Will Min Byung-Gu Ever Return?

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Posted 2 days ago by inuno.ai

Category: Gaming

Summary

S-rank healer Min Byung-Gu tragically dies on Jeju Island, leaving behind a promising career.
Byung-Gu joins the fourth Jeju Island raid despite retirement, motivated by his friend Baek Yoon-Ho.
Byung-Gu may potentially return in the Ahjin Guild arc, as a shadow who will likely make a cameo.

The Jeju Island arc of Solo Leveling claimed the lives of so many exceptional hunters, including Min Byung-Gu, the S-rank healer from Korea. He was considered a national asset, as the country lacked healers of the same level. His untimely death at the hands of the Ant King was a shock to his colleagues, including Baek Yoon-Ho, who painfully accepted that his friend would not return—or so we thought.

Min Byung-Gu was one of the 16 S-rank hunters who went to Jeju Island to raid the Ant Queen and her colony. He fought alongside the strongest hunters, trying his best to support them as much as possible. From healing magic to buff spells, Byung-Gu did his job to support everyone, putting his life on the line. Although Byung-Gu tragically died at the end of the Jeju Island story arc, many are curious whether he will ever return in Solo Leveling again.

solo leveling how jin woo saved cha hae in jeju island

Solo Leveling: How Jin-Woo Saved Cha Hae-In on Jeju Island, Explained

Sung Jin-Woo saves Cha Hae-In’s life on Jeju Island in an incredibly surprising way; no one sees it coming.

Min Byung-Gu Braves Jeju Island Again

His Final Attempt

Before Byung-Gu retired, he was part of the raid party during Korea’s third attempt to reclaim Jeju Island. He worked with Baek Yoon-Ho and Eunseok on the battlefield, placing his trust in them to keep him safe while he focused on his job. As an S-rank healer, Byung-Gu was responsible for healing the wounds of the frontliners as well as providing buffs on their abilities. His dynamic with Yoon-Ho and Eunseok was so good that they could kill an ant guard without much trouble.

“Smile a bit, hyung. You’ll get old quickly if you’re always frowning.”—Min Byung-Gu to Baek Yoon-Ho

However, with Eunseok’s death, Byung-Gu made a difficult decision to retire and change careers. He planned to become a civil servant, pass the exams, and be hired as a history professor rather than continue his hunter career, risking his life in the dungeons. That was until he found out about Yoon-Ho’s decision to join the fourth Jeju Island raid. While Byung-Gu bluntly tells Yoon-Ho he will never join the party, he later comes out of retirement to assist.

After all, Yoon-Ho had made such a significant point that it convinced Byung-Gu to return. If they did not do something about Jeju Island, everyone would suffer the same fate as Eunseok—a wake-up call pushing Byung-Gu to brave Jeju Island again.

Min Byung-Gu’s Final Moments on Jeju Island

There’s Nothing He Can Do Against the Ant King

solo leveling why hunters retire early min byung gu

It’s unfortunate how a person like Byung-Gu, who has so many plans in his life, dies on the battlefield. With Byung-Gu’s warm and compassionate nature, it almost seems like he never deserved to lose his life in a tragic death. He was supposed to come home, pick up history books, and live his life like any ordinary civilian. If it weren’t for the Ant King’s appearance, Byung-Gu would have been able to return, along with his fellow S-rank hunters.

“He’s the first hunter to retire with all four limbs intact.”—Baek Yoon-Ho to Min Byung-Gu

Byung-Gu had a lot of confidence in his abilities. His power can boost the skills of his teammates, allowing them to hold the ants much longer and defeat them much more easily, keeping him safe from harm. He did not fail in using healing magic to lessen the burden of the hunters despite knowing the risk that came with it. However, against the Ant King, who holds tremendous powers, Byung-Gu’s abilities pale in comparison. He was able to use his camouflage skill to hide while supporting his friends, but against the Ant King’s detection skill, he was nowhere near safe.

This section contains spoilers from the Solo Leveling manhwa.

Will Byung-Gu Ever Return?

Byung-Gu’s Fate Revealed

Min Byung-Gu’s return in Solo Leveling, especially in the anime, will take quite a long time to happen. But his shadow, the one whom Jin-Woo used to save Cha Hae-In’s life, will possibly make a cameo shortly after the Jeju Island story arc. If the anime stays faithful to the manhwa, Byung-Gu’s shadow may return during the Ahjin Guild arc. His role will likely be a short one, as Cha Hae-In will suddenly remember his warnings about Jin-Woo’s power.

“I refuse to go. I will never go.”—Min Byung-Gu

However, in the final events of the manhwa, Byung-Gu is set to return, along with so many characters who died earlier. Thanks to Jin-Woo’s decision to reset time with the Cup of Reincarnation, Byung-Gu will return, but not as a shadow anymore. In fact, he was shown enjoying his life as a history professor, as he had dreamed of in the past. He is also set to switch careers as he takes on the role of a doctor.

All in all, Byung-Gu may have died, but his death was not in vain. He was one of the reasons Cha Hae-In continued to move forward with her life in the original timeline. If it weren’t for him, Jin-Woo would have suffered a tragic loss, which would have changed the course of the story.