Highlights
- Kang Taeshik embodies evil in Solo Leveling, showing how power can corrupt even high-ranking officials in the Hunter Association.
- Taeshik's transformation from a quiet agent to a bloodthirsty hitman raises questions about morality and the prioritization of the Hunter economy.
- Comparing Taeshik's comfort with killing to Jinwoo's reluctance emphasizes the dangers of losing oneself in vengeance and power, as shown in Episode 9.
The following contains spoilers for Solo Leveling, Episode 9, "You've Been Hiding Your Skills", available on Crunchyroll. It also contains mention of suicide and gender-based violence, which may be distressing to some readers.
Hiding a profound bloodlust behind seemingly unconcerned eyes, Kang Taeshik is one of many examples of the kind of evil that can take over a Hunter's heart. Originally introduced to us as a member of the Hunter Association's Surveillance Team, it becomes apparent in episode 9 of Solo Leveling that Kang Taeshik is not only a corrupt official but a bona fide hitman, accepting money from clients in return for a dead body.
Just who was he, and what was the purpose of his character in the greater context of the Solo Leveling narrative?
Solo Leveling: 10 Most Evil Characters In The Manhwa
These characters embody the lifeblood of evil and villainy in the Solo Leveling series.
A Hunter Association Official
Woo Jinchul's Number Two
Kang Taeshik is a character that we see quite a lot as a side character in Solo Leveling, due to the fact that he's a high-ranking official in the Hunter Association. Given the primacy of the Hunter economy in the world of the series, being a high-ranked member of the association grants one immense power, especially when you answer to the Chief Inspector of the Surveillance Team, who in turn answers directly to the Chairman of the Hunter Association. In various ways, Kang Taeshik is introduced as a kind of opposite to his boss Woo Jinchul, in that Taeshik is often quiet while Jinchul asks all the questions during their investigations, and the fact that Jinchul's slicked-back blonde hair is contrasted by Taeshik's spiky purple-black haircut reminiscent of JUJUTSU KAISEN deuteragonist Megumi Fushiguro (or Shinya Kogami from Psycho-Pass).
His first meaningful appearance was in episode 3, right after Jinwoo woke up in hospital following the Cartenon Temple Double Dungeon incident. Accompanying Jinchul, Taeshik was tasked with measuring Jinwoo's mana after suspecting him of having had a second awakening, and for the most part, he just seemed like a quiet and diligent agent of the Hunter Association. In Solo Leveling Episode 8, Taeshik is tasked with supervising a trio of Hunter convicts who have been enlisted to assist with a D-Rank raid, something that we learn is common among convicted Hunters as their participation in raids is done in exchange for less prison time.
Kang Taeshik: Hitman
Blood Money, Contracts, and a Silent Assassin
At some point during the raid, the Dungeon diverges into three distinct paths, with Kang Taeshik taking the road on the far right along with his criminals, while Sung Jinwoo takes the path on the far right with Song Chiyul and Lee Joohee. After the nameless convicts deal with their goblin enemies, Taeshik asks them if they see any difference between killing humans and killing magic beasts, recalling a deal he made with a certain client as they wax lyrical about their bloodlust. In this memory, Taeshik listens to an aggrieved father talk about the corruption in the legal system, as three Hunters assaulted his daughter, who subsequently took her own life; and the man's wife was hospitalized due to the trauma. Lamenting the fact that these heinous criminals were not only allowed to keep their Hunter licenses, but were also given the chance to reduce their time through participation in raids, the man was overcome with grief and rage at the clear prioritization of the Hunter economy over the lives of his family.
All The Easter Eggs in Solo Leveling So Far
Solo Leveling has had some pretty interesting easter eggs scattered around the anime so far. Here's a look at all of them.
Offering 3 billion won (around 2.3 million US$), the man begged Kang Taeshik to kill all three and make it look like an accident in the Dungeon. Taeshik explains why he works for the Hunter Association, which pays a paltry sum, overworking for one of the countless Guilds that would kill to enlist a skilled B-Ranker: he likes killing people more than he does magic beasts. While he normally wears no expression on his face, there is an evil, sadistic glee that spreads across his face when presented with the chance to kill someone. He quickly dispatches the three criminals whose activities he was overseeing in the Dungeon to fulfill his contract with the old man from his flashback, but just before he can kill off the last one, Kim Sangshik is unfortunate enough to stumble upon the scene, and later pays the ultimate price.
A Fellow Murderer
Sung Jinwoo vs Kang Taeshik
Episode 9 served to compare Sung Jinwoo, someone who had also tasted human blood under the cover of the secrecy of the Dungeon, to Kang Taeshik, someone who is clearly comfortable with the idea of killing people. When Jinwoo took the left-hand path leading straight to the Dungeon Boss, Taeshik took the one on the right, placing them at odds on a conceptual level. Throughout the raid, Jinwoo had been somewhat cautious around Taeshik as a member of the Association, making extra sure not to attract any attention to his newfound strength; however, the Surveillance Team member had no recollection of Jinwoo prior to their fight.
On one hand, Jinwoo never wants to have to kill anyone, but when the System presents another person as an enemy, he seems much more comfortable casting aside his feelings, especially if they were genuinely terrible people like Hwang Dongsuk and Kang Taeshik. Taeshik's cockiness in battle is bolstered by the fact that no one has ever seen him go all-out and survive, not to mention his high rank and speed; so he didn't ever consider that he could lose. This cockiness, and lack of understanding of Jinwoo's actual abilities, is what led to Taeshik's demise. With his dying breath, Taeshik warns Jinwoo, referencing Friedrich Nietzsche's famous quote:
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
It is possible that Taeshik's invocation of Nietzsche's quote may be evidence that he wasn't always evil, and he acquired a taste for evil later in life. We can't know now that he's now one with the abyss.
Solo Leveling: 20 Most Powerful Hunters In The Series, Ranked By Strength
The Hunters in Solo Leveling help maintain balance in a world fraught with monsters & monarchs. Here are some of the strongest members of the bunch.
