Netflix’s upcoming physical survival show “Physical: Asia” is gearing up for an intense nation-versus-nation showdown, where teams will compete to prove their superior strength, strategy and teamwork for the ultimate victory. Its producer describes the show as a “new kind of Olympics,” with every participant representing their country.

“What’s definitely different in this season is the sense of pride that comes from representing one’s country. It’s much stronger than I had imagined,” said producer Jang Ho-gi during the series’ press conference held in southern Seoul on Friday.


“This season doesn’t just have the intense individual competition you saw in seasons 1 and 2. It also shows contestants giving their absolute best, representing their countries. And beyond the nation-versus-nation battles, there are plenty of stories and emotional moments that unfold, which I think make it unlike any other survival show you’ve seen before.”

Netflix’s “Physical: Asia” is an expansion of the streamer’s hit “Physical: 100” franchise, where 100 contestants individually compete in a series of physical challenges for the top honor. The latest installment broadens its universe with a nation-versus-nation battle.

The grand winning team will receive a prize of 1 billion won ($695 million) — more than three times the 300 million won awarded in previous seasons — as revealed during the press conference.

Eight teams from different Asian-Pacific countries are set to compete, with each team consisting of six members. The eight countries are: Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Korea, Mongolia, Japan, Indonesia and Turkey.

The country selection initially raised questions about whether the title “Asia” was appropriate. The producer clarified, saying, “Although we named it ‘Asia,’ I think it would be best to see it as a show that’s expanding its reach across the region, since the show originally started in Korea.”

He added, “Within that concept, we first selected countries that have distinct characteristics and a strong passion for sports.”

Among the players are national sports stars, including Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao, Australian former UFC champion Robert Whittaker, Korean Olympic skeleton gold medalist Yun Sung-bin and Japanese MMA fighter Yushin Okami, as well as athletes in traditional sports, such as Korea's traditional wrestling ssireum, Mongolian wrestling, Turkish oil wrestling and Muay Thai.

Pacquiao, widely considered one of the greatest nonheavyweight boxers of all time, immediately agreed to participate in the show when asked, according to the producer.

“I’ve been following the show for a long time and have always been very interested in it,” he said through a video call on Friday. “When the producer reached out to me, I immediately said yes, and I also wanted to show what I’m capable of physically.”

Based in Korea, the show blends Korean cultural elements in its quests, such as judges wearing a gat, a traditional Korean hat, and using a buk, a traditional Korean drum, as well as other Asian cultures — details Jang says viewers should look forward to.

“We aimed to showcase various Asian cultures with Korea at the heart of it,” producer Jang said.

“We designed the quest around Gyeongbok Palace’s Geunjeongjeon Hall, imagining what it would have been like if a sports event had been held at the place in the past. We even used buk as an homage to the 1988 Olympics.”

The contestants were also impressed by the scale of the set, which includes large props such as a wrecked ship and a ruined castle wall.

“Every time you walked in there, every time you felt the atmosphere, you felt like you were competing in an arena of the world, and it just added to, I guess, the atmosphere and the energy of every competition,” Whittaker, who led the Australian team in the show, said.

The 12-episode series will premiere its first four episodes on Tuesday, with the remaining episodes released weekly over the following three weeks.

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]