Justin Harvey is another contestant who has captured the attention of fans tuning into Season 2 of Physical: 100. Like Emmanuel, Harvey is not Korean but has nonetheless found his way into the grueling competition, which takes place in a giant-sized dystopian set built to resemble an underground mine. Unlike Emmanuel, he was also able to survive the first four episodes.
Physical 100: Season 2 Contestant Justin Harvey
Justin Harvey is one of only a few players on the show who is not of Korean origin. Justin is an actor who has found himself doing some work in Korea and managed to land a spot on the show.
Justin’s first main role was in the action mystery thriller The Witch: Part 2 — The Other One, from popular director Park Hoon-jung. In an interview with The Korea Herald, he revealed that the fact he could speak the language helped, and although he took some formal training, a lot of his ability was self-taught:
“Not being able to speak Korean is probably the biggest challenge for foreign actors,” he noted. He originally thought he landed the role of Tom because of his language skills, despite a lack of experience in his portfolio. But director Park later told Harvey that he was the Tom that Park had always imagined, although Harvey had to gain some 10 kilograms to play the role.
Justin arrived in Korea when he was 24 years old, and loved the country so much he decided to stay. He would appear in a couple of reality shows first, realizing that they would be a good platform to get noticed on, and would help him learn about Korean culture.
Where is Justin Harvey from?
Justin is originally from South Africa. He made the trip to South Korea in 2015 and has been there ever since. Originally Justin made the journey as he wanted to explore a country that was the polar opposite of his native country.
What does Justin Harvey do for work?
The game show competitor and actor was trained in law, and had decided that he would take a safer route by completing law school, before discovering a love for acting. The trip to Korea was never intended to be a long-term situation, but his love of the country led to him changing plans.
Harvey would appear in the reality shows Welcome, First Time in Korea? and South Korean Foreigners, both of which were shown on the Korean TV channel MBC Every1 in 2020. Welcome, First Time in Korea? has an interesting premise that features someone living in the country who is not originally from there. Then they get to invite three friends over from their native land, who get to travel around the country for the first time, under the scrutiny of a panel of guests.
South Korean Foreigners is another reality game show that features 10 non-Koreans who have to go up against five Koreans in a quiz about the language and culture of South Korea. This route through entertainment and reality shows, has led to other non-Korean actors being picked up for work in other roles in the country. Actors David McInnes and Sam Hammington, whom you might remember from Superman Returns, have found a fan base in the country after taking a similar path.
If you’re struggling to keep up with Physical: 100 Season 2, fear not — we’re documenting all the results of every quest in Physical: 100 Season 2, so you’ll be able to keep track there.
