Solo Leveling, the hit web novel-turned-manhwa and anime, is officially getting a live-action adaptation. Here’s everything we know so far.
Solo Leveling, one of the most popular manhwa (Korean comics/manga, sometimes referred to as webtoons), recently received a Season 2 anime adaptation. Now, a live-action version has been officially confirmed. Kakao Entertainment announced the project on Jan. 21 and here’s everything we know so far.
From web-novel to phenomenal adaptations
Solo Leveling, also alternatively translated as Only I Level Up, began as a web novel by Chugong, first serialized on KakaoPage in July 2016.
The story follows Sung Jin-woo, an E-Rank Hunter who relentlessly strives to become stronger in a world where humanity is constantly under threat from monsters. It quickly became a massive hit among fantasy readers, leading to a manhwa adaptation in March 2018.
The manhwa, illustrated by the late Jang Sung-rak (also known as Dubu), who was the CEO of Redice Studio, ran for two seasons. The first season concluded in March 2022, while the second season ran from August 2020 to December 2021.
Throughout its serialization, the manhwa took several short breaks due to Dubu’s health issues before his passing in July 2022. Solo Leveling remains one of the most successful manhwa of all time, amassing 14.3 billion views, according to the Korea Times.
Its immense popularity paved the way for further adaptations. In 2022, a game and an anime series were announced. Solo Leveling: Arise, an RPG developed by Netmarble, launched in March 2024. Available on both PC and mobile, the game recorded 50 million players and generated $139 million in revenue within its first six months.
The anime adaptation, produced by A-1 Pictures and distributed by Crunchyroll outside Asia, also saw great success. Its second season even surpassed the first season’s record for the most-liked premiere episode on Crunchyroll.
It has since successfully gained global popularity, ranking first in viewing on Amazon Prime TV shows in Japan and recording weekly Top 10 on Netflix in 11 countries.
Additionally, a sequel manhwa titled Solo Leveling: Ragnarok was announced in April 2023. Based on a web novel by Daul — who took over from the original creator Chugong — the story follows Sung Su-ho, the son of Sung Jin-woo, as he inherits his father’s powers. The sequel is written by Dangdo and illustrated by Jin.
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The status of Solo Leveling live-action
The recent announcement by Kakao Entertainment has yet to reveal any new information regarding the live-action except that it is currently being developed. No official release date or casting information has been revealed yet, but fans worldwide have already begun speculating about who would best fit the roles.
Live-action adaptations of popular manhwa have gained traction in recent years. Other successful web novels turned into manhwa, such as Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint and The Remarried Empress, have also been confirmed for live-action adaptations. Additionally, The King’s Avatar, a popular Chinese web novel, successfully transitioned into a live-action series with 40 episodes.
While anime-to-live-action adaptations, especially in action and fantasy genres, often face skepticism, advancements in CGI and filmmaking technology may help bring Solo Leveling to life in a way that stays true to its source material. For example, Netflix’s One Piece live-action adaptation initially faced doubts but went on to achieve significant success, with a second season already in development.
We will update you on any updates regarding the Solo Leveling live-action, so stay tuned on esports.gg.
