Netflix has officially cast Byeon Woo Seok, the breakout star of the hit romance K-drama “Lovely Runner,” as the lead for its live-action adaptation of “Solo Leveling.” This upcoming production marks his first action role since his 2016 debut. Are you new to the “Solo Leveling” universe? Discover the fun facts about the webtoon-turned-anime phenomenon “Solo Leveling,” which captivated 14.3 billion viewers on Netflix below!
Netflix’s “Solo Leveling” Fun Facts You Should Know
From a Web Novel Masterpiece
The web novel “Solo Leveling,” originally titled “Only I Level Up” (나 혼자만 레벨업), debuted in July 2016. Author Chugong’s action fantasy masterpiece transports readers to a monster-ridden South Korea, where mystical portals unleash deadly dungeons upon the modern world. Special humans called ‘Hunters’ awaken to combat these threats, ranging from powerless E-ranks to god-like S-ranks.
The “Solo Leveling” anime adaptation is incredibly entertaining. It presents an epic storyline with compelling characters and heart-pounding action. The series also delivers RPG-style progression that resonates with today’s gaming generation.
A Thrilling Action-Fantasy Tale
The globally acclaimed web novel “Solo Leveling” follows Sung Jinwoo, soon to be portrayed by “Lovely Runner” breakout star Byeon Woo Seok in Netflix’s live-action adaptation. The narrative charts his metamorphosis from weakest hunter to shadow commander. He is driven by a selfless need to provide for his sister and ailing mother. His incredible rise is forged through brutal leveling battles and profound self-discovery.
Lacking special abilities, Jinwoo is branded an E-rank hunter—the weakest classification. Despite mockery from stronger hunters, his resolve never wavers. This grit means he barely survives even the easiest dungeons.
One fateful day, he faces a near-fatal experience in a hidden double dungeon. At his lowest moment, a mysterious System interface appears. It declares: [ Congratulations on becoming a Player!].
This event introduces the series’ core concept: an RPG-like power system. The System grants Jinwoo the unique ability to ‘evel up.’ He grows stronger by completing quests, defeating monsters, and collecting stats and points.
As she levels up, the power allows him for infinite growth, breaking hunter limitations. When the System promotes him into a Necromancer, the Shadow Monarch, he gains an iconic ability of ‘Shadow Extraction.’ With this ability, he can extract the souls of defeated enemies. From the collected souls, he builds a loyal, tiered army and resurrects them to fight in battles.
This role marks Byeon Woo Seok’s dramatic departure, setting aside romantic charm to embrace monstrous power. Additionally, his character’s evolution from a weak E-rank hunter to a god-tier hunter will unveil the new side of Byeon Woo Seok that audiences have not yet seen.
Serialized Webtoon (Manhwa)
The web novel gained massive popularity. Its success led to a webtoon (Manhwa) adaptation in 2018. The late artist Jang Sung Rak, also known as DUBU, illustrated this adaptation. His stunning and full-color artwork elevated the source material and vividly brought the characters in the story to life.
The webtoon, which ran from July 2016 to July 2017 at KakaoPage, quickly captivated a global audience. Its main story concluded with chapter 179.
Top Graphic Novels in 2024
D&C Media and its label Papyrus have published the “Solo Leveling” series since 2016. In Korea, the webtoon has been collected and printed into 14 physical volumes.
Yen Press holds the English-language license for the series. Yen On imprint publishes the textbook, while IZE imprint handles the full-color graphic novels. The graphic novels became the Top Graphic Webtoon Novels of 2024 and dominated the Circana Bookscan Top 20 Adult Graphic Novels Chart in May 2025.
Adapted to Anime Series
A-1 Pictures adapted the hit webtoon series into anime. They bring this thrilling story to the next level and an even wider audience. The first season of “Solo Leveling” premiered in January 2024. Season 2, subtitled “Arise from the Shadow,” followed in March 2025.
The “Solo Leveling” anime series is available to stream on platforms including Crunchyroll, Netflix, Vidio, and iQiYi.
“Solo Leveling: ReAwakening” Film (2024)
Besides anime series, the global phenomenon IP was made into a film titled “Solo Leveling: ReAwakening” in December 2024.
Anime Series OST
The anime also boasts a high-profile musical lineup. K-pop group The Boyz performed the Season 1 theme, “ECHO.” For Season 2, LiSA and Stray Kids’ Felix delivered the track “ReawakeR.”
Online Games
Building on the success of its webtoon and anime, “Solo Leveling” has inspired several online game adaptations.
Netmarble Neo developed the action RPG “Solo Leveling:ARISE” for PC and mobile. Netmarble Corp. then released the game on May 8, 2024.
Meanwhile, Otherworldly, a subsidiary of Cube Entertainment, developed “Solo Leveling: Unlimited.” This project is a blockchain-based Web3 digital collectible project.
Additionally, Netmarble is developing another title, “Solo Leveling: Karma,” for PC and mobile.
The Legacy Continues: “Solo Leveling: Ragnarok”
A sequel titled “Solo Leveling: Ragnarok” was released on KakaoPage in April 2023. This sequel follows Sung Su Ho, the son of Sung Jin Woo and Cha Hae In. He inherits his father’s powers as the Shadow Monarch.
Author Daul penned the web novel with the guidance of Chugong, the original series creator. Redice Studio later adapted the story into a webtoon. Dangdo serves as the writer, while Jin provides illustrations. The webtoon launched on July 31, 2024.
Most Awarded Anime
The “Solo Leveling” anime received the Best Anime Series award at the 4th Astra TV Awards and IGN Awards in 2024.
This year, the anime series won big and made history at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. The series won nine of thirteen nominations across categories. This achievement also marked the first time a Korean anime earned such honors. The Kakao Entertainment’s IP wins included:
- Anime of the Year,
- Best New Series,
- Best Anime Ending Sequence,
- Best Action Anime,
- Best Main Character,
- Best Anime Score,
- Best Anime Voice Artist Performance (English)
- Best Anime Voice Artist Performance (Brazilian Portuguese), and
- Best Anime Voice Artist Performance (Castilian Spanish)
Watch the “Solo Leveling” Season 1 and 2 recap and trailer below!
Join us on Kpoppost’s Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, Telegram channel, WhatsApp Channel and Discord server for discussions. And follow Kpoppost’s Google News for more Korean entertainment news and updates.
