Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Solo Leveling beyond the anime
For a manhwa widely considered one of the best series of its kind,Solo Levelinghas surprisingly faceda considerable amount of negative feedback. While some of the criticism can be written off as “nitpicking”, there is at least one critique that raises a valid concern worthy of discussion:the introduction of romancenear the series' ending.
Originally a web novel that was later adapted into a manhwa and anime, Chu Gong’sSolo Levelingtells the story of the Hunters – humans with supernatural abilities who are tasked with protecting humanity from the monsters, demons, and gods who appear from mysterious dungeons spawning all over the world.
The story focuses on one hunter in particular, Sung Jinwoo, a hunter of abysmally low abilities who somehow survivesa famously difficult double dungeon. As a result, he is gifted the unique ability to increase or “level up” his abilities. Naturally, after a lifetime of being a loser, Jinwoo jumps at the chance to be the hunter he always thought he could be.
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The Romance Between Cha And Jinwoo Was Suddenly Everywhere
Fans Were Taken Aback by the Sudden Appearance of Romance in the Series
What’s madeSolo Levelingsuch a darling of the manhwa and anime communities is its world-building, character diversity, and its amazing fight scenes. Indeed,Solo Levelingis a battle manhwa first and foremost, butno manhwa can survive without some form of character development. Fans want to understand why characters make the decisions they do, especially in a series likeSolo Levelingwhere the lore is so complex.
Throughout the series, Chu Gang tries to add to the characters' depth – especially its protagonist - the “strong and silent” Jinwoo. But, as some fans have pointed out,the choice to introduce a romantic relationship between him and Cha Hae-In feels unnaturaland does not contribute to the story. Indeed, for all the effort the author puts into making the relationship between the two top-rated hunters work, its final resolution as a “side story” inSolo Leveling’s closing chaptersmakes it feel even less necessary.
Jinwoo and Cha Hae-In’s Relationship Has a Disappointing Resolution
The problems with the relationship between Cha and Jinwoo start almost as soon as it begins. First, there’s the issue of timing. When Cha first meets Jinwoo in the story, he is already deep into his leveling-up quest. In fact, they meet because Jinwoo, seeking a bit of action, pretends to be a lower-level miner, as coming in as himself might scare off monsters and demons.
In other words, when they first cross paths, Jinwoo is fully committed to his quest to become the strongest, making dating and romance far from his priorities. Furthermore, for fans who had already seen the potential romance between Jinwoo and Lee Joohee fade early in the story, starting a new romance with someone Jinwoo has no prior relationship with felt forced.
The relationship between Cha and Jinwoo was largely one-sidedfor most of its duration. Initially, Cha’s curiosity about Jinwoo’s mysterious nature drew her to him. As she learned more about him, her interest blossomed into romantic feelings. However, she kept her emotions hidden. Indeed, her timidness is not something you’d expect fromone of South Korea’s top hunters.
Jinwoo eventually noticed Cha’s affection due to her flustered behavior around him, but he didn’t reciprocate her feelings, as he was preoccupied with battling monsters. It wasn’t until Cha was severely injured in a raid that Jinwoo began to show interest in her. Eventually, they went on a date, marking a turning point in their relationship.
However, despite this premise, after their date, the romance — or at least its portrayal in the story —fades significantly into the background, only reemerging when Jinwoo resets the timeline and reintroduces himself to her. Even then, there’s uncertainty: did he use his knowledge from both timelines to influence Cha in his courtship of her, or did he restore her old memories, allowing them to pick up where they left off?
This approach sends a message to fans that neither ending is worth fully investing in. This overwhelmingly disappointing conclusion to a storyline that fans already felt skeptical about is why Cha and Jinwoo’s romance is one of the most criticized aspects ofSolo Leveling. However, it should also be said that this plot is not introduced until very late in the story, and overall it’s easy to ignore.
Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, the world’s weakest hunter, who gains extraordinary powers through a mysterious program after surviving a brutal monster attack. As he navigates his newfound abilities, Jinwoo embarks on a quest to uncover the secrets of his powers and the dungeon that altered his fate.
