Get scared and kilig: 'The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3' is now on Disney+
We’ve all been through a K-drama slump when not even our favorite oppa excites us to binge-watch his show. With countless shows following the same formula, it's easy to get bored. Good thing Korean variety shows always serve something new to entertain us.
Take, for example, The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3 on Disney+. The third installment of the hit survival show features new hilarious challenges that will test the chemistry of hosts Yu Jaeseok, and Kwon Yuri with their new castmates Dex and Kim Donghyun. The cast and the directors of The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3 talked about what makes this season special.
New cast, leveled-up challenges
With Lee Kwang-soo unable to return for season 3, two new cast members join the show. Former UFC fighter Kim Donghyun and DEX, a.k.a. YouTuber Kim Jinyoung (who also joined reality shows Singles Inferno and Physical 100), are known for their manly charms. However, despite their strong builts, it looks like the two had a difficult time with the missions.
“I watched season 2 and I thought this is really easy but when I had to try the challenges myself it was very hard. Maybe because Donghyun and I joined the cast, we had more challenging missions,” DEX recalled.
“I thought I was ready but if I had to do it again, it would be very difficult. We filmed during the winter so it was very hard,” Kim Donghyun said.
The show’s original host Yu Jaeseok described his new castmates, “DEX is quite cute as the youngest. He is reliable to Yuri. Dong-hyun is a fighter but can be quite a softie. If we can have season 4, we can have this cast plus [Lee] Kwangsoo. We will be invincible.”
DEX packs on the charm
During the press conference, a squee-inducing highlight clip showed Kwon Yuri calling DEX’s name multiple times during the challenges.
The usually tough Kwon Yuri described how DEX became her knight in shining armor. “I did not intend it but that’s how things naturally flow. I’m quite surprised. DEX was always there for me. He would just appear from nowhere to help me and hold me in his arms. The others would run away so naturally he came to my rescue.”
“I did not intend it but it felt like I was reshooting Singles Inferno season 2,” DEX humorously referred to his dating show stint.
“When she is with DEX I think she pretends to be scared of ghosts,” Kim Donghyun continued to tease the two.
The cute chemistry between Yuri and DEX is definitely something to look forward to.
Real-life issues and larger-scale survival show
One trademark of The Zone: Survival Mission is its scary episodes. This season, the cast members were transported into an abandoned resort that gave them the chills. Director Kim Dongjin recalled that they had a simulation a day before the shoot and the staff were freaked out.
While the sets and challenges have definitely become bigger and bolder throughout the previous seasons, Director Cho Hyojin said they wanted season 3 to evoke empathy from viewers. By inserting pressing social issues such as artificial intelligence and the housing issue in South Korea, The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3 promises to deliver something fresh and relatable to the audience.
The Zone: Survival Mission Season 3 is now streaming on Disney+. If you're looking for more fun shows and movies to watch, take a look at our other top picks this August.