It doesn’t happen often that my friends who enjoy Manga and Anime agree on something.
Some are fans of the classics, while others are more into new-gen Anime.
Some enjoy heartfelt stories, while others want action-packed fights.
And sometimes, they argue just for the fun of it.
However, when Solo Leveling Season 1 dropped in January 2024, something changed.
Suddenly, our group chats were filled with peaceful, hour-long conversations about this new show.
Some even changed their profile pictures to the main character of the Anime, and a few regularly quoted lines from the show to boost their motivation.
It really felt like being 13 again, and talking with your friends during the lunch break.
Back then, I was sure this was just a one-hit wonder that would lose momentum due to the long wait between seasons.
But when the second season dropped in January 2025, I was immediately proven wrong by the even bigger wave of hype.
Whenever you saw an edit, an analysis, or anything related to Solo Leveling, it would go viral within hours.
This doesn’t happen often, and that’s why I want to explain why this Anime / Manhwa (Korean comic) is experiencing this level of hype!
What Is Solo Leveling?
First of all, what is Solo Leveling even about?
10 years ago, without warning, something later known as a ‘gate’ appeared out of nowhere. It spread confusion and fear across the world — which would prove to be justified.
Now, in the present day, more and more gates continue to appear everywhere.
These gates pose a threat to humanity because if they break, they release hordes of magical monsters into our world.
Around the same time the gates appeared, some people developed magical powers, which they now use to destroy the gates by entering them and completing challenges – like defeating the gate’s boss.
Jinwoo Sung, our protagonist, is one of these hunters.
But with no money, no powers, and no confidence, he’s considered the weakest of them all. Still, that doesn’t stop him from taking on low-level jobs to earn a bit of money.
After joining a team on what seemed to be a low-level gate, things take a turn.
The gate turns out to be a deadly trap that will change his life – and the fate of humanity – forever.
The story, written by the Korean author Chugong, was originally released as a web novel in 2016. Only two years later, after the story gained popularity, Chugong released it as a webtoon.
Webtoons are a popular comic format in South Korea that allows audiences to access stories through apps or websites via a subscription or even for free.
These apps are especially popular because, similarly to Japan, people in South Korea do not collect a lot of printed media.
While in Japan people buy magazines that collect new chapters from different Manga and then throw them away, audiences in South Korea prefer the digital approach.
Additionally, these apps are exciting because newcomers can present their ideas, making a huge library of stories available.
The ‘webtoonification’ of Solo Leveling proved to be the right step, as it attracted an even larger audience in South Korea.
Around the time of Solo Leveling’s run between 2018 and 2021, its massive success spread to Europe and the US, alongside the rising interest in South Korean culture. This introduced more and more people to the concept of Manhwa.
These are South Korean comics, usually characterized by a style similar to Japanese comics. This doesn’t mean that Manhwa are copies of Manga, but rather that both continue to influence each other, leading to some stylistic similarities.
What makes Manhwa special is that they are usually colorized, similar to US comics, which is rather unusual in East Asian comics.
Solo Leveling Gave a Classic Formula a New Taste!
If you are a regular reader of Manga, you may remember how surprising it was when the first Manhwa arrived at our stores.
Seeing these stories colorized was unusual but intriguing.
Solo Leveling, due to its popularity as a webtoon, was one of the first Manhwa to receive an English translation and truly proved itself worth promoting in stores.
Thus, Solo Leveling thankfully carried the momentum of a new type of storytelling for us in the West, which helped boost its popularity here.
But it wasn’t just the colors that hooked people.
Solo Leveling is an accessible story for both young and older readers that doesn’t try to be more than it is.
The story is underlined with mystery and plot twists, which, with each chapter, bring the reader closer to the truth behind the gates and why humanity has to face these threats.
While some people may confuse ‘accessible’ with ‘poorly written’, Solo Leveling proves that a good mystery doesn’t need a degree in astrophysics or anything similarly complicated to keep audiences excited.
Additionally, Solo Leveling takes inspiration from classic tales and Manga like Dragon Ball or One Piece, where an underdog hero must overcome struggles.
