Netflix's Physical: 100 shares 1st group of season 2 contestants, including the return of a season 1 participant

Netflix's Physical: 100 Season 2 — Underground airs on March 19 and the first round of contestants have been revealed.

The Netflix K-content Instagram account shared the lineup of "Group 1: The Warriors" this morning (Feb 22), adding: "Survival is everyday life for these tried-and-tested combatants, including martial artist Kim Dong-hyun and season 1 contestant and former firefighter Hong Beom-seok."

Dong-hyun, 42, is a retired mixed martial artist (MMA) who is also known for his appearances on variety shows including Master in the House, DoReMi Market, The Return of Superman and Strong Heart.

Beom-seok, 37, placed 28th in the first round of the inaugural competition last year and picked strongman and future finalist Jo Jin-hyeong as his opponent for the second round, losing in the process.

He has also appeared on military survival shows Iron Squad 3 and The Soldiers.

Netizens shared their excitement in the comments.

"First Sexyama (Choo Sung-hoon) now Stun Gun (Dong-hyun), f*** yeah," a comment read.

Another read: "We have returning contestants, woo!"

Another interesting contestant is Hunter Lee, who is referred to as an "FBI diplomat". A LinkedIn profile belonging to a person with the same name shows him to be an officer in the US Navy Reserve who worked in the FBI for over 12 years and is currently working in the Embassy of the United States in Seoul.

[[nid:671935]]

Joining him are representatives from the military and other uniformed groups in South Korea, including Kang Cheong-myeong, Ku Sung-hoe, Ko Jong-hun, Park Woo-jin, Ham Young-jin, and Hwang Mun-kyeong, and US Army soldier known only as Gibson in the video.

Other contestants include MMA fighters Sim Yu-ri, Seol Young-ho and Jo Sung-bin, and bodybuilders Lim Soo-jin, Jang Sung-yeop, Lee Hyun-woo, Kang Eun-hee, Kim Nam-wook and Kim Min-su.

Physical: 100 is a game show that puts 100 contestants "in top physical shape" through a set of challenges, trying to find the "ideal" human physique.

Last year's season ended with former national snowboarder and current CrossFit athlete Woo Jin-yong coming out tops, but being embroiled in controversy amid claims of match manipulation.

Other controversies included a school bullying scandal and the sentencing of a contestant to seven years in prison for sexual assault.

With renewed vows of thorough background checks, the theme for season two of Physical: 100 was announced in August 2023.

"Season one was designed with an ancient Greece theme and season two will be themed around a more modern setting from the 1950s and 1960s," said show creator Jang Ho-gi.

"A mine is a space where people's sacrifice, desire, co-operation, and competition are mixed together, and there are many motifs representing that in this set."

[embed]https://www.instagram.com/p/C3oWyJDrVH2/?hl=en[/embed]

[[nid:671274]]

drimac@asiaone.com

No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.