Team Korea On Winning ‘Physical: Asia’, And What It Took To Get There

When Physical: Asia premiered on Netflix, it wasn’t just another battle of brute strength. It was a continental showdown: eight nations, six elite athletes per team, one shot at proving their physical and mental supremacy on an unforgiving global stage. And in the end, it was Team Korea who emerged victorious.

Comprising a CrossFit athlete, a wrestler, a skeleton racer, a martial artist, and returning stars from Physical: 100—including reigning champion Amotti—the Korean team entered the arena with something more potent than muscle: an unspoken sense of duty. Representing your country isn’t just a competition, given that it’s as much about the psychological weight that you bring into the ring as well. One misstep could cost six reputations in the same way that one victory could unite a nation of supporters.

In this conversation, the six athletes reflect on what it took to win—the pressure, the chemistry, the mental breakdowns, and the moments of trust that turned them from solo competitors into a single, cohesive force. From pre-show training sessions to the tension of meeting their international rivals, this is the real story behind Team Korea’s road to gold.

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After finishing Physical: 100, how did you use your experience to prepare for this show?

Kim Dong-hyun (KDH): I was too stressed to watch Physical: 100 after I finished competing. (Laughs) I’m so competitive that I can’t tolerate losing. Even when I was an athlete, if I lost a match, I would watch the recording only once and never again after that. Instead, I would focus on training my physical conditioning. You never know when you might get another opportunity to compete.

Jang Eun-sil (JES): For me, Physical: Asia wasn’t just about me as an individual. I was representing Korea, so the sense of responsibility was much greater. The pressure was nearly 500 percent. Even if I did well, it would only be considered normal, and if I didn’t, I could be blamed. Still, I told myself, “No matter who’s on the team or who I’m up against, I’ll give my best first.”

Amotti, after winning Physical: 100 last season, it probably wasn’t an easy decision to return to compete again.

Amotti (AM): At first, I honestly thought, “I just need to do well to make it worth it.” Then the producer said, “You’ll really regret watching someone else take that spot from home,” and that was it, I made up my mind. (Laughs) My body wasn’t perfect, but I knew I had to get back on that stage. When you fight alone, you only need to take care of your own condition. But team matches are different, if even one person gets a little tired, the whole team wobbles. My role was to help the team run smoothly.

Sung-bin, you said you were a bit hesitant about taking the offer.

Yun Sung-bin (YSB): Being result-oriented, I found it hard to make decisions quickly. In the first season of Physical: 100, I felt my own shortcomings and was even more hesitant, since this was an international competition. However, after encouragement from people around me, I decided to participate. I thought it was an experience that I had to try at least once anyway.

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What would you say was unique about competing in Physical: Asia?

KDH: The missions were on a larger scale, and the set production was so detailed that it felt like we were fighting in the movie Gladiator. Because of the weight of representing our countries, everyone’s competitive spirit was intense. There were so many disputes over even the smallest details that it felt like we needed a hundred referees, and match decisions were often delayed. All the athletes stayed in the same hotel, and every morning was filled with pressure and tension. Even greeting each other felt awkward. (Laughs)

What was it like to compete as part of a six-person team, after usually playing solo?

Kim Min-jae (KMJ): I started wrestling in elementary school because I found it really fun to play the game of grabbing a friend’s pants and throwing them. Koreans tend to be a bit impatient, right? Wrestling matches, no matter how long, end within a minute. That intense, thrilling situation makes it a very exciting sport. Having done individual sports my whole life, even when I lost, I was used to managing my mindset and brushing it off on my own. The first time I tried a team competition, the pressure was huge because one mistake of mine could affect everyone. On the other hand, when we won, the joy was six times greater.

AM: That was the charm of this team. No one told us to, but we naturally looked out for each other. Dong-hyun always kept the centre steady, Eun-sil calmly organised everything well. Seung-yeon, though the youngest, quietly did her part, and Min-jae was a true symbol of strength. Sung-bin had explosive power and sharp focus. I served as the link between them, reading the mood and filling in for the team wherever needed.

What was it like competing against participants from other countries?

KDH: I had been training with Yushin Okami [from the Japanese team] since my twenties. We were in different weight classes, but we competed as Asian UFC fighters. At one point, we were tied for the most wins in Asia. When I realised I had to face him again here, I thought, “There’s no way I can lose.” (Laughs) I went to the film set without knowing the participant list, and when I saw Manny Pacquiao, I really understood the scale and influence of the Physical series.

KMJ: I thought Eddie Williams from Team Australia was the most formidable opponent. Since wrestling is a Korean sport with no international competitions, and Australian players have a different build compared to East Asians, I was quite intimidated. It had been a long time since I’d seen someone bigger than me, even just visually.

JES: At first, I was so nervous it felt like I had walked into a tiger’s den. Everyone was representing their country, so the tension was high. Still, it was fascinating because each team had a different vibe. The Mongolian athletes were very strong, the Japanese team was strategic and handled their matches well.

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Was there a specific moment when you realised the team had truly come together?

YSB: It’s hard to pinpoint an exact moment. It was just that, as time went on, we understood each other without even speaking. When missions were revealed, we naturally knew enough about each other to say, “You take this one.” When a teammate was struggling, someone else would step in. This kind of flow made the team stronger.

Choi Seung-yeon (CSY): Before filming began, we all gathered to work out under the guidance of Dong-hyun. As the missions went on, our teamwork naturally fell into sync. Even though our tendencies were different, our goals were the same. Dong-hyun in particular, as the team captain, always made the atmosphere comfortable. During missions, he would encourage us by saying, “We’re all cheering for you.” He’s a natural-born leader. (Laughs) Also, whenever I felt physically at my limit, my teammates would step in to help. I really realised how crucial both the team and teammates are to performance. There were many moments I absolutely couldn’t have endured on my own.

Seung-yeon, because you weren’t told what the competing events were ahead of time, some say that it is favourable to CrossFit athletes like you. What was your experience like?

CSY: There are a variety of events, and we only find out about them the day before or even on the day itself. Of course, there were tasks I felt confident about. On the other hand, CrossFit is all about short, intense bursts, so this competition required a completely different approach to win.

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What is the takeaway from the Physical series?

KDH: People often think the Physical series is a test of endurance, pushing the body to its limits; but it’s actually a game that requires excellent tactics, like warfare. When missions are revealed at the last minute with no prior knowledge, you have to make split-second plans about where the opponents might be and which terrain they might be in. The structure is such that anyone can make mistakes from a single decision, and the sense of emptiness and regret in those moments is huge. In martial arts, you can be confident because it’s a discipline you’ve trained in your whole life, but being thrown into a completely unfamiliar challenge was new. I learned that the most important attitude is to accept the results humbly and, instead of blaming yourself, think, “We’re not the only ones making mistakes” and quickly move on.

KMJ: This was a challenge that allowed me to push beyond my limits. Since it was a completely different kind of experience from wrestling competitions, I think my mental strength has grown.

If the offer comes to participate again next season, would you take it?

AM: Well, if I were to do it again, I’d want to do it with these members. I feel like we could handle any mission as long as we’re on the same team.

Photography: Hwang Byung-moon
Styling: Ahn Seo-gyeong
Interview: An Seo-kyung, Yoo Seung-hyun
Editing: Aaron Kok