Summary
In theworld ofSolo Leveling, most fans came for Sung Jin-Woo’s journey from a weak E-rank hunter to the world’s most powerful S-rank, but along the way, they stayed for the chaos, and some of that chaos came wearing the nastiest faces. Sure, monsters were expected. But few anticipated the sheer level of human (and not-so-human) depravity lurking behind the dungeons and politics. These hatebale characters range from ruthless monsters to prideful humans, all leaving a trail of destruction and misery. From Kargalgan, who toys with his victims like pawns, to Goto Ryuji, whose nationalistic pride leads him to sacrifice countless lives, these people embody pure, unadulterated evil.
10Kim Chul
An Arrogant Hunter Who Got Others Killed
Kim Chul,an A-Rank Hunter from the White Tiger Guild, carried himself like royalty and treated everyone else like cannon fodder. Overflowing with pride, he saw lower-ranked hunters as burdens, not teammates, and made that brutally clear during the Red Gate Incident. The moment things got dicey, he dumped the C-rank hunters like dead weight, thinking they’d only slow him down. Unsurprisingly, his arrogance led to disaster, as his reckless leadership got his entire squad wiped out by Yetis.
Even after the bloodbath, self-reflection wasn’t on his agenda. Instead of facing the truth, he played the blame game and spiraled deeper into denial. But what really sealed his status as detestable was his reaction to discovering Jinwoo’s group had survived. Instead of seeking safety or regrouping, he lashed out and tried to kill them right in the middle of monster mayhem. That foolish, ego-driven choice was his final one.
9The Hwang Brothers
Power-Hungry Hunters With A Taste For Blood
The Hwang brothers were rotten from the core—one a greedy C-rank, the other a brutal S-rank, and both equally reprehensible. Hwang Dongsuk, the elder, was a vile man who lured weaker Hunters into dungeons just to kill them for profit. He masked his cowardice with arrogance, only to grovel the moment things turned south.
His younger brother, Hwang Dongsoo, was supposed to be the stronger and more respectable one, but instead, he doubled down on the cruelty. An S-rank powerhouse who left Korea chasing glory in America, Dongsoo was driven more by ego than skill; he believed himself untouchable and acted like it, bullying the weak and attacking anyone who bruised his pride. He even tried to use his own Guildmaster as bait in a petty revenge scheme. In the end, both brothers proved that power without principle just breedsa bigger villain.
8Goto Ryuji
Japan’s Top Hunter Who Let Pride Rot His Mind
Asthe strongest Hunterin Japan and the face of the Draw Sword Guild, Goto Ryuji looked every bit the calm and strategic leader. But beneath the composed exterior lurked a man so blinded by arrogance, he was willing to sacrifice an entire battalion of Korean S-Rank Hunters just to tip the balance of power in Japan’s favor.
When Jeju Island became ground zero for chaos, Goto didn’t flinch at letting others die as he saw them as disposable pawns in his nationalistic ambitions. His detachment was chilling, showing no grief even when confronted with the corpses of his comrades. Yet for all his scheming, Goto’s inflated ego became his undoing. He couldn’t stand the idea that someone like Jinwoo could surpass him, and he marched straight into battle with the Ant King, completely out of his depth.
7Ant King
An Apex Predator Obsessed With Finding A Worthy Opponent
The Ant King, a hidden boss of the Jeju Island S-Rank Gate, wasone of the deadliestmagic beasts in the series, rivaling even Kamish in terms of power. Born with an instinctual hatred for humans, he considered them weak and beneath him. His arrogance led him to slaughter eight S-Rank hunters, including Japan’s top hunter, Goto Ryuji, in a relentless search for a worthy adversary.
His bloodlust knew no bounds, and he reveled in his role as an apex predator. But despite his ferocity and intelligence, capable of targeting weak points and using strategy in battle, the Ant King’s arrogance ultimately led to his downfall. When faced with an unbeatable enemy, he cowardly attempted to flee, making him one ofSolo Leveling’s most hateable antagonists.
6Sillad
A Power-Hungry Monarch Who Disdains Humanity
Sillad, the Frost Monarch, is a deadly force consumed by pride and arrogance. His intense hatred for humanity, particularly for the humanmonarch Sung Jin-Woo,fuels his ruthless actions. His vendetta against Jin-Woo is rooted in his refusal to acknowledge a human as worthy of such power. As the King of the Snow Folk, Sillad commands great strength, but his overconfidence makes him blind to the abilities of others. When he kills Chairman Go Gun-Hee, the very act draws the wrath of Jin-Woo, pushing Sillad into a futile struggle.
