Netflix is leveling up its Korean content material slate as soon as once more, commissioning a live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling, the wildly in style net novel, webtoon and anime franchise that has turn out to be one among Korea’s greatest crossover hits in recent times. The fantasy-action collection will star fast-rising actor Byeon Woo-seok (Beautiful Runner, twentieth Century Lady), with manufacturing led by Kakao Leisure and SANAI Photos.
Byeon, who has emerged as one among Korea’s most in-demand younger stars, has lengthy been fan-cast within the function of Sung Jin-woo, Solo Leveling’s brooding antihero. The actor’s putting visible presence — described by followers as “straight out of a manhwa” (the Korean phrase for comics) — makes him a pure match to embody Jin-woo’s transformation from the weakest hunter within the land to humanity’s final hope towards supernatural annihilation, Netflix says.
Based mostly on the smash hit net novel revealed on KakaoPage, Solo Leveling has racked up a staggering 14.3 billion cumulative views globally throughout its varied codecs. Earlier this yr, its anime adaptation made historical past as the primary Korean IP-based collection to comb the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, taking dwelling 9 trophies, together with anime of the yr and finest motion.
Set in a world the place portals generally known as “Gates” join actuality to lethal alternate dimensions, the story follows Sung Jin-woo, an E-rank hunter barely robust sufficient to outlive low-level missions. However after a brutal dungeon raid almost kills him, Jin-woo awakens with a mysterious new means: he can “degree up” in energy by way of fight, gaining power sooner than anybody earlier than him. As he grows, so too does the size of the menace he faces — monstrous invaders pouring from the Gates who threaten to obliterate humanity itself.
The collection can be co-directed by Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo, the filmmaking crew behind Ashfall, Castaway on the Moon, and Like a Virgin. Netflix says the manufacturing will function a world-class world VFX crew to convey the story’s high-stakes fantasy and motion set-pieces to life.
Solo Leveling joins Netflix’s rising arsenal of premium Korean style titles because it seeks to construct upon the worldwide expectations it has established with Squid Recreation, following current greenlights for Notes from the Final Row, The Rat (WT) and Lovestruck, amongst others. The venture might be seen as representing not solely a significant swing on the live-action fantasy-action style, but in addition a take a look at of Korea’s ongoing efforts to translate its webtoon increase into status collection success for world audiences.