The Hottest Finale in Survival Variety Show History! ‘Sullae Game’ Winner Malwang Triumphs With a Tenacious Performance!

The final episode of 〈Sullae Game〉, released on Wednesday the 21st, saw the surviving TOP 5—Hwang Jae-gyun, Malwang, Park Ji-min, Yang Da-il and Yoon Sang-hyun—face off in a final match to determine the one and only winner after surviving an extreme test of endurance. The players took on the most primal of games: tag. What followed was an epic chase on an unprecedented scale, with contestants drawing on their strength and mental toughness—and even outsmarting their physical limits—making it impossible to look away for even a moment.

The showdown between Malwang, who put his greatest strength—his speed—front and center in a bulldozer-like performance, and Yoon Sang-hyun, who upended the game by probing its rules, kept viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end. Yoon kept his rivals on tenterhooks, skillfully using a “thief item” that let him steal the “tagger” role from another player, a “stealth item” that kept his location from being announced to the other players, and a “gamble item” that earned him a benefit if he managed to avoid being caught for a set amount of time. But with just 4 seconds left until victory, Malwang caught him, leaving Yoon to swallow his disappointment. The players’ refusal to give up fueled a grueling battle that lasted a full 10 hours, and after a tenacious performance, Malwang earned the honor of taking the championship.

After a finale that was the most intense in survival variety show history, the TOP 5 players shared their candid thoughts and brought the long journey to a close. Hwang Jae-gyun reflected, “I really thought I was going to die. If anyone goes on 〈Sullae Game 2〉, I’ll tell them, ‘Don’t go on unless you’re confident you can push your lungs to the limit.’ It was unbelievably hard—hard enough to kill me—but so much fun.” Park Ji-min said, “It’s an honor to have made it to the final. It was incredibly hard, but I think it was a truly rewarding and happy experience. This show helped me discover the joy of games.” Yang Da-il added, “I want to say I’m relieved, but I still have some regrets. It was an incredibly grueling shoot, but I like that.”

Yoon Sang-hyun, who finished in second place, said, “I didn’t feel disappointed at all. I felt refreshed.” He continued, “Malwang hyung played so well. I think I lost because I wasn’t as good at the game as he was, so more than anything, I want to congratulate him.” His gracious acceptance of the result warmed viewers’ hearts. He also expressed a special fondness for his fellow players, saying, “Throughout filming, it felt like these players were the only people in the world.”

Malwang, the winner, said, “Whether I won or lost, I didn’t dwell on the outcome. I think I showed what I do best. Then, at some point, an opportunity came my way. In the end, doing my best turned out to be the best choice I could make.” He continued, “My channel’s subscribers often tell me, ‘If it goes down to the wire, Malwang will win.’ I made it all the way to the end, just like they said, and Malwang really did win. I made great connections, had a great experience and got a great result, so I think I might be the happiest person of all.” His words left viewers with a heartwarming sense of emotion.

With its nail-biting suspense and stirring emotion, 〈Sullae Game〉 delivered a perfect finale. PD Hyun Jeong-wan, who opened a new chapter in survival programming with 〈Game of Blood〉, didn’t rest on the success of his previous work. Instead, he combined extreme chase sequences with the intricate psychological game of a “hidden tagger,” earning praise for “opening a new frontier for survival variety shows.” Hyun’s assured direction and Disney+’s bold scale—after the platform emerged as a rising destination for survival shows with 〈Battle of Fates 49〉 earlier this year—came together to successfully herald the arrival of another well-crafted K-survival franchise.

The 13 compelling players also shone. From Hwang Jae-gyun to Pani Bottle, Kyeong Soo-jin, Malwang, Jang Eun-sil, Park Ji-min, Kim Ttol-ttol, Yang Da-il, Yook Jun-seo, Ji Ji-won, Shin Ji-eun, Yoon Sang-hyun and Lee Jun-soo, they delivered a range of memorable moments through intense psychological battles and strategic play that went beyond simple physical contests. They also wove a rich narrative of conflict, solidarity and respect forged under extreme conditions into the survival game, successfully establishing themselves as fresh faces in the survival variety scene.

Disney+, the global streaming service delivering a premier entertainment experience through outstanding storytelling and innovative content, presents the original variety show 〈Sullae Game〉, an extreme, immersive chase-survival series where adrenaline-fueled pursuit collides with the psychological game of a hidden tagger. All episodes are streaming on Disney+.