Solo Leveling’s Creator Finally Admits Their Biggest Regret That Haunts the Manhwa

January 4, 2026

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Solo Leveling has taken the world by storm. It has cemented itself as one of the greatest anime franchises of the 2020s, and possibly, one of the greatest ever made. Solo Leveling’s creator Chugong had an opportunity to look back at his famous creation and comment on the positives and negatives of the narrative.

Out of everything in the franchise, there’s one aspect that Chugong wishes he did differently. It’s a relatively small choice after all, but now that Solo Leveling has become insanely popular, it’s easy to see why Chugong might regret making that decision.

Solo Leveling’s Manhwa Is Top-Tier

beru-jinwoo-solo-leveling-manhwa — Beru next to Jinwoo glowing purple with the Monarch’s domain from Solo Leveling’s Manhwa

There aren’t a lot of manhwa or manga series quite like Solo Leveling. It’s a series with zero slow moments, and almost every chapter includes something vital to the story. The anime of Solo Leveling matches the manhwa’s pacing perfectly, including some of the best fights in the entire medium.

Solo Leveling’s manhwa works so well because of how straightforward it is. The series is based on Sung Jinwoo, a character who starts as the weakest in the world before becoming one of the strongest. It’s a simple premise that only gets better the longer the series lasts.

There are a ton of excellent villains in Solo Leveling, ranging from powerful Magic Beasts to brutally strong Hunters. After looking back at his series, Chugong noted that there is one Hunter in particular he wishes he represented differently.

Solo Leveling’s Creator Wished He Represented Goto Ryuji Better

Solo Leveling Season 2 Episode 10 Ryuji Goto

Chugong noted that he regretted how he represented the strongest Japanese Hunter, Goto Ryuji. Goto Ryuji is the Guild Master of the Draw Sword Guild, the strongest Guild in Japan. He played a major role during the Jeju Island Arc, and he wasn’t exactly an ally of the Korean Hunters.

One thing I regret is that, if I had known my novel would be so popular in Japan, even if I couldn’t have made Goto Ryuji as a protagonist, I should have written him as stronger and more imposing. – Chugong

The manhwa is different from the anime when it comes to the Japanese Hunters. In the manhwa, their Hunters Guild Association Leader is more malicious, as he enjoys the fact that the Korean Hunters will die on Jeju Island. Goto Ryuji is acting under orders, but he doesn’t regret his actions whatsoever in either version of the story.

Chugong didn’t predict just how massive his story would become. With so many eyes on it, it’s not surprising that some people would get offended at the supposed anti-Japan sentiment in the story. Still, it’s interesting that his depiction of Goto Ryuji is a regret, as the character is an exceptional villain in Solo Leveling.