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Solo Leveling: Netflix Producing Live-Action Adapt; Woo-seok Cast

Netflix is producing a Korean live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling, with actor Byeon Woo-seok (20th Century Girl) cast as Sung Jin-woo.



Article Summary

  • Netflix announces a Korean live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling, the hit web novel and anime phenomenon.
  • Byeon Woo-seok is cast as Sung Jin-woo, the underdog Hunter who gains extraordinary powers after a near-death event.
  • Directors Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo will helm the series, produced by Kakao Entertainment and SANAI PICTURES.
  • Solo Leveling's webtoon has 14.3 billion views worldwide and swept major categories at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

After spending a good chunk of time during Anime Expo 2025 this past weekend letting everyone know just how successfully anime is proving to be for the streaming service, Netflix announced that the Korean web novel and award-winning anime Solo Leveling will be getting a Korean live-action series adaptation – and we already have casting news. Fan-favorite actor Byeon Woo-seok (20th Century Girl, Lovely Runner) has been cast as Sung Jin-woo, an E-rank Hunter — the lowest tier — who gains extraordinary abilities after a near-death experience. As he levels up, he becomes humanity's unexpected hope, defending against monstrous threats emerging from beyond the mysterious Gates. Woo-seok will be bringing to live-action life Jin-woo's evolution and action-packed journey. Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo (Ashfall, Like a Virgin, Castaway on the Moon, My Dictator, and Cold Eyes) have been tapped to direct, with Kakao Entertainment and SANAI PICTURES set to produce.

Solo Leveling
SOLO LEVELING (Image: "Solo Leveling"/Crunchyroll; Byeon Woo-seok/Netflix

Since its debut on KakaoPage, Solo Leveling has held its place as its No. 1 web novel and webtoon, garnering 14.3 billion cumulative views worldwide. Its anime adaptation made history as the first Korean animation to sweep nine major categories at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year, Best Action, and Best Character. In addition, Solo Leveling has also found its way into other media, including video games.

The upcoming live-action series adaptation promises vivid characters, dynamic action sequences, and exhilarating quests. The VFX team for the live-action series is also set to introduce viewers to fantastical dungeons and uniquely powerful monsters. Stay tuned for more intel as we approach the start of production. The news comes as Netflix continues to challenge Crunchyroll, Prime Video, and other streaming services for the ever-growing anime fanbase, with the amount of announcements and updates coming out of this past weekend's Anime Expo 2025 being the perfect sign of just how influential anime has become globally.


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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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