Dubu was the professional name of Jang Sung-rak, a South Korean manhwa artist and illustrator known for his work on the webtoon adaptation of the popular Solo Leveling series. Born on March 5, 1985, in Geochang County, South Gyeongsang Province, he died on July 23, 2022, at the age of 37 due to a cerebral hemorrhage.

Dubu’s most significant creative contribution was as the lead illustrator for the webtoon version of Solo Leveling, which is based on the original web novel by Chugong. The webtoon was first serialized on the digital platform KakaoPage beginning in March 2018 and concluded in December 2021. While Chugong is credited as the author of the original story, Dubu’s artistic role was central to the series’ visual identity, and he was later credited as a co-author of the webtoon, reflecting his expanded involvement in shaping the narrative. In addition to his work on Solo Leveling, Dubu was credited on the manhwa Beautiful Legends and also contributed to a manga adaptation of the anime Space Dandy.

Dubu was the founder and representative of Redice Studio, a South Korean production company specializing in webtoons and manhwa. The studio was established in 2018, coinciding with the launch of the Solo Leveling webtoon. Following his death, the continuation of the Solo Leveling series was taken over by a successor artist from Redice Studio, known by the collective name Disciples.

Although Dubu passed away before the anime adaptation of Solo Leveling was produced, his foundational work on the webtoon directly influenced the visual style and composition of the animated series. The anime projects for which he is credited as an original creator include Solo Leveling -ReAwakening-, a theatrical compilation film, and the television series Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-.