Korean Media News

It’s a Nonstop Survival Race in today’s episode where popularity may not always prove beneficial. Public opinion has never been this important and the Running Man does their best to evade their captors – each other. Happy Survival Race Running Man! May the odds be ever in your favor.

EPISODE 93. Broadcast on May 6, 2012.

Thanks to the Return of Yoomes Bond a few weeks ago, the other members clamor for their own “anniversary” special. Like Sherlock Holmes, First Love, or the Tru-Gary show. And Jong-kook threatens he’ll shatter all of them. Sheesh – it’s only the opening!

Running Man has been airing for a while now, and they issued out a few public surveys. Q: Whose superpower do you want the most? Oof, Death Note aka Kwang-soo is dead last (2.2%). Then who came out first? Ji-hyo, at a whopping 65.9%. And while we’re on the subject, tsk tsk Ji-hyo. Who is your hairdresser this time? Fire ‘em NOW.

Jong-kook presumes that means that they just can’t trust her because she was able to read minds. Then he gets all worked up when Jae-suk asks if his own power (Space Controller) is useful in a real-life setting. Jong-kook: “Of course! It’s the best!” Look who’s all jealous and has their skivvies in a twist.

He explains that you can call your girlfriend whenever you want and Jae-suk slips in, “Eun-hye?” and Haha replicates this nostalgic scene from X-Man. 

The cast gets worked up at the next question (Q: Who’s the best runner in RM?) Jong-kook wins by a landslide but I’m cracking up that the VJs who voted take two steps back when he approaches. And Kwang-soo’s VJ insists that he voted for Jong-kook not Kwangvatar.

Suk-jin shakes his head at the following question (Q: Who’s the best looking male in RM) that he’ll acknowledge up to third place and a “6″ pops above his head. They joke about how terrible it would be to be stuck in the latter half and gloat when Mr. PD assures them that their ranks will be captioned.

Time to introduce today’s theme – a nonstop race you have 30 minutes in each round to take out the target (Q: Which member do you want to eliminate the most?). All the members mull over the question and wave their apologies at the camera.

Well, everyone except Kwang-soo who… can’t even fit into the booth ’cause he’s too tall. HA. “Couldn’t you have made it taller? Didn’t you consider me?! I’m a member too!”

It takes him less than a second to jot down a name and stares at him to make it very obvious – Jong-kook. Oho, stare all you want now ’cause you might regret it soon.

Everyone is split up. Suddenly, the alarm sounds and the speakers boom that the votes are in. Round 1′s target is none other than, say it with me now: Kim Jong-kook. But just remember there’s a caveat – if you don’t eliminate him, he’ll move up with you to the next round.

The members sweat in their respective locations – how are they supposed to take down Spartakooks? If he feels betrayed now, how scary can he be if he gets to chase YOU down? I’m getting chills.

Hold up Jae-suk, you’re supposed to be chasing him remember? When Haha’s taken out of the round, the boys panic all like, What are we supposed to do? How do we do this?. Who is your target people?!

20 minutes left and the the Tiger overtakes the Giraff for an easy kill. He slips away and over the speakers issues this warning: “You wrote me down? That was a bit much. Listen up… even though it’s variety… the first round won’t be variety. I’m going to do it right. See you later.” *shiver*

Still on edge, Jae-suk figures that he’ll just fight Jong-kook. No big deal right? His VJ snorts. Less than a minute later, Jae-suk opens the door, runs into Jong-kook, collapses to the ground and is eliminated. Right, no big deal.

In the stairwell, Jae-suk complains up a storm to the PD that the audience is dying for a match against him and Jong-kook. If only they were matched up, if only he weren’t surprised… and he instinctively backs up against the wall when Jong-kook flies up the stairs.

Then as soon as he’s gone, the PD’s like, “What did you say about that 1:1 match with him?” Jae-suk: “Being surprised and scared are totally different!”

