Ever since the news broke, Solo Leveling fans have been... thrilled. Just kidding—they're rightfully annoyed. And can you blame them? They’ve already experienced Solo Leveling in the formats it was meant for—webtoon and anime (we want season 3, not a live-action adaptation) because that’s where that story belongs—in the unreal universe.
Now, after going through some reactions and comments all over the internet, one thing became hilariously obvious: most of Byeon Woo Seok’s fans don’t even know what Solo Leveling is. And there it is—that’s the real target audience Kakao Entertainment and Netflix are banking on. They’re not making this live-action adaptation for long-time SL lovers, but for BWS’s fanbase—the ones who will watch anything and everything with his face on it.
And once that Live Action drops, we all know what’s coming. Endless reels of his abs, his physique, his walk, his stare—accompanied by dramatic captions about his “brilliant acting” (fans can be delusional, totally okay, lmao). Social media will explode, noise marketing will do its thing, and just like that, the show climbs Netflix’s charts. From there, it’s a clear path to Season 2, 3, and probably more.
So, will it go down the drain? I highly doubt that. Even if the final product doesn’t live up to expectations, the algorithm, manufactured hype, and fandom machinery will ensure it looks like a success.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Netflix ruined Sweet Home and Squid Game’s legacy by dragging them into unnecessary seasons, and yet they still pulled massive viewership. That kind of blind viewership is all the green light Netflix needs. Because let’s face it—there’s a massive audience out there ready to devour anything thrown their way, no questions asked.
bws has lean muscular build and he has better screen presence than njh.
I kind of agree. What contributes most to BWS’s appeal is his model-like physique rather than distinct facial features. His face leans toward the softer side—not particularly sharp or unconventional—and it's really the combination of styling, makeup, and hair that elevates his overall look. If you remove that well-proportioned physique, a large part of what makes his appearance striking might not stand out as much. That said, I'm basing this purely on conventional beauty standards. At the end of the day, beauty is subjective, and everyone has their own unique charm.
Now, after going through some reactions and comments all over the internet, one thing became hilariously obvious: most of Byeon Woo Seok’s fans don’t even know what Solo Leveling is. And there it is—that’s the real target audience Kakao Entertainment and Netflix are banking on. They’re not making this live-action adaptation for long-time SL lovers, but for BWS’s fanbase—the ones who will watch anything and everything with his face on it.
And once that Live Action drops, we all know what’s coming. Endless reels of his abs, his physique, his walk, his stare—accompanied by dramatic captions about his “brilliant acting” (fans can be delusional, totally okay, lmao). Social media will explode, noise marketing will do its thing, and just like that, the show climbs Netflix’s charts. From there, it’s a clear path to Season 2, 3, and probably more.
So, will it go down the drain? I highly doubt that. Even if the final product doesn’t live up to expectations, the algorithm, manufactured hype, and fandom machinery will ensure it looks like a success.
I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Netflix ruined Sweet Home and Squid Game’s legacy by dragging them into unnecessary seasons, and yet they still pulled massive viewership. That kind of blind viewership is all the green light Netflix needs. Because let’s face it—there’s a massive audience out there ready to devour anything thrown their way, no questions asked.