Netflix’s popular survival show “Physical: 100” is facing allegations of having rigged its final challenge.
The show topped the charts as the world’s most-watched non-English language show for two consecutive weeks after its initial release on the streaming giant’s platform in late January and has been likened as the real-life “Squid Game,” inciting some to wonder whether reality programs are the next big South Korean cultural trend.
The finale, which aired on Feb. 21, saw CrossFit athlete Woo Jin-yong crowned as winner of the show and the coveted 300 million won (approximately $230,000) cash prize.
Accusations of a rigged finale have circulated since the finale’s release last Tuesday.
The show’s final challenge consisted of a rope-pulling showdown between two remaining contestants: Woo and Olympic cyclist Jung Hae-min.
In a post uploaded to the forum Fomos the following day, one netizen was quick to point out a perceived discrepancy in rope tension between the finalists. The post also speculated on the relationship between Jung and Woo based on their Instagram activity — Woo does not follow Jung and has not tagged him in any group photos, and Jung has not uploaded any posts related to the show.
The show’s producer, Jang Ho-gi, appeared to address the rumors surrounding the finale in an Instagram post on Tuesday, saying, “A lie can become famous but it can never become the truth.”
The producer’s comment prompted Jung to address the matter in an interview with South Korean news outlet Ilyo published on Tuesday.
Jung previously declined to make any comments and said that he was planning to remain silent until he saw the production team’s statement over the weekend claiming that there had been no rematch during the final and after reading Jang’s post.
“From my point of view, I wanted to talk about what is false and what is true,” he said.
Jung went on to explain that he was initially winning during the final…
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