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Solo Leveling is probably one of the first mahwas that I've ever read back in 2019. It blew my mind when I learned that there was this whole new culture outside of Japanese mangas and animes. And unlike mangas, manhwas have fully colored panels and you read from left to right.
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I also have to confess, I hate artistic animes, those with too convoluted plots, and the ones that have abstract endings. Examples of this include Akira, Evangelion, Studio Ghibli shows, Tokyo Ghoul, etc. And please don't crucify me, I know they are considered masterpieces to many, but they're just not my preference. 😅
I've read Solo Leveling's manhwa three times now. And now that a second season of the anime is ongoing, I'm also eagerly anticipating each episode as well. So why am I hooked to the anime even though I know exactly what the entire story is about? I believe it boils down to the guilty-pleasure of seeing the MC being underestimated then learning how overpowered he really is. If you think about it, that's how the majority of Solo Leveling's plot goes. It's the same cycle over and over, just with different characters and situations. Sure, it may be simple, but it works for me, and I always want more of it.
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Dragon Ball is one of the earliest animes that I can remember that gave me this feeling. Its plot mainly revolves around Goku showing up at the very last moment to defeat the seemingly unstoppable opponents. This is also probably the reason why high school bully revenge and regression plots have been used to death by countless authors. At the end of the day, I consume this type of media as a form of escapism from the monotonous life routines like work loads and household chores. I want to be entertained and sometimes, simple plots with mindless over-the-top action works best. Rooting for Jinwoo is extremely satisfying for me and apparently a lot others who are fans of this genre.
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Well, one thing I do agree with you on is the fact that works with simple, action-packed stories are as successful as they are because they are an easily digestible product. After the success that Dragon Ball Z had in its time, the action genre exploded and today we see a great variety of popular works that follow the same simple and entertaining plot line. That's why Solo Leveling is having so much success right now with its second season airing, that and the fact that the A-1 Pictures studio is doing one of the best animation jobs that I have seen in this last decade. I often get bored of watching genre-based anime with predictable stories and generic characters, but I find this quite entertaining.
Good post.