Running Man: Episode 55

by gummimochi

The boys’ hearts are aflutter this episode with not just two but FOUR female guests to leave their cheeks rosy. It’s a throwback episode to high school and the air is thick with nostalgia from the games to the food. New love is created for some; hearts are broken for others. The chase is sure to keep you on your toes – let’s go!

EPISODE 55. Broadcast August 8, 2011

Here we go with a Girl Group Special on Running Man! Our cast is gathered at a rollerskating arena, a throwback to the 1980s, skating around until the guests arrive. They’re a little clumsy, and in traditional RM fashion, push each other at any given opportunity.

They’re four-times blessed with today’s guests: Ji-yeon (T-ara), Suzy (Miss A), Luna (f(x)) and Sulli (f(x)). The boys are absolutely beside themselves: what have they done to earn such special treatment? The lights flash on again – another guest perhaps? No, it’s Mung Ji-hyo, trying to fit in with the younger ladies.

The first game is to create couples. The set-up here is much like a group date of high school boys and girls – they introduce themselves, the guys trying to impress the girls who giggle about who is cuter, and hope they end up with someone by the end of the night.

The guys introduce themselves first and the ladies are frozen by Jong-kook’s, “Hi.” When asked what he’s good at, he answers, “Fighting.” Naturally.

Kwang-soo introduces himself like an innocent schoolboy, “If there’s anyone who likes me…” Ji-hyo: “There isn’t.” Oh god, get this boy a teddy bear…stat!

It’s the ladies turn for introductions. Kwang-soo turns redder than a ripe tomato when he finds out that Suzy picks him, and Jong-kook is pleased to hear that Ji-yeon dips in a bit of fighting herself. The girls are speaking in awkward banmal (informal speech) because they’re pretending to be classmates with the much older cast, and in Suzy’s case, she slips back into jondae (formal speech). Hehe.

Ji-hyo introduces herself as Song Ji-hyo but the cast calls her out, “You’re Chun Sung-im (Ji-hyo’s real name)!” Undeterred, she continues on, “I’m a senior this year and they…are my juniors.” HA. She mentions that she prefers Gary, but he mutters under his breath to forget about the Monday Couple today.

The task is to spin around ten times then to stand in the same spot with your guy/girl of choice. Everyone is paired off…apart from Big Nose Hyung. Oof. The captions of each couple are pretty funny: Haha and Suzy, “Similar Height,” the Monday Couple, “It’s Monday, you know?” Jong-kook and Ji-yeon “The Best Couple.”

Time for the Couple Race! Each couple is given money and a mission card. Their mission is to buy three pencils and sharpen them within 15 seconds…while giving the ladies a piggy-back ride. Jong-kook assures Luna that a piggy-back ride from Kwangsoo will be similar to an amusement park ride. Conversely, Suzy might be dragging her feet thanks to Haha’s short stature. I love it how being both the shortest and tallest might be a disadvantage to this mission.

But when they arrive, it’s Kwangvatar who races ahead of everyone else and it’s Haha huffing and puffing his way to the shop and back. Haha: “It’s not because you’re heavy…it’s because I’m weak!” He seriously looks like he’s dying by the time Suzy sharpens (or fails to) the pencils. I wonder if she’s too young for those old-school pencil sharpeners.

Every puppy will have his day – and it’s Kwang-soo’s moment to shine when he and Luna succeed first. Is this the first time he’s finished first for a good thing? Finally!

Ack! The curse of the broken pencil tip! In an attempt to succeed, Gary gnaws at the pencil with his teeth. The trips back and forth tire out the boys so much that Haha concedes, “I told you that I was weak Suzy. But really…you’re just heavy,” and when Jae-suk and Sulli snag second place, Jae-suk needs a breather before moving on.

The first and second place teams head to their next destination in their own car, while the others pile back onto the bus. The teams draw cards to see if their lady will be matched with Big Nose Hyung.

Gary chooses the rogue card and Suk-jin and Ji-hyo simultaneously shout: “Why of all the bad luck…” Gary sulks in the corner: “Is this what love is like? A burden when they’re with you but miss them when they’re gone?”

In true Running Man fashion, Luna darts to their next location with Sulli trailing behind her, attributing her inability to run to her sudden growth spurt. There was no need to run, however, since both teams are needed for the mission. Both teams sit in the restaurant and ponder about what the task is this time: the order in which the dishes are placed? How much meat is cooked?

