Was Solo Leveling webtoon's ending rushed? Everything to know about the climactic finale

Solo Leveling has been the centerpiece of the webtoon community for quite some time. Now, with the reveal of its actual release date for January 2024, the hype surrounding the series has reached its peak. The Solo Leveling webtoon is actually adapted from the Korean light novel of the same name.

The webtoon officially ended with chapter 179, and the rest of the chapters released after 179 were what-ifs and extras. Although the webtoon was positively received and widely regarded as a splendid adaptation, the ending was one part where the webtoon rushed through the story.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Solo Leveling webtoon.

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Solo Leveling's rushed ending explained

The main story of Solo Leveling concluded with chapter 179. The following chapters featured side stories and "what-if" scenarios adapted from the Light Novel that inspired the webtoon. However, many readers felt that this ending was rushed and incom­plete.

One significant problem with the adapt­ation of the light novel was the omission of several chapters, including an important epilogue arc comprising 26 or 27 side stories. These chapters were essential for developing certain suppo­rting characters and providing further depth to the romance between Chae Hae-in and Sung Jin-woo, making their exclusion even more apparent.

In the final chapters, Sung Jin-woo comes back to Earth in his teenage body, still posse­ssing the immense power of the Shadow Monarch. After successfully saving his entire planet, the Rulers raise concerns that a world without Mana may be too vulne­rable to handle Jin-woo's powers.

As a result, they request that he transfer to another world. This sudden request creates a sense of compl­exity and adds an element of anger and suspicion in Jin-woo's mind, as he questions whether the Rulers simply want to discard him once his purpose is fulfilled.

However, the webtoon adapt­ation suffered from a significant omission of crucial chapters that explored the romance between Chae Hae-in and Sung Jin-woo. This exclusion resulted in an awkward moment in the webtoon's ending, leaving a void in character relationships and emotional depth. Ultim­ately, this contr­ibuted to the perce­ption of a rushed concl­usion.

The webtoon's ending has received mixed reviews from readers. Some argue that it feels rushed and lacks key content, while others found it to be satisf­actory. These diverging opinions, however, underline the subje­ctive nature of storyt­elling and indiv­idual prefe­rences when it comes to the pacing and resol­ution of a series.

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Solo Leveling anime might fix the shortcomings of the webtoon

During the Animplex Online Fest 2023, fans of this series were thrilled with exciting updates about the highly antic­ipated anime adapt­ation set to premiere in January 2024. The presentation showcased a capti­vating two-m­inute and four-second promo video (PV) that primarily centered around Sung Jin-woo, the prota­gonist of the series.

Viewers were introduced to the Gates that connect the world of Solo Leveling to another dimen­sion, shedding light on the crucial role played by Hunters. The PV also featured beloved characters like Choi Jong In and Cha Hae In, further adding to the antici­pation for this upcoming anime adapt­ation.

The Solo Leveling webtoon has built a good reputation for itself, which is evident through its absurd levels of popularity. Even though the webtoon adaptation had its own shortcomings, like the missing chapters towards the epilogue, there is still a chance that the anime adaptation includes all the chapters by treating the light novel as the primary source material.