life became second nature to him until the System turned Jin-Woo into an absolute force of nature. As the plot unfolds, Jin-Woo clears the most dangerous dungeons one after another with a style and precision that no other hunter could ever match.
Hapjeong Subway Station
Jin-Woo's Very First Instant Dungeon Clear
- Anime: Episode 3
- Manhwa: Chapter 12
Jin-Woo understands how dangerous it is to go dungeon crawling without a strike team, especially for a weak E-rank hunter like him. However, he also knows how crucial it is to take every opportunity he can get to grow stronger, no matter how impossible the odds may seem.
When Jin-Woo receives a key to the Hapjeong Subway Station dungeon, he initially contemplates whether it is worth the risk. The memory of near-death experiences still haunted him, but he eventually stepped up to the challenge. Upon entering the instant dungeon, Steel-Fanged Raikans, Black Shadow Razans, and even Razor-Clawed Brigas attacked him simultaneously.
Jin-Woo feared for his life, but the fear quickly transformed into determination. He quickly realized he was growing stronger, leveling up with every monster he defeated. For the first time, Jin-Woo could see his progress, and this ignited his hunger for strength. Eventually, Jin-Woo killed the Blue Poison Fang’s Rasaka, receiving an extraordinary reward.
C-Rank Insects Dungeon
Jin-Woo Slaughtered Eight Hunters and One Dungeon Boss
- Anime: Episode 5
- Manhwa: Chapter 19
Jeju Island is not the only place infested with ants in Solo Leveling. In fact, the C-Rank Insects Dungeon was full of these nasty magical beasts lurking in the dark tunnels. At this point, Jin-Woo's senses had sharpened, which allowed him to pinpoint the location of every insect hiding within the labyrinth. At the same time, he also realized a threat far more dangerous than the magical beasts themselves—humans.
For the first time, Jin-Woo was forced to kill humans in order to survive. He fought against eight corrupted hunters who wanted him dead and were willing to do anything to make sure he never left the dungeon alive. Betrayal wasn’t new to Jin-Woo, but he was not the same pathetic hunter anymore. As the ambush unfolded, Jin-Woo killed without hesitation until he and Yoo Jin-Ho were left.
In addition, Jin-Woo also killed the dungeon boss, Giant Arachnid Buryura, whose venom was potent enough to melt steel. Like the dead hunters, the monstrous spider also suffered the same fate at the hands of Jin-Woo.
C-Rank Goblins Dungeon
Jin-Woo Killed Kang Tae-Shik
- Anime: Episode 9
- Manhwa: Chapter 28
Jin-Woo had a long history with goblins, and they were among the first monsters to ever put him on the brink of death. A goblin once stabbed Jin-Woo during one of his earliest raids, and the injury nearly took his life. But when the System turned Jin-Woo into a player, low-level goblins were no longer the same nightmare they once were.
In the C-rank Goblin Dungeon, Jin-Woo's worst enemy isn't the goblins but the cold-blooded killer and B-rank hunter, Kang Tae-Shik. For the first time, Jin-Woo met a hunter with a similar fighting style, making the match more intense and unpredictable.
Both relied on speed and precision, striking like assassins and vanishing into the shadows between blows. Eventually, Jin-Woo took the upper hand, leading to Kang Tae-Shik's untimely demise. In Kang Tae-Shik's final moments, Jin-Woo's expression remained cold and unreadable.
Red Gate
Jin-Woo Killed Ice Elves, Ice Bears, and Yetis
- Anime: Season 2 Episode 1
- Manhwa: Chapter 47
Remember when there was a theory about Jin-Woo and his connection to Red Gates? Fans believed that Red Gates suddenly appeared because Jin-Woo had become a powerful force that disrupted dimensional stability. This was an intriguing discussion, but nothing has been confirmed to this day. Regardless, Jin-Woo's first Red Gate incident happened in Solo Leveling Season 2, where he stepped into a freezing environment full of deadly creatures like ice elves, ice bears, and even yetis. There was no way out, as the Red Gate never opened until the dungeon boss was defeated.
While Jin-Woo had no problem defending himself against these beasts, he was also responsible for the lives of the other hunters trapped inside with him. This made it more difficult for Jin-Woo to clear the gate, on top of dealing with the brutal cold and the wave of monsters coming after him.
Not to mention, a foolish A-rank hunter was also planning to kill him while he fought with the dungeon boss, Baruka. In the end, Jin-Woo achieved two things in the Red Gate incident. One, he cleared the Red Gate, and two, he gained an elite shadow. Unfortunately, his shadow extraction skill failed him when he tried to raise Baruka’s shadow.
