Solo Leveling Characters Who Ended Up Being Surprisingly Weak

Summary

• Strength doesn’t always correlate with rank, as many A and B-rank hunters have been defeated in battles.
• Even gifted hunters fall short – like Mage Cho Kyuhwan being defeated quickly by Sung Jin-Woo.
• A-rank hunters like Kim Chul and Son Kihoon faced defeat against powerful foes despite their defensive skills.

Solo Leveling has its fair share of incredibly strong characters, with some being capable of inflicting so much damage that a dungeon can be completed in a matter of minutes. Then, there are those who are gifted with the powers of being a hunter but lack the strength to act on their abilities. This is what separates Solo Leveling characters from E-Rank hunters to those in S-Class.

With E-Rank hunters making up the weakest of the bunch, they are unlikely to make any headway in battle. This doesn’t mean that a higher class will guarantee survival, however, as plenty of C-Rank to A-Rank characters have been made to look incredibly weak during their adventures. Despite showing extreme potential, they were ultimately defeated in battle, and many of such instances have come as a surprise to the audience.

8

Cho Kyuhwan

An Evil, Right-Hand Man With Limited Strength

• Debut: “A Pretty Good Deal” (Episode 5 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: C
• Class: Mage
• Skills: Fire Magic

Entering a dungeon rich with mana crystals, Sung Jin-Woo and some newly-made friends were quickly deceived by the true intentions of their teammates. Alongside the team captain was Cho Kyuhwan, a cunning C-rank mage with the ability to cast fire. He’s a bit hot-tempered at times, but he’s fully confident in his own abilities. This was paired with a sinister mentality that didn’t bode well for Jin-Woo.

If only he had known what Jin-Woo was capable of. His fire magic was quickly extinguished, as too was his life. While Kyuhwan was a gifted fire-using sorcerer, he was quickly defeated and killed in battle by Jin-Woo, to the point where it was embarrassing that he thought he stood a chance.

7

Yoon Kijoong

The Tanker Who Cried When He Was Saved

• Debut: “You Aren’t E-Rank, Are You?” (Episode 13 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: C
• Class: Tanker
• Skills: Unknown

Tasked with being the Tanker of the weaker group of ranked hunters, Yoon Kijoong was capable of holding the fort down and raising the defenses for his allies in the thick of battle. While the group that ended up in the dungeon was split into two separate groups, Kijoong had all the necessary training to lead his side and protect everyone from harm.

Unfortunately, when harm came, it was too much for Jingwoo to take on. Luckily for him, Jin-Woo was also a part of this secondary group and exercised all of his abilities to defeat anything that got in their way, including the dangerous Ice Bears that could rip a human body apart in a matter of seconds.

6

Hwang Dongsuk

An Evil Leader Who Was All Bark And No Bite

• Debut: “A Pretty Good Deal” (Episode 5 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: C
• Class: Tanker
• Skills: Unknown

Hwang Dongsuk was a C-rank hunter who knew his limits but was still able to hold up a strong image that gave his allies the confidence needed to head into any dungeon. Mainly focused on entering dungeons that had resources to mine, Dongsuk was a capable Tanker who was as strong as he was defensive. He also happened to be the older brother of the feared S-rank hunter, Hwang Dongsoo.

However, as loud and confident as he was, Dongsuk stood no chance against Jin-Woo. After watching his allies drop like flies, Dongsuk took Jin-Woo head on, only to meet the same fate. Unable to live up to the family name set by his younger brother, a much greater hunter by nature, Dongsuk was left to waste in the dungeon he attempted to steal from Jin-Woo and his friends.

5

Kang Taeshik

The B-Rank Assassin Who Stood No Chance

• Debut: “It’s Like a Game” (Episode 3 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: B
• Class: Assassin
• Skills: Stealth

Entering a dungeon for the purpose of observing the criminals joining the squad, Kang Taeshik had other intentions, which included keeping an eye on Jin-Woo. A powerful assassin with incredible skills, this B-Rank Assassin had a hidden lust for blood that wouldn’t go unsatisfied inside the dungeon. In fact, Taeshik would murder most of the participants in the dungeon, including the prisoners.