It goes without saying that Suk-jin is an easy kill and only Gary and Ji-hyo remains. They’ll have to stick together to survive.

Oh Jong-kook, you look so happy with that sign. He gives Jae-suk this long-winded lecture about how he’ll use it to hide and then they’ll hesitate and then he’ll pop out of it and—Jae-suk cuts in, “Why are you giving ME this lecture?”

He swears that he wrote down Ji-hyo (it’s a lie) and they keep chatting until there’s five minutes left and Jong-kook says coolly, “See ya later.”

Once he’s gone, Jae-suk berates his VJ for getting scared whenever Jong-kook appears. You should be giving yourself that lecture, Mr. I-was-surprised-not-scared.

Three minutes left and the reality that Jong-kook could exact his revenge in the next round settles in. He’s nowhere to be found (Gary: “He’s hiding ’cause he’s scared!”). The ex-Monday Couple climb the stairs where Jong-kook waits with bated breath.

At the opportune moment, he pounces and Gary yells that there’s no time left and they won’t regret anything, “So you [Ji-hyo] go get him.”

There’s nowhere else to go and Jong-kook apologizes to the Ace that he’s got to win so he’s not going to go easy on her because she’s a woman.

30 seconds left and Jong-kook’s caught both of them with each arm while they scream at the other to make a move. Gary reaches for his back just as the speakers blare… but it’s too late and Jong-kook gets to move on.

The winner of the round gets two votes for the following tally and immediately the others pour on the compliments. Haha quips that they should strategize who their targets should be, and Jong-kook responds threateningly that it’s fine as long as the others are okay with getting a little hurt in the process.

Haha has no qualms about voting for Jong-kook again but no worries – Jong-kook makes it loud and clear (in writing) how he feels.

Jong-kook let his fury rage as the start of the second target is called. Well, well… it’s Haha. The votes were split down the middle and it was up to Kwang-soo to pick at random the deciding vote. Spartakook runs around to leave Haha to him.

And I love it. For like five minutes, Haha stares and mouths to the camera It’s me? Me? It’s not Jong-kook but ME? AHAHAHA.

Haha takes refuge until 20 minutes remain and starts running. But too bad Suk-jin spots him and so begins the frantic chase for his capture. Jong-kook and Jae-suk both corner him, but in the aftermath, Jae-suk picks up 2 votes and Haha is out of the game for good.

The cast recognizes the location when Jong-kook dragged four people trying to rip off his name tag up the stairs (Episode 4). They eat and whisper in secret about who to eliminate next.

So starts Round 3 and this time… Kwang-soo. He blurts, “Me?!” Not only does the cast break into a smile, but all the staff crack up too. The entire hall is filled with choruses of the members calling out his name like a lost puppy.

Jae-suk notes that everyone is taking their grand ol’ time while Kwang-soo hides in a corner. Cut to Ji-hyo playing a video game and Jong-kook resting. No one’s in a rush and why should they be?

Elsewhere Kwang-soo huddles in a corner when he hears footsteps approaching. It’s Suk-jin, who is eager to fight against someone, anyone really. So the Easy Brothers face off. Er, let’s just say it ends with Suk-jin wrapped up and Kwang-soo rips off his name tag with his teeth

That alerts the others that they’ve got to get moving and Jae-suk investigates a darkened conference room. Kwang-soo pleads and has got him cornered.

Kwang-soo’s given a head start but he slips into another room only to emerge nonchalant, wearing a raincoat as an ineffective disguise. But it’s no use once Ji-hyo has got a hold of him and down he goes.

In jail, Haha asks: “How long did you last?” Kwang-soo: “15 minutes.” Haha: “That’s impressive.”

Mr. PD introduces the final round as a good ol’ game of Survival Hide-and-Seek. They point fingers in the van that they should have taken out Jong-kook while they had the chance. Meanwhile, Jong-kook plays dumb, unable to hide the smile on his face.

