Solo Leveling Creator Reveals Why Fans Misunderstood Hwang Dong-Soo’s Strength

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This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.

Summary

  • Fans misunderstood Hwang Dong-Soo’s real strength.
  • Chugong confirms Hwang Dong-Soo was stronger than perceived.
  • Hwang Dong-Soo’s downfall was due to fighting opponents above his level.

In the captivating series Solo Leveling, a multitude of intriguing antagonists aim to eliminate Sung Jin-Woo for various motives – some seek retribution, while others desire his removal from the battlefield to secure personal advantages. However, one villain is particularly noteworthy due to his relentless bloodthirst towards Jin-Woo. Yet, many fans have deemed him as feeble despite his colossal power. This assessment has not gone unacknowledged, and the creator, Chugong, has at last responded to the opinions concerning this villain.

In the world of Solo Leveling, as Jin-Woo’s power increases, so does the might and danger posed by his adversaries. The formidable Monarchs and enigmatic magical beasts are not the only threats he faces. A villain from the initial two seasons has been biding his time, seeking the ideal moment to reveal his full potential against Jin-Woo. However, many fans persist in undervaluing him, unaware of the true extent of his capabilities.

Solo Leveling’s Creator Explains Why Hwang Dong-Soo Felt So Weak

Fans Are Calling Hwang Dong-Soo “Sung Family Punching Bag”

Hwang Dong-Soo, a character from the series “Solo Leveling“, is well-known among fans not just for his power as an S-rank hunter, but rather for the unfortunate circumstances that led to his defeats at the hands of both Sung Jin-Woo and Sung Il-Hwan. This repeated series of losses has earned him a new moniker among many fans, who affectionately refer to him as the “Sung Family Punching Bag”, reflecting his back-to-back losses against the father-and-son duo of the Sung family.

“Sung family punching bag 😂poor greed”-Redditor @Akrevics

Initially, Hwang Dong-Soo had no connections with Jin-Woo or his father. Instead, he was in America, thriving as an elite S-rank hunter associated with the notorious Scavenger Guild. However, when he discovered that his brother had passed away, a chain of unfortunate events began to unfold. Pursuing both Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho, and even challenging Il-Hwan, one of the main characters, was a lethal move. In the universe of Solo Leveling, confronting the protagonist generally results in defeat, thus setting Hwang Dong-Soo on his path towards destiny.

Due to repeated failures, Hwang Dong-Soo’s public image and fan favorability have significantly declined. Despite sharing an S-rank title with figures like Choi Jong-In, Cha Hae-In, and Baek Yoon-Ho, many spectators find him lacking in comparison. Even after being pulled out as a shadow by Jin-Woo, most fans were left wondering why he was immediately granted a general grade, placing him alongside shadows of much greater caliber such as Beru.

It’s possible that these issues sparked some thoughts in the mind of Solo Leveling’s author, Chugong, leading him to feel compelled to offer an insight. On a Korean forum called DCinside, Chugong shared his perspective on Hwang Dong-Soo, as follows: (Here’s what he said, translated)

In the novel, Hwang Dong-Su didn’t receive much attention due to his battles mainly being against Jin-Woo’s father and Jin-Woo himself. However, it’s important to note that he was exceptionally strong. Initially, he was an S-Rank hunter who outperformed even Cha Hae-in, and he also received a power boost from Madam, making him incredibly powerful. Yet, due to being defeated by overpowered characters, many people seem to view him as weak. This is why it leaves some readers perplexed when he was granted the General rank. I find this somewhat unsatisfying.

-Chugong

It’s not hard to see why fans might find Hwang Dong-Soo unimpressive, given that most of his significant scenes involve him being overpowered by Jin-Woo and Il-Hwan in the anime and comics. He hasn’t had a chance to demonstrate his full potential, with only two lopsided battles against characters who were much stronger than him, making him appear weaker as a result. It seems that despite his S-rank hunter status, his abilities don’t seem as formidable due to these one-sided fights.

Moving on, a fan posed a deeper question to Chugong about whether Hwang Dong-Soo was superior to Goto Ryuji in the world of Solo Leveling. Chugong’s straightforward response suggested that Hwang Dong-Soo was actually inferior to Goto Ryuji, emphasizing that while both are S-rank hunters, they are by no means equal.

How Strong Is Hwang Dong-Soo?

He Is Still an S-Rank Hunter

It comes to light that Hwang Dong-Soo is a formidable S-rank hunter, despite some fans misjudging his abilities. Simply being less powerful than Jin-Woo or Il-Hwan doesn’t equate to weakness. His role as the chief hunter in the Scavenger Guild underscores his true might. To put it simply, Thomas Andre would not consider him an appropriate representative for his guild if he wasn’t strong enough for the position.

It’s up to me whether I imprison them in a dungeon or not, understood?” – Hwang Dong-Soo to Woo Jin-Chul (in simpler terms)

In addition to what Hwang Dong-Soo had already achieved, he received an upgrade from Norma Selner that boosted his strength by nearly a third. This put him above many S-rank hunters. As Chugong noted, he was even stronger than Cha Hae-In, who shares the same fighter class. However, his fate took a turn for the worse when he encountered an adversary far beyond his capabilities. In the end, this confrontation led to his tragic demise in the world of Solo Leveling.

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2025-05-24 18:15