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Netflix K-culture hit Physical: 100 wins audiences with ‘wholesome’ yet brutal contests
- The new reality television show pits 100 contestants of different genders against each other to see who is South Korea’s strongest
- Insiders say such shows may be next in line for domination after the success of cultural exports like ‘Singles Inferno’, ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Parasite’
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The challenge is straight from Greek mythology: hold a boulder aloft as long as possible. Korean car dealer Jo Jin-hyeong lasted over two hours, captivating global audiences in a reality show that could signal a new K-culture export success.
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After films such as Oscar-winning Parasite and TV series including Golden Globe-bedecked Squid Game helped popularise K-content overseas, industry figures have said South Korea’s high-quality reality shows may be next in line for domination.
Physical: 100, the new Netflix show that gym buff Jo competed in, featured 100 men and women in prime physical condition, including South Korea’s ex-Olympians and former special forces soldiers, performing absurdly difficult challenges.
It is the first unscripted series to top the streaming giant’s non-English chart, building on the popularity of Singles Inferno, a Korean dating show that became a sleeper hit worldwide last year.
Part of the charm of such shows is the contestants: Jo, who started hitting the gym as a weedy teenager and has never been a professional athlete, found he could hold his own against some of South Korea’s strongest people.
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