Chae Ha-in and Sung Jinwoo's chemistry in Solo Leveling is everything a power couple needs

Solo Leveling has far exceeded its expectations. The anime adaptation has brought nothing but excitement among fans since its release in 2024, and among critics, it was labeled as one of the best anime of 2024. Critics have praised Solo Leveling for its fluid animation, astonishing fight sequences, and amazing voice acting. The plot has also been the recipient of significant praise as many have called it lucid and enjoyable.

Solo Leveling has been appreciated for many things ever since its launch, but one underrated aspect of Solo Leveling is its romance. The anime manages to blend in aspects of romance without being overbearing or taking the spotlight away from the plot.

Solo Leveling’s romance shines between Sung Jin-Woo and Cha Ha-In, a main character and a minor character. Let's take a look at how Chae Hae In and Sung Jin Woo's romance started and how they became a power couple.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author’s opinion and may contain spoilers.

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Chae Ha-In and Sung Jin-Woo’s beginnings in

Solo Leveling

Chae Ha-In falls in love with Sung Jin-Woo first (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Sung Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In’s first meeting in Solo Leveling was during the Hunters Guild Gate Arc. Jin-Woo was a member of the mining team and Cha Ha-In was an S-Rank Hunter attached to the Hunter’s Guild, one of the biggest Guilds in the series.

What attracted the S-Ranker to Sung Jin-Woo at first were the waves of power he emitted. Cha Ha-In assumed it was the chairman of the Hunter Association. She then saw him in a secluded area and noticed he had no smell. This was a huge shock to the S-Ranker as her sensitive nose has always picked disturbing odors from hunters. When she left the gate, she made further inquiries about Sung Jin-Woo.

In her next interaction with Sung Jin-Woo, she witnessed him at full power fighting high-level orcs and winning. Before she could speak with Sung Jin-Woo, he was whisked away by Jinchul and other members of the Korean Hunters Association.

Her feelings for Sung Jin-Woo were solidified during the Jeju Island Arc. The Korean Hunters would have lost their lives had Sung Jin-Woo not appeared and defeated the Ant-King. After that arc, she tried to join Sung Jin-Woo’s guild.

He first tested her by putting her against one of his soldiers. She lost the fight and was rejected by Jin-Woo. He then asked her whether she had feelings for him, to which she responded yes.

The two characters later went on a date and spent a lot of time together. During that moment, viewers got to see a potential relationship springing between the two, but all that was cut short when the monarchs invaded South Korea.

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What makes Sung Jin-Woo and Chae Ha-In a power couple?

Sung Jin-Woo seeks Chae Ha-In after he uses the Cup of Reincarnation (Image via A-1 Pictures)

While the two don’t date during the Manhwa’s main story, the side stories and the sequel, Solo Leveling: Ragnarok, paint a different story. In the sequel, Sung Jin-Woo ends up with Chae Ha-In and they end up having a son, Sung Suho.

If the universe in the series wasn’t full of unpredictability, Sung Jin-Woo and Chae Ha-In would have made an excellent power couple in the main story. They would have joined the likes of Guts and Casca, Sasuke and Sakura, and Kaname and Yuki Cross.

While Sung Jin-Woo is one of the strongest hunters in the entire universe by the end of the series, Chae Ha-In becomes one of the strongest hunters in South Korea. Unlike other power couples in anime, where the men are way stronger than their partners, Solo Leveling allows anime fans to see a balanced relationship.

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Final thoughts

Some fans of the series complain about the romance subplot. They consider it unnecessary, and some even call it boring. The problem with these complaints is that they miss the point.

The romance subplot serves two purposes. Apart from changing the tempo of the entire series from fast to slow, it also brings out the humane side of the main character.

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