Solo Leveling has long been regarded as one of the most influential Korean manhwa to reach an international audience, and its impact is now being documented in an official art book. The Art of Solo Leveling, released in August 2026, collects artwork from the original webtoon alongside previously unreleased material from late illustrator Jang Sung-rak, better known as DUBU. The book also includes behind-the-scenes material from original creator Chugong.
More importantly, the new publication sheds light on how DUBU’s visual work helped shape later Korean comics. Among the series identified as being influenced by Solo Leveling are Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Tomb Raider King, and Overgeared, three major titles that followed in the rapidly expanding manhwa market.
DUBU’s Solo Leveling Style Became a Blueprint for Later Manhwa
Solo Leveling began as a web novel written by Chugong before its manhwa adaptation was produced by REDICE Studio, with DUBU responsible for the artwork. His distinctive character designs, action compositions, monsters, and dramatic use of scale became central to the series’ identity and helped establish the visual standard associated with modern action manhwa.
The influence can be seen differently across the three series named in The Art of Solo Leveling. Tomb Raider King, for example, has drawn comparisons for aspects of its protagonist’s design and power-progression structure, while Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint has been noted for similarities in visual presentation and panel flow. The influence does not mean these works simply copied Solo Leveling, but demonstrates how successful visual and storytelling conventions can spread through the medium.
DUBU’s influence carries additional significance because he died in July 2022, before the Solo Leveling anime premiered. The new art book therefore serves both as a celebration of his work and as a record of the artistic legacy he left behind.
The official book contains material covering all 179 episodes of the original webtoon, including character, weapon, item, villain, and dungeon artwork, as well as previously unreleased rough sketches and commentary from Chugong.
The broader influence of Solo Leveling has also extended beyond manhwa. Its anime adaptation helped bring more Korean webtoon properties into the global anime conversation, while newer adaptations such as Tomb Raider King and the upcoming Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint anime demonstrate how publishers and studios continue to invest in Korean-originated stories.
Rather than simply being another successful manhwa, Solo Leveling has become a reference point for the generation of Korean comics that followed it. The Art of Solo Leveling now provides an official look at how DUBU’s work helped establish that legacy.
