PUBLISHED ONJanuary 26, 2023 10:38 AMByKhoo Yi-HangSome of them may not be the most likely to win the competition, but these contestants are likely to win our hearts.
Netflix's new reality show Physical 100 pits 100 personalities — many of them top athletes and in their peak physique — against each other in multiple strenuous games that push even these contestants to their limits.
The contestants come from many fields of expertise ranging from military special forces to fitness YouTubers, and the introduction of the participants looked like a walking display of perfect human prowess that could give the statues of Greek gods a run for their money.
Speaking of money, the last contestant standing at the end of the series brings home a whopping 300 million won (S$319,300), so you know that they will be fighting tooth and nail for that reward.
And while they're all trailblazers in their own right, there can only be one winner — so instead of fixating on who will win, here are eight competitors who may not win, but have certainly garnered our attention.
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If the name is triggering a sense of deja-vu in you, you might remember Cha Hyun-seung from the breakout hit that is the first season of Netflix's Single's Inferno.
This 31-year-old dancer may have been an impressively handsome heartthrob in the reality dating show, but now the only person he needs to impress is himself — while intimidating the competition along the way.
He's no doubt got the physique to make it far in this competitive variety show, but with Olympic gold medalists and martial arts champions in the midst, he'll have some tough competition.
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At 47, Choo Sung-hoon is the oldest participant in Physical 100 — more than double the youngest participant, who's 18 — but that doesn't mean he's a pushover.
Also known as Yoshihiro "Sexyama" Akiyama, this sports veteran has forged a name for himself through the accolades he's collected over the years.
A fourth-generation Japanese of Korean descent, Sung-hoon won the gold medal for South Korea in judo at the 2001 Asian Championships and then represented Japan for the 2002 Asian Games, where he again won gold.
He also starred in the hit Korean variety show The Return of Superman from 2013 alongside his daughter, Sarang, who's now an 11-year-old.
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But his time as a celebrity hasn't made him soft —- contestants who shook his hand were shocked at how calloused his practiced hands were and how intimidating he felt.
"I want to show people that even at this age, there's a way to defeat young people," Sung-hoon said on the show. "Don't underestimate this middle-aged guy."
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Representing our very own little red dot, Elaine Wong may be one of the least likely to win — but we're rooting for her all the same.
A Singaporean actress, the 33-year-old previously pursued her dreams as a K-pop idol, but ultimately had to throw in the towel due to how incredibly harsh the work environment was.
Now, she's back in South Korean showbiz, although she may not be the best fit for this reality show.
While other contestants arrived in sporting outfits or national jerseys, Elaine wore a frilly white blouse that exposed her shoulders and blue jeans.
Her appearance, she said, got her some stares.
"As soon as I went in, I noticed the glances. 'What is she doing here? What is she?' I got that impression. I thought, 'Should I not be here? This is bad.'"
But hopefully Elaine will be able to put her experience to good use — having been in the wringer that is the cutthroat K-pop training business, she might just stand a chance.
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This 37-year-old is no stranger to harsh variety shows — he's been in others before.
Hong Beom-seok was previously in the military variety show The Soldiers (2021) but he isn't just any celebrity.
Beom-seok revealed that he's been in the special forces for 11 years and is the first South Korean to win the World Firefighter Games.
"I heard the fittest people in South Korea were getting together," Beom-seok said. "I wanted to show people how strong and reliable South Korea's special forces and firefighters are."
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Introducing himself as Agent H, you can already tell this man is going to be a force to be reckoned with.
Hwang Ji-hun's claim to fame is his service as a sniper with the UDT (Underwater Demolition Team, think US Navy Seals) under the Korean Navy's Special Warfare Flotilla.
This means that the 36-year-old Ji-hun isn't just military — he's the cream of the crop when it comes to the South Korean special forces, making him a worthy competitor for the grand prize.
If you thought Elaine was a misfit for Physical 100, Jeon Young might be another competitor that would have you wondering how he qualified for this show to begin with.
Jeon Young is a dancer and a choreographer, most well-known for his zombie choreography in the hit movie Train to Busan and the Kingdom drama series.
And while he's a dancer like Hyun-seung, Jeon Young's style of dance is vastly different — he specialises in 'bone-breaking' dance, a contortionist-type dance of which he is the pioneer in South Korea.
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As he entered the waiting room and greeted other contestants, he walked down the aisle while performing his signature contortionist dance, earning varied — and hilarious — responses from his peers.
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If Jeon Young is the strangest contestant, then Jo Yeon-joo might fill a different niche on the show, perhaps similar to Elaine.
A cheerleader by trade for six years and counting, the 24-year-old certainly brought cheer to other contestants in the waiting room.
When she first entered, participants who laid their eyes on her could be heard referring to her as a "fairy", while two men looked at each other and swore to qualify as long as they could.
Other contestants were overheard sizing up Yeon-joo as a competitor for the prize: "Cheerleaders have great physicality and movement, because they're always jumping and doing somersaults."
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Some may have been in it for the praise, others for the prize, but for Kim Eun-ji, it's personal.
A competitive fitness model and trainer, Eun-ji is the 2021 and 2022 Musclemania World Champion, so her competitive nature is guaranteed.
If her height wasn't striking enough to the other competitors, her words were also sharp and to the point as she explained why she joined Physical 100: "What I'm looking to see is if there are any women with prettier bodies than mine."
While it's debatable if any of the other women are prettier than her, one thing's for sure — in terms of verticality, she's got most other participants beat.
Physical 100 is now streaming on Netflix.
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khooyihang@asiaone.com
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