Why did Cha Hae-In cover her nose around the Hunters in Solo Leveling season 2 episode 4? Explained

Modified Jan 30, 2025 09:30 GMT

Why does Cha Hae-In cover her nose around Hunters? (image via A-1 Pictures)

In Solo Leveling season 2 episode 4, released on January 25, 2025, Sung Jin-Woo meets Cha Hae-In for the first time. A particular scene caught viewers' attention when Hae-In, an S-Rank Hunter, covered her nose with a handkerchief after stepping out of an A-Rank Gate.

This strange behavior, as she seemed repulsed by the other Hunters, left viewers wondering why she did it, as no explanation was given. To answer the question in brief - Cha Hae-In is sensitive to the smell of mana radiating from both Hunters and monsters, causing them to smell foul in front of her.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the Solo Leveling series. Reader's discretion is advised.

Solo Leveling season 2 episode 4: All about Cha Hae-In's peculiar habit of covering her nose around Hunters

Expand Tweet

Cha Hae-In covering her nose around other Hunters might seem weird to anime-only fans, especially since the explanation for this habit is yet to be provided. However, manhwa fans are already aware of the actual reason.

At first, fans assumed that she was perhaps sensitive to strong odors or was picky about hygiene. In fact, the whole situation is both intriguing and kind of funny. Despite being one of the strongest people in the world, Cha Hae-In constantly walked around with a hand over her nose, making it look like she was in a public restroom that hasn't been cleaned in weeks.

It was eventually revealed in the manhwa that Hae-In possesses a heightened sense of smell. Unlike regular people or most Hunters, she could detect the scent of mana, i.e. the energy source of all magic. Apparently, most Hunters and monsters reeked of mana.

Cha Hae-In as seen in Solo Leveling season 2 episode 4 (image via A-1 Pictures)

Some may think that being able to literally smell power might be a pretty fantastic ability. For Hae-In however, that was certainly not the case. Instead of a pleasant or even a neutral scent, mana apparently smells downright awful to her. In fact, it's not just a mild annoyance - it's completely unbearable for her.

Cha Hae-In likely covers her nose around other Hunters because it feels like being near people who haven't showered after an intense workout, due to the smell. Despite the discomfort, she never complains or uses it as an excuse to avoid others. She quietly endures it, which is one of the reasons she’s so beloved in Solo Leveling—her strength goes beyond just combat.

Why doesn't Cha Hae-In cover her nose around Sung Jin-Woo?

A still from Solo Leveling season 2 episode 4 (image via A-1 Pictures)

In the upcoming fifth episode of Solo Leveling season 2, fans would get to witness the full interaction between Sung Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In, which is a highly anticipated moment from the manhwa. However, there's one thing that stood out from their first meeting, much to both fans and Hae-In's surprise - Jin-Woo was apparently the only Hunter who didn't smell terrible to her.

When Cha Hae-In met Sung Jin-Woo in the cave for the first time, she expected him to reek of mana like the other Hunters. To her surprise, Jin-Woo had no such scent. When she discovered that he was an E-Rank Hunter, she started wondering if his low rank was the reason behind him not reeking of mana.

However, the actual reason behind this is tied to Jin-Woo's status as a Player of the System. Unlike other Hunters, his strength doesn't come from the same source. He's basically rewriting the rules of mana itself, which is why he doesn't smell foul to Hae-In. This unique trait is also what drew Hae-In to Jin-Woo, leading to their eventual romance later on in the story.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Cha Hae-In covers her nose around other Hunters due to the overwhelming smell of mana coming from their bodies. That being said, Sung Jin-Woo being an exception to this was the perfect setup for their relationship, which became one of the most celebrated aspects of the series.