Look, I’m just grateful that Solo Leveling gave us a sibling relationship where Sung Jinah, the younger sister, isn’t in a weird love fest with her older brother. And maybe that’s a hot take, but I enjoy healthier relationships in anime in any way I can get them. So, a genuinely non-creepy sister-brother dynamic? Sign me up! But it also helps that Sung Jinah is just a very sweet character that holds a special place in the story without being one of its main heroes.
As stated before, Sung Jinah is the sister of Sung Jin Woo, who is the main protagonist of Solo Levelling. But unlike her brother, she has nothing to do with the world of Hunters and Monsters. And that’s strange because you’d think there isn’t more to her character than just being the sibling to a powerful individual. But there is. While she might not be the beacon of power, we’ve come to expect in someone like Cha Hae In, she still holds a pretty important place in the narrative.
And like, we barely get to see the perspective of non–OP characters in Fantasy Action plots like these. Especially one as close to the protagonist as Sung Jinah. Usually, the little sister trope is about this bratty girl that doesn’t provide anything more than comic relief or to play the ‘damsel in distress’ (Or worse: An incestuous love interest for her brother). But not in Sung Jinah’s case. She is an integral part of what makes Sung Jin Woo’s personality and has been a huge amount of support to him.
And yet, fans don’t discuss a lot about her. Perhaps because she isn’t caught up in the action part much. So, let’s see what we know about Sung Jinah, and how her connection to Jin Woo is what brings out the humanity in everyone around her. Let’s dive into it!
Who Is Sung Jinah?
So, the main thing to remember here is that Sung Jinah is Sung Jin Woo’s entire family. With their father dead and their mother in a coma, they are all the other has. And that’s a huge responsibility on Sung Jin Woo, to provide for both of them. But an even bigger responsibility falls on Sung Jinah, who is a teenager taking care of her brother who is often in danger.
Their life isn’t comfortable in the start, with Sung Jin Woo barely making it as an E-Class Hunter and almost dying in every raid he goes on. So, it’s up to Sung Jinah to both take care of her brother, who is so callous with his life, and maintain some sense of normalcy in the absence of any guardian figures for the both of them.
It’s why she works hard to maintain her grades to be the top student in her class. But she was ready to drop out and get a job if that’s what would help both of them, considering how her brother has been the one to raise her at this point. She’s just very diligent and caring in that regard.
But that doesn’t mean she’s sapped of all joy and is just this saintly character for us to pity. No, Sung Jinah’s appeal is the fact that, despite all the hardships she and Sung Jin Woo have had to face, she is still very much a teenage girl. She’s bright and playful, cheering her loved ones on when they can’t muster up the energy. She values family a lot, it’s one of the most important things to her.
However, that doesn’t mean Sung Jin Woo and Sung Jinah don’t have that very typical sibling relationship where they annoy each other. One of the main traits of their bond is how Sung Jinah has this trait of hitting her brother with her foot and that worked when he was still just a weak kid. But now that he’s much more durable, it ends up backfiring on her!
Not Just A Pretty Face:
The thing with Sung Jin Woo was that, before the System chose him as the Player, he was pretty average looking. Like, he was okay, but nothing special. And Sung Jinah shares the same features, but on her? They look much more delicate and pretty.
Sung Jinah has medium-length dark hair that veers black-brown, and she’s prone to wearing it in a high ponytail, with bangs framing her heart-shaped face. Her eyes are the same gray as her brother, but where his eyes are sharp and fox-like, Jinah’s are much more open and softer. Almost innocent, even.
With her slender build, she betrays this sense of fragility which isn’t what she is at all. Emotionally strong, even in the more horrid of situations, she has this very strong resolve that showcases how her homely beauty isn’t only skin deep.
All in all, Sung Jinah is the very picture of the girl next door.
Doing Her Best To Survive In A Supernatural world.
So, because Sung Jinah isn’t a Hunter or even part of a Guild, there isn’t much to speak about her abilities. Unlike her now superpowered brother, she’s very much an average civilian. And so, she can easily be put into that trope of ‘loved ones only make the hero weak’. But surprisingly enough, that doesn’t happen.
I mean, it sort of does. There was that one point when a portal gate opened in her school and magical beasts invaded every corner. And the thing is, while she isn’t a Hunter, she does have the same reserves of magic around her, thanks to being Jin Woo’s sister. But because of this, the Lower Orcs zeroed in on her thinking she was a threat. But the High Orcs recognized her and did try to protect her.
Sadly, that didn’t work against Guroktaru, the dungeon boss, who decided to kill Jinah and grabbed her by the neck to strangle her. But luckily, Sung Jin Woo intervened and the worst she got was some bad bruising around her neck. However, the experience did leave her scarred.
The thing is, while Sung Jinah’s cheeriness diminished slightly, she didn’t let it get to her completely. And that humanity of letting things affect her, while simultaneously having her move on is something you don’t see often. Like, even if she is a side character in a world where she holds very little agency, she is trying her best to be her individual. And it’s extremely refreshing to see.
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