If there’s one thing made abundantly clear in the Korean competition show Physical: 100, it’s that strength can take many forms. Sure, being able to drag a 2-ton ship across a sandy pit is pretty impressive, but it isn’t just pure brawn that determines the ultimate physique. It’s also agility, endurance and most importantly, strength of will. 

CrossFit athlete and snowboarder Woo Jin-yong possesses a balanced mixture of all of these traits, as he beats out the other 99 contestants in the competition, wins 300 million won (roughly $230,000) and is deemed to have the “ideal physique.”

For the majority of Physical:100, the 37-year-old keeps a relatively low profile, unlike some of the attention-grabbing mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, giant bodybuilders and other more braggadocious types. But his versatility and power as a competitor becomes more and more clear, particularly as he wins both the challenge in which he has to run 20 laps around a race track and the task of unspooling a weighty rope from a giant coil. 

Ahead, Woo reflects on the grueling competition and explains to Tudum how he ultimately came out on top in this literal survival of the fittest.

What does winning this competition mean to you? 

It feels like a dream that I’m the last one standing out of a group of 99 elite competitors. I was lucky enough to be part of a good team that made it through the survival rounds. I’d like to thank all 99 individuals who were part of this great journey.

How do you think your training prepared you for the challenges?

I didn’t know what type of quests we would need to get through, but I felt it would be advantageous to be able to be in peak physical condition where I can control my body well. With that in mind, I followed CrossFit’s “Murph” WOD (workout of the day): Run 1 mile wearing a 20-pound weight vest, do 100 pull-ups, 200 push-ups and 300 squats, then run another mile. I think following this circuit was what best prepared me for the challenges.

What moment throughout the competition surprised you the most? 

I was most surprised during the “Weight of Survival” mission where our team placed first by a landslide. I gained a lot of confidence and was so proud after we won.

Who did you look up to in the very beginning? Who did you think was going to win? 

From a young age, I looked up to [MMA fighter] Choo Sung-hoon as a role model, so I was glad I was able to compete alongside him. I thought Carlos, Nam Kyung-jin and Yun Sung-bin would be the most likely candidates to win.

Given the range of body types and training of each contestant, are you surprised that someone who does CrossFit and involved in snowboarding ultimately came out on top?

The goal of CrossFit is to optimize all aspects of physical competence. We train daily through various exercises at different levels of intensity so that we’re in peak shape and are able to exhibit strong performances in any situation. 

During my time as a national snowboarder, I competed in many national and international level competitions (world cups, world championships, etc.). I think my previous experiences allowed me to keep my cool and keep my focus throughout the quests.

Physical: 100 is a global hit — what’s your response to that? Why? 

It was a really challenging and fun experience filming this show last summer with 99 of South Korea’s most fit. I had a feeling that this would be a great show while I was on site filming. Once it aired on Netflix, there was a lot more interest and love around the show than I’d expected. I’d like to thank all the viewers around the world!

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.