Mr. PD tells them not to worry and eat up. But seriously – when have you ever seen the cast eat a meal comfortably? They happily order to their hearts’ content anyway. They receive their mission to strap on a pedometer and clock in the same number of ‘steps’ to their bill. Jae-suk cries out, “At least we didn’t order the most expensive one!”

I’m getting a workout just watching them dance to 80s music and dying of laughter to Yoo Hyuk’s “dance moves.” A tired Sulli breathes out after their second attempt, “We’re in trouble…” and points to her pedometer that reads in the 200s range when they need at least 450. Let’s just call it like it is – that sucks.

Watching the other teams dance is just as comical. The Capable One and Ji-yeon smartly ordered one dish, but they fail for going OVER the limit. And I think watching Haroro dance will make any day brighter. Haha and Suzy succeed and head out of the restaurant to their next destination.

When they arrive, their final mission is Hide-and-Seek. Each couple is connected by a paper ring and their objective is to not get caught or be disconnected. I love it how it sets up for natural skinship and flushed cheeks. They wonder who the Seeker could be which is when Jong-kook keenly answers, “It’s Gary. He’s alone…”

Haha explains to Suzy that he’s the biggest scaredy-cat anyone’s ever seen and that he particularly hates surprises. There’s a rustling noise behind them and Suzy screams and turns…to find out it was just the VJ behind them. LOL.

In addition, Suzy’s long hair sways while they walk and Haha turns to look back at a resemblance of the girl from the Ring. That screencap scared the living daylights out of me too, Haroro.

The lone Gary arrives and as expected, is today’s Seeker. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen that bell hanging on a pair of RM sneakers. It must have been a while for Gary too because it takes him practically forever and a day to put it on. He heads out and the speakers blare the Hide-and-Seek rhyme.

Short on time, Jae-suk and Sulli opt to hide in a car. Gary would never think to look for them in there, right? Wrong. Gary strolls around the outside perimeter, getting closer and closer to their location…but doesn’t notice a thing and moves on. Phew!

Seriously, Gary is the worst Seeker ever. He doesn’t enter Haha and Suzy’s hiding place and doesn’t thoroughly rifle through the loft Jong-kook and Ji-yeon are hiding in. But he has a sixth sense for Ji-hyo because he chases after her and gleefully breaks the paper chain between Ji-hyo and Suk-jin.

Meanwhile, Kwang-soo and Luna joke around with a flashlight, waiting for Gary. It’s too bad that the flashlight gives away their location as Gary takes down the wall they built for themselves. Kwang-soo and Luna race down the hallway in their bare feet, but it’s no use – Gary catches up and easily eliminates them.

It’s the halfway point and three couples remain. Haha and Suzy roam around in order to find a hiding place and they end up in the same room Spartakooks is in. Suzy wonders if they can hide somewhere here, but it takes one eagle eye stare from Jong-kook for Haha to suggest that they should look elsewhere.

In jail, the eliminated are visited by Jae-suk and Sulli, who figure that they’ll just wait around in jail for the remaining 30 minutes. But they suddenly hear a commotion from outside – it’s Haha and Suzy being chased by Gary and they’re coming in their direction. Jae-suk slinks to the floor…and Gary is so preoccupied that he zooms past the jail and fails to notice Jae-suk’s presence. HAHAHA.

Haha offers Gary a proposition: He’ll give away Jong-kook’s location in exchange for temporary freedom. Who can pass up an offer like that? Gah, I knew that eagle eye would come to bite you in the ass, Jong-kook. After a healthy chase through the yard, Jong-kook and Ji-yeon are eliminated. Just remember Haha – revenge comes with a vengeance.

Speaking of whom, Haha and Suzy find a new hiding place near the jail, much to the dismay of the rest of the cast. It’s not long after Jae-suk and Sulli try to follow suit, but end up hiding in a more conspicuous place. Gary comes in nonchalantly, but he’s no dumb fool, and he frightens the pair into elimination.

There’s five minutes left on the clock now and it’s Haha and Suzy versus Gary. Haha, I told you that revenge is swift – and that revenge is an enraged Jong-kook screaming Gary’s name to give away their location.

Each precious minute counts and Gary discovers the two in the field. There’s little less than a minute left. Can they hold on for much longer? Gary leaps to break the chain…and it’s seconds too late! Haha and Suzy are the winners of the Couple Race!

But deep in the night…the girls drink a curious tea. The next morning, the boys pay a morning visit to deliver milk and they’re astounded at what they find…

We’re forced to wait a week?! Bah.

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