Netflix is doubling down on its anime endeavors with a live-action Solo Leveling series featuring Lovely Runner star Byeon Woo-seok.
The streaming mega company announced plans to develop a show based on the popular fantasy anime series with a post on its website today. Woo-seok will portray lead character Sung Jin-woo in Netflix’s live-action Solo Leveling show, though additional casting details have yet to be revealed.
“Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, an E-rank Hunter – the lowest tier – who gains extraordinary abilities after a near-death experience,” a description from the company says. “As he levels up, he becomes humanity’s unexpected hope, defending against monstrous threats emerging from beyond the mysterious Gates.”
Netflix is staying quiet when it comes to plot information for now. However, the company does promise that fans can expect “vivid characters, dynamic action sequences, and exhilarating quests, brought to life by a world-class global VFX team.” It’s a project that Netflix is particularly confident in, boasting that the live-action Solo Leveling series will set “a new standard for live-action adaptations.”
Solo Leveling got its start on KakaoPage as a Korean digital comic from author Chugong in 2016 and has since accumulated more than 14.3 billion views across the globe. It evolved into a completely new beast with the introduction of its anime adaptation in early 2024, going on to earn numerous awards as fans flocked to check out its video game-inspired universe.
Solo Leveling was selected as the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards’ Anime of the Year. pic.twitter.com/mNbCuk91PP
— IGN (@IGN) May 26, 2025
Netflix’s Solo Leveling will be co-directed by Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo, who previously worked together on projects like Castaway on the Moon and Ashfall. Kakao Entertainment and Sanai Pictures will produce the series. Netflix says Woo-seok – who has made a name for himself in the last decade with projects like Soulmate, 20th Century Girl, and When Flowers Bloom, I Think of the Moon – will “deliver an unforgettable portrayal of Jin-woo’s evolution.”
Netflix has not announced a release date for its new Solo Leveling series, but it’s probably safe to expect that it won’t be out for a while. In the meantime, you can read up on how more than half of all Netflix subscribers watch at least some anime. You can also check out our Solo Leveling Season 1 8/10 review here, and our Solo Leveling Season 2 premiere review here.
Photo by Han Myung-Gu/WireImage.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
