Japan Betrayed Korea in Jeju Island Raid—Here’s How

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Summary

  • Korea trusted Japan’s plan to defeat the ants on Jeju Island, unaware of Japan’s intent to betray them.
  • Japan attempted to sacrifice Korean hunters and take credit, but the plan backfired.
  • The Ant King’s emergence and Sung Jinwoo saved Korea from Japan’s betrayal and exposed the plot.

The following contains minor spoilers from the manhwa not yet adapted into the anime.

In the fictional world of Solo Leveling, Jeju Island left an indelible mark on a Korean hunter’s achievement record due to three unsuccessful attempts to eliminate the ant infestation following a dungeon rupture. Korea’s most accomplished hunters who engaged in this endeavor carried the memory of the island’s harsh consequences with them, striving tirelessly to avenge their fallen comrades by ultimately securing a triumphant victory.

Nevertheless, the intense desire among Korean hunters to triumph created a vulnerability that could be exploited by cunning individuals. This opening was capitalized on by Goto Ryuji and Japan, who aimed to use the Korean hunters as pawns to boost their own top-tier S-rank hunters in the global arena. Regrettably for Goto Ryuji and Japan’s Hunter Association, this underhanded scheme did not materialize due to the might of the Ant King and the intervention of Solo Leveling’s protagonist, Sung Jinwoo.

Japan’s Offer to Korea

Setting Up The Plan

During the preparations for Korea’s fourth raid on Jeju Island, Goto Ryuji was sent to confer with Hunter Association Chairman Go Gunhee. In this meeting, Goto shared Japan’s research and proposed that their strategy for attack might be more effective. The elite S-rank hunters from Japan would act as a diversion while Korean hunters focused on eliminating the queen independently.

Given the catastrophic occurrences lately, it’s clear that Jeju Island has been overlooked. However, rest assured that we are committed to extending all our assistance to Korea in addressing its needs on Jeju Island. -Hanekawa speaking with Chairman Go Gunhee.

The Chairman, Go Gunhee, relied on Goto since he believed this strategy was their most promising option for vanquishing the ants, considering their restricted assets. As a single ant lives for roughly a year, annihilating the queen would lead to the gradual demise of the massive ant colony, as it wouldn’t be able to replenish its population naturally.

Though the scheme initially seemed advantageous to the Korean hunters, Japan devised a plan to deceive them following their victory over the queen. Instead of honoring their victory, Japan intended to claim the raid for themselves, leaving the Korean hunters vulnerable and overwhelmed by ants while trapped within Jeju Island. This would enable Japan to seize Jeju Island, thereby establishing dominance over Korea, which would now be left with few S-ranked hunters.

The Plan Goes Awry

Japan’s Betrayal Almost Worked

Following the announcement of the queen’s defeat, Matsumoto Shigeo, head of the Japanese Hunters Association, instructed Japanese hunters to withdraw. This move could have resulted in the demise of the S-rank Korean hunters and left Korea vulnerable to future monster attacks without its own S-rank defenders. In such a situation, Korea would be compelled to seek aid from Japan, thereby enhancing Japan’s influence in the region.

The plan would have succeeded if not for the unexpected treachery, as it appeared the Korean hunters had not seen it coming. However, before the Japanese hunters could escape, they were systematically eliminated due to the arrival of the Ant King. Even Goto Ryuji, who was believed to be a top-tier S-rank hunter, was quickly overpowered before he had the chance to abandon the island.

Ultimately, Japan’s plan ended disastrously as most of Korea’s elite hunters remained alive, while almost all of Japan’s S-rank hunters met their demise. Matsumoto tried to hide the plot, but Chairman Go exposed it when a transmitter was found on the deceased Goto post-battle. In the subsequent manga, Matsumoto is compelled to seek Korea and Sung Jinwoo’s assistance to halt an S-rank gate. Later, he is apprehended by Japanese law enforcement, which proved a fitting conclusion for his character in Solo Leveling.

Solo Leveling can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Amazon.

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2025-04-21 00:08