You're standing in an arena and are given the choice to play one of five games in order to survive. All are based on Greek mythology and involve a test of endurance, strength or agility — and to win, you must be the last person standing.
There's 'The Punishment of Atlas', which involves holding up a large rock on your back; 'The Wings of Icarus', where you must repeatedly climb a rope that descends at random intervals; 'The Fire of Prometheus', which involves running through an obstacle course in order to grab a torch first; 'The Punishment of Sisyphus', where you roll a 100kg boulder up and down a steep slope; and 'The Tail of Ouroboros', which is a deadly game of tag where you must run and catch the person in front of you (while avoiding being caught from behind).
What would you choose in order to survive and advance to the next round? Well, this is exactly what the contestants of Physical:100 — a new Korean reality TV show from Netflix — had to do.
If all of this is starting to sound like something straight out of the hellish landscape that is Squid Game, you wouldn't be the first to make that comparison. People have called Physical: 100 — which involves 100 of the fittest people in Korea competing in tests of ultimate strength, agility and endurance to find out who is the strongest — the "real-life Squid Game".
The show cleverly leans into that with its tense atmosphere, creepy, faceless host, gameshow-like sets and survival of the fittest mentality.
There's just one big, glaring difference — nobody dies in Physical: 100, but you wouldn't know that from the intensity of the contestants who put all of their blood, sweat and tears into winning.
With a cast that consists of Olympic athletes, mountain rescuers, military members, wrestlers, the strongest man in Korea and more, it's no surprise that each contestant of Physical: 100 takes these games seriously. They've spent years of their life crafting their bodies and honing their muscles to perfection.
We see this in Episode 1, where each contestant is greeted with a Greek-like statue of their molded torso upon entering the arena. While it's a chance for the contestants to size up who they're up against, the torsos also act as their lifeline for the games. If they lose, they must 'kill' it by smashing their torso before exiting.
While the premise of Physical: 100 sounds like something akin to a gladiatorial bloodbath, I beg you to consider watching it, because it's so much more than that.
Yes, it's part of human nature to be entertained by grand spectacles involving people battling in gruelling competitions. From the comfort of your seat, you get to experience the adrenaline rush of the fight and the thrill of victory — all without putting yourself in danger or exerting any real energy. Plus, it helps that the contestants are super fit and often take off their shirts mid-battle.
The real beauty of Physical: 100 is that it works to dispel our preconceptions about what strength really looks like.
there's no way yun sungbin is a human, he's a monster 😭 #Physical_100 #Physical100
While there are several big and burly contestants — some with thighs and biceps bigger than my head that could crush me with ease — there are just as many slender builds, like dancers, acrobats and gymnasts, who shine in their own areas.
Then, of course, there are the women, who are honestly my favourite part of this reality TV show. Like the men, there are some with muscles for days — like wrestler Jang Eun-sil and bodybuilder Kim Chun-ri — and others who are petite, but strong nonetheless — like stuntwoman Kim Da-young and fitness YouTuber Shim Eu-ddeum.
They're so amazing! I want to be like them. Jang Eunsil proves herself as a great and powerful leader. Euddeum with her strong mental resilience despite having smaller physical size than the others, and Dayoung able to save her team with her safety planning. #Physical100
Of course, with this being a show all about fitness and strength, there are sprinkles of misogyny and sexism. During the episodes, there are several instances of the male contestants looking down on a female's strength, or worse, being surprised that she's strong in the first place.
Don't worry, though. They're quickly put in their place — either through a verbal takedown (see this fantastic example from Jang) or a physical one, where they've lost to, shock and surprise, a woman.
jang eun sil is so tired of these men same girl, same #Physical100
That's only a small negative of Physical: 100 though. For the most part, the contestants are incredibly supportive of one another. They cheer each other on during the challenges (even after being eliminated), they complement each other's strengths and builds, and they're starstruck when meeting their fellow competitors for the first time.
To put it simply, the contestants respect one another. They're honoured — not only for the chance to compete in a competition like this, but for the opportunity to battle against their fellow competitors, idols and mentors. Personally, I find this to be such a refreshing change from overly dramatised American reality TV productions where it's clear that everyone hates each other.
#Physical100 is so wholesome. Jo Jin-hyeong and Kim Sik. #Physical100Ep8
With this being a Korean production, it makes sense that the contestants are like this. Korean culture is all about respecting people (especially your elders), being polite and showing gratitude.
In Physical: 100, camaraderie and true sportsmanship takes centre stage. From the teamwork that's required to move a 1.5-tonne ship (yeah, that's really one of the challenges), to the roars from the crowd shouting "one, two, three" in order to encourage another contestant to keep on going, you can see these values etched into the series.
For me, this is what makes Physical: 100 unmissable TV. There's no denying the gladiatorial battles make for entertaining television, but the cherry on top of this show is watching the wholesome friendships the contestants make along the way.
Plus, it's genuinely inspired me to become a stronger and fitter individual. How many reality TV shows have that sort of impact on you?
