Before season 2 of Physical: 100, Netflix's hit South Korean reality series, dropped there was already buzz among fans that Hong Beom-seok was returning to the competition. The former firefighter and TV personality was the only cast member from season 1 to return to the intense survival series, after he was eliminated early in his first appearance. On he second go-around, the fan-favorite exceeded expectations by assuming immediate frontrunner status, and eventually became one of the season's four finalists alongside actor Justin Harvey, rugby player Andre Jin, and Crossfit YouTuber Amotti.
Fans of Korean reality shows know that Hong had been a regular star on fitness competitions even before his first appearance on the Netflix series. Read on to learn more about the athlete, including why he decided to join Physical: 100 season 2.
He's a former firefighter and media personality.
Per his bio, Hong served in the South Korean special forces for over 11 years. After he was discharged as a sergeant in 2017, he was appointed as a firefighter and rescue specialist. He was the first Korean to win the Toughest Firefighter Alive title at the World Firefighter Games, beating 150 firefighters in the four-day competition in 2018. He ended his firefighter career in 2022 to focus on competitions and content creation.
Hong first stood out in the Korean entertainment industry while appearing on the military survival series The Soldiers in 2021. He's also appeared on The Gentlemen's League, King of Wrestling, Mission CodeRed, and The Iron Squad season 3, as well as Physical: 100. And he runs his own YouTube channel, called Tiger Stone, where he shares fitness content, vlogs, collaborations with other YouTubers, and occasional lifestyle content that features his wife and two sons.
He's the first-ever contestant to compete on multiple seasons of 'Physical: 100.'
Hong tenure on season 1 of 'Physical: 100' was cut short when he was eliminated during a one-on-one "death match" against eventual season 1 finalist Jo Jin-hyeong. But he remained a top player all the way through season 2, as he ranked first out of all 100 players in the pre-quest treadmill challenge; he was also chosen as the second highest-voted team captain. He ultimately ended his redemption streak as the season's first runner-up.
In an interview with The Korea Times, Physical: 100 creator Jang Hogi revealed that he invited Hong back for the fans. “We didn’t plan to call back season one’s participants, because there were so many applicants already, but there were a lot of requests for Hong to return,” Jang said. “I also hoped to show his performance, as he is a remarkable individual. And in terms of the show’s entertainment, it would be nice to have his own narrative unfold. As a result, he made it to the finals.”
Hong also shared that it was a "difficult decision" to rejoin the show. “I seriously debated [whether to join season two]. In season one, they sent me home without mercy after losing. The same situation could be repeated in season two, and if that happens, I felt it would be mentally too taxing for me,” he said.
“However, if I didn’t participate, I felt I might regret it deeply forever," he added. “Thanks to the opportunity to be on season two, I made such unforgettable memories.”
He underwent a knee injury while filming 'Physical: 100' season 2.
In November 2023, Hong shared an Instagram post from a hospital, revealing that he had undergone treatment on his knees. Though he didn't explain the backstory at the time, the athlete later revealed in a YouTube video that he sustained a knee injury while participating in the final round of Physical: 100 season 2, during the pole pushing challenge against Amotti.
"This wasn’t about the game being too dangerous. It was just that I had exerted all my strength, and my ligament was torn," he said, per the video's English subtitles. He went on to share that Amotti began crying after seeing Hong on the ground with paramedics, which made Hong "realize the gravity of the situation." The runner-up also added, "I think I would've lost anyway, without the injury," and said of his time on the show, "Since I lost to a junior I respect, I was able to finish Physical: 100 season 2 feeling quite satisfied."
By the time Physical: 100 aired, it appeared that Hong had made a speedy recovery following treatment. He has taken part in press events for the show, and he's also filmed several YouTube videos where he works out with his fellow contestants.
