Boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to represent Philippines in Netflix’s ‘Physical: 100’ spinoff

Photo courtesy: @Netflix_PH | X

SURPRISE! Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao will join the forthcoming spinoff of the South Korean reality competition series “Physical: 100” as a Philippine representative.

Streaming giant Netflix announced this on Tuesday, February 4, sharing photos of Pacquiao being interviewed at the Incheon International Airport.

He arrived in South Korea with his wife, Jinkee, to participate in “Physical: Asia,” the third season of the hit survival reality competition show.

“Hey guys! I’m here in Korea for ‘Physical: Asia,” Pacquiao said in a video posted by Netflix K-Content on TikTok.

Netflix Philippines also shared Pacquiao’s photos at the airport and said, “He’s not a K-idol, pero si idol pa rin ‘yan! Manny Pacquiao has arrived in Korea for ‘Physical: Asia.’”

According to Netflix, “Physical: Asia” will feature contestants from various Asian countries engaging in intense physical challenges.

It will be a team competition. If a teammate falls, the entire group will be eliminated from the show.

“Pacquiao, revered worldwide as the only boxer in history to acquire titles in eight weight divisions, brings his formidable talent and indomitable spirit to this team-based clash of champions,” said the streaming platform.

“Physical: Asia” will premiere in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Surprising news

On social media, many Filipino fans were shocked but excited about the boxing icon’s participation in the survival competition show.

Some even started calling him “Manny sunbaenim.” The Korean term “sunbaenim” is used to address someone with more experience in the industry.

“Sana manalo ka, Manny! Basta enjoy ka lang, praying that you don’t get injured and that you get to know more competitive athletes in the region. Fighting,” one netizen commented on Netflix’s Facebook post.

Another netizen said on X (formerly Twitter) that this is “the biggest news of my life [right now]” and that they even shared it with their mom.

Before “Physical: Asia,” Pacquiao appeared in several South Korean television shows, such as “Running Man” and “Knowing Bros.”

To recall, Eunhyuk of the South Korean boy group Super Junior visited Pacquiao’s home to celebrate the 17th birthday of his daughter, Princess, in 2023.

The eight-division boxing champion is also a former Philippine senator who is seeking reelection in the upcoming 2025 midterm elections.

Past seasons

“Physical: 100” first aired in January 2023. It tested the physical abilities of 100 hundred athletic contestants, 77 men and 23 women.

The pilot episode saw them participate in a “hanging challenge,” where they hung from a bar raised above a pool for as long as they could.

Meanwhile, the show’s second season, “Physical: 100 Season 2 — Underground,” premiered in March 2024.

It featured a new batch of 100 contestants who were divided into five groups: the warriors, national athletes, it body, superstar athletes, and athletic celebrities.