The Soldiers () is a South Korean military-themed reality television show. The show seeks to find the "best special forces operator in the world," beginning with selecting the best Korean special forces representatives through a series of missions. Twenty male South Korean reservists who served in various special forces units of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces competed on the show. The cast also includes four former special forces operators from the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States and South Korea who serve as mentors and later team leaders to the participants.
The show aired on SBS TV from November 19, 2021, to January 28, 2022, every Friday at 23:10 (KST). Longer, uncut versions of each episode were released the following Wednesday at 18:00 (KST) on the YouTube channel "뉴띵 NDD".
In the first episode, the show was explained as a three-season project: Season 1: select the best team of South Korean special forces reservists Season 2: compete with national representative teams across Asia-Pacific Season 3: find the strongest team across the globe
The survival program has been compared by media and viewers to Steel Troops, which has a similar special forces premise and aired its first season half a year earlier. In response to the comparison, show host Kim Sang-joong said that "[The Soldiers] is more upgraded and entertaining, with more intense missions." Show producer Gi Sang-soo also asserted that The Soldiers is "the first television program of its kind," with its global focus bearing the largest distinction.
Cast
Host and mentors RoleNameNationalityMilitary backgroundHostKim Sang-joongSouth KoreaROK Marine Corps(Discharged as Byeongjang/Sergeant)MentorJay MortonUnited KingdomBritish Army Special Air Service (SAS), 10 yearsFormer cast of SAS: Who Dares WinsMentorJohan ReispassSwedenSwedish Armed Forces Special Operations Task Group (SOG), 17 yearsFormer cast of MentorWilrolan "Wil" RaveloUnited StatesUS Army Special Forces (Green Berets), 13 yearsUS Marine Corps Force Recon, 4 yearsMentorLee Chang-junSouth KoreaROK Army 707th Special Mission Group(Sangsa/Master Sergeant on reserve, 13 years active duty)
Participants NameUnitMilitary BranchGo In-hoKDIC (Korean Defense Intelligence Command)Republic of Korea NavyKim Yeong-cheolGong Gi-hwanUDT해군특수전전단Kim Hyeon-gonPark Seong-minKim Ho-jongSSU (Sea Salvage & Rescue Unit)해난구조전대Park Yo-sepMarine Corps Special Recon해병대수색대Park Han-gyeolLee Kang-wooChu Bu-yeonKim Yeong-hwan707th Special Mission Group제707특수임무단Republic of Korea ArmyHong Guk-seongHong Beom-seokPark Se-wonSpecial Warfare Command육군특수전사령부Park Jang-hoPark Hyeok-gyuSong Byeong-seokJo Seung-junHwang Seong-hyunSDT (Special Duty Team)군사경찰특임대Kim Chang-wanCCT (Combat Control Team)공군공정통제사Republic of Korea Air Force
List of episodes In the ratings below, the highest rating for the season will be in and the lowest rating for the season will be in .
EpisodesBroadcast DateRating1November 19, 20212.8%2November 26, 20212.6%3December 3, 20212.1%4December 10, 20215December 17, 20212.0%6December 24, 20212.3%7January 7, 20221.7%8January 14, 20229January 21, 20221.8%10January 28, 20221.4%
Mission results The show began with an individual competition, spanning episodes 1 to 3, to assess and rank the 20 participants. At the end of this stage, 4 participants were eliminated. The mentors then collectively ranked the remaining 16 participants prior to selecting their desired team members. However, the top 4 ranked participants were given the right to choose which mentor's team to join instead. From the second half of episode 3, the show then proceeded with the main team competition. In the tables below,
results in indicate a penalty given, such as an extra mission or becoming a candidate for elimination. results in indicate either gaining a mission benefit or surviving an elimination round. the final champion is indicated in .
ParticipantUnitIndividual CompetitionInclined March RaceAssault CourseTire Tug & Deep TankBoxing BattleOverall RankGo In-hoUDU6thGroup 4: FailedWon15thKim Yeong-cheolUDU8thGroup 1: FailedEliminatedGong Gi-hwanUDT9thGroup 1: 3rdGroup 3: 2nd4thKim Hyeon-gonUDT7thGroup 3: FailedGroup 4: 2nd9thPark Seong-minUDT12thGroup 2: FailedWon13thKim Ho-jongSSU14thGroup 2: 1stGroup 1: 2nd7thPark Yo-sepMCSR17thGroup 2: FailedGroup 3: 4thEliminatedPark Han-gyeolMCSR10thGroup 4: 1stGroup 1: 3rd5thLee Kang-wooMCSR19thGroup 1: FailedGroup 4: 4thWon16thChu Bu-yeonMCSR15thGroup 3: FailedGroup 4: 1st10thKim Yeong-hwan7074thGroup 4: 4thGroup 4: 3rd6thHong Guk-seong7073rdGroup 3: 1stGroup 1: 4thWon11thHong Beom-seok7071stGroup 1: 1stGroup 1: 1st1stPark Se-wonSWC16thGroup 4: 3rdGroup 3: 3rd14thPark Jang-hoSWC13thGroup 4: 2ndGroup 2: 4thEliminatedPark Hyeok-gyuSWC20thGroup 3: 2ndGroup 2: 1st12thSong Byeong-seokSWC2ndGroup 2: 2ndGroup 2: 3rd3rdJo Seung-junSWC11thGroup 3: 3rdGroup 3: 1st8thHwang Seong-hyunSDT18thGroup 2: FailedEliminatedKim Chang-wanCCT5thGroup 1: 2ndGroup 2: 2nd2nd
ParticipantUnitTeamTeam CompetitionObstacle Route MarchCave EscapeMud Car RescueCounter-terrorism RescueUnderwater Retrieval MissionBattlefieldLee Chang-jun LeaderAlpha1st3rd2nd1stWonKim Chang-wanCCTKim Ho-jongSSUChu Bu-yeonMCSRHong Beom-seok707Jay Morton LeaderBravo2nd1st1st2ndEliminatedGong Gi-hwanUDTKim Yeong-hwan707Kim Hyeon-gonUDTSong Byeong-seokSWCJohan Reispass LeaderCharlie3rdWon2ndEliminatedGo In-hoHIDPark Se-wonSWCPark Han-gyeolMCSRJo Seung-junSWCWil Ravelo LeaderDelta4thFailed3rdEliminatedPark Seong-minUDTPark Hyeok-gyuSWCLee Kang-wooMCSRHong Guk-seong707
Notes
References
External links Official website