A Monster Who Levels Up

Description

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This is a story of a man named Kim Sae-Jin, who one day, inexplicably wakes up as a Monster. Follow him and his perilous journey to get his life back as a Human, all the while growing even more versatile as a Monster in the process. This should be… complicated, somewhat.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Monster
레벨업하는 몬스터
Related Series
N/A
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Recommendation Lists
  1. What I have read
  2. Complete stories - Farming OR Poor to Rich Tag
  3. Completamente Leidas
  4. Skibidi list2
  5. Hunter/Awakener/Gate/Tower - Not Read Pt.2

Latest Release

Date Group Release
02/28/18 Novel Life c129
02/26/18 Novel Life c128
02/25/18 Novel Life c127
02/25/18 Novel Life c126
02/24/18 Novel Life c125
02/24/18 Novel Life c124
02/23/18 Novel Life c123
02/21/18 Novel Life c122
02/19/18 Novel Life c121
02/17/18 Novel Life c120
02/16/18 Novel Life c119
02/14/18 Novel Life c118
02/12/18 Novel Life c117
02/10/18 Novel Life c116
02/09/18 Novel Life c115
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175 Reviews sorted by


evvoiathssofias
evvoiathssofias rated it
February 7, 2018
Status: c70
It started out as a decent timekiller read, but the sheer amount of harem members got to me and I just cant read anymore. It might just be me but I started to lose track of the female characters' names around chapter 55 with the sheer number of potential harem candidates. Were it not for the harem, this would be a pretty good read IMO, props to the translator (s). Also, I really have to ask at this point: Is there an actual FEMALE LEAD? I cant tell if there... more>> IS a main female character and that really hurts the Suspension for me. <<less
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Goibinu
Goibinu rated it
January 27, 2018
Status: c100
The beginning chapters really are good and will probably hook you, with the whole dealing with being a monster in the middle of a city. However, the author soon has the MC developing an absurd number of businesses so that it is less about him understanding what happened to him and how to evolve and more about how do I make more money. The later chapters focus primarily on the next business venture, which is not what hooked me in the first place. Thus I give it an okay rating... more>> since it is well written (other than the naming scheme, COME ON!), and the disappointment that the author ditched a unique take for something boring. <<less
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Chourou
Chourou rated it
November 21, 2017
Status: --
It is an ok novel, I am enjoying this novel so to say. Not gonna write an elaborated review of this novel. The other reviewers has already pointed out some of the flaws I noticed aswell. I am staying at 3 star. This is a fun novel but a few too many annoying traits. Good thing there is an end to this novel if you can handle it to the end.

Ehm. As I wrote I am staying at 3 stars. Not gonna elaborate it why, others already pointed some out,... more>> others things are just preferences. So I'm just gonna point out one thing, there are missing background story and information of a few things that makes this novel feels "whole". Put it this way, there are missing pieces in this 1000 puzzle work. Either those pieces were thrown out the window or eaten by your pet dog.

Edit: Holy moly... this novel ended bad... My god... this is what happens when a writer loses interest and inspiration I suppose... I am now 2 star.

The translation is awesome and good quality. <<less
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FrodosBeutel
FrodosBeutel rated it
June 29, 2024
Status: c25
The start was really good. His strengh improved at a decent rate but then it became like any other OP MC novel:

Spoiler
  • He suddenly kills a goblin, becomes one of the best alchemists instanty and gets rich very quickly
  • He kills an org and becomes one of the best blacksmiths
  • All the media is of course talking about the MC the whole time
  • He gets a very strong evolution at only 20 chapters. Definitly no slow power growth
  • And of course, MC loves his parents so much and wants revenge so badly. Like we havent read that 1000x times by now...
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So yea, if you are new to novels it is decent, but if you have read enough of them, this novel becomes just annoying to read
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korneliswicaksono
korneliswicaksono
November 9, 2023
Status: Completed
A mediocre novel with several plus and minus points.

Minus:

- The story was not unique, regarding numerous portal suddenly opened on Earth and many demi-human and monsters began migrating, while mana & traits also began to appear.

... more>> - The love story of MC were childish, but understandable because the MC never in a seriously relationship before due to his poverty.

- The few chapters before ending were felt very rushed. The climax of the story felt too simple.

Plus:

- Unlike popular Japanese/Korean trope, the MC were not shy of popularity. But he only appeared on a handful of public interviews that will definitely benefited him and his group.

- Many side characters have deep personality and story.

- Also unlike popular Japanese/Korean novel trope, the MC were not clueless of other people's love interest for him. However he lacked firm stance, because of his inexperience in relationship. <<less
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amu23m1
amu23m1 rated it
May 4, 2023
Status: Completed
I hate being one of the people tanking this novel's score, but damn am I glad to be done with it. Despite saying that, I liked most of it. The powers were cool, the initial concept of struggling to maintain his humanity was decently done, but this dumpster fire of a romance ruined it all for me.

