Solo Leveling Kim Sangshik

Appearance

Kim was a middle-aged man with gray hair in a crew cut. He wore a blue blazer over a white collared shirt and jeans.

Personality

Kim typically acted in a friendly manner and enjoyed drinking coffee in the mornings. However, he was also selfish and cared more about his own life than the lives of others, as displayed when he left Jinwoo behind to die inside the Double Dungeon for the sake of his family.

Despite his actions, Kim was not without remorse. After surviving the Double Dungeon, he felt horrible for how he treated Jinwoo and intended to make amends. Shortly before he died, Kim made good on his word and finally apologized to Jinwoo for everything, showing that at the end of the day, he was still a morally decent person at heart.

History

Kim Sangshik is motivated to continue his perilous work as a hunter by his dedication to his family, which includes his wife, their young daughter Eunji who is of kindergarten age, and their eldest daughter Eunha, who is on the verge of starting middle school. Despite the inherent risks of his profession, the well-being and financial security of his family take precedence, driving him to persist as a hunter.

During his career as a hunter, Kim became friends with a fellow D-Rank Hunter named Park Beom-Shik, who later retired from the business to focus on his family.

D-Rank Dungeon Arc

Sometime later, while having coffee at a construction site in Seol where a gate had opened. Kim saw his old colleague Park among the arriving hunters. He learned that his comrade had returned to being a hunter so as to support his growing family, which Kim could relate.

When Park inquired about Jinwoo and asked him if Jinwoo was strong, he was told Park that was not the case, but in fact that the young man was regarded as the weakest of all mankind. This was due to the youngster being injured even at E-Rank Gates. However it was a good thing for the other Hunters, as if Jinwoo is coming on the raid then it was an indicator that it will be easy. Later when Song Chi-Yul began calling everyone gathered that he will be acting as party leader. Kim was fine with Chi-Yul being leader as with all the other Hunters since he was the strongest in the group. Before going into the dungeon, Kim called to Jinwoo to stay close to the group so he would not get hurt that easily.^[1]

In the dungeon Park came out fighting the magic beasts unscathed, Later an entrance to a second dungeon was discovered by the hunters. On the decision on whether to enter it or not and reap the rewards, Park voted to go in.^[2][3] Ultimately thanks to Jinwoo's final vote they went in. The hunters found an elaborate door at the end of the entrance which Kim commented that there was something dangerous about the place, a sentiment Park agreed with. Upon opening and entering a chamber filled with giant statues, Kim and the hunters began to look around and noticed a runic inscription detailing a list of rules. After the doors to the chamber closed, one of the hunters having enough decided to leave. But as soon as he touched the doors, he was killed by one of the statues, horrifying Kim.^[4]

Later on the Statue of God began to move and use its heat vision on the group. Thanks to the warning by Jinwoo, Kim and some of the other hunters managed to duck. At Chi-Yul's order he and the others kneeled to avoid being in the range of the statue's attack.^[5]

Epilogue

In the new timeline created by the Cup of Reincarnation, Kim was revived. Having lost all his memories as a hunter, he was seen working as a laborer along with Park at a construction site.^[6]

Abilities

Although not much was shown about his skill, Kim was evidently competent for a D-Rank, as he was able to fight fairly well during all the dungeon raids that he participated in. He was also implied to be a competent swordsman, given that he wielded a sword in battle.