Summary
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The Jeju Island Arc stands as one of the most crucial story arcs inSolo Leveling, with Korea and Japan joining hands to reclaim the once-thriving island from the mutated ants. While Min Byung-Gu initially hesitates to join the mission, a powerfulSolo Levelingcharacter steps forward and volunteers, only to be denied. Who is this character, and why is he banned from the raid?
Beforethe Jeju Ant Raidbegins, the Korean Hunters Association is under immense pressure from the rapidly evolving ants. Now that the creatures can fly and are attacking nearby islands, it’s only a matter of time before they cause an even greater disaster. However, clearing the dungeon break is no walk in the park, as the nation clearly needs help from powerful hunters of S-rank or even national-level caliber.
Korea Denies Hwang Dong-Soo’s Jeju Ant Raid Participation
An S-Rank Hunter’s Attempt to Cooperate
While Korea is anation thriving with powerful S-rank hunters, that doesn’t mean it has sufficient force to reclaim Jeju Island. In fact, there were three unsuccessful attempts to clear the S-rank gate, demoralizing the entire nation and its hunters. Many lives are lost on the island, but all they can do is hope the ants eventually die from starvation over the next few years. Too bad, the ants evolve.
With the threat of the ants growing more serious, the Korean Hunters Association badly needs help from powerful hunters willing to risk their lives. Still, even the most elite hunters in the nation are not good enough to face theAnt Queen and her colony, especially with Jin-Woo sitting out of the raid. That’s when Hwang Dong-Soo gets in touch with Woo Jin-Chul to offer help that seems more than a little suspicious.
“I didn’t reveal this during the meeting earlier, but there’s someone who contacted us in top secrecy.” —Woo Jin-Chul to Go Gun-Hee
According to Jin-Chul, Hwang Dong-Soo secretly contacts the Korean Hunters Association, claiming he’s willing tojoin the upcoming Jeju Island raid. However, Go Gun-Hee and Woo Jin-Chul quickly realize that the raid is not Dong Soo’s true objective. To deny his request and block his entry into the country, the KHA used the tense encounter between Baek Yoon-Ho and Hwang Dong-Soo during the Red Gate incident as a convenient excuse.
Hwang Dong-Soo’s Personal Vendetta
An Obvious Ploy Against Sung Jin-Woo
Hwang Dong-Soo’s personal vendetta against Sung Jin-Woo is what truly drives him to join the fourth Jeju Island raid. On top of that, his tragic loss to Jin-Woo’s father, Il Sung-Hwan, leaves him desperate for revenge. This obsession only fuels hisbloodlust toward Jin-Woo, making it all too clear to the higher-ups that his motives are far from noble. If the KHA were to allow Dong-Soo’s participation, there’s no telling what might happen to him at the hands of Korea’s newest S-rank hunter.
“I barely got my life back! You think I will cower in fear?"—Sung Jin-Woo
Because of this,Thomas Andre flew all the way to Koreato speak with either Sung Jin-Woo or Go Gun-Hee about Hwang Dong-Soo. While he fails to meet Jin-Woo, who was busy inside the instance dungeon at the time, he does manage to sit down with Go Gun-Hee. He learns that the KHA had already denied Dong-Soo’s request even before his visit. With his business done, Thomas returns to America, unwilling to join the raid unless Korea is prepared to pay his hefty hunter fee.
What Will Hwang Dong-Soo Do Now?
He’s Still Up to No Good
Hwang Dong-Soo is a ticking time bomb, relentless in his pursuit of the truth behind the mysterious death of his older brother, Hwang Dong-Suk. He strongly believes that Jin-Woo and Jin-Ho killed his brother and his group during the Dungeons and Lizards arc, especially since they were the only survivors of the raid. Despite the existing laws as well as some strong warnings from Thomas Andre, Dong-Soo’s desperation for revenge only grows stronger.
“Well, being a little frustrated is better than being dead, I’m sure!"—Thomas Andre
Sure enough, Dong-Soo will cause a hugemess between Jin-Woo and Thomas Andreduring the International Guild Conference arc. He will take Jin-Ho hostage in an abandoned warehouse and torture him until he learns the truth. This reckless act will immediately anger Jin-Woo, who is already at a level far beyond any other hunter in the series, even stronger than Thomas Andre himself.
In the end, Hwang Dong-Soo’s plan will backfire on him, as Jin-Woo will not let his soul rest. His death will not be the end for him, forJin-Woo will use shadow extractionto resurrect him from the dead. He will be known as Greed, Jin-Woo’s new shadow who will serve him without hesitation and fail. However, his new role inSolo Levelingwill be a constant reminder of his failure that comes from chasing after Jin-Woo despite the huge difference in their strengths.
