Solo Leveling Episode 1, titled “I’m Used to It,” kicks off the anime adaptation of the globally popular manhwa (Korean comic). This episode introduces us to a world full of monsters, powerful hunters, and a weak protagonist, Sung Jin-Woo, who is about to embark on a life-changing journey. Here's a detailed breakdown of Episode 1, explained in simple English.
The World of Gates and Hunters
The episode starts with a narration explaining that mysterious gates began appearing all over the world, connecting Earth to dangerous dungeons. Monsters came out of these gates and started killing people.
To fight back, humans developed powers and became Hunters. These Hunters are ranked from E to S (E being the weakest and S being the strongest).
Introduction to Sung Jin-Woo
We meet our main character, Sung Jin-Woo, who is known as the “World’s Weakest Hunter.”
He's an E-Rank hunter—barely stronger than a normal human. Despite that, he still joins raids to earn money for his mother’s hospital bills.
He’s often injured, mocked, and looked down on, but he keeps trying. He’s used to the pain and failure. That’s why the episode is titled “I’m Used to It.”
The Dungeon Raid Begins
A group of hunters gathers for a dungeon raid. Jin-Woo joins them. The group is led by Song Chi-Yul, a C-Rank veteran hunter.
They enter the dungeon and easily defeat some low-level monsters. Everything seems fine until they find a secret door inside the dungeon.
Despite Jin-Woo’s warning, the group decides to go in.
The Double Dungeon Trap
The door leads them into a Double Dungeon, a much more dangerous area.
Inside, they find giant stone statues, including one sitting on a throne. At first, the statues don’t move, but soon they attack the hunters with deadly force.
Many are killed instantly. Panic spreads.
The Temple Rules
The remaining hunters try to figure out how to survive. Jin-Woo notices that the temple follows certain rules:
- Worship the god – Bow to the statue.
- Don’t run – Those who tried to escape were killed.
- Prove your faith – They must pass the tests to survive.
Thanks to Jin-Woo’s observation, some of them manage to survive.
A Hero’s Sacrifice
In the end, the group reaches a final challenge involving a giant door and a countdown. But there’s one final twist.
To open the way out, someone must stay behind.
Jin-Woo volunteers to sacrifice himself so the others can escape. As the door closes and monsters surround him, he prepares for death.
Suddenly, a mysterious blue screen appears in front of him — like a video game interface.
The episode ends with the system asking:
“Do you want to become a Player?”
