"What is manipulation?... 'Forced staging impossible, personal color is sweat.' The Iron Girls 3 live and die by sincerity. [★FOCUS]"

*This content was translated by AI.

There is no forced staging. The "Iron Girl Squad," which lives and dies by sincerity, returns stronger for Season 3.

tvN Sports variety 'Musoieo Yeon' series launched in 2024, and following Season 1's triathlon, it showcased a boxing champion challenge in Season 2 in 2025, heating up the living room screens.

The "Iron Girl Squad 3," returning after a year, has once again promised a short track challenge and sparked anticipation for the catharsis of another unscripted drama. This season, actress Han Ji-hyun and Yoo-woo from Momo Land have newly joined, drawing even more attention. Although founding members Yu-i and Park Ju-hyun unfortunately departed, Seol In-a has held her spot for three consecutive seasons, and Geum-se-rok will also be accompanying the team as she did last season.

Bang Lee, the director of the "Iron Girl Squad" series, took the stage at the tvN "Creator Talk 2026" event held on the 16th to directly address Season 3, sparking curiosity about the main broadcast.

First, the PD of Bang revealed why they chose "short track" as the third challenge for "Iron Girl Squad." He explained, "Anyone who is a citizen of the Republic of Korea has likely experienced holding their breath and cheering while watching short track relay broadcasts. When watching national team matches, you feel nervous about whether the athletes might fall, and there is an immense thrill when they overtake others. It is not just any sport. However, I was surprised to learn that short track also exists as a recreational sports activity. After visiting it in person, I felt an incredible energy, so I decided to proceed with this project, believing that if we could effectively convey this excitement, difficulty, and passion, it would make for an engaging story."

He added, "Another major reason we chose short track is that it includes not only individual events but also relay races. We chose this because the story of four members joining forces to complete a single race seems like it will bring new changes to 'Iron Girl Squad,' promising a unique spectacle."

In particular, PD Bang emphasized that the goal of Season 3 is not only to participate in individual events but also for the four members to compete together in the relay event, which is the flower of short track, and win a "gold medal" at the community sports festival.

There was no choice but to aim for a "gold medal," given the intense passion and sincerity of the four members toward "Iron Girl Squad 3" that even left the production team speechless. Director Bang stated, "'Iron Girl Squad' cannot be fabricated through forced production; it is ultimately completed by the authenticity of the members. Because the time and effort our members have accumulated layer upon layer were effectively conveyed, viewers could deeply immerse themselves in the program, which is why we believe we were able to continue the series." He further added, "In fact, the members are not professional athletes capable of delivering extraordinary performances, and as actresses, they may face certain constraints. Nevertheless, from a director's perspective, it is truly remarkable how hard they work. We have been filming for two months now; at times, even our production team had to urge them, saying, 'Please rest tomorrow.' The fact that every single member poured in their effort and time in an unprecedented manner is likely the driving force behind the series reaching its third season."

Additionally, PD Bang expressed that the personal color of the "Iron Girl Squad" is "sweat," stating, "When you sweat with a bare face and your expression shows how truly hard it is, I told these girls that such expressions are the most beautiful." He showed his affection in this way.

The casting criteria were also clarified. The "Squid Game" PD stated, "As with the 'Iron Girl' series, it is always a difficult challenge, so when participating, one's own willpower is the most important factor. Therefore, we have always tried to find individuals who are strong in their mindset regarding the necessity of challenges and the limits of physical exertion."

Meanwhile, PD Bang Geul revealed the behind-the-scenes story, saying, "I thought Han Ji-hyun had better energy than any other actor. She learned various sports and is a friend with healthy energy, so I felt she could complete even difficult challenges to the end, which is why we invited her."

On the other hand, regarding the casting of Yeon Woo, he said, "(It was) the exact opposite of Han Ji-hyun," which made ears perk up. Bang Geul's PD added, "I felt that Yeon Woo might be a casting with a type we've never seen before in the entire previous season; it was a challenging casting for me as a director. This is because Yeon Woo is not someone who exercises well and is so far removed from sports that she herself says, 'I just breathe at home,' making her a true 'home-loving girl.'" His words brought laughter.

The PD of "Challenge" immediately stated, "Despite this, Yeon-woo expressed a desire to bring the energy of challenge into her own life and conveyed her wish to change herself. Additionally, the production team did not rule out the possibility because Yeon-woo was an athlete in track and field during elementary school. We cast her with a challenging mindset that her growth and transformation would resonate with viewers, and she is indeed performing exceptionally well now. Please look forward to Yeon-woo's growth story," highlighting this as a key viewing point.

"Brave Girls 3" is scheduled to air in the second half of this year.

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*This content was translated by AI.