8 Solo Leveling Characters That Deserve More Screen Time

This article contains spoilers from Solo Leveling.

No other anime focuses character development as intensely on its main character as Solo Leveling does with Sung Jinwoo. Throughout the entire series, creator Chugong clearly prioritized Jinwoo, giving him the most growth, attention, and positive portrayal.

Although fans love how Solo Leveling develops its main character, Jinwoo, several other characters are equally interesting and deserve more focus. The story features a wide range of compelling individuals – from top-level hunters to everyday people, and even powerful demons and rulers – who could benefit from the same level of character development as Jinwoo.

Kang Tae-Shik

Hunter Rank: B
Hunter Type: Assassin

Kang Tae-Shik is a character from Solo Leveling who died relatively early in the story, defeated by Sung Jinwoo. He stood out from other hunters due to the mysterious aura he possessed, even after his death. Interestingly, he was the first character to mention ‘false rankers,’ a plot point that wasn’t fully explored until much later in the series.

Kang Tae-Shik is a controversial hunter for the Korean Hunters Association, known for his questionable methods, and his history remains largely a mystery. He describes himself as a B-rank assassin who targets other hunters, particularly those he believes deserve punishment for serious offenses. Like Jinwoo, he fights with incredible speed and accuracy, quickly defeating opponents before they have a chance to respond.

Sung Jin-Ah

Hunter Rank: N/A

I’m such a fan of Sung Jin-Ah in Solo Leveling, but it’s always been a little bittersweet watching her. Throughout the whole story, she never actually goes into a dungeon or fights any monsters – she stays a regular person! Everyone, including the readers, kept hoping she’d unlock some incredible power like her brother, but she remains a civilian until the very end. It’s a really unique character arc, honestly.

Sung Jin-Ah is a devoted sister to Jinwoo and fiercely protective of him. While she isn’t as strong a hunter as someone like Cha Hae-In, her close relationship with Jinwoo has still captured the attention of many fans.

Liu Zhigang

Hunter Rank: National Hunter
Hunter Type: Fighter

Liu Zhigang is considered China’s top hunter, surpassing all others outside of Korea, due to his incredible abilities. He easily overcomes any obstacle, as demonstrated in Solo Leveling Season 2 where he effortlessly defeated a massive swarm of flying ants.

Although this show of strength is remarkable, it’s still not on the same level as Jinwoo’s abilities or those of other top-tier hunters in the series. We also don’t learn much about Liu Zhigang or the other Chinese hunters featured in the story.

Cha Hae-In

Hunter Rank: S
Hunter Type: Fighter

The Solo Leveling anime does a good job of adding new scenes for Cha Hae-In in both seasons, which is great because she becomes very important to the main character, Jinwoo, later on. However, even with these additions, she still needs more character development to feel like an equal to Jinwoo and convincingly remain a part of his life.

Similar to many top-level hunters in Solo Leveling, Cha Hae-In takes a backseat to allow Jinwoo to become stronger. Following a lackluster showing on Jeju Island, she’s determined to prove herself as the most powerful female hunter in the series.

Choi Jong-In

Hunter Rank: S
Hunter Type: Mage

Choi Jong-In was initially presented as a powerful hunter and a potential rival to Jinwoo. However, as stronger characters emerged, he became less significant. While popular for his fire-based abilities, his importance diminished after the events on Jeju Island during the fourth raid, where Jinwoo surpassed him.

Okay, so Choi Jong-In is supposedly this incredible fighter, ‘The Ultimate Soldier of Korea,’ but honestly, the series hasn’t really shown us why! I keep hoping for more scenes that really demonstrate his power, because right now it feels a little unearned. And it’s frustrating because even a cool entrance he had in Season 2 was cut! It just feels like they’re keeping him in the shadows, and I really want to see what makes him so legendary.

Yoo Soo-Hyun

Hunter Rank: A
Hunter Type: Marksman

I noticed something interesting while watching Solo Leveling Season 2 – Yoo Soo-Hyun’s planned scene with her cousin, Yoo Jin-Ho, never actually happened. It seemed like they cut it to keep the episode moving at a good pace. What’s really cool is that she’s a full-time actress and model, but she’s also a seriously powerful hunter, ranked as A-class! Her history reveals she’s an incredible sharpshooter, capable of taking down enemies with a single, precise shot.

Compared to other female hunters in Solo Leveling, Yoo Soo-Hyun is notably more self-assured and confident. She’s a fiercely independent woman who wouldn’t be swayed by just anyone’s looks – Jinwoo’s good looks alone wouldn’t be enough to attract her.

Lee Joo-Hee

Hunter Rank: B
Hunter Type: Support Healer

Strong female healers are uncommon in Solo Leveling, and characters like Lee Joo-Hee are particularly special. After she left fighting, no other healer stepped up to support Jinwoo quite like she did. Her farewell to Jinwoo marked the last time she played a significant role in the story.

Joo-Hee thankfully moved past her difficult experiences, but the show didn’t show us how that happened. The story left fans wanting more details about what she went through, particularly the trauma she faced before meeting Jinwoo and becoming his healer.

Esil Radiru

Hunter Rank: N/A

Esil Radiru is a popular character in Solo Leveling, but she hasn’t been featured much since Jinwoo defeated the challenges on the 100th floor of the Demon Castle. What makes Esil special compared to other characters is that she’s the only demon who actually teamed up with Jinwoo and experienced working alongside him.

The System introduced the idea of political parties, but the story didn’t develop that concept. After finishing the Demon Castle quest, Esil intentionally kept a low profile, even though it was clear she and Jinwoo had a connection.

2025-12-25 18:35