REDICE Studio announced that artist DUBU (real name Jang Sung-Rak) passed away on July 23rd. The Solo Leveling artist passed due to cerebral hemorrhage from an unspecified chronic illness. A funeral was held yesterday with his family and close friends in attendance. With the announcement, the studio thanked fans for supporting Jang-Sung Rak, and stated that the artist loved his work and fans. Yen Press shared a translated version of the note that reads;
부고를 알립니다. pic.twitter.com/QMKU1fnlj2
— REDICE+ (레드아이스) (@REDICE_STUDIO) July 25, 2022
DUBU was the CEO of REDICE. The Korean studio was known for adapting different novels into online Webtoon series. He originally started his career working on different manga and manwha series. When Solo Leveling’s manwha came out, many praised his art style for its visuals and kinetic action. Today, the manwha series is still a massive international success. REDICE had also illustrated the Space Dandy and The Island of Giant Insects manga. At the time of this article, the manwha has been viewed over 48 million times.
As his family wished, a small funeral was held at his mother’s residence, attended by family and close friends.
Mr. Jang had been struggling with a health condition for a long time, and he passed away from cerebral hemorrhage stemming from his condition.
We would like to thank all the readers for all the love and support you’ve shown for Solo Leveling, and we ask that everyone prays for Mr. Jang to rest in a better place.
The staff of Solo Leveling and all of us at REDICE Studio pray for Mr. Jang, who always held a deep love for his work and the readers.
Respectfully, REDICE Studio
“Solo Leveling Artist”: DUBU’s Legacy for Fans
DUBU was the artist for the manwha adaptation of Chugong’s Solo Leveling novel series. The manwha launched on Webtoon in March 2018 and ended in December 2021. Yen Press published the manwha and novel series in English. Currently, the series is receiving an anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures (and Crunchyroll) in 2023.
Solo Leveling tells the story of Sung Jinwoo, a young man who is the weakest hunter. His life suddenly changes when he discovers a program called System, which allows him to level up his abilities beyond his imagination.
