Rising star Byeon Woo Seok is taking on a whole new world — literally! The actor, who stole hearts in Lovely Runner, is trading in his sweet image to become a full-on monster hunter in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Solo Leveling.
On July 10, Netflix officially confirmed that Byeon Woo Seok has been cast in the lead role of Sung Jin Woo, the main character of the new original series Solo Leveling.
Based on the massively popular webtoon and web novel by DNC Media, Solo Leveling follows the story of Sung Jin Woo, the world’s weakest hunter. Labeled an “E-rank”, he barely survives in a dangerous world where magical gates release terrifying monsters. But everything changes when he faces death—and awakens with a mysterious ability to level up on his own. From the bottom of the ranks, he rises to become the strongest hunter, and possibly the only one who can save the world.
Netflix shared that the epic fantasy series will come to life with explosive action, emotional character growth, deadly quests, and jaw-dropping monster visuals. Using the power of top-tier global VFX teams, the show promises to deliver an intense and visually stunning world of dungeons, monsters, and battles like never before.
Solo Leveling has already proven itself as a global phenomenon. It started as a web novel on Kakao Page, then became a hit webtoon and later a viral anime. The anime version won 9 awards at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year, Best Action, and Best Character, making it the first Korean animation to hit that milestone.
Now, all eyes are on Byeon Woo Seok, who will play the iconic Sung Jin Woo. Known for his heartthrob roles in 20th Century Girl and Lovely Runner, he’s been topping the Korean actor brand rankings for four straight months. Fans are curious and excited to see him shift gears into a dark, action-packed role that will showcase a completely different side of him.
The series will be directed by Lee Hae Jun and Kim Byung Seo, the co-directors of the disaster-action film Ashfall. Production will be handled by Kakao Entertainment and Sanai Pictures, a team with solid experience turning webtoons into major hits and creating high-quality action dramas.
With Netflix backing it, a global fanbase ready, and Byeon Woo Seok stepping into one of the most beloved characters in Korean webtoon history, this live-action version of Solo Leveling is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated shows of the year.
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