Japan Alleges Bias After Republic of Korea Wins 'Physical: Asia'—What Is Mongolia’s Response?

According to Financial News, after the Republic of Korea (ROK) claimed the final victory in the Netflix show 'Physical: Asia', released on the 18th, a representative of the Japanese team alleged the show was biased. However, a representative from the Mongolian team, which finished second, directly refuted these claims, drawing attention.
On the 21st, according to the entertainment industry, Dulguun Enkhtsogt, a former basketball player and head of Spark Agency Mongolia, posted a lengthy statement on his Instagram account on the 20th.
Enkhtsogt stated, "It is absolutely unacceptable to provoke fights across borders or attack Netflix or other competitors with unrelated comments. While I understand that being the host country may raise suspicions or caution, let me explain why such concerns are unfounded."
"Those with the vision to grow 'Physical: Asia' into a 'Netflix Olympics' would never act to favor their own national team," he emphasized. "They know better than anyone how dangerous such actions are and how strict the regulations are."
He added, "The ROK team has the most experience in this type of show, having competed in both season 1 and season 2. There is a psychological advantage to being on home ground, and the ROK team felt pressure to win as the host. Even if they did win, controversy and suspicion were inevitable. Nevertheless, they succeeded and won this competition."
He further remarked, "Please keep any criticism or unfounded comments about Netflix or the ROK athletes to yourself. If you still feel stressed, I hope you find relief in your favorite sport."
Enkhtsogt also expressed gratitude and pride, noting that the program changed global perceptions of Mongolia. "Through this show, Mongolia gained the most value and recognition, raising our global profile and receiving love and acknowledgment. The world now sees Mongolians differently. Our warriors have shown that we excel not only in strength and endurance but also in intelligence."
Ahead of the Netflix release of 'Physical: Asia', he said, "I still can't believe Mongolians are part of 'Physical: Asia' on Netflix, which has 310 million users in over 190 countries. Every time I watch, I feel excited and proud."


Japan finished third in the competition, following Mongolia. On the day after the final episode aired, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) athlete Yushin Okami, who represented Japan, claimed on his social media that the show was biased.
He praised the Japanese team as the best and insisted, "The show was biased from the start." He also wrote that the program should have been produced in a non-participating country, but deleted the post after it sparked controversy. Later, he clarified, "I want to make my previous comments clear. I may have caused confusion due to not fully understanding the meaning of certain English expressions," and issued an apology.
He also stated, "Physical: Asia was an excellent competition, and it was an honor to compete against outstanding athletes from around the world." He expressed pride in the Japanese team.
Additionally, he shared a photo taken during filming this year with Kim Dong-hyeon, captain of the ROK team, congratulating Dong-hyeon and the ROK team. He added, "It was great to see an old friend again. Please visit Japan again." Yushin Okami and Kim Dong-hyeon have known each other since their UFC days.
Meanwhile, 'Physical: Asia' is the third season of 'Physical: 100', featuring the first-ever national team competition with eight Asian countries participating. From March 3rd to 9th, it recorded 3.6 million views, ranking third in the global Top 10 TV (Non-English) category for two consecutive weeks. It also topped the charts in four countries and entered the Top 10 list in 26 countries worldwide, including the ROK, Australia, the Philippines, Türkiye, Finland, and the United Arab Emirates.


jashin@fnnews.com Shin Jin-a Reporter