A Batalha dos 100

Considering I have never seen a Korean reality drama before , I dont even know why I started watching this. Wanted to check it out and it drew me in for 3 main reasons.

1) Korean culture is not something that I am exposed to and it was nice to see how people interact and greet each other in a natural setting 2) The wide variety of athletes assembled here was nice . There were sports I am exposed and biased towards and I found myself rooting for them 3) Good looking people with physiques they been working on for year.

I kept watching and the show was unlike any reality show I have ever seen. I found myself rooting for people I had no connection. Sometimes it is like you are rooting for everyone and the general tone of the show is also of a strong sense of camaraderie.

Then there are these battles . Which are often battles of wills and people from different backgrounds with different skillsets. Almost felt like watching and anime battle.

Cant wait for the rest of it !

Well what to say after only being able to see the first two episodes? Well firstly all the contestants are really interesting. Koreans are simply awesome and have a fantastic personality. Such a different variety of people from special forces, male and female models, you have your youtube stars, your body builders, gold medal athletes and the list goes on. Despite the majority of contestants being 99% Korean, there are a few from other countries but they speak fluent Korean. The first challenge was great to watch and showed it wasn't just about strength, you have to use your brain in this competition that's for sure. After witnessing the first 2 episodes it's going to really heat up and ego's are going to get bruised. Looking forward to the next episode!

I loved the premise and how friendly and respectful most people were with each other. I'm glad there wasn't anyone edited to be a "villain" for drama. I also appreciated how they seemed to want to showcase different strengths and body types, breaking stereotypes about what strength is and looks like.

The challenges were interesting and while I'm glad we were able to see everyone participate and get to know each contestant, the filming of some challenges felt really dragged out. One challenge covered multiple episodes and I was just waiting for it to end.

The final battle was also a disappointment. I was expecting something big that encompassed all types of strength like an obstacle course, something that the contestants could do together. The little games they did instead were very lackluster following all the much more complicated stuff they did previously. And if the rumors are true about the re-filming controversy with the last challenge, that would be even more disappointing.

This show is so entertaining to watch. It's interesting to see how the different body types match up against each other. Seeing how the contestants interact with deference and respect for each other makes it even more enjoyable. There's none of the behind the scenes personality clashes or fake "alliances" that water down so many of these reality shows. It's just pure competition. Also, there's no host and not much in the way of narration. The contestants themselves are the only stars of the show. We learn about each athlete through conversations among the other contestants. It's a very refreshing approach.

There's only one minor flaw that I find somewhat annoying. Whoever is doing the editing feels the need to repeat many of the scenes over and over again...3, 4 and sometimes even 5 times in a row in rapid sequence. I hope this show gets picked up for a second season and they do without this unnecessary and distracting editing technique.

Most American reality shows have competitors chosen for their Instagram following, or people the producers know will be problematic so that conflict will arise. It is refreshing that a show like this focuses on real athletes, where the competitions are truly challenging and as the title says, physical. I also enjoy the dubbed in English voices, maybe not for the right reasons. I just think they are hilarious, and probably not accurate, but entertaining just the same. If you want a fun drinking game, drink every time someone says, "He's/She's so cool!" I have seen some reviews offering opinions on the kindness of the contestants, which I can't really comment on, since I don't speak Korean, but I think this may be a cultural trope. Who knows if they are friendly or not based on dubbed voices? Anyway, I am giving it an 8, simply because it has not concluded yet and I want to see how it finishes. A fun show.