There are 3 real potential partners:

  1. Business partner who earns MC's trust, is the first person to help him when he's first starting out, and who slowly learns to love his kinder side.
  2. Knight who starts to love the MC in one of his monster forms and builds comradery with him despite racial boundaries.
  3. Young rich girl that is OK with being used for her business connections and her body, despite the constantly MC disappearing on her in the middle of the night with no real explanation (all while deluding himself into thinking 'it's just not the right time to bring it up')
  4. Optional: Cat girl who is basically just treated like a cat by the MC... but it's weird cause she's a person.
If you choose #3 as your favorite and are ready to let #1 and #2 linger in their feeling of unrequited love without ever moving on, then this novel is for you!! While it doesn't feature heavily in the plot, the ending does entirely... more>> revolve around this sh*t show of a relationship.

The ending concept however (specifically the last 2 chapters everyone complains about), while being quite unsatisfying, is passable in my books. It reinforces the question 'what makes me, ME?' which is the whole emotional driving force of the novel. So even though I don't like the answer we're given, I'm not taking off points for it.

I do take points off for how rushed the ending was... If the novel is a balloon slowly filling up with foreshadowing and suspense, then chp 163 is basically a needle that comes out of nowhere to force along the ending, leaving the whole thing as a wet mess on the floor with a bunch of questions up in the air.

More relationship ranting:

Spoiler

Sae-Jung should have DUMPED his sorry ass a long time ago... Then we could of pivoted his relationship towards someone like Hazeline who he actually trusts enough to talk to. OR we should have been shown other parts of their relationship besides just how good the s*x is. Quite literally, from the moment they have s*x for the first time, their relationship devolves in jealous bickering (because Sae-Jin never opens up to her) followed by make-up s*x. Meanwhile Sae-Jung looses every part of her character that makes her independent.

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Master10K
Master10K rated it
January 31, 2023
Status: Completed
Anyone coming into an obscure WN like this would know the drill by now. It's a S. Korean WN, set in our modern world and there's a system in play. Pretty standard fair, with the main hook this time being the MC (Kim Sae-Jin) transforming into low-tier Monsters that obvious end up overpowered in some way. Why though? Why does it matter.

I came into this story looking for some dumb fun and that's what I got out of it. Watching the MC unlock countless abilities and expand his revenue stream... more>> beyond looting bodies. I even enjoyed seeing the lamentations of the TL, due to all the Korean "Kims" and dumb ideas the author comes up with. But the world building is treated like an afterthought and the calamitous events are routine at this point. And yet with how brain-dead the story and characters can feel at times, it still manages to pull off a well thought out final arc. Minus the epilogue. <<less
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vccbt
vccbt rated it
November 13, 2022
Status: Completed
i really enjoyed this novel but after the last chapters I feel so fu***ing sh*t I feel just empty idk if anyone feels the same as I do but yeah I recommend to not read the last 2 chapter and just image ur own ending like: before everyone is about to go (gathering of the monster guild) he enters the like... idk something like that or like after yu sae-jung went home and starts crying she sudenly noticed someone in the dark coner and HERE he is like a mf... more>> sitting the with big a** grin on his face and sying "I AM BACK" xD <<less
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Calsifer
Calsifer
August 11, 2022
Status: Completed
I read this whole light novel and I like it. The story kept me engaged, interested, and craving for more. The ending shocked me to the point where I thought about this book for months after finishing it. Now I want to buy a copy so I can support the author. Please sell it on Amazon or something. I want to support you.
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shelwyn
shelwyn rated it
July 29, 2022
Status: Completed
The last two chapters are absolute dog sh*t but it was a nice story up to the author now knowing how to end a story lol.

Spoiler

There was the loud sound of the Fissure vibrating.

My entire body shuddered in unbridled joy.

Strange, unknown creatures began invading the ocean.

I opened my eyes and laughed out loudly.

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I think its hilarious how delighted MC is when the world is about to end.
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LehmD
LehmD rated it
November 18, 2021
Status: Completed
Tbh at first I really enjoyed it. I have read similar novels where the MC is a monster and I like the idea but man...

I dont mind if an MC doesn't want to help the world fight the Monsters. But this MC says he does but then he doesn't put in any effort?

... more>>
Spoiler

he produces 2 weapons a month. Why???? Either commit to it if it helps fight the Monsters or keep growing yourself and don't do any blacksmithing other than for your friends. He can just use his spit in water Form to make potions so why not dump thousands of litres on the Market and help people?

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For some reason he doesn't even try to get stronger? Apparently he makes a lot of $$$ so why not buy monster cores? He does it once it works really well and then never does it again?

