Who wrote Solo Leveling manga

I remember the first time I stumbled across Solo Leveling. It was late 2020, and everyone in my online manga groups couldn’t stop talking about it. You’d see fanart everywhere, passionate discussions about the latest chapters, and countless people recommending it to newcomers. And let me tell you – the hype was real.

Solo Leveling isn’t just another action story – it’s become a global phenomenon that’s changed how people view Korean comics (manhwa). With over 10 million views online, it’s easily one of the most successful manhwa ever created.

What makes it special? The stunning artwork that makes you stop and stare, fight scenes that get your heart racing, and a story that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

But here’s what most people don’t know – this masterpiece wasn’t created by just one person. It’s actually the result of two talented creators: Chugong, who wrote the original story, and DUBU, who turned it into the visually stunning manhwa we all know and love.

Origins of Solo Leveling

Let me break down what Solo Leveling actually is. Imagine a world where portals started appearing out of nowhere, bringing dangerous monsters into our world. Some people got special powers to fight these monsters – they’re called “hunters.”

Our main character, Sung Jin-Woo, starts as the weakest hunter ever (seriously, he’s called “the world’s weakest hunter”), but he gets a special ability that lets him level up like in a video game.

I love explaining this to my gaming friends because their eyes light up when I tell them about the RPG elements. Jin-Woo can literally see his stats, level up his abilities, and get stronger just like in their favorite games. It’s like someone took the best parts of RPG games and mixed them with an action-packed story.

Solo Leveling didn’t start as the gorgeous comic we know today. It began as a web novel on a Korean website called KakaoPage. The author, Chugong, wrote it chapter by chapter, and people loved it so much that it got turned into a manhwa. That’s when things really took off.

Who is Chugong?

This might surprise you – we don’t actually know much about Chugong personally. Unlike some authors who are always in the spotlight, Chugong prefers to stay private.

What we do know is that they’re from South Korea and started writing Solo Leveling around 2016.

The way Chugong writes is special. They know exactly how to keep you on the edge of your seat, make you care about the characters, and create a world that feels real despite all the fantasy elements.

I’ve read tons of fantasy stories, but the way Chugong builds their world, with all its rules about hunters, gates, and monsters, makes perfect sense.

Chugong’s work really helped put Korean web novels on the map. Before Solo Leveling, many people only read Japanese light novels or Chinese web novels.

But Chugong showed that Korean web novels could be just as good – maybe even better. The success of Solo Leveling opened doors for many other Korean authors.

The Role of DUBU in Solo Leveling Manhwa

Now let’s talk about DUBU, whose real name was Jang Sung-Rak. DUBU worked at Redice Studio, a company known for turning popular web novels into beautiful manhwa.

And when I say beautiful, I mean jaw-dropping, stop-scrolling-and-stare beautiful.

DUBU’s art in Solo Leveling is something else. Every fight scene feels dynamic and powerful. The monsters are terrifying. The magic effects look amazing.

But what really gets me is how DUBU captured emotions – you can feel Jin-Woo’s determination, fear, or confidence just by looking at his expressions.

Sadly, DUBU passed away in July 2022, which hit the manhwa community hard. Their artwork had inspired countless artists and set a new standard for what manhwa could look like.

Even today, when people talk about beautiful manhwa artwork, Solo Leveling is usually the first example they mention.

Collaboration Between Chugong and DUBU

You know what’s amazing? The way Chugong’s words and DUBU’s art came together was like magic. When Redice Studio decided to turn the web novel into a manhwa, they knew they needed someone special to bring these characters to life. That’s where DUBU came in.

I’ve read both the web novel and the manhwa, and it’s incredible how DUBU captured exactly what I imagined while reading Chugong’s words.

Think about those intense fight scenes – in the novel, they’re exciting, but when DUBU drew them? Mind-blowing. Every punch, kick, and magical attack looks exactly how you’d hope.

The best part about their teamwork? They each brought their A-game. Chugong’s detailed descriptions gave DUBU plenty to work with, and DUBU’s art added extra layers to the story that words alone couldn’t capture.

It’s like they were perfectly in sync, even though they worked on different parts of the project.

The Role of Publishers and Platforms

Let me tell you how this whole thing got started. KakaoPage, this huge Korean web platform, hosted Chugong’s original web novel.

They’re like the Netflix of web novels in Korea, and that’s where Solo Leveling first found its audience. The numbers were crazy – millions of views within the first few months.

When the manhwa version came out, it spread like wildfire. Websites like Tappytoon and Webnovel helped bring it to English readers.

Fun fact: the official English release crashed some websites because so many people tried to read it at once! That’s how popular it was.

The global success of Solo Leveling is mind-boggling. I remember when it first started gaining traction outside Korea – people were translating it into dozens of languages, sharing it everywhere, and creating huge online communities just to discuss each new chapter. It became one of those rare stories that truly united fans worldwide.

7. Challenges and Milestones

Here’s something not many people know – Solo Leveling faced some real challenges early on. When it was just a web novel, it had to compete with thousands of other stories.

But something about Jin-Woo’s journey from weakest to strongest really connected with readers.

Turning the novel into a manhwa wasn’t easy either. Imagine trying to draw hundreds of unique monsters, complex fight scenes, and magical effects week after week.

The amount of detail in each chapter is insane. I’ve heard that some chapters took over 100 hours to complete!

But look at what they achieved: millions of readers worldwide, an anime adaptation in the works (coming out in 2024!), and a whole new standard for what manhwa can be.

The series has sold over 10 million copies in Korea alone – that’s like having every person in a small country buy a copy!

8. Influence of Solo Leveling

Let me be real with you – Solo Leveling changed the game. After it blew up, suddenly everyone wanted to create stories about weak characters getting stronger through a game-like system.

Some people call these “system manhwa,” and there are hundreds of them now.

The fan community is something else. I’m part of several Solo Leveling forums, and the dedication is amazing.

People create incredible fanart, write detailed theories about the story, and even make their own animations of their favorite scenes. It’s like one big, passionate family.

What’s really cool is how Solo Leveling helped put Korean manhwa on the global map. Before, most people only knew about Japanese manga.

Now? Korean manhwa is huge, and lots of people actually prefer it to manga. Solo Leveling opened that door.