A large part of the reason why Jin-Woo became a Hunter, although he wasn't strong enough to begin with, was that he was responsible for his family's wellbeing, as his father had abandoned them. For a long time, his dad remains a mysterious figure we don't know much about. So, does Jin-Woo ever meet his dad in Solo Leveling?
Solo Leveling: What Is the Manhwa About?
Based on a web novel, Solo Leveling is a Korean manhwa by Chugong.
The manhwa follows Sung Jin-woo, the weakest monster hunter in his world which makes his life a constant struggle for survival.
The story kicks off when Jin-Woo almost dies but reawakens as a warrior with access to stats, inventories, and levels.
Now Jin-Woo can grow infinitely stronger, to a max level his world has never encountered before, and perhaps even defeat the villainous Monarchs, who brought humanity to the point of almost extinction in the first place.
Does Jin-Woo Meet His Dad In Solo Leveling?
After fighting almost alone for the longest time, Jin-Woo finally meets his dad, Sung Il-Hwan; it's revealed that he was alive and never meant to abandon his family.
In the web novel, the encounter takes place around 75% into the story. In the manhwa, it occurs in Chapter 166 - though Sung Il-Hwan had also appeared in Chapter 56 without meeting his son.
While fighting the Monarch of Frost, Jin-Woo got stubbed in the chest and almost died. Spiritually, he was transferred to a different realm, and though he unsurprisingly survived and leveled up, he did have some unexpected help.
While Jin-Woo was unconscious, the Monarchs had hoped to finish him off, but they were blocked by none other than Jin-Woo's father, who belatedly got to fight to protect his son.
Unfortunately, in doing so, Sung Il-Hwan only had a brief reunion with his son as he was mortally wounded.
Before dying, Il-Hwan got to explain how he ended up far from his family. While fighting in a dungeon, he was caught up in a dimensional rift. To return home, he made a deal with the Rulers, agreeing to become their vessel and fight against the Monarchs for them.
But Jin-Woo's newfound powers included the power of the Shadow Monarch, so Il-Hwan feared that he'd have to kill his own son. Because of this, he only attempted contact when the Rulers decided that it was in their own best interests to keep the Shadow Monarch alive.
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As interesting as it was to see father and son finally reunite, some fans feel that the encounter fell short in terms of emotional intensity.
The chapters leading up to their meeting were filled with lore and battle details, and the more quiet moment of their reunion didn't feel built up as we'd barely seen Il-Hwan throughout the manhwa.
Related: The Strongest Characters in Solo Leveling
On the other hand, we got to see that father and son are both strong fighters battling impossible odds, and it's easy to tell where Jin-Woo got his selflessness from.
As a Solo Leveling anime is supposedly happening soon, we look forward to seeing how this father and son relationship will be navigated there.