Spoiler

also he eats a leviathan scale and unlocks a new Form and hw never tries that again??? Who knows which other forms he could unlock by eating stuff but he doesn't even try to get some.

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The ending is just horrible. Final fight is like 3 sentences and after that the ending is just super unsatisfying. <<less
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shimar
shimar rated it
October 8, 2021
Status: Completed
Too many inconsistencies especially the names. The story is a little of everything from drama, action, romance, sort-of-harem, comedy and tragedy. But that's just it. LITTLE. The concept was definitely good but the delivery is lacking. The author should have made up his mind to stick in one or two genres and not all! Still, I endured reading it.

I can't believe he's the author of the other novel I've been reading!! So I 'm giving it a 3 instead of a 1 because some said it was his one of... more>> his early works. <<less
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WondLa
WondLa rated it
August 4, 2021
Status: c60
I'm not usually one to write a review but this novel was just disappointing and lackluster.

My first and biggest problem with the story is the complete lack of world building. The author gives no explanation in the beginning as to why earth has monsters or how the supernatural races came to earth or even how the hunter/knight system worked. I have reached chapter 60 and it's only through context clues and plot convenience that the bare minimum of world building has been reached.
Spoiler

It's only until the MC gets to the forging arc that the ranking system of hunters/knights and weapons is really explained and it's only through the bad guy's explanation that we find out the all the supernatural people are from another world and left for earth because their's ended.

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Secondly, I have a soft spot for MC who level up and are monsters or are treated as such hence why I read this. However, not only does the MC seem to completely forget that every human he runs into while in monster form will try to kill him and monsters are the bane of human existence! He runs around saving everyone despite them threatening his survival, he shows none of the anger or hatred one would expect from an orphan who has been treated like sh*t by human society.

Thirdly, his trait makes no f*cking sense!!! Like the title states it levels up but there's no logical reason to the way he evolves his monster forms. Normally, leveling up or attacking stronger enemies would be the most obvious logical way to evolve but that's not how it works.
Spoiler

In two instance he evolved because his renown increased (he exposed himself to reporters), WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING???!!!

[collapse]

I had hopes for it to get better but it has not. The only thing that made this all worse was the author neglecting to focus on other monster forms and
Spoiler

his freaking mercenary job, like the author builds up the vampires as his most hated enemy and alludes that he has a personal vendetta but then almost immediately never mentions it again except when the MC watches the news

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making you almost forget about them. I usually don't mind if a novel is bad because I can enjoy the unique world setting or twisted main character, but this was just abysmal.
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abcas2
abcas2 rated it
February 14, 2021
Status: c63
I picked up this novel expecting an MC monster and his circumstances to deal with it and fit in. Sadly it is....

Spoiler

Instead I got novel about harem, crafting and none of the Monster problems and trying to fit in. You can even change the power and still have the same on where the novel is going.

It all went down to hell when changing back to human was a cheap skill. It defeat the purpose of the the whole monster thing if you can just change back to human easily.

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PolitikZ
PolitikZ
December 22, 2020
Status: Completed
So I started this novel after reading the comments talking about the terrible ending thinking, "It can't be THAT bad". Well, it is, "THAT bad". I would be more upset with the ending if the novel was better, but it's pretty sub-par through and through. It was good for the first half but at some point things just started to fall apart. It's nothing big, more like a bunch of little things that added up and gave a sloppy impression.
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Josuto
Josuto rated it
September 24, 2020
Status: Completed
Read only if you have nothing else to read.

Romance was kinda iffy, as alot of others have already said, the main girl choice was frustrating.

Plot started good, got draggy as hell and left unsatisfying.

The ending was very rushed, it felt like 164 ch for 2 arcs and 10 ch for the ending which felt like a summary.
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Bachingchung
Bachingchung rated it
September 22, 2020
Status: --
I like the novel, the idea is refreshing. However, the MC achieved his goals quite early on the novel that the latter half of the novel is such a drag.

The author is also a bit forgetful and like to contradict his earlier words most of the time. Even the translator got pissed and couldn't help himself to leave some snarky comments. XD

Story: meh. As I said it was a drag

... more>> Romance: annoying.

Comic relief: it's a hit or miss, but mostly miss.

It was regretful but his alter ego is my favorite part, Jin Seh Han. His ending is better than the real one. <<less
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KA2094
KA2094
August 30, 2020
Status: Completed
If a story has my actively complete it I usually rate it 5 stars.

This story fits neatly enough with certain plot holes mostly being fixable since they are just the author forgetting times/dates/names (Sometimes even in the same chapter XD)

The main character... seems like a normal person...

... more>>
Spoiler

Maybe for the demographic, but it also helps with making the monster egos more prominent.

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But it isn't that bad and there is surprisingly little race bashing against Japan/China that most Korean novels of this type seem to have.

