Yoshihiro Akiyama, known in Korea (and on the show) as Choo Sung-hoon, kept his promise to treat his teammates to a meal as thanks for their fine performances in the team-based games. He even expanded upon it; having made the promise following Quest 2, which involved five-person teams, the photos of the dinner party he posted to his Instagram included Jo Jin-hyeong and other members of the blended team from Quest 3, while also giving recognition to team members unable to attend.
Many viewers admonished MMA fighter Park Hyung-geun for his tactics in Quest 1 against bodybuilder Kim Chun-ri, a woman substantially shorter and less bestowed with raw strength than himself. Park easily dominated her when they grappled, and spent much of the time limit with his knee pressed into her back. Indeed, many of his fellow players decried this as unsporting as well (no one picked Park to be part of their team during the next quest, leaving him by default to be assigned to the last team), but one person who found it perfectly within the rules of the game was Kim Chun-ri. Kim said she came on the program as a competitor, not a "female competitor," and appreciated Park treating her no differently than he might have treated any opponent he matched up with.
Bodybuilder Kim Kang-min appeared on fitness influencer Shim Eu-ddeum's YouTube channel shortly after the series aired in full, giving some additional details of the "Punishment of Atlas" game in Quest 4. He revealed that as the show was filmed during bodybuilding competition season, he had not slept the night before participating in this game as he sleeps little during competition. He voiced his speculation that the show's producers expected the game to last about thirty minutes, not the two hours it wound up lasting. He, fellow participant Shin Bo-mi-rae, the other contestants watching from an elevated gallery position, and even members of the production crew all left the studio for brief breaks to eat and use the restroom during the marathon match between Kim Sik and Jo Jin-hyeong, while some members of the crew stayed to film and monitor Kim and Jo.
Singaporean actress Elaine Wong, who weighs just 42 kg, was abundantly the least physically-imposing contestant. She wasn't aware of just how intensely physical the show would be when she signed on to compete (she thought it was more of an acting gig). Recognizing how grossly out of her depth she was, to the point of potentially being in danger, she asked deathmatch opponent Shim Eu-ddeum to take it easy on her. Wong later remarked that Shim, herself a rather petite woman, could have carried her around the arena if she wanted to.
There has been controversies with a few of the contestants shortly after their appearance on the show. Season one contestant and former national rugby player, Jang Seong-min was sentenced to 7 years in prison for rape/sexual assault and illegally filming his girlfriend. He received a suspended sentence and was released after serving 10 months.
In 2024, season two contestant and former national rugby team member, Andre-Jin, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for attempted rape.
In 2024, season two contestant and former national rugby team member, Andre-Jin, was sentenced to 2 years and 6 months in prison for attempted rape.