The number 1 hit Korean reality show Physical 100 is back for another round! After taking a look at the new cast, the writers and producers of the show's second season, named Physical: 100 — Underground gave their insights on the second season's contestant criteria and the story behind the games!
Netflix is going above and beyond in the second season of Physical: 100 as the new series will be focused on an underground min theme! The first season was seen with 100 contestants rising above with a Greek Pantheon theme, but this time will be the total opposite! The show's writer, Kang Kyung Sook, and producers, Jang Ho Ki and Lee Jong Il attended a press conference on March 14, 2024, explaining the challenges of creating a more fair and entertaining show.
Although the show topped Netflix's global non-English series and ranked in the top 10 in 82 countries, it was not without controversy. Because of the competitive nature of the show, how the contestants were screened in the first season was the center of controversy. This time the producers were well aware of the stakes and took extreme measures to ensure that confidentiality and fairness safety were a priority.
Producer Jang Ho Ki explained, "We have prepared more thoroughly than last season 1 to ensure safety and fairness." "There has been no manipulation or reversal of the contents of the game in order to make a particular performer a winner. However, considering the related suspicions and raising of issues, there is a part where the recording was not completely prepared," he admitted. "Since it is important not to cause unexpected situations, we have recruited more than 10 simulations and judges to conduct the quest. We have prepared professional interpretations and various manuals without simply verbal consultation,"
As for the verification of the cast, Jang Ho Ki said, "As a Netflix original series, I think Korean entertainment programs go through the strictest verification process that can be done within the boundaries of the law." "Of course, we are not a legal institution, but we have gone through various processes. This time, we have created an environment where all the cast members can consult comfortably in case of problems by matching psychiatrists," he stressed.
Physical: 100 — Underground will see an increase in female participants as women will be representing 25% of the cast!
As for the story behind the games, writer Kang Kyung Sook described the set as an "Underground Mine in the 1950s and 1960s". He continued by describing the design process saying, "I wrote the background and quest while imagining the movie." Author Kang emphasized the immersion of storytelling, saying, "It is a story about 100 people with the best physicality competing in underground mines in a dystopia where the ground is ruined and rebuilding a new world."
Season 2 promises to bring the set to life even better than the first season as the production crew aimed to "wow" both participants and viewers with the sheer overwhelming scale of the set. Producer Lee Jong Il tried to describe the massive size of the "battling site" saying, "The railroad laid on the underground mine truck push is a work of searching for actual workers." The size of the filming site in season 2 was like three soccer fields, and the explanation that 300 tons of sand were moved by more than 60 dump trucks also suggests the scale!
As the scale of the event has evolved, so have the participants. Season 1 featured 11% of former national athletes whereas Season 2 will feature three times more at 30%! Wow! With better sets and a higher degree of competition, we can't wait to see what Physical 100 — Underground will bring!
Physical: 100 — Underground premieres on March 19 on Netflix. The 100 contestants have a chance to win 300 million won (US$227,700).
Comment below if you'll be watching this hot series and who is your favorite contestant to win it all! Be sure to read our article on who will be participating in Season 2 here!
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