The battle for Crunchyroll’s best main character is over, withSolo Leveling’s Jin-Woo going home with the title. His win was not a surprise, as he took the world by storm with his charisma, strength, and power over the dead in such a short amount of time. Of course, anime fans had a lot to say about his victory over Frieren and Maomao, but the recognition will stay with Jin-Woo no matter what happens.
However, the author ofSolo Levelinghad a surprising revelation when it came to their favorite character. Most fans would assume Chugong’s top character is Sung Jin-Woo, but that’s wrong. Despite Jin-Woo’s monstrous strength and cool abilities, the author chose another person. So, who beats Jin-Woo as Chugong’s favorite character? Luckily, this article holds the answer.
Sung Jin-Woo Is a Fan-Favorite Anime Character
Crunchyroll Hailed Jin-Woo as Best MC of 2025
Sung Jin-Woo’s impact on the anime community is undeniable. He might be the next anime superstar, as his image is everywhere. From social media to various anime websites, Jin-Woo might truly be the next big thing. It won’t be a surprise if, at some point, he becomes equally, if not more, popular than household names, especially ifA-1 Pictures completely adapts the Solo Leveling seriesinto an anime.
With a badass one-liner, Jin-Woo literally raised an army of Solo Leveling fans who will go above and beyond to support him. His charisma, which earned him infinite aura points from one boss fight to another, quickly captivated fans who couldn’t resist zero-to-godhood stories. So, when he was nominated as one of thebest main characters in Crunchyroll’s Anime Awards, fans expected him to win, regardless of the competition.
“Weakness is not something to brag about."—Sung Jin-Woo
Winning the title also contributedto Sung Jin-Woo’s popularity. Beating Frieren and Maomao is an impressive feat, as both characters are strong female leads in their own series. Still, the streaming giant gave the recognition to Sung Jin-Woo, having been voted by the judges and fans alike. This speaks volumes about Jin-Woo’s popularity and how most of them see him as their favorite character out of the nominees.
Solo Leveling Author’s Favorite Character Is Not Jin-Woo
Chugong Picks Kang Tae-Shik as Their Top Character
While Jin-Woo succeeded in winning the best main character award, Solo Leveling’s author favors another character in his own work. Instead of picking Jin-Woo, they chose a character from Solo Leveling Season 1, and it’s none other than the charismatic and ruthlessB-rank villain, Kang Tae-Shik.
Going back, Kang Tae-Shik first appeared in Solo Leveling season 1, episode 3, titledIt’s Like a Game. He was working as an inspector for the Korean Hunters Association, not because he liked the position and its benefits, but because of the opportunity to kill hunters, especially those hunter prisoners, otherwise known as rehabilitators, without anyone taking notice.
“If you become a B-rank hunter, you become separated as a high-class hunter."—Kang Tae-Shik
Surprisingly, for the author of Solo Leveling, they chose a villain likeKang Tae-Shik as their favorite characterout of all the good ones. On a Korean website called DC Inside, Chugong answered a fan question and revealed why Kang Tae-Shik is their top pick. Accordingly, “scenes with Kang Tae-Shik are easy to write,” and “his story had a satisfying conclusion.” Chugong is deeply pleased with Kang Tae-Shik, likely because he was the type of character that’s not bound by villain tropes.
Jin-Woo Killed Kang Tae-Shik in Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling’s Author Killed Their Favorite Character Early On
Kang Tae-Shik was one of the firsthumans Jin-Woo killed in Solo Leveling. Their fight in the dungeon was also one of the fan favorites in the entire series, as their showdown was intense, fast-paced, and at the same time brutal. Most importantly, their encounter also foreshadowed Jin-Woo’s greatest power, as Kang Tae-Shik knew how Jin-Woo would grow stronger than anyone else in Solo Leveling.
Unfortunately, Kang Tae-Shik’s role in Solo Leveling ended abruptly with his untimely death at the hands of Jin-Woo despite being the author’s favorite character. To this day, fans consider him a missed opportunity, asSolo Levelingcould have explored more of his story. The series could have brought him back as a villain in later story arcs, instead of Hwang Dong-Soo, who is now known as the “punching bag” of the Sung Family.
