Chapter 60: Chugong – Solo Leveling’s Legendary Creator

Note: All figures below are estimates based on publicly available information and Korean publishing data. Actual figures may vary.

Author Snapshot

• Author: Chugong (추공; pen name)
• Type: Korean web novelist
• Genre: Fantasy, action, hunter/gate
• Career Span: 2016–present
• Notable Status: Solo Leveling became global phenomenon; manhwa adaptation broke records; anime adaptation (2024); defined Korean “hunter” genre; one of the most successful Korean IPs ever

The Author Who Leveled Up Alone

Chugong wrote Solo Leveling (나 혼자만 레벨업) on Kakao Page, a Korean web novel platform. The story of Sung Jin-Woo, the weakest hunter who becomes the strongest, captured global imagination. When adapted as a manhwa (Korean comic), it became one of the most-read webtoons worldwide. The 2024 anime adaptation brought it to even broader audiences. Solo Leveling defined the “hunter” genre that dominates Korean web fiction.

Estimated Lifetime Gross Revenue

Total Estimated Range: $15 million to $30 million USD (2016-2024)

Multiple adaptation waves multiplied Chugong’s earnings far beyond typical web novel income.

Revenue Breakdown by Source

1. Novel Sales & Royalties (Estimated: $5-10 million)

• Kakao Page subscription revenue
• Physical novel publications
• International licensing (English, Japanese, etc.)
• Strong domestic Korean sales

2. Manhwa Adaptation Rights (Estimated: $5-10 million)

• DUBU (Jang Sung-rak) illustrated adaptation
• Massive webtoon success
• Revenue sharing from webtoon platform
• Print manhwa sales

3. Anime Adaptation (Estimated: $3-8 million)

Solo Leveling anime (A-1 Pictures, 2024):

• Major Japanese animation studio production
• Crunchyroll streaming
• International broadcast rights
• Rights fees and participation

4. Game Rights (Estimated: $2-5 million)

• Mobile game adaptations
• Multiple games in development/released
• Massive IP value for gaming

Top Works & Impact

Solo Leveling (나 혼자만 레벨업, 2016-2018)

Sung Jin-Woo is an E-rank hunter—the weakest of the weak in a world where dungeons and monsters have appeared. After a near-death experience in a double dungeon, he alone receives the “System”—the ability to level up without limits.

Why It Conquered the World:

• Ultimate power fantasy executed perfectly
• From weakest to strongest arc satisfying
• System-style gaming mechanics
• Shadow army concept iconic
• Art style (in manhwa) spectacular
• Consistent pacing

The Hunter Genre:
Solo Leveling established conventions:

• Gates/dungeons appearing in modern world
• Hunters with rank systems
• Guilds and governments adapting
• Single protagonist rising through ranks

Countless Korean and international works imitate this template.

The Novel’s Extra (2018)

Another Chugong work. A writer becomes a character in his own novel.

Notable Business Decisions

1. Manhwa Collaboration

The DUBU manhwa adaptation elevated Solo Leveling globally. The art was exceptional.

2. Anime Quality

A-1 Pictures’ high-quality anime adaptation introduced new audiences.

3. Genre Definition

Solo Leveling established templates countless authors follow.

4. International Licensing

Aggressive international licensing brought the story to English, Japanese, and other markets.

The E-Rank Who Became SSS

Solo Leveling‘s success formula is deceptively simple: start at the bottom, acquire unique power, rise relentlessly. Jin-Woo’s shadow army—fallen enemies reborn as his soldiers—became iconic imagery.

The manhwa’s artwork turned the story into visual spectacle. DUBU’s action sequences set standards for the medium. When the anime adapted this, it had to match expectations millions of manhwa readers already held.

In the Golden Quill Chronicles, Chugong represents explosive success—the author whose single story defined a genre, whose manhwa adaptation changed webtoon history, and whose shadow soldiers march across every medium.

Arise.