New details have emerged about Netflix’s live-action Solo Leveling adaptation, suggesting the series is prioritizing a “quality over quantity” approach for its debut.
According to the latest reports, the first season is expected to feature just seven episodes.
For comparison, the anime’s first season from A-1 Pictures ran for 12 episodes, underscoring Netflix’s more streamlined plan for the live-action version.
Before fans jump to the conclusion that Netflix is speeding through the material, it’s worth putting the episode count into proper context.
The anime’s first season ran for 12 episodes, but each installment averaged just 20–25 minutes in length.
By contrast, while nothing has been officially confirmed, Netflix’s live-action adaptations typically allow for much longer runtimes, often landing somewhere between 40 and 75 minutes per episode.
For example, the live-action Yu Yu Hakusho series consisted of only five episodes, each running roughly 44–55 minutes, while One Piece season one regularly exceeded the 60-minute mark across its eight episodes.
Given that difference in pacing and runtime, it’s entirely plausible that the first season of the live-action Solo Leveling adaptation could cover story arcs that don’t appear until season two of the anime, despite having fewer episodes on paper.
Stay tuned for additional updates as filming on the adaptation is reportedly set to kick off in April 2026 and there are still several key castmembers to be announced.
Confirmed cast members include Byeon Woo-seok (Record of Youth, Strong Girl Nam-soon) as Sung Jin-woo and Ahn So-hee (Train to Busan) as Cha Hae-in. Additionally, K-drama star Kang You-seok (Start-Up, When Life Gives You Tangerine, Resident Playbook) will portray Jinho.
Per Netflix's official press release, it sounds as if their adaptation will align pretty closely with the source material.
"Solo Leveling follows Sung Jin-woo, an E-rank Hunter — the lowest tier — who gains extraordinary abilities after a near-death experience. As he levels up, he becomes humanity’s unexpected hope, defending against monstrous threats emerging from beyond the mysterious Gates.
"Since its debut on KakaoPage, Solo Leveling has firmly held its place as its No. 1 web novel and webtoon, garnering a staggering 14.3 billion cumulative views worldwide. Its anime adaptation made history as the first Korean animation to sweep nine major categories at the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, including Anime of the Year, Best Action and Best Character. "
"The series will be co-directed by Lee Hae-jun and Kim Byung-seo, known for their work in films like Ashfall, Like a Virgin, Castaway on the Moon, My Dictator and Cold Eyes. Kakao Entertainment and SANAI PICTURES are set to produce."
Solo Leveling aka Only I Level Up was created in 2016 by web novel writer Chugong. A webtoon adaptation followed in 2018, with artist Jang Sung-rak (Dubu) serializing Chugong's creation in KakaoPage.
Studio A-1 Pictures provided a 12-episode anime adaptation in 2024, with a 13-episode second season following in 2025. There's currently unconfirmed but heavy speculation that a third season will follow but in the form of a theatrical movie release.
"Known as the Weakest Hunter of All Mankind, E-rank hunter Jinwoo Sung’s contribution to raids amounts to trying not to get killed. Unfortunately, between his mother’s hospital bills, his sister’s tuition, and his own lack of job prospects, he has no choice but to continue to put his life on the line. So when an opportunity arises for a bigger payout, he takes it…only to come face-to-face with a being whose power outranks anything he’s ever seen! With the party leader missing an arm and the only healer a quivering mess, can Jinwoo somehow find them a way out?"