Summary

Sung Jin-Woo awakened as an E-rank hunter with weak abilities and faced betrayal.
Life before hunters in Solo Leveling was ordinary, with adults working and students studying.
Jin-Woo's abilities awakened after his father disappeared, and he worked multiple jobs to support his family.

In the universe of Solo Leveling, Sung Jin-Woo lives his life fighting magical beasts and superior beings with his shadow army. Since his awakening as a hunter, his life has never been the same, nor has the rest of humanity, regardless of whether they are hunters or civilians. However, the question remains: What’s life like for Jin-Woo before he becomes a hunter in Solo Leveling?

Sung Jin-Woo initially awakens as an E-rank hunter with pathetic abilities that often leave him injured, even in low-level gates, getting stabbed in the back by goblins and hunters alike. Betrayal becomes a common occurrence for Jin-Woo, who almost loses his faith in humanity until the system appears and takes him in as the sole player. As the plot unfolds, Jin-Woo rises to unimaginable power, driven by the goal of protecting his family, friends, and the same humans who once betrayed him.

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By Cathlyn Melo

What’s Life Like Before the Emergence of Hunters?

Everyone Is Normal, and Life Is Simple

The story of Solo Leveling would have been no different from slice-of-life anime shows if the mysterious gates had never appeared and the Monarchs and Rulers had never chosen the human world as their new battlefield. With Earth free from all kinds of magic, it’s safe to assume that everyone, including Jin-Woo, would lead an ordinary life doing ordinary things. Adults would be busy working to make a living while students would focus on finishing their schoolwork, living lives untouched by the chaos that would later define their world.

"My name is Sung Jin-Woo, E-rank hunter. The hunter guild's lowest rank and weakest hunter."—Sung Jin-Woo

As mentioned in the anime and the manhwa, Jin-Woo's father was a firefighter before pursuing his hunter career. His mother had been a normal homemaker, tending to her husband and children by doing household chores. Who would have known that Jin-Woo's mother would later be stricken by the Eternal Slumber disease and his father would go missing in action for over a decade? No one had anticipated the grand cataclysm, forcing humans into a completely different and harsh environment.

What's Life Like Before Jin-Woo Becomes a Hunter?

Solo Leveling: Arise Game Reveals Details About His Awakening

solo-leveling-jinwoo-weak — *Solo Leveling*

The Solo Leveling: Arise game reveals details about Jin-Woo's personal life before he awakens as a hunter. It is revealed that Jin-Woo only awakens his abilities after his father disappears in the amusement park, where a gate suddenly opens. They were supposed to spend some bonding time together, but Jin-Woo's father goes above and beyond to rescue people, remaining inside the gate until it closes, trapping him for a decade.

Naturally, this incident left Jin-Woo hopeful for his father’s return. He waited for a long time until his mother began to show symptoms of the Eternal Slumber disease, which sent his life into complete disarray. To make ends meet and support the education of his sister, Jin-Woo used the money his mother had supposedly saved for his college tuition. At the age of 20, Jin-Woo began working different jobs, accepting opportunities one after another to somehow keep things afloat.

"For a normal person with no particular talent, I had no choice but to become a hunter."—Sung Jin-Woo

Meanwhile, there are hunters like Cha Hae-In who once focused on a different career. She was a runner good enough to stand at the top until she suffered from an injury that took everything away from her. Then there’s Baek Yoon-Ho, who has also been a firefighter and admired Jin-Woo’s father. Thomas Andre, on the other hand, was once a brawler with a rough backstory, shaped by his harsh past.

So, How Did Jin-Woo Awaken His Abilities?

The Story Continues

solo-leveling-jinwoo-weak-smile — *Solo Leveling*

Contrary to assumptions, Sung Jin-Woo's hunter awakening was nothing special. While he thought that stories of individuals waking up one day and gaining magic abilities were just myths, his awakening turned out to be just like the stories he had heard. He simply gained his powers one day, and the rest is history. At the time, Jin-Woo was in the middle of work when he accidentally fell down the stairs and lost consciousness.

While Jin-Woo was unconscious, he dreamed of his missing father. When he came to, his father was gone, and he found himself in the hospital. Upon waking up, Jin-Woo immediately felt the difference in his body. He was unusually strong, as if some kind of power had found its way inside his body. True enough, Jin-Woo had awakened his magic abilities, but we all know how incredibly weak he was.

"It's embarrassing to even call myself a hunter."—Sung Jin-Woo

Unfortunately, Jin-Woo's mana level only reached 10, and he was identified as an E-rank hunter. The minimum mana level was 70, making Jin-Woo a laughingstock for a lot of hunters. Despite this, Jin-Woo persevered to support his family on behalf of his father, putting his life at risk over and over again as if death were not knocking at his door.

All in all, Jin-Woo's awakening is similar to that of other hunters. There’s nothing particularly special about it, even if he is the main protagonist of Solo Leveling. What truly matters is how he worked his way to the top through sheer determination and effort. In the end, it’s not his awakening that defines him, but his relentless resolve to protect his family and save the world.

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