Summary
All female survival series sees six teams of professionals pushed to the extreme. It’s tactical, intense and makes for thrilling television.
Here is our review of the South Korean Netflix Reality Series Siren: Survive the Island Season 1, which does not contain spoilers.
There has been a surge in reality survival shows that test their contestants mentally and physically recently, with successful series such as Outlast (which has been renewed for a second season) and Physical 100.
If you were swept up by these series, you’ll be glad to know that Netflix isn’t stopping there. This Korean series Siren: Survive the Island sees 24 females team up to survive on a remote island and certainly puts them to the test.
Siren: Survive the Island Season 1 Review
Unlike Physical 100, where all the challenges were inside a purpose-built space, the women are shipped off to a remote island in this series. The 24 contestants are put into teams of six, organized by their respective day jobs, and given tests until one team is left standing. The teams all have bases they have to defend daily.
In the first episode, we’re introduced to each team: Team Police, Team Firefighter, Team Guards, Team Soldier, Team Athlete, and Team Stunt. They describe themselves, and we instantly see their determination and desire to win, even though there is no cash prize at the end.
Their pride and respect for themselves and their professions are very inspiring. What strikes me is all these professions are very physical and masculine (what someone might associate a male profession with), filled with aggression, tension, and adrenaline. It’s really impressive to see women rising to the challenge like this.
Then it’s ready, set, and go, as the contestants must run through 1K of mudflat (in their uniforms) and more to get to the amphitheater, to meet the master.
Now, Siren will begin. An arena battle and base battle happen every single day, and the winners will receive special benefits throughout the game. The aim is to eliminate all the opponent’s team’s flags so only one flag remains. It’s like a real-life capture-the-flag or conquest game from the Battlefield or Call of Duty video games, just without guns.
The production value is great; the Island has six different bases, all with different values and purposes, there is a gym where all teams can work out near one another during the day, and there even is a store where the contestants can purchase things such as shovels and survival gear.
Most of the footage is through their body cams, mixed with some drone shots and hidden cameras. You don’t think or believe a camera crew is following them around. Who could intervene? Intense, dramatic, and sometimes playful music is played on top throughout, heightening the intensity and seriousness of their decisions.
Unlike similar shows such as Outlast, these contestants get physically violent. Each player has a small flag attached to them, and once this is taken from them, they are eliminated from the game.
This causes pile-ups, pushing, shoving, being tackled to the ground… They use their bodies as weapons, and I was surprised, as well as excited. It will bring out a different side of you as a contestant and viewer.
The days get tougher, more challenging, and more demanding, and you’ll be shocked at who survives. There were certain challenges I was exhausted from watching. It’s also more emotional than I thought. The siren sound is intimidating and what I imagine war to sound like.
Without giving any spoilers, my team didn’t make it, and watching them take down their flag and leave the Island deflated is just heartbreaking.
Is Siren: Survive the Island Good?
Overall this series is worth investing in. As a survival show, it has everything. Each episode is packed with tasks, tension and is thrilling to watch.
There’s no drama, and everything is straight to the point and task, which I appreciated.
Is Siren: Survive the Island Worth Watching?
Yes — There are ten episodes with a roughly one-hour runtime each, making this series a great binge-watch. It will have you drawn in and hooked from the first episode.
While Physical 100 felt more like a one-off impressive reality series, this one has more scope in terms of multiple seasons and even the possibility of an all-male/mixed sexes version.
What did you think of the South Korean Netflix Reality Series Siren: Survive the Island Season 1? Comment Below.
