The Jeju Island arc in Solo Leveling is one of the series’ most intense moments, showing the brutal reality of how even the strongest hunters are not safe and the overwhelming power of high-ranking monsters like the ants. However, fans have long questioned why protagonist Sung Jinwoo, arguably the strongest hunter in Korea, did not participate in the fourth Jeju Island raid from the beginning. His late arrival led to a devastating loss of life, including the shocking death of Japan’s top hunter, Ryuji Goto.

This apparent oversight puzzled readers for years, with many speculating about the narrative reasoning behind Jinwoo’s absence. Fortunately, Solo Leveling’s author, Chugong, has finally addressed this lingering question via @chromatt1cfire on X (formerly Twitter). According to him, Jinwoo’s late arrival was not a case of negligence or plot convenience, but a result of his limited communication with his shadows, his concern for his family, and a fundamental lack of knowledge about the crisis. This deeper look from thet author into why Jinwoo was not part of the mission from the start and why it took him so long to intervene, makes the entire arc make a lot more sense.

The Limitations of Shadow Communication

Jinwoo’s Shadow Soldiers Cannot Communicate As Effectively As Humans

One of the main reasons Jinwoo did not realize the severity of the Jeju Island raid sooner was the inherent limitation of his shadow soldiers. While they are incredibly powerful assets in battle, their ability to communicate with Jinwoo was extremely restricted at the time. Shadows, for the most part, are mute, and even Igris, one of Jinwoo’s most intelligent soldiers, only begins speaking much later in the story.

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The only way Jinwoo’s shadows could alert him to danger was through simple signals, instead of word of mouth. These signals were often basic and required interpretation, meaning they were not an efficient method of conveying immediate threats. Early on, his shadows lacked independent decision-making skills, making it difficult for them to assess a developing crisis and relay that information effectively.

Jinwoo had stationed shadows with the hunters on Jeju Island as a precaution, but these soldiers did not have the capacity to warn him in time. The shadows only reacted when things went critically wrong, such as when a soldier designated to protect a hunter unexpectedly engaged in combat or was destroyed. By the time Jinwoo recognized that something was off, the crisis had already escalated to catastrophic levels.

Why Jinwoo Did Not Join the Raid From the Start

Why Was Sung Jinwoo Not On The Original S-Rank Raid Team?

Another major question fans had been asking was why Jinwoo did not simply volunteer for the Jeju Island raid in the first place. Given his love for leveling up and his insatiable desire for growth, it seemed odd that he would pass up such an opportunity. However, Chugong provided a clear explanation for this, and it was the return of Jinwoo’s mother. Jinwoo was not willing to risk dying and leaving his sister and mother alone right after he got her back.

At this point in the story, Jinwoo’s mother has just woken up from her prolonged illness, a coma-like state that had kept her bedridden for years. Having already lost his father to a dungeon incident, Jinwoo was unwilling to put himself in immediate danger again and risk causing more emotional distress to his mother. For him, family took precedence over personal growth and national duty.

Additionally, Jinwoo was not overly concerned about the raid’s outcome. The operation involved twenty elite Japanese S-rank hunters, including Ryuji Goto, who was regarded as Japan’s strongest. With such a formidable team alongside Korea’s best, Jinwoo had little reason to believe they would fail. As an extra precaution, he had planted a shadow soldier among the participants to monitor the situation remotely. From his perspective, there was no immediate need for his direct involvement because the strongest people in the world had it taken care of.

Jinwoo Did Not Know What Was Going On and, Therefore, Could Not React Quickly

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One of the biggest factors in Jinwoo’s delayed intervention was his lack of real-time knowledge about what was happening on Jeju Island. Unlike the readers, who had a front-row seat to the chaos, Jinwoo was not actively watching the live broadcast. While a live feed of the raid was being aired, it was not perfectly in sync with reality. The slight ten-minute delay meant that Jinwoo only learned about the unfolding disaster after it had already escalated beyond control.

Additionally, Jinwoo’s shadow soldiers, despite their many abilities, could not serve as remote cameras at this stage of the story. He was unable to see through their eyes or directly monitor their surroundings. Because of this, even though he had stationed shadows with the hunters, he couldn’t perceive the full extent of the crisis until it was too late.

Once he realized the severity of the situation, Jinwoo wasted no time in rushing to Jeju Island and single-handedly turning the tide of battle.

Another critical issue was that Jinwoo had not planted a shadow inside Min Byung-gu, the Korean healer who played a very important role in the raid. Byung-gu’s tragic death was a turning point in the battle, but because Jinwoo did not have a direct link to him, he was not immediately aware of the situation. It was only after Ryuji Goto was killed, an event that definitively signaled the raid’s failure, that Jinwoo finally took action. Once he realized the severity of the situation, Jinwoo wasted no time in rushing to Jeju Island and single-handedly turning the tide of battle.

Understanding Jinwoo’s Absence Was a Justified Delay

Why His Late Arrival Was Not a Plot Hole, But a Story-Strengthening Moment

The Jeju Island raid arc still remains one of Solo Leveling’s most discussed and debated storylines, primarily because of Jinwoo’s delayed involvement. While many fans initially saw this as a plot hole or a case of artificial tension-building, Chugong’s explanation sheds light on the protagonist’s decision-making process. His absence was not due to indifference or carelessness but rather the result of limited communication with his shadows, a strong desire to protect his mother from further emotional distress, and a fundamental lack of immediate information about the battle’s escalation.

Jinwoo’s late arrival ultimately made for one of the most satisfying moments in the series, as his overwhelming power turned what seemed like a guaranteed failure into a triumphant victory. His entrance at the last possible moment added a dramatic flair that solidified his status as one of the most formidable hunters in the world. With Chugong’s clarification, fans can now appreciate Solo Leveling’s Jeju Island arc with a deeper understanding of Jinwoo’s circumstances, making his eventual intervention all the more impactful.

Source: @chromatt1cfire/X