Also unlike most Korean novels this novel has a somewhat complete ending with one nitpick.

Spoiler

I would rather it end with confirmation that the MC with amnesia gets back with his gf instead of ending when they start to get closer. Even 1 paragraph would of been fine. In fact -personally (this is probably not a good idea) - I wouldn't mind some plot armor that has his amnesia lessen so the MC can properly fulfil his promise to give "the rest of his life" to his gf. I liked this couple more than some romance novels... so it was kind of annoying.

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His monster forms are fine. Obviously overpowered and obviously underused because of it but there is a "balance" to them.... except the goblin.

Spoiler

It has dexterity (which is mostly used on other forms) and alchemy which is usually background related after the first 2 potions.

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On the forms:

Spoiler
  • Wolf: Obviously the main form and most powerful form. Until its ego becomes to prevalent and he has to evolve the orc form which becomes his main for a while which then loses to leviathan... which trumps it on both fronts. The ego is probably a good move to stop overabundance but after evolving the orc form its actually used too little in my opinion
  • Goblin: This literally has dexterity, alchemy, and witchcraft. Only alchemy is limited to the form and isn't developed after... but I guess this would be the hardest to right meaningfully.
  • Orc: Ignored for wolf until the ego thing happens. The scenes with this form and Kim Yu-Rin are sometimes cute sometimes horrible. Sometimes rude for no apparent reason. But otherwise pretty cool. It seems to be more "powerful" than the lycan form but never feels like it since the MC often switches to lycan form in important battles without allies.
  • Human (lol) : The author mentions the human form should evolve and... doesn't really do it? The form just uses the traits of the monster's and doesn't evolve itself which with the way it is mentioned feels weird when reading.
  • Leviathan: Did they ever correct the public that it isn't the Azure Dragon? Anyway. Obvious the most op form and the mc's plot armor after the fenrir form (Underwhelming as that was.) I.... dont like this form. Maybe because it has direct relation with how the ending just annoys me. The author does surprisingly well to give reason to it but once again the end reward is ultimately lowered because of it (At least it ends up feeling like it which is also important to a review)
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The supporting cast are nice mainly focusing on the mc's gf. Wizard Elf. And Female Knight. While the orc loving Female Knight (lol) is meh. The other 2 are fine. With obvious attention to the mc's gf fleshing out the character more than the other 2. Then again this isn't a romance novel and so not by... much.

Surprisingly few male supporting casts.... Like 4? Always felt off.

One major complaint would be the villains. They.... aren't very good at what they do. Feels like the MC should of beaten them alot easier. <<less
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eddyirfan97
eddyirfan97 rated it
May 3, 2020
Status: Completed
I really really liked this novel. It was everything I wanted, the romance/action/story, except the ending.

The final 2 chapters was horrendous. I really do not know why the author wrote it in such a way. Why did he ruin a perfect novel?

Yeah he did explain why it ended like that but to me it was just s*upid. Instead of feeling satisfied and happy, now I’m left with an empty and bitter taste at the end of the novel.

I actually did saw the warning from @PotatoKing but I just had to... more>> read the final 2 chapters to know the ending and get some closure.

Thanks to this novel, I would have to take a break from novels for a while to calm my heart and soul.

For those who are trying to get over the bitterness, I will recommend you a novel to save your souls. Unfortunately for me, I have already read it. It’s called “Solo Leveling” or “Only I level up”. One of the, if not the best, Korean novel/Novel I’ve read. <<less
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blank1134
blank1134 rated it
April 21, 2020
Status: Completed
Its quite a mellow phased novel its not great but it still a good read in my opinion. Not a harem novel, has leveling system, has quite some focus on vampires, MC changing in different types of monster is really interesting, I also enjoyed the crafting stories of the MC.

Story: The author did quite a good job portraying what he wants to tell in his/her story, not that complicated and you will really enjoy every scenario taking part in this novel. Its a comforting and light read kind of a... more>> novel.

Character: The interaction between characters is quite synchronized. The MC and the SC are quite likable. I feel like the author could've done more detailed job on the villains but that's just my preference how the author portrayed his/her villains is still good.

Leveling System: The novel has a leveling system called "traits" for a simple read its actually good and will not complicate the readers that much about it, but I feel like it would've been better if the author added a little bit more details in this area.

Places: The stories are mostly focused inside Korea. There are times the author go out of Korea but its just too little a scenario. He/She did say countries or other names of countries and name of places around the world but really only focused in telling his/her story mostly inside Korea. It would've been nice if he/she Ventured his/her MC in other places more. But it still good though. It also shows how the author loves his/her country.

To be honest I feel like its quite rushed coming from the end (around 2/3), it feels like it has more potential to continue more chapters but still all in all its still a good read. I enjoyed reading it. <<less
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