User reviews

Wasn't too sure about this but once I started watching I couldn't let it go.

First thing that struck me was the politeness and general culture of the participants, unlike the overly dramatized, gladiatorial American productions with the ever edgy narrator that's capable of turning a kindergarten chess match into a third world war experience.

In this show there is little narration or sports-like commenting, instead the series focuses on the reactions of the fellow participants, which are generally supportive and encouraging in a true show of sportsmanship (a lot of them are actual athletes or former athletes).

While there is real grit and competition there is also a whole lot of sportsmanship, which is extremely refreshing to see.

It will probably appeal more to someone who had done some sort of a dedicated physical workout at least at one point in their lives though as you can appreciate the effort and strain involved in the challenges.

But this is decidedly not one of those American steroid-induced-super-aggressive cage fighting bloodbaths and I'm glad it isn't.

I hope Netflix continues with bringing these kinds of productions from all over the world as I very often find them refreshing, enriching and enjoyable.

This show has me on the edge of my seat rooting for the under dogs and/or women each event. The level of strength and agility some of the men have is awesome to watch. It's interesting how the voiceovers sort of match what you would expect the person to really sound like. My one gripe is that they should identify what the person does or is known for - more often. There were several scenes where only the Korean words were put on the screen so I had no idea which person I was watching because of my bad memory. Hopefully they will let us know who each person is better going forward the way they did in the first couple of episodes as the season goes on. I definitely would watch a season 2 of this.

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 !

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.

This show is very special, mostly because of the Korean culture in it.

This is literally the opposite of any 2020+ reality show.

The amount of mutual respect between the competitors is literally amazing.

The way they approach each other with such humbleness and sportsmanship had blown my mind and showed me that there are other ways to make TV these days.

I was humbled watching people from the top of their field, famous people competing with such respect, without taunting each other.

We have so much to learn from these people and that is the reason this show made me happy.

A must watch for anyone who ever practiced the sport, Go watch it!

It's like squid games and Steve Austin's broken skull challenge combined. 100 contestants on a crazy set that has great props and designs. Big guys, little guys, boxer women, hot women, hot men, athletes of all shapes and sizes. It's hard to even find which one is your favorite. A true competition that leaves you wanting more and more with each episode. I even liked the intro of every person finding the bust of their own torso to find out where they are supposed to go. The immediate challenge and the mind games already at work. Plus, the fact that Koreans are so humble and kind to each other even after they beat the crap out of each other. It's a truly amazing show.

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.

These people are solid. Literally and mentally. The show features people showing who is the best of them physically and also mentally. The show is a battle of the physiques. Who wouldn't want to watch a show with a bunch of hot dudes?! If you don't, this show ain't for you. Work out. This show features a bunch of famous people in Korea. The show is similar to the squid game series but, no one gets killed. The grit and determination in that show would motivate anyone. I love how some of the characters, bodybuilders, or featured more than others. You learn to like more of the characters more than others.

In the United States where I'm watching Netflix hasn't released all of the first season yet; I believe there are 6 out of a total of 9 or 10 episodes released to date. So far it's a standard physical challenge-type reality t.v. Show in which competitors from various athletic disciplines compete in tests of strength and agility to avoid elimination. Production values are good and the challenges themselves are fairly interesting. What really elevates the show above standard genre tropes are the competitors and how they're presented. They're certainly accomplished in their respetive fields and motivated to win, but for the most part they're also "nice." They're generally magnanimous in victory, gracious in defeat and supportive of one another. Some moreso than others, of course, but so far no one's really played the heel. Whereas the American version of the exact same competition would surely play up conflicts and attempt to create interpersonal drama, this production goes in the opposite direction and emphasizes the likeability of the contests, cooperation and good sportsmanship. It's refreshing.

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!

Although the series is reasonably fun to watch, it so badly needs to be edited better. Watching 50 near-identical matches was simply tedious. Showing the ten best matches then the highlights of the rest would have been more enjoyable.

Also, the constant replays of what the contestants say or do - even really mundane comments or action, is just unnecessary. There are some interesting games and the idea works well, it just would be better with less contestants so that it's not so repetitive and is faster paced. It does have a slight feel of Squid Games, just less deaths - thankfully. Overall 6 out of 10.

The general idea for the show is really good, and it would be so entertaining to watch if the editing was better. I understand that they build tension by cutting the scene just before something interesting happens and then showing it from the beginning from another angle, but you don't need to do it six or seven times; it just makes it frustrating, and I had to hold my remote all the time in my hands so I could skip those parts.

The challenges were good but team challenges led to eliminating some really good individuals which is kind of unfair. The thing that bothers me more than that is that editors would skip some interesting duels or just skip like 15 minutes of some of the challenges and then show one interesting scene and unnecessarily repeat it from 7 different angles.

This is probably the most frustraiting editing i have ever seen in my life.

I cannot recommend it enough. You can't easily guess who will win and more than once I was deeply gratified by the victories. Some were tough to swallow as well. They use the participants' own assessments to hype each other up or comment of the action.

Also, there are some serious Class Acts amongst the winners and losers. It's a masterclass in good sportsmanship. The contestants are so interesting and come from all walks of life: Olympians, MMA fighters, body builders, youtube stars, members of the Armed Forces, and First Responders. It's so interesting to see the strengths of each occupation.

At first I thought it's a tv show but then I found out it's a sport games competition reality show between athletes to find out the best bosy/athlete and it was fun and enjoyable to be fair.

Different games were interduced to test their stamina and strength.

Each competitor is a well known athlete in South Korea from different kind of sports or profession that requires physical fitness Such as military or firemen etc..

Most of the show you will hear them talking during the competitons which is expected in a reality show, and I don't want to spoil anything Just sit and wnjoy watching the show.

