This Underdog Contestant On "Physical: 100" Proves To Us That Size Doesn't Matter

With 100 contestants in top physical shape competing in a series of intense physical challenges to win the cash prize of ₩300 million KRW (about $237,000 USD), Netflix’s Physical: 100 is a show everybody is hooked on.

There is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears shed in this reality show as the competitors give everything they have to prove their strength—and to not smash their torso statue with a hammer.

| Netflix

Out of the 100 contestants, 23 are women. And there are moments when the female contestants are underestimated despite their amazing athletic abilities, and there was even a time when a female contestant went viral for her response to sexist comments from male contestants.

However, there is a contestant who is grabbing the public’s attention: Kim Da Young.

Kim Da Young is a stuntwoman who appears to have a smaller frame than most contestants in Physical: 100. Standing next to other contestants show the height and frame differences more accurately, as seen in her Instagram photos with MMA fighter Choo Sung Hoon and wrestler Jang Eun Sil.

Choo Sung Hoon (left) and Kim Da Young (right) | *@__dalami/Instagram*

Jang Eun Sil (left) and Kim Da Young (right) | *@__dalami/Instagram*

However, being small does not get in the way of Kim Da Young winning victories after victories.

On a one-on-one battle with Jiu-jitsu fighter Chae Wan Ki, also known as Wanki Chae, Kim Da Young defeats him with her speed and strength. Although the whole match was edited into a short snippet, in the clip, she can be seen speeding away from her competition and wrestling with him for the ball.

She proudly posted about this victory on her Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 김다영 da young Kim (@__dalami)

I’m going to take care of my portion!
It was an honor competing with Chae Wan Ki!
Our match overlapped with Choo Sung Hoon’s so I heard most people didn’t get to see it…

(ps. @netflixkr I’m the only girl who defeated a guy so can you please release the full video?😭

— Kim Da Young

Then she competed in a group challenge where teams had to build a bridge with wood panels and carry bags of sand across both the bridge and a flight of stairs—whichever team brings across the most amount of sand wins.

Building the bridge was a crucial part of this challenge because it not only had to be build quickly, but sturdily. During the challenge, many teams struggled because the wood panels on their bridge kept falling apart whenever they ran across it.

| Netflix

However, when Kim Da Young was delegated the job to put the bridge together, she made sure to velcro every wood panel carefully.

I LOVE HER #Physical100

pic.twitter.com/YU6FR1lMEf

— ivy. (@yezicore) February 7, 2023

She stated that working in the stunt business has taught her the importance of safety, and that even if they do not win, they should not get hurt. Throughout the 12-minute challenge, nobody got hurt and no matter how many times people ran across the bridge, not once did the wood panels fall out of place.

Her meticulousness was appreciated by viewers and she was acknowledged for being the true underdog that led her team to victory.

IKRRR

these guys weren’t thinking properly, there’s no point in building the bridge in a hurry, it only makes it fall and ruins progress when they need it most

this girl knew exactly what she was doing and like 80% of the reason they won was this bridge 🖐️

— biaᴱᴺᐨ | Physical 100 📺 (@yoocatx) February 7, 2023

She was the only reason they won.

— .Nma💚 (@Ajmystro) February 8, 2023

As soon as she mentioned working in the stunt business I was like, “oh yeah she knows her velcro” and surely she did!! 💯

— Ken ✊🏿 (@justatken) February 8, 2023

Her team members even praised her for building the bridge well and even lifted her up in celebration when they won.

| Netflix

She did not stop there—in the latest challenge, teams had to push a 1.5 ton ship loaded with ten oak barrels across logs and pull the ship up a slope using rope. It was a very gruesome challenge where the team had to work together and think strategically to get it done in the fastest amount of time.

While pushing the ship, Kim Da Young’s leg got caught under a log and she started yelling in pain.

The other team members scurried to help her, however, she got her leg out and quickly dusted herself off to continue the competition.

Her strength as well as her perseverance to keep pushing despite what could have been a terrible disaster impressed her team member Jung Hae Min.

Throughout the rest of the challenge, she speedily zoomed around to wherever help was needed, and she was the one to slip the rope over the iron stake which marked the end of the extremely strenuous task.

| Netflix

Kim Da Young has been pulling through every challenge with her strength, strategy and speed, proving that it does not matter whether you’re tall, buff, short, or small—anybody has the ability to be powerful.