Netflix Physical 100 season 1 challenges, definitively ranked 

Right from the start, Physical 100 has kept its contestants — and its audience — on their toes by switching up its game mechanics in surprising ways. Not only does this make for good TV, but it also makes who can win the honor of “best physique” a bit more complicated than simply who can lift the heaviest object. Artificial physical challenges such as the one on Physical 100Certain skills should always be prioritized over others. The Korean competition series does a remarkable job mixing those skills to an extent.

This show has been about physical strength. However, other factors such as grip strength and endurance have also played a role in who wins or loses particular challenges. It’s a good reminder that there are many different kinds of abilities, and the human with the stereotypically “best” body is not necessarily the human who will “survive.”

The first season is over. Physical 100 has wrapped, we’re taking the time to rank each of the challenges, in a highly scientific process that rates each of the challenges on a scale of 1 to 5 on reality TV game design and how sweaty contestants get during the course of it. (Because sweat never lies.)

14. “The Wings of Icarus” Rope-Climbing Challenge

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Contestants: 4
Description:A rope is lowered to the ground by players. One player can stay off the floor for the longest.
Game design:The mechanics behind an ever-falling rope look very impressive, although everyone was aware that Kim Min-cheol, a mountain rescue climber, had it in her bag right from the start. The other contestants were eliminated and it was difficult to see the two final women competitors compete in an event that wasn’t worth their time. 1/5
Sleep scale Don’t sweat — you have to hold on! 1/5

Score: Total score 2/10 plaster torsos

13. Five-Way Tug-of-War

Contestants: 5
Description: Five contestants remain locked together in a harness, and they are attached by a tether to each other. Five platforms are equal distances away from them, and the keys that will unlock the lock to free them all belong to each of the five key holders. Each player must compete to find their key and platform, then unlock them. Last player who does so will be beaten.
Game design: The simple task of using pressure to open a lock with a key makes what could be a straightforward challenge of strength more difficult. However, it was an interesting finale challenge. Kim Min-cheol was almost able to make it, however it was clear that his lighter body would place him in a disadvantage. They already had this on. Single’s Inferno. 1.5/5
Sleep scale Low, compared to what was to come… 1/5

Score: Total score 2.5 out 10 plaster torsos

12. “The Tail of Ouroboros” Running Challenge

Contestants: 4
Description: Each player must race around the track keeping out of sight of any other players. They are then tagged and eliminated. Final contestant who runs wins.
Game design:This game had me thinking back to painful gym experiences. It was surprising how deep this game went. Contestants who preferred to run at a steady pace rather than speed were the ones that did best. That being said, it was kind of boring to watch, even if they tried to up the angst factor by bringing Cha Hyun-seung’s injured rib into focus. 1.5/5
Sleep scale Moderate. 2/5

Score: Total Score: 3.5/10 plaster torsos

11. “The Fire of Prometheus” Obstacle Course Challenge

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Contestants: 4
Description:They start with their stomachs, and then they will lie on the ground. Players must climb a wooden structure once the whistle is sounded. They then have to run through a water veil and sprint across the sand track in order to get a torch at the finish. The slowest player is eliminated each round until the remaining players are left.
Game design: I’m surprised there weren’t more obstacle courses in this TV show. Because so many possible outcomes can occur, they are very dynamic. Although this was quite a challenge for Miracle, who basically flipped over the wooden structure, the performance was quick and easy. 2/5
Sleep scale Low. It’s quite fast. Plus, they have to run through a shower every round, so it’s hard to tell. 1.5/5

Score: Total score: 3.5/10 plaster torsos

10. Hanging Torso Revival Challenge

Image by Netflix

Contestants: 15
This is the game Participants hold onto a rope, with their stomach bust plus 40% of body weight hanging at the end. The challenge is open to the first five participants who can prevent their busts from touching the ground.
Game design:All those who lost in Team Sand Challenge had the chance to rejoin, which is a great feeling. Shim Euddeum was the physical smaller of the contestants and earned herself a spot in the next round. This made the experience even more satisfying. Visually, this challenge was pretty fun, elevated by the set’s dramatic red lighting and the fates of the contestants’ beloved torso casts at stake. 2/5
Sleep scale Low. 1.5/5

