Solo Leveling has become arguably one of the most popular manhwas, narrating a heroic tale about an ordinary man who rose to the pinnacle. A story set in the midst of fantasy beasts and dangerous dungeons, Solo Leveling created an uproar among the fans of fantasy and action, making the popularity of the game-system subgenre hike up. The story of Sung Jinwoo inspired me a lot, and the way he climbed from the dredges of misery to becoming the most powerful hunter is satisfying to read.
Solo Leveling became a viral hit across the globe, and the series is being adapted into an anime, expected to be released sometime in 2023. The manhwa has been ongoing for a few years, and the main story was concluded in Chapter 179. Since then, 21 side stories have been released that talk more about Sung Jinwoo’s personal life after the conclusion and also feature his son, Sung Su-ho. It has been implied in the story so far that Sung Su-ho’s story will continue further in the next part of the manhwa.
Solo Leveling is an action fantasy manhwa that follows the adventures of Sung Jinwoo, a young and extremely weak hunter who has taken up the quest to become a strong hunter so he can protect himself and the people he loves. In a world where hunters — special humans who possess supernatural abilities — must battle powerful monsters to protect mankind from annihilation, Sung Jinwoo is an E-rank hunter, the lowest rank of all. He is so weak that he is often looked down upon by other hunters.
One day, Jinwoo is sent on a raid to a double dungeon, a type of dungeon that is twice as dangerous as a normal dungeon. The raid goes horribly wrong, and Jinwoo is the only survivor. However, he is also the only one who manages to obtain a special power from the dungeon. This power allows Jinwoo to level up, which is something that is normally impossible for hunters. As Jinwoo levels up, he becomes stronger and stronger. He also gains the ability to turn any monster he kills into a loyal minion called a shadow.
Solo Leveling: Season 2
After the manhwa finished, 21 side stories were released, and Jung Su-ho made his first appearance as Jinwoo’s son. Su-ho possesses the ability to inherit his father’s immense powers, and Jinwoo ends up sealing his memories of Shadows since he was scaring other children. Jinwoo wants his son to live a normal childhood, and finally, when Jinwoo enters high school, his powers re-emerge, and he finds himself in a strange dungeon filled with weapons and monsters.
New reports have emerged in South Korea that an official season 2 of Solo Leveling is currently in the making. According to the rumors, the title of this alleged new series will be Solo Leveling: Ragnarok. As we have all guessed, the spin-off will follow Jinwoo’s son, Sung Su-ho, as he rises to gain his powers and become the next Shadow Monarch. The spin-off episodes of the series showed Jinwoo living a normal life and making his own new family with his wife and son.
The light novel for Solo Leveling was written by Chugang, and the manhwa was created by Jang Sung-rak. Unfortunately, the creator of the manhwa Jang Sung-rak died in July 2022 after suffering from a cerebral hemorrhage. The bonus chapters that were released had been created to pay the final respects to the great artist who made the manhwa possible. There may be a second season in collaboration with the writer Chugang, but the original artist will not be illustrating it.
Solo Leveling: Where to Read
Solo Leveling is available to read on Kakao Page and D&C Webtoon for Korean readers. The English translations are available on a number of platforms like Tapas, Tappytoon, Webnovel, and Pocket Comics. You can also buy the volumes for Solo Leveling on Yen Press.
Also Read: 46 Anime Like Solo Leveling – The Webtoon-Based Anime