Solo Leveling: How Many Humans Did Jin-Woo Kill?

This article contains major spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.

Summary

Jin-Woo navigates a world where killing is essential for survival
The system in Solo Leveling forces Jin-Woo to kill humans.
Jin-Woo’s kill count reaches 13 humans, including high-rank hunters

In the perilous and ruthless realm of hunters, Sung Jin-Woo navigates a world where slaying monsters and sometimes even humans becomes essential for survival. Deliberating over a kill for even a moment in the labyrinthine dungeons can prove fatal, as the unknown within these dungeons is shrouded from even the Hunter Association’s grasp. Once a hunter enters a dungeon, they must be prepared to either strike down or be struck down themselves.

Initially, Sung Jin-Woo was a frail and unassuming hunter who frequently sustained injuries in low-level E-rank dungeons filled with common monsters. He never imagined that he would find himself at a point where he had to take another’s life to stay alive. The system within the world of ‘Solo Leveling’ significantly impacted Jin-Woo’s existence, compelling him to eliminate both monsters and humans. If Jin-Woo were to defy the system, his heart would cease to beat, making it wiser to simply comply with its demands.

Sung Jin-Woo’s First Human Kill

An Experience Jin-Woo Will Never Forget

Initially, it seemed like a routine hunt as I observed Sung Jin-Woo and his companion, Jin-Ho, joining C-rank hunter Hwang Dong-Suk and his group in venturing into a C-rank dungeon. However, what started as a casual raid took an unexpected turn into a violent encounter. The system compelled Jin-Woo to defend himself against eight individuals intent on his demise within the dungeon’s depths. Left alone with Jin-Ho in the lair of the boss, they were abandoned by Dong-Suk and his team, who waited outside the gate, anticipating that the duo would perish while they gathered the magic crystals.

“Just as I thought, they are the lizards!”—Sung Jin-Woo to Hwang Dong-Suk and his group

Despite slaying the boss, Jin-Woo now focuses on Hwang Dong-Suk and his companions. As he reminisces about lizards in the dungeons, he comes to understand that these individuals are similar to the tail-shedding lizards who abandon their tails – just as they have done to him. Though Jin-Woo never ponders over killing humans, a sudden emergency quest appears on his system, urging him to eliminate Hwang Dong-Suk and his group instead.

The System Forces Jin-Woo to Kill Humans Again

Sung Jin-Woo’s Life or Kang Tae-Shik’s Life

After meeting Hwang Dong-Suk’s team, Jin-Woo is forced to take another human life in order to stay alive. This time around, it’s Inspector Kang Tae-Shik from the Hunter’s Association who joins Jin-Woo, some acquainted faces, and a band of rehabilitators for a dungeon expedition. From the outset, Jin-Woo had a sense that something wasn’t right with Kang Tae Shik, and fortunately, his keen intuition and survival instincts proved correct.

“I’ll get rid of you first!”—Kang Tae-Shik to Lee Joo-Hee

In a gripping conflict between an assassin and a game player, Jin-Woo eliminates Kang Tae Shik. At that moment, Tae Shik was far beyond the league of Hwang Dong-Suk and his comrades, compelling Jin-Woo to give his all in combat. Following the death of Tae-Shik, Jin-Woo obtains a runestone imbued with the skill Stealth. It’s also worth mentioning that Jin-Woo was responsible for the death of the remaining rehabilitator. Unable to forgive his transgressions, Jin-Woo ultimately causes the rehabilitator’s downfall by casting him into the lair of a dungeon boss, resulting in a sorrowful end.

How Many Humans Did Jin-Woo Kill?

Death Toll Revealed

In the captivating narrative of “Solo Leveling,” I, as an observer, find that the protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo, ends up taking the lives of thirteen individuals throughout the storyline. The first eight souls claimed by him were Hwang Dong Suk and his associates. It seems that certain enthusiasts believe Jin-Woo was responsible for the deaths of six people during the Dungeon and Lizards Arc alone, but it’s essential to note that the system’s mission compelled him to eliminate eight lives, as detailed in the manhwa.

Beyond Kang Tae-Shik and another caretaker who survived, Jin-Woo also eliminated Kim Chul, an A-Rank hunter from the White Tiger Guild, transforming him into one of his shadows known as Iron. Similarly, he took the life of Hwang Dong-Suk’s brother, Hwang Dong-Soo, during the International Guild Conference Arc and created a shadow called Greed from him. Although it appeared that Jin-Woo ended the lives of the healers collaborating with Hwang Dong-Soo when they abducted Jin-Ho, there is no concrete proof of their demise.

“The real hunt begins now!”—Sung Jin-Woo

In the conclusion of the story ‘Solo Leveling’, Jin-Woo dispatched three of his shadows to execute a detainee. Regrettably, this detainee chose to surrender to evade death, but due to his assertions about shadow monsters, the police, including Woo Jin-Chul, escorted him out of prison for verification. Tragically, the prisoner perished, while Jin-Chul and two others had their memories wiped clean.

Humans Sung Jin-Woo Killed in Solo Leveling
Hwang Dong-Suk
Juntae
Jinsuk
Lee Chul-Jin
Cho Kyu-Hwan
Unnamed Hunter
Unnamed Hunter
Unnamed Hunter
Kang Tae-Shik
Unnamed Rehabilitator
Kim Chul
Hwang Dong-Soo
Unnamed Prisoner

In essence, it’s more beneficial for Jin-Woo to eliminate the most vile humans on Earth rather than sacrificing himself for them. Instead of granting them another opportunity to live, Jin-Woo prevents these individuals from causing harm to innocent people trying to survive in the ruthless and perilous world depicted in Solo Leveling.

2025-03-26 19:08