Sung Jin-Woo is a character depicted as a hunter in the realm of Solo Leveling. While Solo Leveling itself is a South Korean webtoon designed and illustrated by Jang Sung-Rak, the outline of the series follows the story of its lead character, Sung Jin-Woo, presenting the various hurdles he faces.
Jin-Woo is portrayed as an E-Rank Hunter, usually considered a low rank in the hunter community. However, peculiar transformations start occurring in his life upon discovering the System. This article will discuss the changes and elevations that led Jin-woo to become the world’s greatest hunter.
Table of Contents
Evolution of Sung Jin-Woo
| Rank | Chapter | Class | Title |
| E-Rank | 1-13 | None | None |
| D-Rank | 14-16 | None | Wolf Slayer |
| C-Rank | 17-26 | None | Wolf Slayer |
| B-Rank | 27-50 | None | Wolf Slayer |
| A-Rank | 51-55 | Shadow Monarch | The One Who Overcame Adversity |
| AA-Rank | 56-65 | Shadow Monarch | The One Who Overcame Adversity |
| S-Rank | 66-84 | Shadow Monarch | The One Who Overcame Adversity |
| SS-Rank | 85-103 | Shadow Monarch | The One Who Overcame Adversity |
| SSS-Rank | 104-151 (getting Demon King sword) | Shadow Monarch | The One Who Overcame Adversity |
| National Level | 151-160 | Shadow Monarch | Devil Hunter |
| The Strongest One | 161-179 | Shadow Monarch | Dragon Hunter |
All Character Development and Design Change
Talking about Jin-Woo’s transformations throughout the series, he undergoes significant developments after being chosen by the System as its player. I started as an E-Rank Hunter and then acquired the honorary status of an S-Rank Hunter through rigorous training.
Additionally, when altering Jin-Woo’s character design, notably, he could elevate his strength and powers. Still, interestingly, his physical appearance was enhanced as well. Initially adoring the essential hunter clothing and later adopting more sophisticated outfits, he resembles the new version of Sung Jin-Woo.
-> Beginning of the series
The character portrayal of Jin-Woo can be considered the stereotypical representation of a protagonist, initially presented as weak but later, through rigorous training and experiences, turns into a beast. Sun Jin-Woo is no exception in terms of such character development. However, we will be considering his initial portrayal for the time being.
How He Looks:
During his introductory phase, he appeared to be a young man with a short, skinny body. He also had long hair—long enough to cover his ears. His facial structure seemed odd, looking way younger than his actual age. He is often mistaken, with people incorrectly assuming he is younger than his sister.
Abilities:
Being an E-Rank hunter back then, he was often considered weak. The rank is evident in his abilities as a hunter ranked at the bottom of the hierarchy. However, he had below-average combat abilities compared to his seniors in the hunter community.
Personality:
Despite being a low-ranking hunter, Jin-Woo never let that thing get into his mind and exhibited a reticent and meticulous attitude. In other terms, his initial demeanor can be characterized by caution and a sense of responsibility, always prioritizing his team’s safety first.
-> After completing the initial phase/tasks
As the story advances, Jin-Woo is entrusted with a daily quest named “The Preparation to Become Powerful.” It required him to complete 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10-kilometer run to be a formidable combatant. However, after this incident, we witnessed drastic changes within Jin-Woo, both physically and emotionally.
How He Looks:
After completing the initial tasks, Jin-Woo gains more confidence and appears to be someone he has never been. Jin-Woo’s ordinary-looking eyes now seemed glow-like, resembling his exclusive abilities and the spark of change within him.
Abilities:
Jin-Woo gains immense strength by leveling up after completing such complex tasks. Following this event, Jin-Woo’s powers and abilities skyrocketed; he grew stronger and was subsequently the strongest in the world. Along with this, he could exceed the average speed of an average hunter, most notably by developing mana.
Personality:
Jin-Woo developed a different type of aura besides his transformation and elevation. He developed a severe sense of responsibility, protectiveness, and strategic thinking capability. Despite such a developing demeanor, he appeared more mature and indulged in the dark void of loneliness and isolation.
-> End of the series
By the end of the series, the old, weak E-Rank Hunter was replaced with an exclusive version of Sung Jin-Woo. He was also titled the world’s greatest hunter and the new Shadow Monarch. Apart from this, he was so overpowered that he could turn back time and kill all the monarchs and his rivals. In other words, he was able to achieve godlike powers.
How He Looks:
By the end of the series, Jin-Woo appears to be nothing like before; instead, he becomes a handsome, muscular young man. His facial structures change dramatically—gray eyes, black hair. He can often be seen wearing dark outfits, predominantly black. A prominent change in his appearance can be considered as his wearing a black glove in one of his hands after killing the monarchs.
Abilities:
Towards the end of Solo Leveling, Sung Jin-Woo becomes immensely strong, acquiring god-level powers. He becomes an invincible being in the realm of Solo Leveling, surpassing every character in every aspect.
He can pull off various techniques, such as shadow extraction, telekinesis, necromancy, memory manipulation, and domain ownership. He is also believed to be so strong that he can destroy the planet just with his presence alone.
Personality:
Despite possessing heavenly powers, Jin-Woo chooses to stay with his family—his wife and child. However, it will be fair to state that somehow his demeanor, by the end of the series, remains unchanged.
Although he seems more conserved, he still harbors a soft corner inside his heart. In other words, Jin-Woo remains the same caring person for those close to him.
CONCLUSION
After having a close insight into the character development of Sung Jin-Woo, he can be considered an ideal protagonist. If we leave the dark themes of Solo Leveling aside, its characters have some significant influence on its fans.
How come? The character development is almost apparent for each character, and the depth explored is noteworthy and appreciated worldwide. However, considering only the development of Sung Jin-Woo, he undergoes significant transformations throughout the series.
The struggles and hurdles he encounters from the beginning, from being a weak E-Rank Hunter to the most excellent hunter to exist, establish him as an example of exponential character development.
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I am a first-year student pursuing Data Science and Artificial intelligence and have always been mesmerised by AI and wish to build one for my own in future. In my free time, I like to watch Romance Anime or read Seinen Manga.
