‘Physical 100’: Who Is Contestant Yun Sung-bin? And Why Is Everyone Afraid of Him?
Out of the 100 contestants in Netflix‘s Physical 100, a few have instilled fear in even the biggest and strongest athletes. In the first episode, everyone was floored by MMA fighter Choo Sung-hoon, but there was one remaining contestant fans were excited to meet. Physical 100 stars former Olympic skeleton racer Yun Sung-bin.
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Physical 100.]
The contestants of ‘Physical 100’ fear going up against Yun Sung-bin
The Netflix unscripted Korean series has some of the most well-trained and recognized athletes go head-to-head to see whose physique is best. From bodybuilders, dancers, gymnasts, and MMA fighters, to UDT soldiers, Physical 100 has it all. As the 100 contests filled the room, there was one missing athlete. Before the grand reveal of who it was, some of the contestants were worried.
The perfectly chiseled bust had many wondering if he would appear to participate in the series. One contestant’s explained, “During my interview, I said he scared me the most.” Even Physical 100 contestant Agent H said, “I’m not sure if he’ll come on. You can’t catch up to his level, even with great effort.” Another contestant called him a “monster.”
But who is it? The 100th contestant of Physical 100 is none of other than Yung Sun-bin. Fans who have watched Korea during the Winter Olympics would recognize his immense stature and why others fear him. Upon his arrival, one contestant said, “It looked like a beast was walking in. It felt as if I came across a tiger in the mountains.”
Yun Sung-bin is a former Olympic skeleton racer with speed, agility, and strength
Physical 100 includes an array of Olympic athletes, from wrestlers, gymnasts, judo stars, and Yun Sung-bin. In his bio, Yun introduced himself with, “I won gold at Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. Olympic athletes rarely get a chance to appeal to the public or to share about themselves. The Olympics happen every four years, and we’re usually forgotten quickly. I came on the show because I wanted to show myself.”
According to Forbes, Yun was a breakout star as he became “the first athlete from outside Europe or America to win a sliding medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics. With his trademark ‘Iron Man’ helmet, Yun shot to top position on the podium with a gold medal in the men’s skeleton.” Yun is 5’10” and was born on May 23, 1994. He knew nothing of the sport as a teen but showcased immense athletic abilities. According to The Globe and Mail, as a teen, he would give his competitors a 10-meter headstart in 100-meter races and could easily touch the rim of a basketball hoop.
His teacher recommended skeleton racing, and while Yun faced trouble at first, he quickly caught national attention. Yun soon became the “first South Korean gold medal outside skating; first Asian medalist in an Olympic sliding sport; fastest man ever down the slick ice at the Pyeongchang Games Olympic Sliding Centre.”
There is no denying that years of training for the Olympics to perfect his agility, balance, muscle ratio, and more have paid off. Fans can follow Yun on Instagram at @top.physical.
How far did the Olympic athlete get in ‘Physical 100’?
Yun was one of the contestants who made it to the top 50 after the first preliminary challenge. When it came time to pick his opponent for the official elimination challenge, Yun chose trot singer and MMA fighter Lee Dae-won. But fans and the contestants were blown away by Yun’s sheer dominance in the wrestling pit in Physical 100 Episode 3.
While Lee used his speed and agility, Yun stalked him like a predator. “It’s like a tiger hunting a rabbit,” said one contestant. As soon as Yun left the pit, the other contestants yelled at Lee not to get caught. If he did, it was game over. Once Yun covered the ball, Lee could not move him even an inch. To everyone’s wonder, Yun grabbed onto the ball with one hand in a vice grip, and he stood up with ease and Lee clinging onto him.
As the timer ran out, Yun was the clear winner. “He flung me with one hand. I don’t usually get thrown around like that. It’s a match I never want to experience again,” said Lee. Other contestants are heard commenting, “He really is a monster,” and “He’s a top-class athlete in Korea.” For the next challenge, Yun was selected as one of the team captains with the most votes.
