| WARNING | The following page contains SPOILERS leading up to and including the final chapter. Reader discretion advised. |
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| Overview | Plot |
"Little hope is still hope." ― Hyun Cha For his Evolved Live Action counterpart, click here.
Hyun Cha (차현수, Cha Hyeon-su) is the main protagonist of the Sweet Home webtoon. He used to be an infected resident but has become a survivor at Green Roof Apartments, then has become a monster in order to save his friends, later has evolved after an undetermined time, and he's finally found by his friends and Jisu on the outside of the military base.
Hyun makes a first appearance in the prequel series of Shotgun Boy in One's example of the "diseased", being moments before his family death, and he appears again in the post-ending of Shotgun Boy.
Quick Answers
How does Hyun Cha evolve in the Sweet Home webtoon?
What role does Hyun Cha play in the prequel series of Shotgun Boy?
How does Hyun Cha transform into a monster in Sweet Home?
Who finds Hyun Cha outside of the military base in Sweet Home?
Background
Hyun had a rather happy childhood. Up until his high school years, he was the pride of his family.
However, in high school, he was targeted by a rich bully who made sure that Hyun was socially excluded. Eventually, even his own sister started excluding him by claiming that he wasn't her brother. His parents took little action, due to the fact that the bully's father was owner of the company Hyun's dad worked at. They did however talk to the school, and the bully stopped picking on him after that incident. However, Hyun was traumatized from the experience, and came out a different person.
One of the most significant sources of Hyun's trauma occurred one day, when he saw the bully tell another student that if he jumped in front of a car, the bully would pay for his mom's surgery. Upon seeing this, Hyun got angry and pushed the bully in front of a passing car which would have hit him if it did not stop in time. Hyun's father was subsequently fired. Additionally, the student who was supposed to jump in front of the car had his mother die, and blamed Hyun for her death.
Eventually, Hyun refused to go to school any more and started hating everyone around him, including his family. He fell into suicidal thoughts and developed a history of self harm.
Appearance
Hyun has unkempt, short black hair. He usually wears sneakers, jeans, a tee shirt, and a zip-up hoodie. Despite having a scruffy appearence and messy unkept hair; he is drawn in a way that suggests he might be relatively physically attractive.
As a monster, Hyun took the appearance of a ''dark knight'', so to say. He became more muscular, his skin became dark in color, and his body, specially his head, became covered in skin and flesh structures shaped like a knight's armor and helm. Hyun also developed a red, glowing eye. This form was similar to the character ''Ryan, the Guardian Knight" from the in-story animation series Maria From The Sky.
As an evolved human, Hyun regained most of his human appearance. However, his skin became more pale, and his eyes became greyish in color.
Personality
"Little hope is still hope." ― Hyun Cha
When first introduced, as a result of the trauma of bullying, Hyun initially is extremely anti-social and prefers his online life over the real world. He strongly resented everyone around him, including his own family. He is direct and blunt. He is a strong fan of anime and video games. Following the tragic death of his family, he begins to realize what he has lost and becomes suicidal. During the apocalypse, however, Hyun realizes he wants to live and slowly starts connecting with other people again. He still, however, has difficulty socializing, perhaps out of having isolated himself for so long. Hyun is perceptive and has a remarkably strong will, which helps him hold off the effects of complete monsterization. However, his Inner Monster is very persistent at getting Hyun to turn, and the constant stress and trauma as well as the Inner Monster's constant attempts to manifest appear to be slowly whittling away at Hyun, as it appears Hyun has to exert more effort each time the monster tries to take him over to stay human. Eventually, Hyun grows to appreciate life again and make friends.
Equipment
- Electric Spear, (Also known as his “Pole Spear”) His weapon of choice is a handmade electric spear, powered by a large battery that he carries in his backpack
Abilities
Partial Monster
- Super regeneration
- Enhanced strength and agility
Monster Form
Hyun's monster form takes on the appearance of a knight similar to one in the anime Hyun watches. Unlike other monsters, who take on a reddish or grayish appearance, Hyun's monster form is darker in color. Its head is covered in flesh shaped like a knight's helm, and its eyes glow red, giving it the appearance of a dark knight. According to Carnby Kim, he is the 3rd most powerful monster in Sweet Home, having a 7-star attack stat and 2-star defense stat.[1]
- Spear: When Hyun turned, the monster's flesh coated the spear. The monster is able to use the spear as both a melee and throwing weapon.
- Extreme Strength: The monster's physical strength is great enough to completely destroy the upper half of Joon Shin's monster form, which was near-impervious to all other attacks, in a single strike. However, its strength was equal to a monsterizing Hyuk, and it could not (or would not) escape the large mass of flesh it was trapped in when Hyuk fully transformed. This makes Hyun's monsterfication the second or third for the strongest monster in the series.
- Temporary Sentience: Due to Hyun's will to resist monsterization, Hyun was able to maintain conscious control of his monster form long enough for it to destroy Joon.
Relationships
Parents
Prior to the series, Hyun was his parents' pride and joy. However, after severe bullying and his father's inaction, he grew to loathe his parents. He refused to even talk to them, instead sending messages via text. Immediately after, he was ungrateful towards his family at the funeral. It was only at the onset of the apocalypse that he realized how much his family meant to him. This was shown when he even wanted to see his family again during his mid-monsterization.
