The ultimate mind game is back, and this time, survival isn’t just about individual strategy.
Premiering on July 2, “Bloody Game X” reunites standout contestants from previous seasons while introducing a brand-new team-based format that raises the stakes like never before. Alongside familiar fan favorites, new challengers will enter the arena, creating an unpredictable battle where alliances, strategy, and teamwork will all be put to the test.
Fan-Favorite Competitors Return
The new season brings together memorable players from across the series.
Returning contestants include Lee Sang Min, Jung Keun Woo, Park Ji Min, and Lee Tae Kyun from Season 1, Ha Seung Jin, Hyun Sung Joo, Yoon B, and Lee Jin Hyung from Season 2, and Hong Jin Ho, Seo Chul Gu, Choi Hye Sun, and Heo Sung Beom from Season 3.
Joining them are experienced survival show competitors Kim Kyung Hoon, Kim Yoo Hyun, Kim Nam Hee, and Kang Ji Hoo, along with newcomers Kwak Beom, Lee Kwan Hee, Shin Seung Yong, and Choi Yeon Cheong. Together, they’ll be divided into five teams that will compete in an all-new survival showdown.
Date: July 2 PST
Episodes: 10
Why They Chose to Return
Every returning player has their own reason for stepping back into one of Korea’s toughest survival competitions.
Lee Sang Min shared that although he had received numerous offers to join survival programs after “The Genius,” he had always declined because he felt out of practice. This season, however, he decided it was finally time to challenge himself again.
Three-time returning contestant Hong Jin Ho admitted he still hasn’t gotten over falling short of the championship in previous seasons and is determined to finally claim the title.
Season 2 winner Lee Jin Hyung joked that his championship trophy looked lonely on the shelf and deserved some company, while former basketball star Ha Seung Jin said he couldn’t resist experiencing the adrenaline of another survival game despite believing he’d never compete again.
Teamwork Changes Everything
The biggest twist this season is the introduction of team competition.
Unlike previous seasons that focused primarily on individual gameplay, “Bloody Game X” places greater emphasis on collaboration, group decision-making, and team politics. Contestants say the new format completely changes how alliances are formed and how strategies unfold.
Season 1 champion Lee Tae Kyun explained that team consensus now carries more weight than personal judgment, while Lee Sang Min noted that success depends on combining each teammate’s unique strengths. Other returning players added that every team developed its own distinct identity, creating a different kind of psychological battle than viewers have seen before.
Familiar Rivals Become Unexpected Allies
Another intriguing aspect of the new format is how relationships evolve throughout the competition.
Players who once tried to eliminate each other may now find themselves working side by side. Ha Seung Jin said the experience reminded him that in survival games, there are no permanent friends or enemies.
Hong Jin Ho believes one of the season’s biggest highlights will be watching seasoned veterans clash with ambitious newcomers, while Heo Sung Beom predicts that the large number of experienced survival players will make the competition more intense from the very beginning.
Where Can You Watch “Bloody Game X?”
With returning legends, fresh challengers, and an entirely new team-based format, “Bloody Game X” promises even more strategic gameplay, shifting alliances, and high-stakes competition when it premieres on July 2, on KOCOWA+.
