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Steel Troops
Promotional poster for Season 2
Also known as	The Iron Squad
Genre	Reality television, military
Starring	Kim Sung-joo Kim Hee-chul Kim Dong-hyun Choi Young-jae Chuu (Season 1, 3) Yoon Doo-joon (Season 3) Jang Dong-min (Season 1-2) An Yu-jin (Season 2)
Country of origin	South Korea
Original language	Korean
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	28 + 6 specials
Production
Running time	100 minutes
Original release
Network	Channel A, ENA (formerly skyTV)
Release	March 23, 2021 (2021-03-23) – present (present)

Steel Troops (Korean: 강철부대; RR: Kangcheolbudae) is a South Korean reality show broadcast on Channel A and ENA (formerly skyTV). Dubbed a "military survival program," the show features male South Korean reservists who served in various special forces units across different branches of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Participants go head to head in teams of four, representing their respective unit to fight for the title of the best special forces unit in Korea.

A series of missions, designed by military experts, test the participants' physical stamina, mental strength, and cooperation to determine the last team standing. Episodes also include concurrent commentary from a panel of hosts, including the "Master" who runs the competition events.

Season 1 aired every Tuesday at 22:30 (KST) from March 23, 2021, to July 20, 2021. This season featured 24 participants from six units across the Republic of Korea Army and Republic of Korea Navy. It was also released on Netflix under the title The Iron Squad and gained a high viewership ranking on release.

Season 2 aired every Tuesday at 21:20 (KST) from February 22, 2022, to June 7, 2022. The new season introduces two new units not featured in Season 1, including one from the Republic of Korea Air Force, for a total of 32 participants hailing from eight units.

Season 3 premiered on September 19, 2023 and airs every Tuesday at 22:30 (KST). Another two new units were introduced, including the first non-Korean team, composed of former retired US special forces members, alongside new participants from the top four units of Season 2.

Hosts

Participants

Each team consists of four reservists representing their respective special forces unit, with a team leader (indicated in bold) selected by the team members.

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

List of episodes

In the ratings below, the highest rating for the season will be in red and the lowest rating for the season will be in blue.

Mission results

Season 1

The first three elimination stages followed a double-elimination tournament style, with a main mission (indicated in bold) determining the participants of the "Death Match" elimination round. Following the revival round, the competition switched to a single-elimination style without a Death Match. Each stage also featured a "Benefit Mission" where the winner would be given an advantage in the main mission that followed. In the case of the second elimination stage, the lowest-ranking team was also sent directly to Death Match, bypassing the main mission.

Season 2

The second season largely continued with the format of main missions and Death Matches until the round of 4, with the exception of the first stage which was a direct elimination round. Other notable changes include:

• Upgraded benefits, such as an increased quantity (strongest member contest) or automatic advancement to the next stage (second Benefit Mission)
• Use of live firing in shooting contests, instead of airsoft guns as used in Season 1
• Joint elimination, as in the third stage
• Possibility of mission failure, as in the second and final stages

Season 3

As of the second elimination stage, the competition format remains unchanged. This season opened with a notably higher calibre team introductions segment, where the customary pull-up friendly contest in a filming studio was upgraded to live firing at sea on a Korean Coast Guard vessel. Other show firsts included:

• Access to military bases for events involving live firing
• Use of MILES gear by opposition forces
• Participants joining the opposition forces against their competitors, as in the second stage

Notes

1. Park Goon joined as a fixed panelist from episode 10, following Jang Dong-min's departure from the show.
2. ^ Kim Pil-sung joined the 707 team from episode 12, replacing Park Soo-min.
3. Park Soo-min stepped down from the show following a personal scandal. His appearances in pre-taped footage were edited out entirely from episodes 4 to 11.
4. ^ Kim Hwang-jung stepped down from the show in episode 7 due to personal injury. He was succeeded by Choi Yong-jun as the team leader.
5. ^ Seong Tae-hyun joined the show from episode 7, replacing Kim Hwang-jung.
6. As a military police unit, SDTs exist in each branch of the ROK Armed Forces. Season 2 includes representatives across all branches, unlike Season 1.
7. ^ Ji Won-jae stepped down in episode 6 after sustaining a leg injury during a mission. He was replaced by Kang Jun from Season 1.
8. ^ Due to the unit's classified status, the members' individual ranks were not disclosed.
9. Returning participant, previously on Season 1's UDT team
10. Returning participant, previously on Season 2's HID team
11. Conducted as an individual contest, the final winner was crowned the "strongest member" and his team awarded a benefit in the first main mission.
12. Jeong Hae-chul of the SSU team was crowned the "strongest member" of Season 1.
13. The 707 team voluntarily ceded victory to the UDT team before the match.
14. This individual contest in Season 2 provided 3 different benefits to the top 3, as opposed to a single benefit for the top 1 in Season 1.
15. Lee Ju-yong of the 707 team was crowned the "strongest member" of Season 2.
16. Each match's winning team automatically advanced, while the losing team with the slowest time was eliminated.
17. Lee Ju-yong shot a total of 28 points, but his last shot was disqualified as it exceeded the 10-second time limit.
18. Alliances of two teams each were formed and maintained for all missions in this stage.
19. This Benefit Mission was split into three rounds, where the first team to secure two victories won the benefit.
20. As in Season 1, only the top "strongest member" won the benefit for his team.
21. Lee Han-jun eventually forfeited his place in the next round after suffering a leg injury while finishing the assault course.
22. Jeong Jong-hyun of the UDT team was crowned the "strongest member" of Season 3.
23. This Benefit Mission was a time attack split into three rounds, where the team with the shorter recorded time wins.

References

1. Choi Ji-eun (March 15, 2021). "'강철부대' 부대별 티저 6종 총 공개...오는 23일 첫 공개". Top Daily (in Korean). Retrieved March 23, 2021.
2. Hong Se-young (February 26, 2021). "김성주→김희철·이달의 소녀 츄 '강철부대' 공식포스터". Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved March 23, 2021.
3. "'강철부대', 넷플릭스 국내 콘텐츠 1위 기록…'육준서 효과?'". Top Star News (in Korean). April 23, 2021. Retrieved May 24, 2021.
4. ^ Kang Seo-jung (February 18, 2021). "김성주, '강철부대' MC 출격..장동민·김희철·김동현·최영재·츄 합류[공식]". Osen (in Korean). Retrieved March 23, 2021.
5. Kim Kyung-mi (June 13, 2021). "박군, '강철부대' 탈락->스페셜MC 변신". Woman Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved June 22, 2021.
6. Jiwon Oh (June 20, 2021). "'군통령' 브레이브걸스 유정, '강철부대' 스페셜MC 출격". YTN (in Korean). Retrieved June 22, 2021.
7. Son Jin-ah (March 13, 2021). "'강철부대', 특전사-해병대수색대-707-UDT-SDT-SSU 티저 공개". MK Sports (in Korean). Retrieved March 23, 2021.
8. Lee Min-ji (March 11, 2021). "'강철부대' 베일 싸여있던 6부대 참가대원 24인 라인업 공개(공식)". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved March 23, 2021.
9. "Nielsen Korea". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Retrieved March 16, 2022.
10. "Nielsen Korea". AGB Nielsen Media Research (in Korean). Retrieved March 13, 2022.

External links

• Season 1 website
• Season 2 website

• 2021 South Korean television series debuts
• Channel A (TV channel) original programming
• ENA (South Korean TV channel) original programming
• South Korean variety television shows
• South Korean military television series