What You Need to Know About The Physical: Asia — Cast, Challenges, And More

In its most ambitious evolution yet, the Physical:100 franchise is returning with its first-ever nation-vs-nation competition, Physical Asia. Netflix has announced the Physical Asia cast: 48 contestants competing for national pride, representing eight countries: Korea, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Türkiye, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines. All of which are listed in a section below.

The series will bring together elite athletes, cultural icons, and living legends in a high-stakes team competition, set to premiere exclusively on Netflix this October. 

What is Physical Asia?

Physical: Asia transcends the traditional individual-survival format by pitting six-person squads against each other in a battle of strength, strategy, and teamwork. The series will blend elite athleticism with cultural traditions, featuring disciplines from combat sports and ball games to heritage events such as Korean ssireum, Mongolian wrestling, and Turkish oil wrestling.

Showrunner Jang Ho-gi commented on the new format, stating, “At its heart, the Physical series is about raw competition that transcends disciplines and generations. By bringing national pride into the equation, the battles will be more intense, more emotional, and more unforgettable than ever.”

A national superstar leads each team, and the competition aims to be a showcase of heritage and physical mastery on an unprecedented global stage. Unlike previous seasons, the fight for individual survival becomes a national-team showdown, where the elimination of a single teammate results in the entire squad’s removal from the competition.

The footage also teases heated rivalries, including a Korea–Japan clash, and features global sports icons such as boxing legend Manny Pacquiao (Philippines), former UFC Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker (Australia), and Korean UFC trialblazer Dong Hyun Kim.

Watch the Trailer

What Quests can we expect from Physical Asia?

After the iconic Greek temple motif of Season 1 and the gritty underground mines of Season 2, Physical Asia raises the stakes with an epic new setting and quests. From a colossal sinking ship to fortress-style battles, the series seamlessly weaves in elements of Korean and Asian culture, promising a visual spectacle and heart-pounding challenges at every turn.

Showrunner Jang Ho-gi highlighted the staggering production scale this season: “We built the set across an area the size of five soccer fields, using 1,200 tons of sand and 40 tons of steel. This season delivers stories, quests, and physical battles unlike anything audiences have seen.”

The current revealed Physical Asia Quests are:

• Episode 1-2: Territory Conquest — A new quest for the season, the Physical Asia cast is tasked to run up a sand hill, and fight for dominance on one of four platforms. The country with the most contestants on the platform is deemed the winner and progresses to the next round. There are three rounds total, with overtime matches taking place on one or two platforms, depending on how many teams are fighting it out. 
• Episode 3-4: Shipwreck — In this challenge, similar to previous years, two teams enter a giant shipwreck where they each have to haul the most cargo (by weight) from one end of the wreck to the other. With two options: crates (50kg) and sandbags (20kg). The crates are transported by rope over the distance between the bow and stern of the shipwrecked boat. The sandbags must be delivered by the cart, which contestants must push up an incline.
• Episode 4: Deathmatch (Elimination) — An old favorite, a medicine ball is placed in a shallow pool of water surrounded by sand. The contestants compete to take the ball and put it in the opposing team’s goal. The rounds are dictated as 1v1, then 2v2, then 1v1, then 2v2, then 1v1. With four countries in the elimination quest, there will be one-on-one matches, and the losing countries will be eliminated. Different from last year, the ball must be put into a goal; if it’s not, then there is a one-minute rematch. If the ball is still not scored, the ball must be moved closest to the opposing team’s goal to win. 

Physical Asia Cast

Team Korea

• Team Captain: Dong-hyun “Stun Gun” Kim —  Former UFC Fighter, first Korean in the UFC (Physical 100 Season 2 competitor)
• Amotti — Influencer and Physical Season 2 Winner
• Jang Eun-sil — Former National Team Wrestler, Olympian (Physical 100 Season 1 Competitor)
• Yun Sung-bin — National Team Skeleton Racer, Olympian
• Choi Seung-yeon — CrossFit Games Competitor
• Kim Min-jae — Champion Sireum Wrestler

Team Japan

• Team Captain: Yushin Okami — Former UFC fighter, Record Holder For Most Wins as an Asian Fighter in UFC
• Katsumi Nakamura — National Team Swimmer, Olympian
• Yoshio “Superhuman” Itoi — Former Professional Baseball Player
• Soichi Hashimoto — National Team Judo Fighter, Olympian
• Nonoka Ozaki — National Team Wrestler, Olympian
• Kana Watanabe — MMA Fighter

Team Thailand

• Team Captain: Suppachai “Superbon” Muensang — Muay Thai Champion
• Sunny Kerdkao Wechokittikorn — National Team Rugby Player
• James Rusameekae Fagurlund — Former Volleyball Player, Actor
• Jar Uracha Teerawanitsan — CrossFit athlete
• Anucha Yospanya — National Team Wrestler
• Ploy Nuannaree Olsen – Bodybuilder, Muay Thai Coach

Team Mongolia

• Team Captain: Orkhonbayar Bayarsaikhan — Champion Bokh Wrestler
• Enkh-Orgil Baatarkhuu — Pro MMA fighter (ONE)
• Dulguun Enkhbat — National Team Basketball Player (3v3), Olympian
• Khandsuren Gantogtokh — National Team Volleyball Player, Olympian
• Adiyasuren Amarsaikhan — National Team Judo Fighter
• Lkhagva-Ochir Erdene-Ochirn — Acrobat & Contortionist

Team Philippines

• Team Captain: Manny Pacquiao —  8-time world boxing champion (in 8 weight classes)
• Mark “Mugen” Strieg — MMA fighter and National Sambo Team fighter
• Justin Coveney — National Team Rugby Player
• Ray Jefferson Querubin — International Strong Man
• Robyn Lauren Brown — National Team Track & Field, Olympic Hurdler
• Lara Liwanag — CrossFit Games Competitor

Team Indonesia

• Team Captain: Igede “Executioner” Dharma Susila — Bodybuilding Champion and Mr. Indonesia 2018
• Glenn Victor Sutan — National Team Swimmer, Olympian, Mr. International Indonesia 2024
• Marcus Fernaldi Gideon — Former National Team Badminton Player
• Fina Phillipe — Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Fighter, Actress
• Jeremiah Lakhwani — Listed as Athlete
• Maria Selena — Former Basketball Player, Actress, Ms. Indonesia 2011 (for the Ms. Universe Pageant)

Team Turkiye

• Team Captain: Recep Kara — Oil Wrestling Champion
• Ali Sofuoğlu — National Team Karate Fighter, Olympian
• Yasemin Adar Yigit — Former National Team Wrestler, Olympian
• Anil Berk Baki — Sailor
• Ogeday Girişken — Rower, Actor
• Nefise Karatay — Actress, former Model

Team Australia

• Team Captain: Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker — Current UFC Middleweight Champion
• Alexandra Milne — Influencer
• Eddie Williams — Strongman
• Eloni Vunakece — Former Rugby Player
• Dom Tomato — Influencer, Freerunner (Parkour)
• Katelin Van Zyl — CrossFit Competitor

When does Physical Asia Release?

Physical Asia released Episodes 1-4 on October 28, 2025, with new episodes releasing on Tuesdays in November exclusively on Netflix.