The winners of the first season of Physical: Asia, Netflix's gladiator-style competition, have been revealed. The show, a spin-off of South Korean reality show Physical: 100, upped the stakes by pitching eight countries against each other, with teams battling for national pride as well as a cash prize of 1 billion Korean won ($6.8 million).
The first three episodes of the show were released on October 28, with new episodes dropping every week as countries were eliminated with each challenge. The final three episodes were released on Tuesday, revealing the winning team.
Who won Physical: Asia season one? (Spoiler alert)
South Korea emerged victorious after a hard-fought battle of wits and endurance against Mongolia that tested all the participants' teamwork. The sixth and final challenge, a six-on-six team match, comprised three games and the team who won two out of the three games was named the eventual winner.
“It's really hitting me now. It's unreal,” said an emotional Dong-hyun Kim, South Korea's team leader who took part in season two of Physical: 100 but was eliminated earlier in that show.
Amotti, one of the star athletes of Physical: Asia and winner of Physical: 100 season two, said: “In season two I experienced this joy alone, but I'm so happy to share this with my team.”
Ranking of countries based on eliminations:
8. Thailand - eliminated via Death Match
7. Indonesia - eliminated via Death Match
6. The Philippines - lost Team Rep Challenge
5. Turkey - lost Team Rep Challenge
4. Australia - eliminated via Death Match
3. Japan - lost Castle Conquest Challenge
2. Mongolia - lost final challenge
1. South Korea - Winner
What is Physical: Asia about?
Similar to Physical: 100, contestants – both women and men – went head-to-head in challenges that tested strength, endurance, willpower and strategy. But instead of individual contestants, Physical: Asia was a showdown of countries, each selected for their sporting histories and distinct characteristics, according to Netflix.
A total of 48 athletes featured in Physical: Asia, six each from eight countries: South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines.
Who were the star contestants?
Famous contestants included Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, the only eight-division world champion in history. Pacquiao, however, exited the show earlier in the competition, and was replaced by CrossFit athlete Justin Hernandez. Australian UFC middleweight champion Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker led Team Australia.
Fans of the original Physical: 100 will be familiar with some of the members of the South Korean team, which includes season two winner Amotti, UFC star Dong-hyun “Stun Gun” Kim from also from season two, and wrestler Jang Eun-sil and skeleton racer and Olympic gold medallist Yun Sung-bin from the first season.
