According to The Hollywood Reporter, another Korean franchise has found itself a new home at Netflix. Solo Leveling, the hugely successful web series turned manhwa turned anime, will be getting a live-action adaptation. The fantasy action series is one of Korea’s most popular to date. It will star Byeon Woo-seok (Lovely Runner, 20th Century Girl) with Kakao Entertainment and Sanai Pictures handling production.

Solo Leveling, the global phenomenon, is coming to Netflix as a live-action series starring Byeon Woo-seok as lead character Sung Jin-woo. pic.twitter.com/tw7TaUONKp

— Netflix (@netflix) July 9, 2025

Via The Hollywood Reporter, Byeon is a rising star in Korea and has long been a fan favorite to play Sung Jin-woo due to his striking resemblance to the series’ protagonist. Netflix says his “straight out of the manhwa” appearance makes him a natural fit to embody Jin-woo’s transformation from the weakest hunter to humanity’s last hope against supernatural annihilation.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, originally published on KakaoPage, Solo Leveling has garnered a massive 14.3 billion cumulative views globally. Additionally, it became one of the first Korean series to receive widespread critical acclaim, sweeping the Crunchyroll Anime Awards with nine wins, including the award for Anime of the Year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story takes place in a world where supernatural portals called “Gates” exist, providing a bridge between humans’ reality and dangerous other worlds. Sung Jin-woo, the series protagonist, begins as an E-Rank hunter barely scraping by in low-level dungeon raids. After a near-death encounter in one of said dungeons, he gains a new ability that allows him to level up with combat and training. He ascends the ranks of hunters at a pace never seen before, but as his power grows, so does the threat he and humanity must face.

Via The Hollywood Reporter, the filmmaking duo Lee Hae-jun (Ashfall, Castaway On The Moon, and Like A Virgin) and Kim Byung-seo (Ashfall, Castaway On The Moon, and Like A Virgin) will co-direct the series. VFX will be a centerpiece of the series as Netflix says they will bring high-stakes fantasy and action set-pieces to life.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Solo Leveling is the latest addition to Netflix’s growing stable of Korean premium franchises. The worldwide sensation Squid Game is set to be followed up with Notes from the Last Row, The Rat(WT), and Lovestruck, in addition to several other series. This purchase could be interpreted as Netflix’s growing desire to make waves in the live-action fantasy genre as well as a barometer of the booming Korean webtoon market.