After realizing there was more to Jin-Woo that met the eye, he lunged towards him, Song Chi-Yul, and Lee Joohee, wishing to kill all three and get out of the dungeon without any suspicion. Taeshik made one critical error in trying to kill Joohee in an attempt to take out their healer, as Jin-Woo unveiled his true power and eliminated Taeshik without a thought, making him Jin-Woo’s most-powerful victim at the time.

4

Lee Johee

The B-Ranked Healer That Lacked Confidence

• Debut: “I’m Used to It” (Episode 1 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: B
• Class: Healer
• Skills: Healing Magic, Haste, Burn Booster, Strength Buff

Lee Johee was introduced as a gifted healer, earning the rank of B-class for her ability to close up fatal wounds with her powers. In Episode 1, she manages to save Jin-Woo’s life, which is said to be a reoccurring theme between the two. Without Johee’s services, Jin-Woo and countless others would have lost their lives long ago.

As skillful as Johee may be, her one weakness is a lack of confidence in the heat of a battle. During the double dungeon event, Johee froze up and was unable to act at a time of need. Following this event, Johee was too afraid to join another dungeon, worried she may freeze up again and cost someone their life. Because of this, her B-rank potential may never be utilized to its fullest.

3

Kim Chul

Lost His Mind And His Life

• Debut: “You Aren’t E-Rank, Are You?” (Episode 13 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: A
• Class: Tanker
• Skills: Taunt

Kim Chul was a boastful A-rank Tanker who was so sure of himself and his abilities that he refused to align himself with weaker hunters. His taunt ability allowed him to draw attention to himself, permitting his allies to get into position and launch a counter-attack. Due to his higher ranking, those who wished to remain alive chose to side with Chul, as his defending abilities were second to none inside the dungeon they entered.

Unfortunately, the dungeon proved to be too difficult for Chul and his allies, as he was the only one remaining after an attack by Ice Elves left his group decimated. Chul managed to regain consciousness and re-grouped with Jin-Woo and his crew, but he attacked him in a fit of rage and confusion. This proved to be fatal, as Igris slayed him with one attack, taking out an A-rank hunter in mere seconds.

2

Son Kihoon

An A-Rank Leader With A Heart Of Gold

• Debut: “This Is What We’re Trained to Do” (Episode 17 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: A
• Class: Tanker
• Skills: Unknown

Typically, A-rank leaders are as tough as nails and possess a strong character that does not take kindly to those who fall behind. Son Kihoon is the exception to that rule, as he has a heart of gold and is willing to accept all hunters for who they are. He happens to be the leader of the Hunters Guild Strike Squad B, which immediately makes him one of the most revered captains in the world.

However, as strong and skilled as Kihoon may be, he buckled under the pressure of a fight against the High Orc shaman Kargalgan. In the manga, he flinches at one roar from Kargalgan, but in the anime, he remains unfazed. Both have one thing in common: He is soundly beaten by Kargalgan, to the point of near-death. Had it not been for Jin-Woo, both Kihoon and the rest of the crew would have met their end.

1

Lee Minsung

Inexperienced And Labeled As A Coward

• Debut: “Don’t Look Down on My Guys” (Episode 18 of Solo Leveling)
• Rank: A
• Class: Unknown
• Skills: Unknown

Described as a handsome young man exploding with confidence and charm, Lee Minsung matches his fame and wealth with a casual approach to how he dresses. After discovering that he was an A-rank hunter, Minsung retired from his acting career in pursuit of a life inside dungeons. If only his announcement of becoming a hunter hadn’t been overshadowed by Jin-Woo becoming the 10th S-rank hunter, he may have gotten the spotlight he thirsted for.

Unfortunately, his time as a hunter was significantly less impactful than his career as an actor. During one of his first raids inside a dungeon, Minsung froze at the first sign of danger, unable to fight back against a swarm of ants running towards him. After being saved by one of his team members, Minsung was labeled a wuss by his team and was disregarded as a hunter, despite his A-rank class.