First of all, this is without a doubt one of the best competitive sport shows that I've ever watched.

Before watching, I was very sceptical of the fact that men and women compete in the same competition because I thought they're now going to throw all this BS, that we hear in the West about inequality and bla bla bla, at the audience. But as an obvious cultured team of just athletes, they respect each other, compete without hesitation, win, lose and enjoy collectively, regardless of their sex.

To those who see the show negatively: watching this show must at least makes you think, that you need more than just one thing in the life to get successful. Power, endurance, precision, brain, speed, strategy, togetherness, etc. It should be motivating to reach higher levels.

I just pray to Lord that we in the West start to learn more about their culture and not the other way around.

This has a really different feel to other competitive physical reality series, mostly due to the utmost respect the contestants have for each other, regardless or their strength or ability.

Even when contestants had to make decisions on others perceived "weakness", you could tell that decision didn't come lightly nor did it always rely on stereotypes.

The challenges were an excellent mix of physicality and teamwork, and designed so well that the diverse range of contestants had a fighting chance.

I found myself being quite emotional at times, feeling for these people as they gave everything they had to succeed in the competition. The editing didn't overdo the emotional impact either, it was up the viewer to decide how they felt about it.

The only downside is the constant repetitive and highly distracting replays throughout the episodes, which served no purpose and slowed down the pace of the show.

A truly amazing series that redefines what reality competitions should be.

First. I would like to thank the producers and creators of this show. Unlike all American reality shows, this one stayed very positive and the team members were almost always very courteous and polite to the other players. Whereas, all American reality shows are negative, players back stabbing, and derogatory, even when meeting for the first time.

This show was a pleasure to watch, fun, and it was actually quite exciting watching the players compete. The players had great obstacles to overcome, individually and as a team, which I thought was great.

My only negative about the show was maybe some of the obstacles created circumstances where players could, and did, get seriously hurt.

Thank you for your time and am watching the second season right now.

Lots of fabulously fit people with refreshingly courteous manners and a genuine appreciation of one another's strengths make for a very decent watch, but the concept has some flaws. Although ostensibly unbiased - all can compete regardless of gender etc - that effectively means that the women rarely shine and are perceived as deadweights by their teams. I don't know what the solution is but...

Related to that - I'm only up to the mine challenge but the last three events have all been heavily weighted in favour of strength contestants. The maze was carting heavy sandbags; the pole-guarding favoured hefty guys; the mine challenge has lifting heavy sandbags, pushing heavy sandbags, kicking heavy giant bags along in the air. Apart from anything else, it's a bit boring to have such similar challenges. What about balance, agility, flexibility, speed, stamina? More variety would be fairer and more interesting, rather than slightly different scenarios where people move heavy bags around, which favours one specific type of physical. Plus favouring hefty strongmen immediately sidelines the women, of course, as well as guys with different strengths.

I didn't know how to feel about reading subtitles throughout because I don't like not hearing the actual language even though I don't understand it; but boy!!!!!! This is a fantastic watch. Got me hooked. Waiting for the second instalment of episodes.

Incredible. Similar vibes to Squid Game but proper real life. Found myself questioning some quests (how is this legal? They could hit their head and die)...

I genuinely thought I knew what I was in for. I did not. Twists and turns all over the place.

I also didn't think I'd be learning so much about sportsmanship and basic human decency from this type of show. I am in awe of the level of respect competitors accord each other, particularly in the face of remarkably fierce competition; it's truly humbling to watch and experience.

The beauty of the show is that whilst contestants signed up for it, they themselves are experiencing the events for the first time just as the audience is.

Sounds ludicrous, but see for yourself.

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The show is awesome and I would have likely given it a 9 or 10/10, but the editing is an absolute disaster in both seasons where they repeat everything, constantly, 2-3 times in a row and it's so distracting and annoying.

I was hoping season 2 would be a bit more refined and not continue with this production trait but for whatever reason the team did.

If you can look past this thing that happens every ten seconds then you most likely will really enjoy the show. I still do, but it is definitely wearing on me and I could see it impact my ability to make it into more seasons if this editing continues.

Strength and agility based reality TV show is a thrilling competition that tests the limits of its contestants. The 100 competitors are put through rigorous challenges that test their strength and agility, with a large money prize on the line.

One thing that I felt could have been improved upon is the decision to pause the game when a hit or punch is landed. It seems inconsistent that anaconda chokes are allowed, but elbow hits are not.

Aside from this minor critique, the show is a well-produced, non-scripted competition that truly puts the contestants' skills to the test. Overall, it's a must-watch for fans of reality TV and sports competitions.

The concept behind this show is great. A lot of the challenges were amazing. But if this is a physical and mental challenge there needs ro more tasks that test every part of the body and mind. The perfect physique deserves to be tested wholly. Some of the finalists got in there through a bit of luck, a bit of "riding on the teams back", unfair teaming methods and a bit of unbalanced challenges. There should have been a few women on the top if the challenges were fair to both sexes.

I wish there was more "SAFETY" for the players. Some of those environments were critical hazards. I'm surprised no one got disabled. The show got lucky this time. But it's not worth risking my health on this show that can get me dismembered. They need more safety gear to protect their careers.

But overall it's an addictive show!

The events themselves have been quite exciting to watch, but the production is very annoying. It takes forever to get going, everything is dramatised to no end, slow.motion scenes are repeated again and again. I think it took 25 minutes of the first episode to even get to the hanging game - I fast forwarded because I couldn't stand the never ending nonsense buildup.

If they stopped this drama and showed more of the events, jumping straight into them instead of this dramatization I'd be alot happier. As it is I see myself fast forwarding alot through the episodes to get to the actual events. Very annoying.