If you’re a fan of competitive reality shows, you may have heard of Physical: 100. The Korean Netflix show has grown in popularity since its initial premiere, enticing people from all over the world to watch the grueling challenges its contestants have to undergo if they want the chance to win a cash prize.
In a similar vein to, say, American Ninja Warrior mixed with The Challenge or Survivor, the show invites 100 of South Korea’s strongest people to compete together and prove who really is the best of the best. The contestants run the gamut from national Olympians to popular fitness influencers. After each “quest” eliminates a contestant, they have to take a hammer to a cast of their torso, which is both heartbreaking and epic to watch.
Batches of the show are released weekly on Netflix. And as of February 13, the last two episodes before the season finale are now out, and it seems the remaining contestants will have to endure the some of the most difficult challenges yet. In Episode 8, the show introduces five Greek myth-inspired contests which will eliminate all contestants except five, who will then go onto to the final challenge to win the season’s cash prize.
Of the five challenges there’s one based on Prometheus, where contestants race to pick up a staff of fire first. Then there’s “the Wings of Icarus,” which has contestants climb a rope and the first to reach the top wins. A Sisyphus-inspired challenge has contestants roll a giant boulder up and down a hill until only one person remains. And the “Tail of Ouroboros” task is a game of tag on a track, where the last person to be tagged wins. Finally, there’s the Punishment of Atlas, arguably the most brutal of all the tasks.
What’s the Punishment of Atlas on Physical: 100?
On Physical: 100, the Punishment of Atlas is a task where contestants have to hold a giant boulder for as long as possible. The last person standing wins the challenge.
In Greek mythology, Atlas was a Titan. In the ancient Greek poet Hesoid’s Theogony, Atlas was said to have been one of the Titans who took part in a war against Zeus, intending to aid Cronus, Zeus’ father, in taking over Mount Olympus.
After the Titans were defeated, Zeus punished Atlas by forcing him to hold up the heavens. In Hellenistic and Roman art, Atlas is often depicted as holding up a globe. Hence why the contestants on Physical:100 attempt to pull off such an epic feat.
Milan Polk is an Editorial Assistant for Men’s Health who specializes in entertainment and lifestyle reporting, and has worked for New York Magazine’s Vulture and Chicago Tribune.
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