Television SOLO LEVELING Live-Action Series in the Works

[Dragonlordxxxxx]

Update: July 9, 2025

SOLO LEVELING Live-Action Series in the Works from Netflix with Byeon Woo-suk Set to Star

Netflix is leveling up its Korean content slate once again, commissioning a live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling, the wildly popular web novel, webtoon and anime franchise that has become one of Korea’s biggest crossover hits in recent years. The fantasy-action series will star fast-rising actor Byeon Woo-seok (Lovely Runner, 20th Century Girl), with production led by Kakao Entertainment and SANAI Pictures.

Byeon, who has emerged as one of Korea’s most in-demand young stars, has long been fan-cast in the role of Sung Jin-woo, Solo Leveling’s brooding antihero. The actor’s striking visual presence — described by fans as “straight out of a manhwa” (the Korean word for comics) — makes him a natural fit to embody Jin-woo’s transformation from the weakest hunter in the land to humanity’s last hope against supernatural annihilation, Netflix says.

Based on the smash hit web novel published on KakaoPage, Solo Leveling has racked up a staggering 14.3 billion cumulative views globally across its various formats. Earlier this year, its anime adaptation made history as the first Korean IP-based series to sweep the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, taking home nine trophies, including best action and anime of the year [*cough bullshit*].

Set in a world where portals known as “Gates” connect reality to deadly alternate dimensions, the story follows Sung Jin-woo, an E-rank hunter barely strong enough to survive low-level missions. But after a brutal dungeon raid nearly kills him, Jin-woo awakens with a mysterious new ability: he can “level up” in power through combat, gaining strength faster than anyone before him. As he grows, so too does the scale of the threat he faces — monstrous invaders pouring from the Gates who threaten to obliterate humanity itself.

The series will be co-directed by Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo, the filmmaking team behind Ashfall, Castaway on the Moon, and Like a Virgin. Netflix says the production will feature a world-class global VFX team to bring the story’s high-stakes fantasy and action set-pieces to life.

Netflix Orders Live-Action Adaptation of Korean Fantasy Sensation ‘Solo Leveling’ With Byeon Woo-seok Set to Star

The streaming giant continues its push into high-end Korean genre fare with a live-action remake of the blockbuster webtoon and anime hit.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[MDoza]

I can’t see this show working as live action.

Outside of really cool animation, the show was somewhat heartless. It will be too expensive to replicate with CGI.

 

[Travis Alexander]

Fuck… it is one of my favorites and this worries me lol. I read the manwha and even the light novels I can’t imagine they will pull this off live action.

 

[biscuitsbrah]

I can dig it

 

[biscuitsbrah]

I can’t see this show working as live action.

Outside of really cool animation, the show was somewhat heartless. It will be too expensive to replicate with CGI.

Nah don’t they have massive budgets nowadays. These live action anime shows are in right now

 

[MDoza]

Nah don’t they have massive budgets nowadays. These live action anime shows are in right now

Ya but they are still neutered due to CGI constraints.

Yu Yu Hakusho, Avatar, One Piece.. are they okay? Sure. But they skip fight scenes and do not portray the source material to its fullest due to budget/CGI constraints, but can at least fall back on the strength of the story/writing/characters.

Solo Leveling is probably the most action set piece based anime ever. The story is straightforward, the writing is basic, the stakes are low, there is little drama, and none of the characters have any meaningful development or relationships. It’s entirely, look at this cool new thing I can do, look at this cool fight scene, all depicted with top notch animation.

 

[Flower2dPeople]

Ya but they are still neutered due to CGI constraints.

Yu Yu Hakusho, Avatar, One Piece.. are they okay? Sure. But they skip fight scenes and do not portray the source material to its fullest due to budget/CGI constraints, but can at least fall back on the strength of the story/writing/characters.

Solo Leveling is probably the most action set piece based anime ever. The story is straightforward, the writing is basic, the stakes are low, there is little drama, and none of the characters have any meaningful development or relationships. It’s entirely, look at this cool new thing I can do, look at this cool fight scene, all depicted with top notch animation.

Solo leveling is like kpop. All style, no substance. Sometimes, style is enough. Can't believe we're getting this before a live adaptation of Akira.

 

[Madmick]

We don't need a live action adaptation of this, FFS.

What's next? A live action Toy Story? Stop.