Viral Hit: Netflix Brings the 2-Billion-View Webtoon to Live Action This May

Netflix is officially entering the ring with Viral Hit, the first live-action adaptation of the globally popular Korean webtoon that has amassed over 2 billion views worldwide. The series will stream globally on May 28, 2026, exclusively on Netflix.

Blending youth drama, social commentary, and high-impact action, Viral Hit turns internet fame into a weapon — and asks what happens when survival, money, and morality collide on a livestream.

From Webtoon Phenomenon to Live-Action Series

Based on the hit WEBTOON by Taejun Park and Kim Junghyun, Viral Hit follows Kota Shimura, a bullied high school outcast trapped at the bottom of the social hierarchy.

Kota’s life is defined by hardship:

• relentless school bullying

• crushing poverty

• and mounting hospital bills for his critically ill mother

Everything changes when a spontaneous schoolyard fight is accidentally livestreamed — and explodes across the internet.

What begins as humiliation quickly turns into opportunity.

The Premise: Fighting Back, One Stream at a Time

After the viral clip racks up views, Kota realizes that violence, when packaged for the internet, can become currency. Encouraged by a classmate, he launches a livestreaming channel called “Viral Hit,” turning underground fights into content — and content into cash.

But the series isn’t just about punches and popularity. It digs into:

• the ethics of monetized violence

• the cost of internet fame

• and how desperation can blur moral boundaries

Kota’s rise isn’t heroic in the traditional sense — it’s messy, opportunistic, and dangerously addictive.

Creative Team Behind the Adaptation

The live-action series is directed by Hideki Takeuchi and written by Yuichi Tokunaga, the creative duo behind cult hits Fly Me to the Saitama and Cells at Work!.

This marks their first Netflix original series, bringing their signature blend of heightened reality and sharp satire to a youth-driven story that resonates across generations.

Cast Led by Ouji Suzuka

• Ouji Suzuka stars as Kota Shimura, the unlikely antihero at the center of the story

• Ai Mikami plays Aki Yashio, a junior student who becomes pivotal to Kota’s journey

• Araki Sugou appears as the eccentric Toru Kaneko

The ensemble also includes Nana Asakawa, Takuro Osada, and Mieko Harada, rounding out a cast that balances youthful energy with dramatic weight.

Why Viral Hit Matters Right Now

Viral Hit arrives at a time when:

• Livestreaming culture dominates youth spaces

• Virality can change lives overnight

• and online attention often outweighs accountability

By framing physical violence as content, the series confronts uncomfortable questions:Is fame worth the damage it causes? And who really profits when suffering goes viral?

Netflix’s decision to adapt Viral Hit signals growing confidence in Asian webtoon IP as global live-action properties, following the success of similar adaptations across platforms.

Release Details at a Glance

• Title: Viral Hit

• Format: Live-action series

• Release Date: May 28, 2026

• Streaming: Netflix (Worldwide)

• Based On: WEBTOON Viral Hit

• Director: Hideki Takeuchi

• Writer: Yuichi Tokunaga

What to Expect

With its mix of raw action, dark humor, and social critique, Viral Hit is positioned as more than just a youth drama. It’s a story about power in the digital age — who has it, who exploits it, and who gets hurt along the way.

Whether you’re a longtime fan of the webtoon or coming in fresh, Viral Hit is shaping up to be one of Netflix’s most provocative series launches of 2026.