Instead of retreating or reconsidering his position, Sillad recklessly allies with other Monarchs, sealing his fate in the process. On top of that, his battle tactics also show reprehensible cowardice—striking the weak while avoiding real confrontation. Ultimately, his pride, stubbornness, and inability to recognize his limitations led to his downfall.
5Querehsha
The Monarch Who Thrived On Cruelty
Querehsha, one of the dreadednine Monarchs,held the title of Monarch of Plagues and commanded insect-type monsters, making her the source of every grotesque, bug-infested disaster, including the devastating Jeju Island Raid. Her twisted nature wasn’t just rooted in duty but pure, sadistic delight. Unlike those who killed with purpose, she relished in psychological torment, slowly dismantling her victims before going in for the kill.
Her involvement in the Japan Crisis Arc and later the Monarchs' War made her an active threat, not just a background villain. She helped orchestrate the murder of National Level Hunter Christopher Reed and later joined the ambush against Jin-Woo that ultimately led to her death. In short, Querehsha reveled in chaos, violence, and bloodshed.
4Rakan
A Bloodthirsty Monarch Who Wanted To Destroy Humanity
Rakan, known as the Monarch of Fangs and the King of Beasts, is a destructive force who was created solely for the annihilation of humanity. His hatred for humans is both primal and unrelenting, leading him to commit widespread massacres without hesitation. Throughout his reign, Rakan’s mission focused on eradicating the Shadow Monarch, Sung Jin-Woo, joining an ill-fated ambush to kill him before he reached his full potential. The attack ultimately failed, resulting in Rakan’s demise, along with two other Monarchs.
Despite his intimidating presence and vicious nature, Rakan’s courage falters whenfaced with opponentsstronger than him. His cowardice especially comes through in moments of danger, retreating when the odds are stacked against him. Rakan’s hypocrisy is also equally evident, as he condemns others for their cowardice while displaying the same fearful tendencies himself, making him a truly nasty character.
3Kang Taeshik
A Cold-Blooded Killer Hiding Behind a Badge
Cold, calculating, and consumed by his delusion of superiority, Kang Taeshik was one of the most chilling antagonistsinSolo Levelingbecause, unlike monsters, he chose to be that way. While he looked like the average B-Rank Hunter and law-abiding inspector on paper, behind that title was a twisted man playing judge, jury, and executioner. As part of the Korean Hunters Association’s Surveillance Team, he had a perfect front to mask his psychopathic urges. His victims were mostly prisoners. His excuse was that they deserved it. But the reality was that he just enjoyed killing—and not even monsters, but people.
He was a manipulative, money-hungry hitman who treated his job like a twisted game. He demanded extra payment when he sensed things might get bloody, and when things did go south, he lied, weaseled, and plotted to save his own skin. He even tried spinning a sob story to Sung Jinwoo, pretending to spare lives just long enough to stab them in the back. But Jinwoo wasn’t buying it. Even when caught red-handed, Taeshik felt no remorse or bitterness, cursing the one man who saw through him and stopped him.
2Kargalgan
A Sadistic Orc Shaman Who Toyed With Hunters
Kargalgan, a high orc shaman and boss of the Hunters Guild’sA-Rank Gate,was far from the usual mindless monster. Highly intelligent and endlessly arrogant, he viewed humans as little more than playthings—tools for amusement rather than threats. That cruelty came through loud and clear when he captured Son Kihoon’s strike team, not to kill them swiftly, but to slowly break their spirits with fear and poison, stretching out their suffering like a sadistic performance.
He was so drunk on his own power that he even invited hunters into his castle just for sport. But when Jinwoo entered the dungeon and flipped the power dynamic, the smug mask cracked. Fear finally registered, though far too late. After his brutal death, Jinwoo reanimated him as the shadow soldier Tusk, stripping him of agency and irony alike.
1Kandiaru
The Sadistic Creator Of The System
Kandiaru, better knownas The Architect, lurks as the hidden boss behind the Double Dungeon, where he tortures and manipulates the lives of countless humans. A loyal servant to the Monarchs, he worked with Ashborn to find a worthy vessel to ensure his own immortality.
As the mastermind behind the System, The Architect’s disdain for humanity is palpable. He kills without hesitation, viewing humans as weak and expendable. This detestable arrogance culminates in a psychotic breakdown when Jin-Woo starts to turn the tide against him. His worship of the Monarchs blinds him to the betrayal he ultimately faces, cementing his place as one of the most despicable figures in the series.