Score: Total score: 3.5/10 plaster torsos

9. Square Flip

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Contestants: 4
Description:In a round of five minutes, two teams of two will compete to flip as many floor squares as possible. The square has one side that is black and the other is white. One team wins if they have the most squares that are flipped in their favor at the end. Two members from the losing team will have to compete in the same game for three minutes.
Game design: As with the other challenges in the final round, there isn’t much strategy involved here, which makes it slightly less interesting to watch. This challenge requires endurance and agility. Jo Jin-hyeong is awarded extra points because he fights until the last minute, even though he struggles to breath and knows he cannot win. 2.5/5
Sleep scale Moderate. 2/5

Score: Total Score: 4.5/10 plaster torsos

8. Keep-away Challenge

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Contestants: 100
This is the gameTwo arenas host contestants. Arena A hosts speed and agility-based contestants. Arena B, a pool for wrestling where physical strength and fighting strategies are encouraged. The winner of the round is the one who has the ball after the first three minutes. An overtime of 60 seconds is played if nobody has the ball by the end of three minutes.
Game design:Similar to many other things Physical 100This mission is simple and despite the many challenges it presents, it excels because it’s easy: get the ball. You can keep the ball. That’s pretty much it. Not very complicated, but maybe that’s what we needed this early in the series, when we were still being introduced to these players. The producers introduced an element of strategy by having two arenas and allowing the top 50 hangers in the pre-challenge a chance to choose their opponent and their arena, but otherwise, there wasn’t really any room to game this game.
This simple, yet powerful challenge leads to iconic photographs. Physical 100There are many bodies that wrestle. Producers were allowed to choose the most exciting matches from the 50 available. It led to many memorable moments such as the MMA fight between Choo Seung-hoon & Shin Dong-guk, and many, many clips of players cheering each other on. 2.5/5
Sleep scaleModerate, although it was difficult for us to judge with how many contestants were stomping in the mud. 2.5/5

Overall score: 5 out 10 plaster torsos

7. Triangle Shuttle Run

Contestants: 3
Description: Each of the remaining three contestants must complete a sprint to sound a bell. They then have to return to their starting spot within the given time. Players must repeat the process without rest. The time allowed to finish the task may be reduced to eight seconds. First player to fail to complete the sprint within the allotted time will be eliminated.
Game design: The final challenge was designed to get the contestants to the last two. It was quite riveting. You would never believe that watching men running between two fixed points could be this engaging. It helps that Park Jin-young’s luger teammate is watching, cheering him on. 2.5/5
Sleep scale Moderate. 3/5

Overall score: 5.5/10 plaster torsos

6. “The Punishment of Atlas” Heavy Lift Challenge

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Contestants: 4
Description:The contestants are required to lift large rocks over their heads, and hold it there as long as they can. Really.
Game design: Lift a heavy rock. It’s simple and frustrating, but it is also incredibly impressive to see. I don’t think I would have wanted to sit there for the two hours Jo Jin-hyeong and Kim Sik managed to keep this boulder over their heads, but seeing an edited version of this event sure was riveting — especially because I was rooting for each of these contestants. “The joy of winning was great,” said Jo Jin-hyeong after taking home the victory, “but the joy of having this great match with Sik for two hours was greater.” 3/5
Sleep scale Moderate. 2.5/5

Overall score: 5.5 of 10 plaster torsos

5. Hanging Challenge

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Contestants: 100
This is the game The contestants must hang from a steel rack that is above the water. The contestant who hangs longest wins.
Game design: This pre-challenge was created to rank contestants before they enter the official challenge.Physical 100As its first challenge, it was wise to prioritise a game that tests endurance and physical strength. Many of the contestants who look the most physically intimidating didn’t do well in this challenge, as they have a higher body weight. It was clear that the contest series thought carefully about how to make their game more challenging.
Extra points are awarded for suspending contestants over a swimming pool. Instead of them hovering just a few inches above the ground, they get to fall dramatically and then splash into the pool. This also leaves the contestants wet. Mentally, it’s also more of a challenge for the contestants. It is not enough for them to fall on the ground, they must also be able to hang onto something. There’s even one contestant who mentions they are afraid of heights, which adds an additional mental challenge to the task for them. 4/5
Exercise: This one loses out on the sweat scale, as contestants actually stay pretty dry in this one… until they fall into the water below. 1.5/5

