Based on Solo Leveling, also alternatively translated as Only I Level Up (Korean: Na Honjaman Rebeleop), a South Korean web novel written by Chugong, and illustrated by Gee So-Lyung. It was serialized in Kakao's digital comic and fiction platform KakaoPage beginning on July 25, 2016, and was later published in full by D&C Media under their Papyrus label on November 4, 2016. The novel has been licensed in English by Yen Press.
Crunchyroll held an exclusive theatrical premiere of the Hindi dub of the first two episodes of Solo Leveling in Mumbai, India on December 20, 2023, nearly two weeks before the start of the simulcast.
A webtoon adaptation of the "Solo Leveling" web novel was first serialized in KakaoPage on March 4, 2018; it was illustrated by Jang Sung-rak (aka Dubu), the CEO of Redice Studio.