Summary
- Sung Jin-Woo reveals his ability to level up to a few individuals in the series.
- Jin-Ho was the first to speculate that Jin-Woo was getting stronger and showcasing improved combat skills.
- Hwang Dong-Suk becomes the first to know about Jin-Woo’s ability to level up before his demise.
Sung Jin-Woo needs to keep his abilities a secret in the early events of Solo Leveling. He didn’t want other people to know he was a rare hunter who could get stronger or level up because there was no telling what would happen to him. However, a forgotten character in Solo Leveling knows about Sung Jin-Woo’s ability to level up because Jin-Woo himself told him about it.
Following the Jeju Island arc, a few S-rank hunters, including the A-rank cameraman in Korea, finally learned about his ability to raise the dead. They witnessed the slaughter of the ants at the mercy of Jin-Woo’s shadows, but they weren’t necessarily aware that he could level up. Perhaps Baek Yoon-Ho was closer to the truth, as he suspected Jin-Woo could get stronger, unlike most hunters whose abilities are set in stone.
Related
Solo Leveling: Who Is Jin-Ah’s Love Interest?
Sung Jin-Woo’s sister never becomes a hunter, but does she ever have a love interest?
It’s Not Kang Tae-Shik, the Assassin
He Is the Second Character to Know
- First Anime Appearance: Episode 3
- First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 27
- Rank: B-Rank
- Affiliation: Korean Hunters Association
Before Kang Tae-Shik succumbs to his injuries during the Dungeon and Prisoners Arc, he wonders what type of hunter Jin-Woo is. He thinks Jin-Woo may be an assassin with healing magic and debuff abilities, but Jin-Woo responds that he’s not even sure what he is. At this point, Jin-Woo has no clue about his hunter type, but his abilities somehow mirror those of Kang Tae-Shik.
“What are you?”—Kang Tae-Shik to Sung Jin-Woo
On the contrary, Kang Tae-Shik warns Jin-Woo about the dangers of keeping his abilities secret. His words seem to bother Jin-Woo, who suddenly reveals that he’s a hunter who grows stronger from each fight. He even asks Tae-Shik how strong he thinks he will become from that day forward. Naturally, Tae-Shik was confused about Jin-Woo’s reply since it was the first time he had ever heard such a thing.
It’s Not Yoo Jin-Ho Either
He Initially Suspects Jin-Woo as a False Ranker
- First Anime Appearance: Episode 1
- First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 18
- Rank: D-Rank
- Guild: Ahjin Guild
Despite Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho’s friendship, they never discuss Jin-Woo’s ability to level up in the series. Jin-Ho knows Jin-Woo can raise the dead, but he isn’t aware of the complicated details behind it. Even so, Jin-Ho is the first person to speculate that Jin-Woo is getting stronger than before when he watches him fight against the Giant Arachnid Buryura and Hwang Dong-Suk’s group inside the C-rank dungeon.
“What is this person?”—Yoo Jin-Ho to Sung Jin-Woo
Although Jin-Ho is a D-rank hunter with limited combat experience, he can still tell that Jin-Woo’s speed is faster, his attacks are stronger, and his dagger strikes go deeper against his opponent as the fighting goes on. Understandably, Jin-Woo doesn’t confront Jin-Woo about his abilities, considering he could be killed instantly should he decide to dig deeper. Besides, he initially thinks Jin-Woo is a false ranker with psychopathic tendencies.
Who Is the First to Know About Jin-Woo’s Ability to Level Up?
He Is One of the Most Hated Characters
- First Anime Appearance: Episode 5
- First Webtoon Appearance: Chapter 18
- Rank: C-Rank
- Class: Tanker
The first person to ever know about Jin-Woo’s ability to level up is Hwang Dong-Suk, the older brother of S-rank hunter Hwang Dong-Soo. In Solo Leveling season 1 episode 6, “The Real Hunt Begins,” Sung Jin-Woo tells Dong-Suk that he’s always leveling up before he severs his head and kills him for good. It’s the price to pay for messing with Jin-Woo and betraying him upfront inside the C-rank dungeon.
“I’m always leveling up”—Sung Jin-Woo
Ironically, before Jin-Woo joins the dungeon raid with Yoo Jin-Ho and Hwang Dong-Suk’s group, he is concerned about keeping his abilities to himself. He would rather not attract unnecessary attention since the media would annoy him, and he could even become a target, considering how rare double awakeners are. Yet, it’s Jin-Woo himself who ends up divulging his secret to other people.
Given this pattern, it seems like Jin-Woo has a habit of telling dying characters about his outrageous ability to level up. After all, they’ll never be able to tell a soul about his secret because they’re going to die anyway.
Who Is the First to Know About Jin-Woo’s Shadow Army?
For the first time, Sung Jin-Woo shows his shadow army to the hunters during the Red Gate Arc. He was with Han Song-Yi, Park Hee-Jin, and some new recruits who were left behind by Kim Chul and his group for being deadweights. Before summoning the army, Jin-Woo told the group that he would be responsible for their safety as long as they would not ask him any questions or demand anything from him.
Fortunately, the recruits behaved themselves, though they naturally had many questions for him. After the Red Gate was cleared, Park Hee-Jin told Baek Yoon-Ho what had happened, and from that moment on, the leader of the White Tiger Guild became suspicious of Jin-Woo’s abilities. The following day, it was Jin-Ho’s turn to witness the shadows himself.
In conclusion, Sung Jin-Woo may be a private person, but there are times when he can’t pass up the opportunity to take pride in his newfound strength and abilities. Perhaps Jin-Woo somehow enjoys the thrill of looking down on hunters who are supposedly stronger than him, given his rough past in Solo Leveling.
- Release Date
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January 7, 2024
- Directors
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Shunsuke Nakashige
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Taito Ban
Shun Mizushino (voice)
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Genta Nakamura
Kenta Morobishi (voice)