Overall score: 5.5/10 plaster torsos

4. Pulling Infinite Rope

Contestants: 2
Description:Final two contestants draw a long rope from the epic coil. (Don’t worry: The rope is not actually infinite, though it might have felt it.)
Game design: I felt obliged to put this contest relatively high in the ranking because the stakes — ultimate victory — were high. The final challenge is so difficult because the contestants have been physically destroyed by this stage that it’s hard to see. They both struggle a lot, which does give weight to the winner’s eventual victory, but the best moment comes when some of the eliminated players watching from a soundstage next door cheer “Hwaiting!” as loudly as possible. Jung Hae-min, Woo Jin-yong and others hear this and feel the need to carry on. 3/5
Sleep scale High. This is because these contestants were required to finish this challenge after the previous four, which included the difficult triangle shuttle runs. 4/5

Score: Total score 7/10 plaster torsos

3. Team Sand Challenge

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Contestants: 50
This is the gameFive teams work in groups to transport bags of sand across a soundstage. They must build a bridge using wooden planks to accomplish this feat. Team that can pour the most sand into its tube within 12 minutes wins. Other teams will be eliminated.
Game design: The first team challenge, the sand challenge really allowed us to see the capacity for teamwork among the players — and it was so sweet. Due to the fact that the sand challenges required balance, strength, endurance and communication it was more difficult than other individual challenges. To me, this is the ultimate challenge. Physical 100The series was a success and the viewers began to pick their favorites.
We also saw the story of Team Jang Eunsil, an underdog team. As the only woman among the five voted-in team leaders, Jang Eun-sil’s team was considered the weakest of the 10 teams. Their victory over Team Nam Kyungjin proved that they are competitors to be taken seriously. 4.5/5
Sleep scaleIt was a sweaty affair with bright lights and lots of sand. And, sadly, unlike in other challenges, there wasn’t even time for the contestants to artfully remove their shirts. 4.5/5

Overall score 9 out 10 plaster torsos

2. “The Punishment of Sisyphus” Rock-Rolling Challenge

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Contestants: 4
Description: The time limit is 30 seconds. Players must push the boulder, which weighs 220-pounds, up the inclined track. Each player will be required to repeat the process until they are able complete the task in the given time.
Game design: This game was brutal, and took out not one but two fan favorites: Yun “Iron Man” Sung-bin and Choo “Sexyama” Sung-hoon. Like other competitions in the mythology-themed Delegate Challenge, “The Punishment of Sisyphus” benefitted from having the other players watching and cheering the athletes on from the sidelines. 5/5
Sleep scale Pretty damn sweaty. 4.5/5

Score: Total score: 9.5 out of 10. Plaster torsos

1. Team Boat Challenge

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Contestants: 30
This is the game Oof. Oof. Physical 100Teams of 10 could load a half-ton oak barrels on a 1.5-ton boat. This was the best way to work together. After that, each team was required to use heavy logs to help move the boat, which weighed in excess of 4,000 pounds. The other side of the set had a wooden ramp that the crew needed to lift the boat onto with a pulley and rope. It is time to pull the iron stake from the top of ramp with the looped rope that was attached to the bow end of the ship. The winner will be the team that takes the most time.
Game design: The challenge seemed so difficult that all the contestants commented on it in their talk-head interviews. It was even harder than participating in the Olympics, one contestant stated. Although it’s difficult to comprehend the level of difficulty in the challenges on screen, the knowledge that the boat is loaded with barrels, weighs over 4,000 pounds and these teams can move the boat together is quite impressive. Kudos to the producers for working out a challenge that would push competitors to their limits, but that every team was able to complete — even the losing team, which included one injured member and some of the comparatively smaller challengers.
Physical 100 didn’t get any better than this, as the Boat Challenge included so many complex dynamics, especially teamwork. Take a look at the Boat Challenge. NumerousAdditional points awarded to Yun Sungbin’s part in which he tries and moves the boat with a rope tied around his waist. That doesn’t happen in any other challenge. 5/5
Sleep scaleThis is the most sweaty. Before, during and after, shirts were taken off. The production lights made the bodies glisten. Da-young’s crown of braids barely survived. 5/5

Overall score 10 out 10 plaster torsos