Netflix has officially confirmed that a live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling is in the works, with Byeon Woo-seok, best known for his roles in 20th Century Girl and Lovely Runner, cast in the lead role as Sung Jinwoo.
The series will be helmed by directors Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo and produced by Kakao Entertainment and SANAI PICTURES, with a global VFX team on board to bring the story’s elaborate dungeons, characters, dynamic action scenes, and quests to life.
Kakao Entertainment had previously confirmed on January 21, 2025, that a Solo Leveling live-action adaptation was already in development.
According to the company, the project is part of a broader strategy to expand the Solo Leveling IP across various platforms. “Solo Leveling has solidified its place as a representative IP not just for Kakao Entertainment but for K-content globally. We will continue to invest in the IP to create a historic legacy. With the continuation of the original universe through Ragnarok, we anticipate boundless future expansion,” Kakao Entertainment representative stated.
Solo Leveling began as a web novel by Chugong, serialized on Kakao’s digital platform KakaoPage on July 25, 2016, and was later published in print by D&C Media under their Papyrus label starting Nov 4, 2016. It was licensed in English by Yen Press.
A webtoon adaptation was first serialized in KakaoPage on March 4, 2018; it was illustrated by Jang Sung-rak (Dubu), and the webtoon’s first season concluded on March 19, 2020, followed by its second season, which was released from August 2020 to December 2021.
As of June 2025, the web novel and webtoon have been read more than 14.3 billion times worldwide.
An anime television series adaptation produced by A-1 Pictures aired from January to March 2024. A second season, subtitled Arise from the Shadow, aired from January to March 2025.
The second season dominated the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, winning nine categories, including Anime of the Year and Best Action.
Source: Netflix
