“Solo Leveling” has a few different “release dates” depending on which version you mean, so here’s the quick scoop.

Quick Scoop

  • The original web novel “Solo Leveling” first started serialization online on July 25, 2016 on KakaoPage.
  • A more detailed publication history notes KakaoPage serialization running from July 25, 2016 to March 13, 2018 , with print publication by D&C Media beginning November 4, 2016.
  • The webtoon (manhwa) adaptation of Solo Leveling began serialization later, on March 4, 2018 on KakaoPage.
  • The anime adaptation by A-1 Pictures first aired on TV on January 7, 2024 in Japan.

So if you’re asking “when did Solo Leveling come out” in general, most fans point to July 25, 2016 as its debut as a web novel, and March 4, 2018 as the start of the iconic webtoon that made it go truly global.

Mini Breakdown by Version

  • Web novel debut
    • Platform: KakaoPage (Korea)
    • Date: July 25, 2016
    • Later print release by D&C Media under the Papyrus label from November 4, 2016.
  • Webtoon (manhwa) debut
    • Platform: KakaoPage
    • Date: March 4, 2018
    • First season of the webtoon ran until March 19, 2020, second season from August 2020 to December 2021.
  • Anime debut
    • Studio: A-1 Pictures
    • Japanese TV airing: January 7, 2024 – March 31, 2024 (Season 1).
* Season 2 (“Arise from the Shadow”) aired **January–March 2025**.

Simple HTML table of releases

[6][9] [9][6] [4][9] [5][9] [9][5]
Version Medium Where Release date
Solo Leveling (original) Web novel KakaoPage July 25, 2016
Solo Leveling (print novel) Light novel D&C Media (Papyrus) From November 4, 2016
Solo Leveling (webtoon) Manhwa / webtoon KakaoPage March 4, 2018
Solo Leveling (anime S1) TV anime Tokyo MX & others January 7, 2024
Solo Leveling (anime S2) TV anime TV / streaming January–March 2025

Little fan-context note

Because the webtoon is what exploded in popularity worldwide, when people on forums ask “when did Solo Leveling come out,” they often mean the webtoon’s March 4, 2018 start or the anime’s January 7, 2024 premiere, depending on whether they discovered it reading or watching.

TL;DR:

  • First ever debut: web novel on July 25, 2016.
  • First comic debut: webtoon on March 4, 2018.
  • First anime episode: January 7, 2024.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.