Solo Leveling has made several changes from the manhwa in adapting the story. Both versions were created after the original light novel, giving them the advantage of hindsight to refine foreshadowing and improve overall cohesion. The anime, in particular, has heavily emphasized foreshadowing for one specific arc, even at the cost of side plots and secondary character moments. That arc is Jeju Islandβa major turning point that showcases Sung Jinwooβs immense power and establishes his presence on the global stage. However, while important, it is not the defining arc of the series. Despite this, the anime has elevated its significance.
Since the Jeju Island arc appears to be the final arc of Season 2, itβs clear the studio prioritized its adaptation. By the end of this arc, Jinwoo will have stepped into the public eye, marking the final shift away from secrecy regarding his powers. Until now, he had kept his ability to level up and the full extent of his strength hidden, as he lacked the power to control his own fate. If the System had been exposed while he was weak, others would have dictated his future. In a world ruled by strength ever since the Gates appeared, Jinwoo understands firsthand the consequences of being powerless. Now, he has finally reached a point where no one β except the System itself β can stand in his way or dictate his path.
The First Scene of Solo Leveling Episode 1 Took Place on Jeju Island
The Manhwa Doesn’t Build Up Jeju Island as Much as the Anime
The very first scene of the anime is a flashback sequence to a previous Jeju Island raid. Several of the hunters appear strong, but they obviously lose the battle. Arguably, this raid can be said to show the threat that gates and dungeon breaks pose to the world. Things were normal once, but then the gates showed up and humanity didn’t know how to respond.
The early days of dungeons were even more deadly than what the cast currently has to face. Solo Leveling is Jinwoo’s story. In a sense, this early Jeju Island appearance can be justified because Jinwoo will be involved in a future raid on the island. However, having anyone other than Jinwoo show up first is an unusual choice, considering how the rest of the anime prioritizes his screen time above all else.
Solo Leveling’s Censorship Is Quickly Becoming a Massive Problem for the Anime
Solo Leveling has recently been a hot topic regarding heavy censorship because of its political and nationalist themes.
Jeju Island and the ants continue to show up in the anime. Season 1 even has the various Korean guilds actively investigating the island. News of the ants’ ability to fly and evolve comes much earlier, so they feel the need to respond earlier. That this investigation is the background for Jinwoo’s job change arc almost ties the two events together.
The job change ultimately defines the overpowered hunter that Jinwoo will become. These skills are what he’ll use on Jeju Island. The Jeju Island arc is also the first arc where Jinwoo will work with all the various guilds and S-rank hunters that are involved in investigating Jeju Island. The Jeju Island content in season 2 aligns more with the manhwa’s depiction, but the groundwork has already been laid to make this arc seem more important than any other arc in the series thus far.
Baek Yoonho is Constantly in the Background
Yoonho’s the Center of Solo Leveling’s Jeju Island Arc
The anime hasn’t go into the structure or history of the major guilds. It even cuts some content that explains how they work and their motivations. However, Baek Yoonho has been a constant side character. He doesn’t get a ton of screen time, but it is character-defining. His personality and relationship with Choi Jongin are especially distinct.
While the anime also shows how he doesn’t have a great relationship with Jinwoo and cuts his olive branch, he is still involved in many of the same events and Jinwoo. Yoonho is one of the S-rank hunters that has been on a Jeju Island raid previously. He’s featured in the first scene and in the latest episode, he talks about the latest raid with Min Byung-Gyu. Plus, Yoonho is taking the lead with the spar against the Japanese hunters.
No, Sung Jinwoo is Not Too Overpowered in Solo Leveling
Sung Jinwoo is definitely overpowered in Solo Leveling, but thatβs less a flaw of the story than it is an essential feature of the narrative.
Yoonho is being built up to be an important figure in the 4th Jeju Island Raid. Even if he isn’t an essential figure in the battle ahead, Yoonho’s story is centered on this raid. He will likely carry the emotional weight when the events of the raid play out. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he was used to comparing the latest raid to the previous ones, too.
Considering Jiwnoo doesn’t have strong emotional reactions to anything that doesn’t involve his family, someone else will have to provide those. Yoonho has been in everything to do with Jeju Island in the anime, so he’s the perfect person to emote in the situation. It’s possible that the anime just won’t prioritize something like that, but the raid will still be a climax in Yoonho’s story.
Jeju Island Was Korea’s Greatest Failure in Solo Leveling
3 Raids Have Already Failed According to the Latest Episode
Jeju Island is important to Korea because it’s a mark of failure. Several raids have been sent to the island, but they’ve only resulted in hunters dying. The country gave up on the island completely because the ants were simply too powerful back then. No one thought the ants would evolve.
Before this became known, sending a raid would have been for the sake of retrieving the island, but now it’s a matter of safety for the entire country. There is no choice about the latest raid. There is no reason to believe the Korean S-rank hunters are strong enough to defeat the ants on their own. Jinwoo’s immense power is the only chance the hunters have at surviving this battle.
Who Is Ashborn in Solo Leveling? The Shadow Monarch, Explained
The original Shadow Monarch is yet to be introduced in Solo Leveling, but the cosmic entity has a crucial rule in the lore and in Jinwoo’s life.
For a country to have a S-rank gate break and not be able to clear, it is a major sign of weakness. It shows that these S-rank hunters aren’t at the same level as others who have dealt with S-rank dungeon breaks. S-ranks are not all at the same level. Because S-rank power can’t be measured, there is a major difference in power between different S-ranks.
On top of that, Korea lost a significant number of people and land because of this gate. Thousands have died, and the entire island is simply not habitable so long as the ants remain. The history of Jeju Island is bad for the entire country and has a lot of hidden dangers involved.
Jinwoo Can Gain More than Just Shadows From this Raid
The World Will Finally See Jinwoo’s True Strength
Jinwoo will finally take part in a raid as an S-rank hunter for the very first time. The ants are very strong and will likely make a good addition to his army. Even if there’s nothing else special about him, their ability to fly will give him plenty of air support in battle. However, the ants themselves are only one of the groups that Jinwoo will have to interact with.
Although some already know that Jinwoo is an S-rank, very few Korean hunters actually know what Jinwoo’s strength really looks like. Only Cha Haein has seen him in battle. Jinwoo knows he’s stronger than Yoonho and Jongin, but that’s going to be even more public knowledge soon. Since this raid is an international affair, Jinwoo will cross paths with Japanese S-ranks, too.
That’s why even more people will see his power and Jinwoo’s various abilities. That both Korea and Japan will cooperate means that other countries are even more likely to be paying attention to the raid’s events. Jinwoo has already lost his anonymity, but this raid will give him a whole new degree of fame.
Solo Leveling Season 2 Teases Epic Jeju Island Arc in Official Trailer Reveal
Solo Leveling Season 2 dropped the trailer for the highly anticipated “Jeju Island” arc, which sees Sung Jinwoo star this Saturday, Mar. 8, 2025.
For someone who still struggles to show his cards, Jinwoo is looking at some big changes for his future. Fame will probably give him more opportunities to interact with powerful people, for better or for worse. Hwang Dongsoo is still after Jinwoo, but Jinwoo’s father is also out there somewhere. The Jeju Island arc is an important part of the overall Solo Leveling story, but the anime is treating it as something uniquely climactic.
While the importance of Jeju Island to Korea as a whole and how it changes Jinwoo’s public perception do make the raid important, it’s hard to say if this really elevates the arc so much. The anime has been leading up to this moment with brand-new scenes, though. If nothing else, these changes should make fans excited about how the anime will adapt the Jeju Island arc.
