Summary
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Solo Levelingis full of fascinating villains who want to end Sung Jin-Woo for different reasons. It’s either that they want to get revenge on him or remove him from the battlefield for personal gain. Among them, one villain stands out due to his intense bloodlust toward Jin-Woo. But despite his immense power, most fans have perceived him as weak. This criticism didn’t go unnoticed, andcreator Chugong has finally addressedthe sentiments surrounding the villain.
As Jin-Woo grows stronger inSolo Leveling, so does the intensity and power level of the enemies he faces. Amid the threat of the Monarchs and the magical beasts, a recurring villain from the first two seasons has been waiting for the perfect opportunity to unleash his full strength against Jin-Woo. Yet despite his abilities, most fans continue to underestimate him.
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 is one of themost popular villains inSolo Leveling, not because of his strength as an S-rank hunter but because of his tragic fate at the hands of both Sung Jin-Woo and Sung Il-Hwan. Because of this, many fans have chosen a new nickname for him, calling him the “Sung Family Punching Bag” after his back-to-back defeats against the father-and-son duo of the Sung Family.
“Sung family punching bag 😂poor greed”-Redditor@Akrevics
At first, Hwang Dong-Soo had no business with either Jin-Woo or his father. He was in America, living the life of an S-rank hunter affiliated withthe infamous Scavenger Guild. But the moment he heard about his brother’s death, his downfall was inevitable. Going after Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho, not to mention provoking a ruler’s vessel like Il-Hwan of all the characters, was a fatal mistake. In the world ofSolo Leveling, going up against the main character almost always guarantees failure, sealing Hwang Dong-Soo’s fate.
As Hwang Dong-Soo fails over and over again, his image and reputation among fans have taken a major hit. Despite holding an S-rank title like Choi Jong-In, Cha Hae-In, and Baek Yoon-Ho, many fans find him underwhelming. Even afterJin-Woo extracted him as a shadow, most fans couldn’t help but question why he immediately received a general grade, putting him on par with far more impressive shadows like Beru.
All of these concerns may have reachedSolo Leveling’s creator, Chugong, so he likely felt the need to provide an explanation. In a post shared on the Korean forum DCinside, Chugong offered his thoughts on Hwang Dong-Soo. Here’s what he had to say, as translated:
“Hwang Dong-Su didn’t get much spotlight in the novel because the only ones he fought were Jin-Woo’s dad and Jin-Woo himself.But he was very, very strong. Originally, he was an S-Rank hunter who surpassed even Cha Hae-in, and on top of that, he received a power boost from Madam, making him incredibly strong… However, as a result of only being beaten up by overpowered characters, he seems to have been perceived as very weak. That’s why many people were puzzled when he received the General rank. I find that a bit disappointing.”
-Chugong
It’s understandable why fans view Hwang Dong-Soo as underwhelming, as his only relevant appearances feature him being battered by Jin-Woo and Il-Hwan in the anime and manhwa. He never had a moment to shine and showcase the full extent of his abilities. Instead, all he got were two one-sided fights with characters who were far stronger than him, which made him look weak by comparison. It’s almost as if histitle as an S-rank hunterhas no weight at all.
Moving forward, one fan took the discussion a step further by asking Chugong whether Hwang Dong-Soo wasbetter than Goto Ryuji. Chugong replied that Hwang Dong-Soo is “weaker than Goto Ryuji.” This simple answer highlights an important detail inSolo Leveling, affirming that S-rank hunters may hold the same title, but they’re far from equal.
How Strong Is Hwang Dong-Soo?
He Is Still an S-Rank Hunter
Chugong reveals that Hwang Dong-Soo is indeed avery strong S-rank hunter, but many fans have misunderstood his true strength. Just because he pales in comparison to Jin-Woo or Il-Hwan doesn’t mean he’s incredibly weak. His position as the main hunter of the Scavenger Guild speaks volumes about his real strength. After all, Thomas Andre would not be interested in him if he weren’t strong enough to represent his guild.
“Whether or not I bury those guys inside a dungeon is my choice, got it?"—Hwang Dong-Soo to Woo Jin-Chul
Hwang Dong-Soo also had the privilege of getting anupgrade from Norma Selner, enhancing his strength by about 20 to 30%, making him superior to most S-rank hunters. As mentioned by Chugong, he was even stronger than Cha Hae-In, who belongs to the same fighter class as him. Unfortunately, his downfall came from crossing paths with someone far beyond his level, which ultimately led to his inevitable death inSolo Leveling.