Sua Cha
Sua is Hyun's younger sister. The siblings shared good relations until Hyun started getting bullied and socially excluded. At that point, people started asking Sua if Hyun was her brother, which she constantly denied, as she was too embarrassed of her brother. In a conversation with a friend, she claimed that she didn't have a brother and was extremely angry at anyone who thought Hyun was related to her. That was the moment Hyun started to hate her. From then on, he began to avoid her and made sure to try and speak to her as little as possible and didn't feel as much remorse when she died. But as time went on, he missed her along with his parents and wanted to see them again when he was turning into a monster.
Jisu Yoon
Jisu is Hyun's neighbor and lives directly above his apartment. At first, she was hostile toward him when she and the others realized that Hyun was starting to monsterize. Soon, she apologized and they quickly grew close to each other. The closeness was evident with Jisu's concern and anger over Hyun being sent on a mission so soon after being rescued. Jisu, in particular, is Hyun's strongest supporter and appears to put his safety and well being ahead of other people. Jisu also is able to reach Hyun's humanity and get him to snap back to his senses whenever he is about to monsterize. Ironically, and perhaps because of their closeness, Hyun's desire to protect Jisu and his other friends led him into turning into a monster. The two planned on creating a song together when everything went back to normal but it didn’t as Hyun’s inner monster soon took over and they had to stop. He did have a song title planned, though: “Sweet Home”. The memories of Jisu help an evolved-Hyun regain his humanity. Jisu doesn't like Hyun much at first, but she starts developing romantic feelings towards the end of the series. The two of them are overjoyed to tears and hug when they reunite .
Hyuk Lee
Initially, Hyun and Hyuk were very abrasive towards each other. They were (unknowingly) part of the same online community of anime fans, of which Hyun noted Hyuk had a reputation for irritating chat behavior. This only worsened when Hyuk intentionally provoked Hyun by asking him to abandon the children. The two eventually warmed up and respected each other's roles in the survivor camp, and even began encouraging each other to live on. Their mutual interest in anime also helped Hyun talk Hyuk down from killing Joon Shin.
Eun Lee
Hyun and Eun did not interact much during the main series, but they appeared to be on good terms. They are able to have friendly conversations. Eun, in particular, sticks up for Hyun and defends him even though she is turning out of a secret crush towards him.
Seop Ahn
Initially, Hyun was taken aback by Seop's prank and acceptance of his mortality. However, he grew close to the elder to the point where the latter's sacrifice greatly traumatized him.
Ihyun Jo
Hyun and Ihyun, despite both being half-monsters, do not get along. This is due to their differences in morality: Whereas Hyun shows more mercy and empathy for a monster's former human identity (assuming said human was a decent person), Ihyun disregards the former life and trapped human consciousness in favor of eliminating an immediate threat. Their dislike of each other, however, is not so great. They are able to put aside their differences in times of crisis.
Joon Shin
Initially, Hyun despised Joon's morals and actions and wanted nothing to do with him, turning down an invitation to join the gang. However, in a moment of despair, Hyun reluctantly agreed to help Joon.
Myeong-Ja Lim
Hyuk and Myeon-Ja do not interact at all in the series, even when they are in the same room. However, Hyun still cared for Myeong-Ja and advocated to spare her when he realized the Infant Monster was harmless.
Jayhun Jung
Hyun had an amicable relationship with Jayhun. Jayhun was the only person to unconditionally accept Hyun upon first meeting him, even after learning he was turning. Likewise, while motivated by his own selfishness, Hyun wished to travel with Jayhun. Jayhun's death traumatizes Hyun, who nearly gives in upon discovering his body.
Dusik Hahn
Hyun had a very positive relationship with Dusik. While the two had a generational barrier in terms of pop culture, Hyun looked up to Dusik and respected him for saving his life. Dusik, likewise, trusted Hyun to save the kids and helped him by inventing Hyun's signature electric spear. Upon learning that Duzik was planning to sacrifice himself, Hyun immediately rushed to help him despite the extreme danger, and later being heartbroken over his monsterization.
Wook Pyeon
Wook Pyeon is the first person who Hyun meets. At first, he was hostile toward him when he and the others realized that Hyun was starting to monsterize, just like Jisu. Soon, they started to work together in order to save Mr. Dusik and the children from apartment 1408. Wook supported Hyun heavily, along with Jisu and Jayhun. Wook also is able to reach Hyun's humanity and get him to snap back to his senses whenever he is about to monsterize by simply hitting him in the stomach, stunning him back to reality.
His soul
Hyun is at war with himself, or rather his soul, who wishes to see him turn into a monster and "evolve." Hyun, however, is very resistant towards his soul's attempts. Upon learning of the soul's intentions, he dismisses it as a corruption or a lie. His soul is disheartened and shocked to hear that but is nonetheless a persistent threat. However, the soul's words and promise of a dream world paradise did have an impact on Hyun, who started questioning killing monsters as it would essentially mean killing the human as well. However, when Hyun did turn, he did not do it because he agreed with the Soul's ideas of revolution, but because he wanted to save his friends.
Seyong
Gyuhwan Han
Trivia
- There is a red logo on the upper left sleeve of his hoodie and the upper left leg of his pants that reads "Bastard," which is a reference to the Bastard Webtoon, the previous work of the author and artist duo behind Sweet Home.
- The logo is usually obscured or not clearly seen.
- Hyun's hair gains volume over the course of the series, likely due to artistic evolution.
- Hyun bears traits to Ryan the Guardian Knight from Maria from the Sky, which was noticed by Hyuk Lee, another fan of the show.
- He appears in One's vision because of being one of the characters with monsterization.
- His nosebleeding in his room is similar to Gyuhwan's at the ending of Shotgun Boy.
Gallery
References
- ↑ @carnbykim • Instagram photos and videos