They’re instructed to keep a wary eye out for the hidden angels in the park who can either aid or hinder them in this mission.

The eliminated (whose entrance was also announced, keh) sit in jail while Suk-jin puffs up in the distance, detaching himself from his detained days. But he immediately cowers when Jong-kook taunts him: “Hyung, do you wanna run some more?”

The sound of drums beckon Gary inside where an angel awaits: girl group member Suzy (Miss A). She hands over her present – a hot pack – and then a bell. Gary: “Only your face is angelic.” Suzy bangs on the drums: “You’re right!”

Jae-suk and Ji-hyo roam together to look for another angel and another smiling girl idol member greets them: Han Seung-yeon (KARA). Jae-suk gets left behind and she brightly hands over her present – a small name tag.

Which is great and all…except that the girl doesn’t know how to put it on. Haven’t you seen Running Man before?! Outside, the Ace overhears the entire exchange…

Now that we’ve met some of the angels, we backtrack to meet the other three: Gyuri (KARA), HyunA (4minute), and Krystal (f(x)). They were previously asked to vote for the member they wished would win. So that explains why Seung-yeon was able to help Jae-suk and why Suzy couldn’t do the same.

Then an awful desperate cry fills the air and we see Jae-suk strapped in a bungee jump harness as the staff readies to raise him up into the sky.

Krystal looks at him apologetically (though earlier she’d told him: “You don’t have a choice.”) and the ex-Monday Couple look on. They’re so busy in fact that Ji-hyo belatedly realizes she’s been eliminated by Suk-jin.

Back to Jae-suk as he’s told to pull the string that will plummet him towards the ground. Dude the guy’s deathly afraid of heights! But he does and it’s completely DAEBAK. As he swings he cries out: “GUYS, DON’T COME HERE!”

The man looks like he’s aged ten years when his feet finally touch the ground. To make matters worse, she gives him a bell. She heard from her sis Jessica that Gary turned out to be a great partner.

She asks: “Does it feel unfair? Then you can bring someone else.” To go through that torture?

HyunA greets Gary warmly, but Jong-kook is close on his tail, ready to eliminate him. Oh honey, you’re not so bright are you? You don’t give the present to Gary in front of Spartakooks and then shove a bell in his hands. Sigh.

Gary barely makes it 100 yards before he runs out of breath. Both Jong-kook and Suk-jin grab a hold of him and before you know it, both of his name tags are torn off.

Thanks to Suk-jin’s tip, Jong-kook finds Gyuri at another part of the park. She welcomes him in with a huge smile then hands him a bell. Suk-jin is eventually eliminated and I love how everyone’s faces in jail just nod like they’re saying Well it was about time.

It’s the Grasshopper versus the Tiger and Jae-suk approaches each corner with caution. But Jong-kook catches up to him anyway and muses how he’s missed their 1:1 battles.

Jae-suk blubbers that they’ve got different styles: Spartakooks (brute strength) vs. Yoomes Bond (stealthy water gun). But he musters up the courage to give it a shot and they attempt to overtake each other.

HAHAHA – and then Jong-kook bites down on Jae-suk’s name tag and rips it from Jae-suk’s back. How different the same action can seem from two very different animals?

Jae-suk lies down but Jong-kook spots the name tag as he gets up. Jae-suk attacks once more and the captions tell us this petty fight continues for the next 15 minutes…

The two finally run out of strength and Jae-suk caves in. Jong-kook teasingly tears the name tag off and on as Jae-suk looks straight into the camera about today’s lesson: “We should have eliminated Jong-kook in the first round.”

The ladies join in for the closing and the boys brighten that tomorrow will be a Couple Race. The prize for today’s winner is greater than any other they’ve received before. Jae-suk: “The chance to promote as a girl group member?” HA.

No, no something much worse – he gets to assign tomorrow’s pairings as he sees fit. Bring on the compliments for Spartakooks!