Solo Leveling: Who is Hwang Dongsoo? Sung Jinwoo's major opponent, explained

In episode 6 of Solo Leveling, the scene at the end depicted a man standing in front of a giant glass window overlooking a city. This piqued the interest of anime-only viewers regarding the identity of the man who might play a significant role in the upcoming episodes. Readers of the webtoon and web novel quickly recognize the man as Hwang Dongsoo, an antagonist who harbors fierce resentment towards Sung Jinwoo.

Hwang Dongsoo's hostility toward Sung Jinwoo originates from a sorrowful event involving his sibling, Hwang Dongsuk. While Sung Jinwoo progressed and enhanced his tale­nts, Hwang Dongsoo nursed feelings of resentment over losing his brothe­r.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling webtoon and webnovel.

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Solo Leveling: Hwang Dongsoo and his enmity with Sung Jinwoo

Hwang Dongsoo as shown in episode 6 of the anime (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Hwang Dongsoo is a minor antagonist in the popular Solo Leveling webtoon. Originally an S-rank hunter from South Korea, he defected to America after getting an upgrade offer from Norma Selner. This move resulted in backlash from his countrymen and he was considered a traitor to his country. However, the power-hungry Dongsoo had no regard for criticism and increased his powers greatly through Selner's upgrade and joined the Scavenger Guild.

He had an elder brother named Hwang Dongsuk, a C-rank Hunter. During episode 5 of Solo Leveling, Jinwoo and Jinho joined Dongsoo's party for a dungeon raid. Although he had planned to sacrifice them and later loot the resources, Jinwoo ended up killing him and his party. Dongsuk's death enraged his younger brother and he constantly sought after Jinwoo for revenge.

Hwang Dongsoo reached Korea to confront Jinwoo but the latter was trapped in a Red Gate. He returned empty-handed but met with Sung Ilhwan, Jinwoo's father. He was being questioned in America since he had mysteriously appeared out of a Gate. Dongsoo lied about Jinwoo's death and in the resulting fight, Ilhwan overwhelmingly defeated him.

Dongsoo again found a chance during the International Guilds Conference in America. He kidnaps Jinho and beats him up to uncover the truth behind his brother's death. Jinwoo found their location using his shadow soldiers and swapped places to confront Dongsoo. Although Thomas Andre reached and fought with Jinwoo, even he was utterly defeated. Finally, he managed to kill Hwang Donsoo and ended his worries for the time being.

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Solo Leveling: Why did Sung Jinwoo kill Hwang Dongsuk?

Hwang Dongsuk and his raid party (Image via A-1 Pictures)

In episode 6 of the Solo Leveling anime, Sung Jinwoo and Yoo Jinho found themselves betrayed by Hwang Dongsuk and his raid party during a dungeon raid. However, Jinwoo defeated the Spider boss monster and turned the tables against Dongsuk and his party.

While Hwang Dongsuk and his companions, upon learning that Jinwoo and Jinho remained alive, supposed that Jin-Ho was responsible for murdering the boss. They proposed Jinho a place in their faction on the stipulation that he kill Sung Jinwoo. Jinho, appreciative of Jinwoo's earlier help in taking down the Dungeon Boss, opted to side with him instead.

Jinwoo then faced a difficult challe­nge from the System. The System issued Jinwoo an Eme­rgency Quest mandating he e­liminate Hwang Dongsuk and his allies. Declining the­ quest would result in serious re­percussions for Jinwoo, possibly even his de­mise. While dishearte­ning, Jinwoo had no choice but to accept the Syste­m's terms if he wished to stay alive.

Sung Jinwoo finishes off Hwang Dongsuk (Image via A-1 Pictures)

Jinwoo knew he had to follow the System's orders to stay alive. While he was reluctant at first, confronting Hwang Dongsuk and his group was unavoidable. With resolve, Jinwoo eliminated every last hunter. Dongsuk's betrayal meant that Jinwoo had no choice if he wanted to protect himself. Though coldly determined, his actions ensured his survival in a world that left him no other options.

Hwang Dongsuk's death played a key role in the plot, signifying a change for Sung Jinwoo. It revealed his re­adiness to abandon past ideals and ethics to adjust to the cutthroat ways of the dungeons and obstacles. While initially opposed to violence, he now recognized that changing his tactics was necessary to survive the dangers.

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Final thoughts

Although Hwang Dongsoo acts mighty and mercilessly, he is easily defeated by Sung Jinwoo. Even other Hunters like Sung Ilhwan and Thomas Andre were much more powerful than him. His greed for power made him blind from acknowledging Jinwoo's superiority.

With Dongsoo's introduction in the Solo Leveling anime, fans can expect the anticipated build-up till their final face-off. Many significant parts of the story will be revealed in the meantime, setting the stage for Jinwoo's growth as the King of Death.