Season 1 Review
Physique: 100 is a unique South Korean reality show featuring Olympians, military professionals, weightlifters and other top athletes from all over the country. Contestants push their bodies to their limits through engaging elimination games for a grand prize of ₩300 million won.
The range of contestants is really neat to see. The show features everyone from fitness models and celebrities to emergency responders. It’s clear that the producers really did their best to get the best athletes in all of South Korea to compete.
Physique: 100 carefully crafted with remarkable thought and intention. The competition arenas are all detailed and often detailed. Making games with this many characters is a daunting task, but the producers do a great job with it, delivering a series that feels authentic and never feels too busy.
The theme of the show is “the quest to find the perfect physique” and the theme is echoed in every episode. Unfortunately, this makes the show seem a bit shallow at times. Mental strength is a must in some challenges, but unfortunately no one brings it up until episodes 5 or 6. In addition to physical abuse, every time a contestant is eliminated from the game, they have to break their body cast to tell them their body isn’t good enough.
One element that is particularly unexpected and makes it even more fun is the surprise consolation match, which gives the audience a sense of dread. Contestants are brought into a dark room where their torsos (up to the weight of the contestants) are suspended in the air. They should then try to hold their trunks with the rope and be the ones standing.
Most of the games played are absolutely brutal. 20 people pulling a 1.5 ton boat? Do you carry sandbags up and down stairs as fast as you can? Most people say, “No thanks!” they would be quick to say. but watching the contestants go through what many would consider physical torture is truly admirable. Although there is a mix of women and men, men often predominate.
Overall, Physique: 100 is a highly entertaining one-of-a-kind physical prowess showdown. To be fair, it would have had more depth if it took the focus away from the skin and physique and instead emphasized the intense mental stamina displayed by many of the contestants. Anyway, let’s hope there’s another season ahead!