Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3: Sung Jinwoo raids the Demon Castle as his father is introduced

Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3 was released on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 12 AM JST. Building on the hype of the first two episodes, episode 3 delivers another captivating installment as it kicks off the highly anticipated Demon Castle Arc. The episode introduces Jinwoo's father, Sung Il-Hwan, a moment fans have eagerly awaited.

At the same time, Jinwoo completes his 19-raid agreement with Jinho and moves to his next challenge in the Demon Castle. Packed with excitement and action, this episode features Jinwoo's intense battles against formidable boss demons within the castle, Sung Il-Hwan's encounter with Dongsoo, and Jinwoo's successful acquisition of two of the three ingredients for the Elixir of Life.

Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3 sees Jinwoo's father's debut as Jinwoo and Jinho form a brotherly bond

Jinwoo in Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3 (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3, titled Still a Long Way to Go, adapts chapter 56 through most of chapter 61 of the manhwa. While the episode covers the majority of the events from the source material, it also introduces several notable changes.

Episode 3 begins with Jinwoo and Jinho's final raid as part of their 19-raid agreement. During the raid, Jinho is shocked to see Jinwoo's shadows in action for the first time. Feeling overshadowed by the shadows doing all the work, Jinho sulks, believing his contributions have been rendered unnecessary.

Meanwhile, the story shifts to an A-Rank dungeon in the United States, where a seemingly humanoid beast wipes out a strike squad, with only A-Rank Hunter James remaining.

As James panics in disbelief and fear, the figure reveals he is not a monster but a human from Korea (Sung Il-Hwan), and only incapacitated James' teammates because they attacked first. He also expresses his desire to return to Korea.

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Back in Korea, Jinwoo and Jinho celebrate the successful completion of their agreement. Jinho shares his plans for obtaining a guildmaster's license and negotiating with his father. Meanwhile, with his original goal of leveling up through the partnership achieved, Jinwoo decides to return to the Demon Castle.

Feeling insecure, Jinho asks Jinwoo if he has been a burden to him. He confesses that, despite having an older brother who doesn't care for him, Jinwoo feels more like a genuine older brother and admits he wishes Jinwoo were his real sibling. Touched, Jinwoo promises to consider Jinho as his younger brother.

Also read: Solo Leveling season 2 complete release schedule: All episodes and where to watch them

Solo Leveling Season 2 episode 3: Jinwoo's father, Sung Il-Hwan's name is revealed as Jinwoo begins the Demon Castle raid

Il-Hwan's name is revealed in Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3 (Image via A-1 Pictures)

In Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3, Jinwoo's father, Sung Il-Hwan, is taken into custody after revealing himself as a Korean Hunter who has been trapped in a dungeon for 10 years.

Due to concerns that he might be a beast in disguise, Hunter Hwang Dongsoo is tasked with interrogating him, while also ensuring safety measures are in place should he turn out to be a threat. This scene also formally introduces him by name.

The episode then sees Jinwoo setting out for the Demon Castle for a week. Upon entering the castle, he receives a quest to collect a minimum of 1000 demon souls. Upon stepping inside, he finds it's a field-type dungeon that's a replica of Seoul and thus begins his quest of collecting demon souls.

Jinwoo in this episode (Image via A-1 Pictures)

He's happy with the amount of experience points he can acquire in a short time in there as compared to inside gates, since the higher level he gets, the harder it becomes to level up. Recalling his meeting with Yoonho, Jinwoo realizes that he has only just reached the S-Rank Level, and thus needs to pick up the pace of getting stronger.

Also read: Solo Leveling Ragnarok chapter 37: Suho confronts Minsung as he overcomes Tielle's manipulation and stabs him

Solo Leveling Season 2 episode 3: Jinho negotiates with his father as Jinwoo faces Vulcan and Metus

Jinwoo's father in episode 3 (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Meanwhile in Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3, Jinho meets up with his father regarding his proposal to become the master of the Yoojin Guild. However, his father reveals Jinwoo's involvement in all the events, including the Red Gate incident, and how he also helped Jinho acquire his Guildmaster license.

Jinho still insists, and his father surprisingly agrees to let Jinho run the guild on the condition that he can recruit Jinwoo into their guild.

At the same time, Jinwoo advances steadily through the Demon Castle, clearing several floors as he progresses. He estimates there are 100 levels in total but feels frustrated that he cannot extract shadows from the defeated demons. Upon reaching the 50th floor, he accumulates 10,000 demon souls and encounters a red-named enemy for the first time—the floor boss, Vulcan.

Jinwoo vs. Vulcan (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Jinwoo faces a tough battle against Vulcan, who proves to be a formidable opponent by predicting his moves. Despite the challenge, Jinwoo quickly adapts and comes up with a new strategy. Using his wit and skill, he eventually manages to defeat the floor boss, overcoming the odds and claiming victory.

In a brief scene, Hae-in is shown discussing with Jong-in why the existence of the winged ants is being kept secret from the public. Jong-in explains that the Hunter Association has ordered to keep the information concealed to avoid causing panic. Simultaneously, the White Tiger Guild continues their efforts to recruit Jinwoo.

Solo Leveling Season 2 episode 3 wraps up with Il-Hwan vs. Dongsoo while Jinwoo departs from the Demon Castle

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In the ending scenes of Solo Leveling season 2 episode 3, Dongsoo interrogates Il-Hwan and discovers that he is Jinwoo's father. During their exchange, Dongsoo reveals that Jinwoo is supposedly dead, enraging Il-Hwan. Their exchange escalates into a confrontation, resulting in Dongsoo's complete defeat.

Meanwhile, Jinwoo continues his ascent through the Demon Castle, defeating numerous demon bosses, including Metus on the 75th floor. However, with his food supply depleted, Jinwoo is forced to pause his mission for now.

Along the way, he acquires valuable items from the bosses, including the Wood Tree Fragment from Vulcan and the Echo of Water from Metus—two of the three essential components for crafting the Elixir of Life. With only one item remaining to save his mother, the episode concludes with Jinwoo leaving the Demon Castle, determined to return and finish what he started.