‘Physical 100’ Episode 8: Did Choo Sung-hoon Survive the Most Brutal Elimination Challenge?
There is only one episode of Netflix‘s Physical 100 before one contestant is crowned the strongest. But before the finale, the unscripted Korean series had one of the most challenging elimination quests that only left a handful remaining. There are some clear fan favorites, but did MMA fighter Choo Sung-hoon show off his strength on Physical 100 enough to move on to the final round?
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Physical 100.]
Choo Sung-hoon has proven age does not matter in ‘Physical 100’
The ages of the contestants of the competition series range from teens to some of the most recognized athletes. Physical 100 introduced national Taekwondo athlete and high school student Kim Byeong-jin. But fans and the Physical 100 contestants were blown away by one of MMA’s most recognized fighters, Choo Sung-hoon. He has dominated the sport since his younger years and is still one of the most feared fighters at age 47.
When he first arrived on the series, the competitors were starstruck, knowing his career and celebrity status well. But Choo had a goal in mind when joining the series. “I still compete with younger fighters. I want to show people that even at this age, there’s a way to beat young people. Don’t underestimate this middle-aged man.”
Choo has proven himself right. So far, he has surpassed the elimination quests and dominated in the wrestling pit. During the boat quest on Physical 100, he and Jo Jin-hyeong’s team worked together seamlessly to win first place. Even the middle-aged contestant can battle against Korea’s national athletes and has just as an impressive physique. But as the competition series comes to an end, more contestants had to be eliminated. In one of the most brutal quests, Choo went up against some of the strongest male contestants.
Choo Sung-hoon went up against Olympian Yun Sung-bin in the pre-finale
Physical 100 added a unique dynamic to the pre-elimination quest. The teams had to each choose one member to take on a challenge inspired by ancient mythology. Those who do not win the quest are eliminated and must destroy their plaster busts. The ominous voice announced only five contestants would survive the quest and move on to the finale.
The challenges include The Punishment of Atlas, The Fire of Prometheus, The Wings of Icarus, The Punishment of Sisyphus, and The Tail of Ouroborus. Choo was chosen to take on the fourth challenge. The contestants must roll a heavy boulder over the hill for as long as possible. If they fail to get over the hill, they lose for good. Choo not only went up against Jong Hae-min and bodybuilder Ma Sun-ho but the beast himself, Physical 100’s Yun Sung-bin.
Choo was off to a good start during the quest despite admitting how tiresome going up the hill was with a much heavier boulder than he imagined. The first to be eliminated was Sun-ho. He explained that while rolling the boulder up the hill, he believed his ankle sprained and hindered his performance.
The game is on with only three contestants remaining. Choo got rid of his shirt to push ahead. But the endurance required for the quest proved to be too much for the MMA fighter. He soon started to fall behind and lose his energy. It ultimately led to his end on Physical 100, and he was the second to be eliminated.
Who won ‘The Punishment of Sisyphus’ quest?
Choo wanted to go to the Physical 100 finale but was unsuccessful. He explained, “It’s such a shame. My muscular strength was fine, but I kept running out of stamina as the game went on, so I couldn’t use my strength. It was really tiring, but it was also a lot of fun.” But the MMA fighter is happy with the outcome as he tried his best until the very end.
But the question remains on who will leave the quest victorious. Yun has proven to live up to his nicknames and hype of his immense athletic abilities. It seems that Jong is also a formidable opponent, as the contestants were surprised by his speed. Both contestants need to focus as their endurance runs low. Like any good competitions series, Physical 100 Episode 8 ends on a cliffhanger. Fans will have to wait and see if Yun will again be the number one person to beat.
Physical 100 is available to stream on Netflix.
