Global showdown arrives: Physical: Asia to name the winning country today

The final episodes of Physical: Asia will drop today, marking the moment when one of eight nations will be crowned champion.

Episodes 10 through 12 will determine which country emerges victorious in the series.

The stakes are high: national pride, elite athletes, and the first-ever team title in the Physical franchise all converge on this moment.

Physical: Asia’s road to the championship

Physical: Asia is a reality competition series on Netflix that pits eight countries — South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia, and the Philippines — against one another in brutal physical and strategic quests.

Teams of six athletes each represent their nations, and the grand prize is ₩1 billion (approximately US$700,000) for the winning country.

From the premiere on October 28 to today’s release of the final batch of episodes, the series has featured eliminations, alliances, national rivalries, and grueling challenges.

Physical: Asia - The journey so far

In the opening stage, Quest 1 (Territorial Conquest), all eight teams competed simultaneously on sand-dune platforms to secure a spot and avoid elimination.

In Quest 2 (Shipwreck Salvage), one-on-one rounds had Australia pulling in 2,100 kg of freight - edging out Japan's 1,820 kg.

Mongolia beat the Philippines - 2,000 kg versus 1,290 kg.

South Korea took down Thailand by lifting 2,120 kg compared to 1,380 kg. 

Turkey lifted 1,990 kg while Indonesia managed 1,480 kg.

Losing teams from Quest 2 were sent into a sudden-death “Death Match.”

Japan faced Indonesia, while the Philippines faced Thailand in the elimination rounds.

Indonesia and Thailand were the first teams to get eliminated. 

Quest 3 set up the “Team Representative Match”, dividing the remaining six countries into two clusters.

Group A had Korea, Australia, and the Philippines.

Mongolia and Turkey came together with Japan in Group B.

Australia topped Group A - meanwhile, Korea came in second; the Philippines didn't make it through.

Mongolia topped Group B, while Japan landed in second place - Team Turkiye didn't make it through.

By the end of Quest 3, just four squads were left - Japan, Australia, Mongolia, and South Korea.

In Quest 4, which was the Battle Rope Relay, Japan won, and they moved straight into Quest 5, leaving the rest three battling in a death match to avoid elimination.

For now, Australia’s team is joining forces with Mongolia and South Korea in a tough showdown where each squad must spin a heavy 1,200 kg pole through 100 rounds.

The first two teams to finish will advance to Quest 5, while one team will be eliminated. The challenge pushes strength, timing, and raw grit under pressure.

Today’s finale is set to deliver the outcome: only one of the remaining countries will claim the title of Physical: Asia champion.

More details on Physical: Asia and its final release

The nations still in contention include Japan, which secured direct advancement to Quest 5; Australia, considered one of the strongest physical contenders; Mongolia, known for its steady momentum; and South Korea, which has fielded several top athletes.

Behind the scenes, the scale of Physical: Asia was enormous. One production detail revealed that the set was built across an area the size of five soccer fields, using 1,200 metric tons of sand and 40 metric tons of steel.

The global audience has kept building. The show ranked in Netflix’s Global Top 10 for Non-English TV and recorded 3.6 million views between November 3 and November 9.

Episodes 10-12 of Physical: Asia will drop today (18th November) at 12 a.m. PT / 3 a.m. ET. 

Viewers will see the final quests that test strategy, endurance, teamwork, and national pride. 

Producers have emphasized that the show’s core is rooted in pure athletic challenge. As producer Jang Ho-gi said:

“At its heart, the Physical series is about raw competition that transcends disciplines and generations.”

With one title, one prize, and 48 athletes pushing to represent their nations, the global showdown has arrived.

Stay tuned for more updates.