This article contains spoilers from theSolo Levelingmanhwa.
Behind the action and drama ofSolo Leveling, there’s a quiet but meaningful love story that blossoms between Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In. Manhwa fans are looking forward towatching Solo Leveling Season 3, as they expect to see more intimate moments between the two characters. However, most fans are not aware that Jin-Woo loved someone else before Cha Hae-In, according to Solo Leveling’s author, Chugong.
WhileSolo Levelinghas little to no room to explore Jin-Woo’s love life because of all the dungeon crawling and boss fights, Chugong still gave him a handful of love interests. From Cha Hae-In to the demon Esil Radiru, Jin-Woo has been linked to the most elite female characters in Solo Leveling. Among them, Chugong confirms Jin-Woo had feelings for someone else before Cha Hae-In. Who is this girl?
Solo Leveling Author Confirms Jin-Woo Loved Joo-Hee Before Cha Hae-In
Jin-Woo’s First Love Is Joo-Hee
Love is a luxury Jin-Woo can’t afford for most of Solo Leveling’s story. Unlike normal teenagers who go on weekend dates to have fun and enjoy their youth, he had to raid a deadly dungeon just to make ends meet. Even after he became aplayer in Kandiaru’s systemand rose to the rank of S-level hunter, he had no time to pursue a girl, as the world demanded him to grow stronger at breakneck speed.
Even so, there came a time in Jin-Woo’s life when he invested feelings for another person, despite his difficult situation. Before he fell in love with Cha Hae-In, his original love interest was none other than the B-rank healer Lee Joo-Hee. Solo Leveling’s author,Chugong, also confirmed this surprising detailon a Korean website called DCinside, where he talked about the relationship between Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee.
According to Solo Leveling’s author,“Jin-Woo did have feelings for Joo-Hee before they went their separate ways.”While this might come as a shock to fans of the Jin-Woo and Cha Hae-In ship, others might not find it surprising given the bond Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee had before the double dungeon incident. After all, they were together most of the time, with Joo-Hee going on raids to ensure Jin-Woo comes out of the dungeons alive.
They Are Solo Leveling’s “Almost Couple”
Similar to most romance anime, Solo Leveling also had an “almost couple.” If only Joo-Hee had stayed in Jin-Woo’s life, she could have been his “canon wife,” considering he already holds romantic feelings for her. Unfortunately, for Joo-Hee fans, she was a character designed to “represent the victims of the abnormal world,” according to Solo Leveling’s creator.
Joo-Hee had to move away and step back from the dungeons for the sake of her safety and sanity. She can’t handle her fear and anxiety, so much so that she only goes through low-level gates, even though she has a significantly higher hunter rank than everyone else. While she seemed theperfect fit for Jin-Wooin Solo Leveling’s pilot episode, she couldn’t keep up with his desire to change and grow stronger.
“Jin-Woo, do you have a reason to not quit being a hunter?"—Lee Joo-Hee to Sung Jin-Woo
Because of this, Joo-Hee had so many fans rallying behind her in Solo Leveling. Others even criticizedJin-Woo for abandoning Joo-Heeby simply not coming after her after they went their separate ways. But in Chugong’s defense, they simply wanted the best for Joo-Hee’s character, and that was to give her a peaceful and happy life as a normal girl, even at the cost of Jin-Woo’s affections.
A Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee Relationship Could Still Work
Solo Leveling’s Author Has Plans for Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee
Manhwa fans know thatJin-Woo will end up with Cha Hae-Inin Solo Leveling. At this point, almost everyone in the fandom is already aware that the strongest hunter will fall in love with the strongest female hunter in Korea. They would eventually get married and have a son named Suho, who would become the main character of the recently concluded Solo Leveling: Ragnarok.
“Please take care of her (Joo-Hee)"—Sung Jin-Woo
Despite this, Solo Leveling’s author surprisingly revealed on the same Korean website that he wanted to write a“What If” story about Jin-Woo and Joo-Hee. If this happens in the future, Joo-Hee fans could finally get their chance to see her in an alternate or parallel universe where she could end up with Jin-Woo. However, Chugong has yet to reveal details about their next novel afterSolo Leveling, so fans should manage their expectations.
