Sung Jinwoo’s Drip Isn’t Enough: ‘The Beginning After the End’ Will Attack ‘Solo Leveling’ Exactly Where It Lacks the Most

SUMMARY

• TBATE emphasizes relationships and emotional growth, redefining isekai with worldbuilding.
• Many side characters like Jasmine have meaningful arcs, unlike Solo Leveling’s limited side character depth.
• Sung Jinwoo feels like the only character that matters, and Arthur's tale overturns such preconceptions.

The Beginning After the End is arguably among the most popular Korean manhwa of all time. It boasts a massive following that has been eagerly awaiting an anime adaptation for years. It is a fantasy web novel and webcomic series that was created by author TurtleMe.

The Beginning After the End Webtoon Cover | Credits: Tapas

The series has earned a lot of acclaim for its rich character development, not just of the main character but each element in the world (which has immersive world-building) overall The Beginning After the End  introduces a host of intriguing characters,

Solo Leveling is often lauded for its high-level action, the many stunning visuals, and the undeniable charisma of its protagonist, Sung Jinwoo. The focus of the series, however, cannot be ignored. It is the lack of depth when it comes to relationships and side character development, they all feel like NPCs, and for good reason.

Sung Jinwoo’s hype can’t protect Solo Leveling from what it lacks

The Korean manhwa of The Beginning After the End follows the story of King Grey as he gets reborn as Arthur Leywin on the magical continent of Dicathen, a completely new world for our main protagonist to explore. As he grows older, he masters magic and carves his own path, determined to right the wrongs of his past. 

Arthur from The Beginning After the End | Credits: Tapas

At its core, The Beginning After the End isn’t just another isekai story, it takes development very seriously, be it of the main characters or the supporting characters around him. The author TurtleMe says in an interview with AniTrendz.

With The Beginning After the End, I wanted to subvert reader expectations of the isekai genre by building depth into familiar genre tropes. For example, while the trope of an adult being transported into a new world is common, the early years and family dynamics are often glossed over. I wanted to take a different approach to explore how those relationships can shape a protagonist and how even a fully matured individual could experience personal growth through these new experiences.

The depth of the story and the incredible world-building makes Arthur feel relatable and human, even alive.

While Sung Jinwoo’s journey is compelling in its sheer power fantasy, it often feels isolated and skimps on actual development.

TBATE is redefining isekai genre with a purpose

One of TBATE’s strongest assets is its side characters. Many characters, like Jasmine, get their own side story, this showcases how TurtleMe gives supporting cast members the attention and detail they deserve to shine.

Arthur from The Beginning After the End manhwa Season 6 | Credits: Tapas

These characters aren’t just used as plot devices or disposable allies like in Solo Leveling; they have their own arcs, struggles, and growth- essentially, they are their own person.

By comparison, Solo Leveling often treats its side characters as mere backdrops and plot devices to further Sung Jinwoo’s rise. While figures like Cha Hae-In are undoubtedly memorable, they rarely impact the story in meaningful ways.

You can stream Solo Leveling on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

Written by Chandra Shekhar

Articles Published: 126

Chandra Shekhar, also known as Dan, is a voracious reader with an insatiable hunger for fantasy and fiction. Having devoured countless books, explored manga worlds, and delved deep into anime realms, Dan lives and breathes stories. As a creative mind who rambles on about books and anime all day long, Dan fits right in at FandomWire.