'Physical: 100' Announces Plans for Future Seasons

Physical: 100, Netflix's Korean survival competition show, is a must-watch reality TV show for fans of brutal physical challenges, wholesome sportsmanship, and easy-to-root-for personalities (not to mention the eye candy). Created by producer Jang Ho-gi, each season gathers 100 contestants from various sports and professions—including pro bodybuilders, Olympic gold medalists, fitness influencers, and gym-buff celebs—to compete in mind-blowing challenges that test their strength, endurance, and teamwork.

Season 2 premiered in March 2024 and introduced a new all-star cast of athletes as well as intricate underground-themed challenges, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats waiting to see which early fan-favorites and underdogs would make it to the April 2 finale. At the end of the competition, the winner of Physical: 100 season 2 walked away with a life-changing 300 million won (roughly $222,990). Now that the second installment has come to a close, here's what we know about a possible Physical: 100 season 3.

Has 'Physical: 100' been renewed for season 3?

While Netflix has yet to make an official announcement at of the time of writing, the final moments of Physical: 100 season 2 hint that the series will return on a much grander scale. As with season 1's finale, the final moments of episode 9 show only one torso statue left sitting among the rubble of 99 others, as the voiceover promises, "Our search for the perfect physique... will continue."

The scene continues with an illustrated depiction of athletes engaging in various sports, including boxing, martial arts, sumo wrestling, and handball, before an ending graphic reveals: Physical: 100 - Asia.

Since the season 2 finale, creator Jang Ho-gi has opened up about the cryptic teaser in interviews with Korean news outlets. While speaking to $ The Korea Herald$ , Jang revealed that Netflix is "positively reviewing" a season 3 renewal, with the new competition possibly including international contestants from across Asia.

"If Season 3 is confirmed for production, it would be great to see the series featuring international contestants," Jang said. "I would like to present the new season in a completely new format and composition, such as by having contestants compete by forming a team based on their nationalities."

The proposal for an international third season is in line with creator Jang Ho-gi's hopes for the franchise, which he shared in an interview with The Korea Herald ahead of season 2.

“Physical: 100 was an original Korean show. And we decided to cast foreign-born personalities who live in Korea and are able to communicate in Korean," he said, adding, "As a director, my hope is for the series to develop on a bigger scale, allowing me to produce ‘Physical: 100’ in different countries and continents."

As for when to expect a clarification, Netflix traditionally takes a few months to announce a series renewal. Just look at Physical: 100 itself as an example: the streaming giant announced the season 2 renewal in June 2023, several months after season 1 premiered on the platform at the start of that year. But there is also precedent for a proven hit to be renewed quickly. Netflix's other flagship Korean reality series, Single's Inferno, was renewed for season 4 just two weeks after season 3's finale aired.

When would 'Physical: 100' season 3 come out?

It's hard to guess when exactly Netflix will drop a new season, but judging based on previous release dates... Both seasons 1 and 2 of Physical: 100 came out in Q1, with season 1 premiering on January 24, 2023, and season 2 on March 19, 2024. It's likely that Netflix will keep up with the late-winter/early-spring release schedule, with season 3 at least arriving by April 2025.

Who would be in the cast of 'Physical: 100' season 3?

In addition to possibly recruiting contestants from all over Asia, Jang has hinted that season 3 could also see the return of some standout players from previous Physical: 100 seasons. The producer told The Korea Herald that the team behind the series is "leaving all possibilities open, including bringing back previous participants the audience wants to see again."

"Many people have shown interest in the current whereabouts of participants that were eliminated from the matches in the first and second seasons of Physical: 100—and they are eager to witness contestants who were prematurely eliminated stage a comeback," he said.

The idea that previous contestants could return started in season 2, when former firefighter Hong Beom-seok re-entered the competition after being eliminated in his one-on-one death match in season 1. Hong even made it all the way to the finals for season 2, showcasing the heights fallen contestants could get to if given a second chance. Fingers crossed that one or two fan favorites get the chance to return to the show.