The runaway success of Netflix’s Physical 100 has thrust the South Korean reality competition to the forefront of the conversation.

Featuring a cash prize of $300,000 million South Korean won and the title of the “perfect physique,” Physical 100 showcased the athletic abilities of 100 diverse contestants through a series of grueling, near-impossible challenges, or “quests” as they are called on the show. Such challenges included pushing a 1.5-ton ship across an arena filled with sand, being the last one standing holding a giant heavy rock above your head, and pushing a 200-pound boulder over a hill again and again until you can’t any longer. 

Although many of the show’s contestants included CrossFit athletes, Olympians, MMA fighters, gymnasts, and bodybuilders, not all hailed from similar athletic backgrounds. Contestant Cha Hyun-seung was a dancer and model, Bbulkup was a YouTuber and restaurant owner, Elaine Yuki Wong was an actress, and Lee Min-woo was a chef. 

Indeed, diversity was the name of the game for Physical 100. Regardless of age, gender, or race, anyone was allowed to compete, and anyone had the ability to take home the 300,000 million won cash prize, and what a coveted cash prize it was.

What is the US dollar conversion of 300,000 million won?

Reality competitions are famous for offering contestants cash prizes. That said, something about Physical 100’s cash prize stands out as impressive. Perhaps it is the “million” attached to 300,000 million won. It sure sounds like a lot, but is it worth as much as it sounds in US dollars?

The exchange rate between US dollars (USD) and South Korean won (KRW) has been in constant flux due to multiple periods of inflation in South Korea. As of 2023, $1 USD is officially worth 1,303.426 KRW, according to Forbes.

That means the 300,000 million KRW cash prize from Physical 100 is actually worth $243,188 USD, according to Netflix. That’s still hefty prize money for a competition that’s in its first year of inception. Should the hit show get renewed for a second season, it wouldn’t be surprising if Netflix upped that amount.

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