Job Change Dungeon
Jin-Woo Almost Died Fighting Blood-Red Commander Igris
- Anime: Episode 11
- Manhwa: Chapter 38
The Job Change dungeon was one of the most challenging dungeons that the System forced Jin-Woo to clear. In fact, Jin-Woo nearly died in the dungeon twice despite the immense power he had already gained up to that point. The enemies inside weren’t ordinary magical beasts, as there were elite undead soldiers, knights, and even mages that simultaneously attacked Jin-Woo with perfect coordination.
The worst part was that Jin-Woo wasn’t allowed to rest or recover between waves. In other words, the system gave him no room to breathe until he faced the second-to-last challenge of the dungeon, Blood-Red Commander Igris. Fighting Igris was no easy task, as Jin-Woo had never fought a powerful enemy like him. Igris was fast, calculating, and relentless, leaving Jin-Woo no room for error.
Luck played a crucial part in the Job-Change dungeon, allowing Jin-Woo to exploit tiny openings in Igris’ assault. And shortly after defeating Igris, the System transported Jin-Woo out of the instant dungeon to give him the penalty of the Daily Quest, effectively saving his life from the enemies still waiting for his return.
S-Rank Demon Castle Instant Dungeon
Jin-Woo Completed 100 Floors and Defeated Four Bosses
- Anime: Episode 7
- Manhwa: Chapter 26
Fighting against one dungeon boss was already a monumental challenge, but fighting against four required Jin-Woo to constantly switch strategies. He needed to exploit the weaknesses of each dungeon boss, anticipate their attack patterns, and stay several steps ahead just to avoid being killed.
Of course, Jin-Woo did not complete the Demon Castle dungeon in just one go. He couldn't clear the dungeon for just one day because rushing through would mean certain death. He also had to deal with the sheer number of enemies and their relentless attacks just to move from one floor to another. Because of this, Jin-Woo had to return to the dungeon twice, pacing himself carefully until he killed all the bosses.
While it took more time for Jin-Woo to clear the dungeon, the rewards were immense and well worth the effort. Not only did Jin-Woo gain Kaisel, but he also secured the remedy to his mother’s sickness.
Jeju Island Dungeon Break
Jin-Woo Went Toe-to-Toe With the Ant King
- Anime: Season 2, Episode 9
- Manhwa: Chapter 90
The dungeon break on Jeju Island claimed the lives of Japanese S-rank hunters, shocking the world and proving that even the most formidable hunters were not safe. Even the strongest hunter in Japan, Goto Ryuji, was no match against the mutated Ant King, who decapitated him in the blink of an eye.
Without Jin-Woo on the scene, the hunters from Korea and Japan faced certain annihilation at the hands of the Ant King. For years, the ants on Jeju Island enjoyed dominance, but when Jin-Woo stepped inside the Ant Queen’s lair, the tide of the battle shifted instantly. Together with the shadow army, Jin-Woo slaughtered the ants, including the Ant Queen and the Ant King, leaving no survivors to carry on their reign of terror.
It was a phenomenal display of power, so much so that fans joked about Jin-Woo farming aura points to the extreme, as if the Ant King and Queen were just simple sources of experience points for him.
Double Dungeon
Jin-Woo Was Reborn
- Anime: Episode 1
- Manhwa: Chapter 3
The Double Dungeon was the most traumatizing dungeon for Sung Jin-Woo in Solo Leveling, and probably for most of the fans around the world. The giant statues in the Cartenon Temple, particularly the Statue of God, became a nightmare that haunted Jin-Woo mentally and physically. Witnessing the brutal deaths of his fellow hunters one by one left scars not just on Jin-Woo but on the rest of the survivors.
However, as Jin-Woo continued to level up and grow stronger, his return to the Double Dungeon was no longer marked by fear but by calculated confidence. This time, Jin-Woo was more than prepared to clear the Double Dungeon by fighting the hidden boss, the Architect of the System. This fight is expected to be adapted in Solo Leveling Season 3, promising fans an epic showdown where only one could come out on top.
- Release Date
- 2024 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Tokyo MX, Gunma TV, BS11, Tochigi TV
- Directors
- Tatsuya Sasaki, Toru Hamasaki
- Writers
- Shigeru Murakoshi, Shingo Irie, Fuka Ishii
Cast
-
Taito BanSung Jin-woo -
Genta NakamuraYoo Jin-ho
- Creator(s)
- Chugong
