Solo Leveling: Thomas Andre or Sung Il-Hwan – Who Is a Better Hunter?

Summary

Thomas Andre’s tough upbringing shaped him into a fearsome brawler, leading him to global fame.
Sung Il-Hwan, one of Korea’s first S-rankers, disappeared then emerged as one of the strongest hunters.
While Sung Il-Hwan showed great psychological strength, Thomas Andre had a more fulfilling hunter career.

Solo Leveling features several interesting characters who are driven by unique motivations and values that shape their life choices and define their journeys throughout the series. A handful of them have very strong personalities and leave viewers in awe whenever they make an appearance.

Thomas Andre and Sung Il-Hwan are perhaps two such characters whose strength and presence create a lasting impression on the audience and add more intensity to some of the most memorable moments of the show. Although the two hunters rarely cross paths throughout the series, their strong personalities might make fans wonder who would come out on top if they were to exchange blows.

Solo Leveling: The Most Powerful White Tiger Guild Members, Explained

Despite being a newer guild on the scene, The White Tiger guild boasts some of the most powerful hunters in Korea.

Thomas Andre: America’s Greatest Hunter

America’s Strongest Hunter

Webtoon Debut: Chapter 83
Anime Debut: Episode 21, titled “It Was All Worth It”

Thomas Andre was born to a poor European couple and had a rough early life. The harsh conditions pushed him to make difficult decisions that ended up shaping him into a fearlessly independent individual. Despite being surrounded by enemies for most of his life, he managed to carve his own path and eventually became a brawler. Thomas’ drive for domination set him apart from everyone he ever crossed paths with.

Solo Leveling: Who Is the Weakest S-Rank Hunter?

While it’s hard to evaluate the actual strength of an S-rank hunter, one thing we know for sure is that it isn’t Sung Jinwoo.

Andre’s life took a dramatic turn after mysterious Gates started spawning all over the world. Around the same time, some people were lucky enough to awaken magical powers that could be used to fight the monsters in these dungeons as modern weapons were rendered useless against them. Thomas was lucky enough to be bestowed with powers that made him one of the most feared hunters in the world.

Sometime later, when the first S-rank Gate appeared in America, Andre joined hands with four other top hunters to defeat the dungeon boss, Kamish. These hunters went on to be recognized as the National Level Hunters. Even among these elite fighters, Andre was the strongest. His heroic actions during the battle against Kamish earned him global fame.

Andre’s influence only grew in the following years as he amassed wealth beyond his wildest imagination. Thomas also became the guild master of the Scavenger Guild, a powerful organization that also took international missions.

Sung Il-Hwan: One of Korea’s First S-rankers

Sung Jinwoo’s Father is One Hell of a Fighter

Webtoon Debut: Chapter 56
Anime Debut: Episode 15, titled “Still a Long Way to Go”

Once upon a time, Sung Il-Hwan used to be a firefighter and a dedicated family man who prioritized his loved ones. After he had his awakening, he quit his job to become a hunter. Sung Il-Hwan was an exceptional combatant and was perhaps even one of Korea’s first S-rankers, but his strength could not be officially verified since the international ranking system was yet to become a norm.

Don’t you ever set foot in Korea. I’m not saying this for my son’s sake, I’m saying it for yours. You will never rest in peace, even in death.

At some point in time, Il-Hwan disappeared into a dungeon during a raid and was presumed dead. While his family struggled to make ends meet, Sung had to make a deal with an ancient race of angelic warriors to survive. Almost a decade after his disappearance, Il-Hwan walked out of a dungeon in America where he was taken into custody.

During the questioning, when Hwang Dongsoo realized that he was Jinwoo’s father, he tried to pressure him psychologically. But this turned out to be a huge mistake as Il-Hwan easily defeated the S-ranker and escaped his captivity. Although his battle with Dongsoo was brief, it was enough to demonstrate that he was no ordinary hunter. Sung Il-Hwan’s powers rivaled those of the National Level Hunters, and he was perhaps the strongest Korean hunter after his son.

Final Verdict: Who is the Better Hunter?

Thomas Andre Had a Far More Fulfilling Career as a Hunter

Comparing two hunters is not easy since their powers, fighting style, psychological strength, and experience can vary greatly. While raw power is an important factor, it is not enough to decide who is a better hunter. But even in this regard, Thomas Andre is somewhat better than Sung Il-Hwan, as the latter was never truly in full control of his abilities and his body was also not strong enough to handle the incredible supernatural powers he had inherited.

solo leveling sung jin-woo blessing or curse

Solo Leveling: Why Jin-Woo’s Power Makes Him Both a Blessing and a Curse

Sung Jin-Woo’s power is a double-edged sword, either a blessing or a curse.

When it comes to experience, Hwan was not active for many years during his disappearance, while Andre was actively leading a guild and taking on difficult missions all over the world. Perhaps the one thing where Sung was better than Andre was his psychological strength.

Il-Hwan not only waited patiently for many years to return to the human world but was also willing to cooperate with the authorities, despite suffering in isolation for so many years. Even in the later arc, he single-handedly fights two of the strongest beings in existence and puts his life on the line when everyone else is shell-shocked by the violent battle in front of them.

There is no doubt that Sung Il-Hwan is a great hunter, but his disappearance pushed his career back by many years. Meanwhile, Andre was ruthlessly focused on his career as a hunter and was part of one of the most important hunter missions in human history. He later went on to fight some other crucial battles for humanity and etched his name in the history books.