Although these protagonists slowly become some of the strongest by overcoming challenges, they are always just a bit weaker than their next foe. This allows the writer to keep delivering fights that feel thrilling and dangerous.
The outcome of each fight feels rewarding and like the next step in their journeys.
It’s a classic formula, but it just keeps working.
Solo Leveling uses that formula to transform Jinwoo Sung into the ultimate power fantasy.
Jinwoo Sung Is Edgy, But It Is Fun!
If someone refers to a character as being ‘edgy’, they usually mean someone with a dark and rough tone.
They wear dark clothes and armor – or maybe even refuse to wear anything protective because they’re just that strong.
They also tend to present themselves with a moody personality or an indifference toward the people around them. This positions these characters as underdogs or even outsiders within the cast’s dynamic. I usually refer to these characters as ‘lone wolves’.
However, whenever someone is in danger or the world needs them, they transform into white knights, saving the people they ignored just seconds earlier.
These attributes make the character seem cool and mysterious while still allowing them to be seen as heroes.
Just the typical “tough on the outside, soft on the inside” trope.
Although this is nothing new, these tropes usually resonate most with teenagers or young adults.
These audiences are often still exploring their own identity and draw inspiration from the people around them – or even from fiction.
This phase is difficult, as individuals want to fit in but also want to feel special.
They are drawn to unique characters who, despite being different, are still admired by those around them.
Edgy characters are the perfect mix for that fantasy.
They are lone wolves who can face their struggles independently.
They are rebels who speak their minds.
They are outsiders who stay true to themselves, yet are still loved by others.
They are losers who prove everyone wrong by overcoming impossible odds.
And most importantly, despite their moody looks and personalities, they are good people who follow valid morals.
Some audiences, especially those who struggle with their own identity or with connecting to others, feel seen.
It helps them understand that, despite what others may think of them, there are people who love them – and that they can write their own story.
Jinwoo Sung embodies all of that and stands as the ultimate underdog story that’s fun to follow – especially because edginess works so well with action!
Or, as the younger generation would say: Jinwoo Sung is aura-farming when he fights.
Solo Leveling’s Action Profits From the Good Animation!
Although Solo Leveling has its mystery and some deeper parts, it ultimately thrives on its wonderful action!
Fights are rough, smart, and beautifully choreographed. They hook you to the pages and make the ink feel alive.
It was clear from the first fight in the Manhwa that it would work well as an Anime.
So when the Anime was announced, fans knew the animation team had to put all their effort into bringing these beautiful fights to life – and they succeeded!
The Anime translates the fights from the pages well and even adds elements to make them feel even better.
Whenever an Anime adapts its source material well or showcases stunning animation, it tends to go viral. And the studios know that – as proven by the immense marketing Solo Leveling received.
With its well-animated fights and strong promotional push, the Anime helped make the story even more popular across all media.
Solo Leveling Definitely Deserved to Go Viral!
Solo Leveling and the hype around it is a phenomenon we don’t see often.
But it’s a classic tale of “right place, right time”!
When Solo Leveling started, it rode the wave of hype surrounding South Korean culture.
It was one of the first Manhwa that Western audiences found thrilling, offering a fresh take on a classic formula we were used to from Manga – while presenting something unusual for East Asian comics: colors!
Solo Leveling is the classic underdog story, with amazing fights that scale with the main character’s power level. He is always just a bit too weak to face the imposing danger, but still manages to overcome it with sheer willpower.
He does all that while looking cool and mysterious – the perfect edgy character for younger audiences.
Additionally, it never tries to pose as something it isn’t. It doesn’t want to compete with deep stories like Vagabond or Vinland Saga, but simply aims to be a fun ride with an underlying mystery, which makes its world and story accessible.
All of that, especially the fights, translated well into an anime, which was guaranteed to succeed thanks to its beautiful animation.
Thus, Solo Leveling did everything right at the right time, which created an ever-growing hype around it.
If you haven’t given Solo Leveling a try yet, you should definitely dive into the light novel or the manhwa!
All eight original light novels are collected in a incredibly beautiful hardcover collection:
If you want to check out Solo Leveling with an incredible art style and amazing printed choreographies, you can do that here:
