Running Man: Episode 160
by gummimochi
What starts off as a confusing episode in an icy building where our cast fights over a spot to live the good life takes a much-welcomed upswing later on in the hour. There are still some golden nuggets of hilarity despite seeing some of the same games of old, but I’ll never tire of watching our cast argue over turning on a car air conditioner for fear that their car engine might go kaputz.
EPISODE 160. Broadcast on August 25, 2013.
Welcome to the Snow Building where each of our cast members is taken to a different themed floor upon their arrival. Ha, I do enjoy the stark contrast between first-place (Jae-suk) and its grand, elegant penthouse and the last-place (Kwang-soo) dreary, cobwebbed cellar.
Today’s race is a parody of the recently-released sci-fi action thriller Snowpiercer, and our cast will face off in a series of rounds to work their way to the top. The poor, unfortunate soul who ends up in last-place after each game will be eliminated.
Speaking of, currently last-place Kwang-soo throws himself into character, calling this “his first and last chance” to prove himself. He dramatically vows to fight his way to the top… and then Jo PD tells him through the speakers to get changed already. Hahaha.
In the first round, Kwang-soo meets his first opponent, sixth-place Gary, who wonders if the current order is determined by looks. Kwang-soo balks: “Then I’d be at least fourth [place]!”
Meanwhile, Suk-jin prays that he’s not up against Jong-kook. Then the elevators open… to reveal Jong-kook. HA. I love how Suk-jin immediately throws in the towel, all “Just go on upstairs!”
The first round is a 1:1 nametag rippin’ battle, and surprisingly, Kwang-soo overtakes Gary. Both Jong-kook and Suk-jin can only laugh at the absurdity of the situation even as Jong-kook pins Big Nose Hyung to the wall and eliminates him.
On a different floor, Haha tugs at Ji-hyo’s nametag in a moment of distraction, which effectively sparks her temper at the cheap shot. Haha does feel bad about it immediately afterward, but it’s too late and Ji-hyo lashes out at him in her annoyance.
Jae-suk watches all of this unfold up in his lavish penthouse on his handy monitor which allows him to see where each member is. The winners of the first round head upstairs on the Snow Elevator to meet their next opponent.
Unfortunately for Kwang-soo, he’s still on the brink of elimination even after he wins, which means he’ll have to fight tooth and nail to get to the top.
The second round (a hand-slapping game) requires a high-level of pain tolerance as the first person who screams from the pain is the loser. Jae-suk immediately starts complaining about Jong-kook (“Just look at his arms!”), who invites him to strike first.
So Jae-suk slams down on Spartakooks’s hand… and then winces in pain in his own hand. HA, figures. Then Jong-kook returns the favor, and it just sounds like it hurts like hell from this side of the screen. Oh man, Jae-suk’s hand looks super red. Owwww.
It’s actually pretty entertaining to watch the cast go round and round slap for slap as they all try to brace themselves from the pain. At one point, Kwang-soo hesitates after a particularly painful slap and has to walk away. And then Gary is taking a nap in the basement. Hahaha.
Upstairs, Jong-kook delivers another painful slap, and this time Jae-suk cries out in pain, admitting defeat. It’s kinda funny how Jong-kook doesn’t let him off the hook right away, citing that Jae-suk wasn’t loud enough, only for Jae-suk to then grab for the second-place nametag.
At the same time, Kwang-soo tries to slap his own cheek to distract himself from the pain while Haha and Suk-jin are on their fiftieth consecutive slap. They’re totally red in the face as they keep going until Suk-jin finally gives in and traps Haha in a headlock as punishment for slapping his hyung.
Downstairs, Kwang-soo finally succumbs to the pain and accepts his loss. Then Haha and Ji-hyo travel upstairs for the third round.
Third-place Haha nearly busts a gut when he sees second-place Jae-suk and his still reddened hand. He then snorts in response when Jae-suk tells him the current order is based off of looks.
They begin the third round, Egg Roulette where the one who ends up with the raw egg loses. As much as I hate the nerve-wracking anticipation before the cast smashes the egg to their heads, I also love it.
They taunt each other before every turn as if sending unlucky karmic waves to the other person. Both Haha and Jae-suk are lucky for the first few turns… and then Jae-suk cracks a raw egg on his head. Haha gleefully cries out in celebration: “Who said I was Number 3?!”
Suk-jin wins the roulette after Ji-hyo ends up with egg in her hair, and he greets Jae-suk with a self-satisfied, confident smile on his face.
Is it just me or does anyone else get the feeling that the image of Jong-kook sitting in the penthouse suit him? The trash-talking begins upon Haha’s arrival, and Jong-kook acknowledges that Haha has come a long way thus far.
The final four is told to put on ajumma pants without using their hand… on that dreaded prickly mat we’ve all come to know and love. Getting their legs through is painful enough, but then they have to rub their butts on the mats to pull it up to their waists, which owww.
Both Haha and Jong-kook are neck-to-neck, and we get this hilarious shot of them trying to help each other out by pressing their butts up against each other. Meanwhile, Jae-suk takes to push his butt up against Suk-jin’s neck to pull the pants up. HA.
Jae-suk even uses Suk-jin’s foot to pull them up another few inches, and wins the fourth round. Then upstairs, Haha edges ahead of Jong-kook and revels in his first-place win.
So Jong-kook and Jae-suk are left to battle it out for third-place in a ping-pong battle. As Jong-kook contemplates over a frying pan to use as a paddle substitute, Jae-suk remarks: “Your hand felt like a frying pan when you hit [my hand earlier].”
Jae-suk decides on the frying pan while Jong-kook chooses a fan for their match. It turns out the fan is a pretty weak contender, and Jae-suk easily picks up two points. But Jong-kook ties up the score soon enough.
A little later, Jae-suk leads 6:3 but a few strikes and mistakes quickly closes that gap. It’s deuce, and Jong-kook is so excited that he even does a little dance from the ye olden Kpop group Deuce.
They both give up a point which results in another deuce. Jae-suk tries to catch Jong-kook off-guard but it doesn’t work, and Jong-kook pulls ahead for the win.
So Haha greets Jong-kook again as he eats his meatloaf-steak as calm as you please. Everyone gathers again for this final round and are told that they were initially ranked according to their variety debut. For this final game, the one who tosses a ping-pong ball into a glass first wins.
It’s down to either Haha or Jong-kook and they go turn for turn. Haha gets pretty close a few times, but the ball bounces out as it hits the rim. They each get closer and closer, but neither succeeds as time continues to pass.
Thus Jo PD changes the glass out for a larger jar but it doesn’t seem to help much as the ball keeps bouncing off the rim over and over and over again. And then Haha sinks the ball in and keeps his first-place title.
Pfft, Haha even dares to beckon Jae-suk with his index finger in taunting jest (a gesture which would normally be considered rude in other situations), and Jae-suk in turn addresses him in the respectful term: “Teacher.”
Everyone tries to appeal to Haha’s good graces just then since he’s given the authority to switch their current rank once. So Haha switches Jae-suk (third) and Gary (seventh)’s ranks and then cries, “Was that too obvious?”
The cast is given a number of gold coins according to their current order, and just to keep everyone straight: (1) Haha; (2) Jong-kook; (3) Gary; (4) Suk-jin; (5) Ji-hyo; (6) Kwang-soo; (7) Jae-suk.
Haha pulls Kwang-soo aside to remind him that now’s his chance to pay Jae-suk back for all the mistreatment he endured over the years. Either Kwang-soo is too aware of the sunbae-hoobae relationship or can’t bring himself to do it, so he ends up following Jae-suk’s orders anyway.
So Haha makes the decision easy on Kwang-soo and places him in last-place. Aww.
The cast heads over for lunch and first-place Haha gets a huge, lavish spread complete with his own personal server. The other lunch options up to fifth-place are pretty decent too, and then last-place gets one sad triangle kimbap and water.
Oh man, Kwang-soo doesn’t even get his own chair. Now that’s just sad. But Haha looks deep into his heart to share some of his food and hands Kwang-soo one lone piece of lettuce. HA.
Jong-kook graciously gives up an egg to Jae-suk, who gets excited for about two seconds until fourth-place Suk-jin demands that same egg. Then it happens again after Jae-suk is given more food, only for that to be taken away too.
Frustrated, Jae-suk demands water from the only person he can order around: Kwang-soo. He offers seaweed in return, and Kwang-soo holds up his kimbap: “I’ve got plenty of [that] already!” HA.
This power carousel is pretty entertaining to watch. At one point, Gary gives all of his spam banchan to Ji-hyo (eep!), and he comes to her rescue when Suk-jin tries to steal it away from her. Gary (as he takes the food tray away): “Do you not want to eat?!” Hee.
Bellies stuffed, Jo PD introduces the cameras that will film the cast for the remainder of the episode. As expected, Haha has two VJs who handle the top-of-the-line video cameras. They get progressively worse as we go down the line, like how Ji-hyo ends up with a Go Pro camera on a helmet.
To Kwang-soo: “Do you have your cell phone?” I love it how Jo PD’s like Make sure you send us the file or you won’t appear on the broadcast.
Even their rides differ according to their rank. Gary and Jong-kook ooh and ahh over the features of their luxury car (as Haha sits in the back like a boss, natch) whereas Jo PD warns the others: “The engine might turn off if you turn on the AC.”
So it’s hilarious when Jae-suk actually tries to turn on the AC, and the car just sputters back in response. No AC it is then.
Not only that, I’m afraid the old car won’t even make it down the hill, but it seems to drive well-enough. Kwang-soo has been using a staff member’s cell phone to record himself thus far, but then he gets locked out. “How am I supposed to videotape myself now?!”
Even though they complain about the stuffy heat inside the car, they do manage to crack some jokes about their situation, like the loud engine. Jae-suk: “Every time I go over something, it sounds like a tiger’s growl.” HA.
Their next mission takes place in a muddy field by the sea. Here, the the cast will attempt to pick up the ball that Maknae FD kicks and run back to grab the flag. Suffice it to say that it’s utter chaos as soon as the game begins.
Jong-kook grabs the ball and then struggles to run back with it in his arms. He taps into his Spartakooks strength as he fights against the others and pulls out the flag to succeed first.
As the new reigning champ, Jong-kook relaxes on the fancy chaise lounge as the others battle it out for a spot in the luxury car. Kwang-soo manages to pull into third place, but instead of kicking his feet up to relax, he serves Jong-kook to appeal to his good graces.
A little later, it’s down to either Jae-suk or Suk-jin for sixth-place, and Jong-kook cheerily tells them not to worry… because third-place may be an option for them. Servant Kwang-soo gets to work to massage Jong-kook’s shoulders.
So Jong-kook dangles that carrot in front of the mat hyungs’ eyes, and they give him an entertaining show as they roll in the mud, to his amusement. It’s Jae-suk who grabs the flag at the end of it.
Before the cast heads out, Ji-hyo is chosen to exchange places with Kwang-soo.
The four boys try to endure the sweltering heat inside the non-AC car, and Jae-suk remarks: “This is a desert, not a car!”
The cast is taken by helicopter to an island. A few snippets of a preview shows us that there is more to this place that meets the eye, but for now they head to the beach.
They’re instructed to write out their own quiz questions for the trivia quiz, and Haha sighs, “I can’t think of any questions because I don’t know anything.” Aw.
Each of the cast members will pose a question and choose one person’s answer. If that answer is correct, then the questioner will go for a ride on the banana boat; if it’s wrong, then the other person will go for a joyride.
Suk-jin starts off with a question about a cartoon from the ’70s, which is definitely before Kwang-soo’s childhood (he was born in 1985). Ji-hyo seems pretty confident, though the boys are quick to poke a hole in that bubble.
Suk-jin calls out Gary, who gets the answer wrong. Which means the boat zips across the water and Suk-jin settles into second-place.
We skip ahead to Kwang-soo’s question about—what else?—giraffes. He easily gives away telling hints to the cast, which is enough for them to make an educated guess. Heh, he’s going to end up in the water, isn’t he?
He picks Ji-hyo, who gets the answer right. The exclaimed look of “Oh crap, it’s me?!” is priceless.
By the final mission, four cast members possess 14 gold coins each. After they factor in the results of the last game, Ji-hyo is currently in first place. Last-place Kwang-soo balks: “I’m still last even though I stole two coins?!”
Then their attention is turned to the sea where a large ship pulls in from the horizon. Whoa, is that the Black Pearl?
Jo PD explains that they’ll have the opportunity to increase their loot onboard the ship, which also suggests that they can easily lose it all as well. In any case, Ji-hyo ventures first to the mysterious ship.
What awaits her is nothing good as she’s bound upon her arrival, and her gold is taken away from her by the pirates onboard. One by one, each of the cast members is met with the same fate and dragged off to sea.
Morning. The cast is led to the deck to meet their mysterious captors: Shinhwa. Ohhh yeahh, just when I thought this episode was going to end up in the depths of the ocean.
Meet yer pirates Eric, Min-woo, Junjin, Hye-sung, and Andy. (Unfortunately, Dong-wan couldn’t join them. Boo.) Heh, the boys even revamp their team chant to cry: “We’rrreee pirates!”
As for their gold, it’s gone and only a letter remains: the teams will have to acquire hints to recover their treasure.
Some of the cast members worry about the uneven split, but Shinhwa doesn’t seem to worry—they’ve been in the entertainment industry for the past fifteen years. Jae-suk backs up these claims, and adds that these boys are totally fearless.
As they continue to shoot the breeze, I can’t help seem to contain my excitement for what I hope to be a most exciting episode ahead. I’m with Gary when he says, “I can smell blood in the air today.”
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Tags: featured, Haha, Ji Suk-jin, Kang Gary, Kim Jong-kook, Lee Kwang-soo, Running Man, Song Ji-hyo, Yoo Jae-suk
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1 iberos
August 30, 2013 at 10:36 PM
The premise of the episode was a bit weak, but the interactions between the members kept me watching. Also, SHINHWA!~,the saving grace. Even though they didn't do anything but a simple greeting, I was still jumping out of my pants at their appearance. I can't wait for next week and I hope it'll rescue the confused and trivial writing of this episode.
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2 Luzie
August 30, 2013 at 10:52 PM
Eric is looking fine as all hell. Why isn't he doing solo cfs?!
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MariD
August 30, 2013 at 11:24 PM
That was the second thing that pop in my head. First was holly freaking cow it SHINHWA!!!! Then it was Eric is one very very good looking pirate!
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3 indy
August 30, 2013 at 11:08 PM
Yay!!! this is what all i've been waiting for... Shinhwa in RM!!! I'm excited...
Love this episode. It's soooo funny, esp when lunch time...
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4 Elianne
August 30, 2013 at 11:10 PM
Aw, I actually loved this ep! True, I did spend half the ep waiting for shinhwa to jump out but really, the trash-talking and power play among the members were hilarious! It was nice seeing all the cast members just having fun among themselves without any guests for the first time in a ages; felt like they were on a 1n2d M haha. And that beat up car is my new favourite thing.
Oh and I really appreciate your explanations about the little things in the recap gummi! Like I didn't pick up on the fact that haha was being nice to kwang-soo when he made him last place because he's uncomfortable bossing his hyung YJS around; I thought it was just their normal teasing lol.
Can't wait for the shinhwa ep omg !!
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5 Andrea
August 30, 2013 at 11:10 PM
This episode was just plain weird.
Yes, I laughed a lot thanks to some hilarious moments, but the whole "ranking system" idea left me scratching my head and feeling a little bit uncomfortable. It felt like this really was a loooooooooooong and schizophrenic preambule to Shinwa's appeareance. I don't know if it was the concept used or the editing of this episode or maybe both things, but it was like the episode didn't knew what the hell it was so it just flowed clumsily until the guest made their entrance at the last 10 minutes.
Still, what really amazes me is how the cast interactions were just pure gold. I always love when there are no guests because the way they behave and interact is just plain awesome. They are truly the reason why Running Man is amazing. It makes me squeal, it makes me laugh until my stomach hurts, and it reminds me how much I've come to love this show.
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6 SweetiePie54
August 30, 2013 at 11:16 PM
I have been waiting such a long time for Shinhwa to be on Running Man. I am mentally preparing for the awesomeness that will be in the next episode. Dreams really do come true ( and yes I need bigger dreams). :) :)
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7 Jel
August 30, 2013 at 11:30 PM
I know some people are complaining about this episode, but I loved it! The cast interaction was great and the lunch part was absolutely hilarious.
Loved that Jong kook finally tapped into his inner Sparta. Sparta was well missed. I hope he shows some more of that in the next ep
I've seen around the Internet blow up photos of the helicopter ride and Ji hyo had her arm intertwined around Jong kook twice when they were holding hands, and even when she was taking photos. Really solidifies my idea they are a pretty close pair the show rarely acknowledges
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PL
August 31, 2013 at 5:59 AM
You are definitely not alone, Jel. I saw mostly positive responses to the episode on a Running Man community, including doodles and video playbacks of JSJ's food hijacking, the "showdown" between KJK and JSJ, Gary defending Jihyo, etc. Although most of the games were repetitive, the cast put in tremendous effort to jazz them up this time round, unlike some other episodes, where they were basically repeating the same routines people complained of here. I guess it's a matter of differing tastes among different ethnic groups?
That said, I hope they did feed our Giraffe well off-camera. He may look goofy and all that on the screen but he's really on a sleep-depriving schedule, as much as I can tell, which is most probably why he could not drive the car. Also, the production team should try harder to keep the show fresh, which, then again, is easier said than done. I sympathized with Kwang Soo when he turned rather solemn in an overseas press conference on the topic of the sliding ratings and asked for suggestions on how to reverse the trend.
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Ethalina
September 1, 2013 at 8:24 AM
lol I don't get why "it's a matter of differing tastes among ethnic groups" because what does ethnic groups have to do with it?
I have to agree with both of you that the episode is hilarious. I guess if I were a lesser fan of RM & wasn't really into cast relationships, I'd have marked this episode as a boring one. I mean, they did the ranking games... for what? At the end, all their dubloons got sucked up and stolen anyway...
What if Shinhwa's Dongwan gets replaced by FD Go Dongwan? *guffaws*
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8 Quiet Thought
August 31, 2013 at 12:17 AM
My highlight was watching Ji Hyo tough it out in the hand slapping contest with Kwang Soo. If only she could get some part in a drama where she got to look so FIERCE!
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nova611
August 31, 2013 at 5:15 AM
im not a fan of ji-hyo
but i respect her for her pain endurance
it really hurt like hell to hand-slap with a boy/man
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nomad
August 31, 2013 at 1:38 PM
The hand-slapping sequence was my favorite! I wonder why I found it so funny, but Suk Jin and Haha's hand slapping was just hilarious!
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9 HeadsNo2
August 31, 2013 at 12:59 AM
“We’rrreee pirates!”
This episode had some good moments, but I'm not sure anything cracked me up more than Shinhwa's dedication to the concept. I never picked Shinhwa Broadcast back up after they moved stuff around, but now I kinda want to.
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10 danell
August 31, 2013 at 2:57 AM
I don't get how this episode is boring. To me it was hilarious! The meal part of hijacking food by Suk Jin was so funny. And poor Gwang Soo sitting on newspaper with just kimbap and water which got hijacked by Jae Suk too. Lol. The cast interaction was fantastic.
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11 ajewell
August 31, 2013 at 3:43 AM
I agree, the beginning of this episode did seem a bit pointless (though it did leave me curious about this Snowpiercer movie). It was unnecessarily long and I wonder if their pirate coins even served any purpose if they were all just going to be dumped into one collective loot anyway . . . in any case, I did enjoy watching them interact guest-free, since that's a rarity, and it was really really funny seeing how hard they worked to move up in their respective rankings. Can't wait to see what's up with Shinhwa next week, and how the pirate battle will turn out! Thanks for the recap!!
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12 MizzMizzEka
August 31, 2013 at 4:42 AM
I really dont like this episode, why Kwang Soo must been bullying from others. Watching scene when he got 3rd atempts but replace by Ji Hyo cause KimJong Kook order, make me sad. He was the 1st man who's being polite first to the guest. Or being considerate friend when Ji Hyo need helps.
Maybe its his role, but sometimes bullying isn't funny to watch if that too much.
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Katie
August 31, 2013 at 5:03 AM
I agree. I love their "characters" and "personalities" on RM but sometimes I feel like they take it TOO far. For instance, whatever they get to eat, is what they really receive all day. That's it. So it seems unfair to me sometimes that Kwang Soo literally gets the shaft. Okay, he's the youngest, but doesn't that mean people should be looking after him?
Also, I haven't been as interested in RM as of late. Maybe the Shinhwa episode will help but they just haven't been as funny or interesting. I've just been reading the recaps. It is the guests or a combination? I'm not sure. But I feel bad that it's being overtaken by Dad! and Real Men because I love all the RM members.
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ainul
September 1, 2013 at 9:28 AM
agree! I mean, im a fan of runningman too, just like most people do. And I loves their characters which is totally making them more like a family. But everytime the bullying part starts, I feel like "Oh dear, I can't watch this!" I know they just playing their role, but please, being OVER bullying is too much. Kwangsoo do betray people, even bully Jong Kook, but do you guys realised that he learned that from the other members? Haha betrays him, Jong Kook bullies him, Ji-hyo slaps and pulls his hair.. And it happens for these 3 years. Don't you think thats enough lessons for Kwangsoo to be a betrayer? And might be much worser than that.
Seriously.. I know we shouldn't sympathizes for Kwangsoo since its just a variety show and again, they just playing their role as RM members. And Kwangsoo's part is being bully all the time. But please, stop the bullying! Its never been fun, especially it happen to someone you adore. It might be fun to watch, but you never know what Kwangsoo actually feels like when he was being aim as main target for them to bully every week. It sickens me!
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chameleah
September 1, 2013 at 10:55 AM
LOL it seems like you know Kwangsoo very well... If he was sick of those bullying he'd definitely resign from RM long long looooong time ago. Please appreciate his effort to entertain people (also other RM casts').
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ainul
September 1, 2013 at 3:30 PM
Always been appreciating their efforts for they always make my day, its the bully part that i dont like. Might be fun to watch people got bullied, but it never been fun to be in the shoe's of those who got bullied.. Sorry but thats my personal opinion
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shams_mimiim
September 12, 2013 at 11:05 PM
totally agree to ainul..i just stop liking the eps if they bullied there co RM members especially kwang soo,,i just hate jong kook doing mr. know it all and SJH pulling his hair..so irritating to watch to the extent that you can say to yourself "if only i can grab her hair until she get bald" how can they do that even if they are friends for real but its too much .. many people at all ages watch the show if they see that bullying it would be a bad example
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sp
April 23, 2015 at 2:23 AM
And that makes you like him more, right? That's part of the reason he's being bullied. Swapping his place isn't that bad, YJS was swapped as well by Haha. Being hit real bad or something humiliating or disgusting is worse imo.
Btw, I really like this episode. The caste system and them working up the ladder in the first part is funny to watch.
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13 kaekaed
August 31, 2013 at 5:04 AM
I couldn't figure out what it was a parody of but I knew you would tell me. :D Thanks
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14 DeyFi
August 31, 2013 at 5:44 AM
Actually i really don't like this ep. Because there's many bullies to Lee kwang Soo and No strong challenges. But the ONE I LOVE it, that's SHINWA...
The first time I watch Shinwa Broadcast, it's Interesting Reality show too. and in my mind just think, How great they are If they join as participant in Running Man. and This time will be show it... Owhhhhh I can't Wait... I Hope Running man next ep, will Good and better than this... #GoodLuckRunningMan =)
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15 Cynthia
August 31, 2013 at 5:48 AM
I liked it. Sometimes this show gets smart and takes us back to the basics - cast interaction, simple games and a definite goal (rankings). I think this particular episode is a good precursor to the awesomeness that is SHINHWA. It's rather like foreplay, isn't it? - the show first gets us all hot and bothered and then gives us SHINHWA as our "big O"! I know it works for me. :-)
Thanks for the recap, Gummimochi, it was a fun and good read. Gather your strength for the RM Pirates episode. It just might be epic!
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16 Running Man Fan
August 31, 2013 at 6:59 AM
Why is Ji Hyo the first at the end of the game? I thought it should be Jong Kook or Gary. Anyway, I like this episode. Bullying Kwang Soo is funny and he always give off a pathetic feeling. Although I feel sorry that everyone 'bully' him, I think sometimes when he take revenge such as kicking/disturbing Jong kook it was also too much. But that asides since they are playing off their characters in this variety show so just take it as entertainment.
Classic moments
1) Ji Suk Jin does not want to compete with Spartakook but need to face off with him in name tag ripping. I love their expressions!!!?
2) Haha luck steak when he emerge as the winner in the first game.?
3) Yoo Jae Suk and Kookie slapped each other hand.. Poor Yoo Jae suk, Kookie hand is like a flying pan!! Lol! ?
4) Yoo Jae suk pretend to sleep and strike a surprise attack on Jong Kook. ?
5) Kwang Soo determination to get to the top, I was surprised he tear off Gary name tag!! ?
6) Spartakook and his strength at the mud game.. ''Commander!!" ?
7) During Lunch, Suk Jin hijack the foods from Jae Suk and he quickly ate the meat when Suk Jin tried to steal from him again. ?
8) Haha give a lettuce to Kwang Soo and Jae Suk took the waterbottle from him.
9) Gary give Ji Hyo ham and protect her from Ji Suk Jin.
10) Ji Hyo and Ji suk Jin pull haha hair and 'punish' him.
11) They hilariously wear the pants on the mat.
12) Jong Kook dancing at the table tennis game. They look like kids fighting.
This episode without guest was good because of the interaction and those teasing. I admit I was rather confuse during the beginning and I hope the editing or the flow of the games will be better.. For instance, have a proper conclusion and announce the winner with prize to determined who is the best survivor in Running Man before moving on. The earlier games leads to nothing and those were stolen on that spectacular pirate ship!! Anyway, I initially thought is it a ranking based on looks but later realize it was based on entertainment experience.. ?
Lastly, Jong Kook seem to really like Ji Hyo.. He is finding excuse that audience like to see Monday couple. I think Jong Kook is been a gentleman and Ji Hyo is really at a disadvantage in the mud game. Anyway, I like spartace and Monday couple.. So it was nice to see them in the helicopter.. Wish I was her!! ??
looking forward to the next episode. Shiwhua!!
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17 nama2911
August 31, 2013 at 7:39 AM
I don't know wether it is the editing or what, but the episode feels mostly like a filler episode leading up to shinhwa's appearance. Still, this proves that the cast can just sit around chatting and i would still find it entertaining lol. On the topic of kwang soo being bullied, I've been a running man since the first episode and let me reassure kwang soo's fans out there, even though he is the maknae and it looks like he is being bullied all the time, he also gives as good as he gets. He also bullies Jong Kook when he thinks he can get away with it, kicking him and stuff especially when it is in front of fans and jong kook has to 'behave' and maintain his image. So don't feel too bad for him. It's all for entertainment only right? A few people commented about spartace couple, personally if u watch the show it is pretty obvious that jong kook has a soft spot for ji hyo, but more like a dongseng i think. He definitely respects her, and likes her to be his ally most of the time and vice versa. This only my opinion, hope i didn't offend anybody:-)
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18 sixtyeightmonkey
August 31, 2013 at 8:22 AM
I usually like the episodes where it's just the cast, no guests, but this one seemed a bit sadistic. Maybe it's because I'm not as comfortable with what seems to be the Korean culture of allowing smacking and hierarchies more than some Western cultures, but I don't enjoy seeing them hurt each other as entertainment. I kind of miss the old episodes where they'd just sit around chatting at the beginning, making jokes and such.
I'm not sure what the premise of Snowpiercer/Snow Elevator accomplished, but I am looking forward to the film, now! I'm not so sure I'm looking forward to Tilda Swinton in it, if she's going to look like Tildago/Dong-wan! *shudder* I was relieved to learn that their rankings were based on their entertainment debuts, as I was rather irritated that Gary was ranked so low at the start!
Looking forward to next week with SHINHWA! The pirate theme is nothing new, but always fun.
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sixtyeightmonkey
August 31, 2013 at 8:26 AM
Forgot to say that my absolute favorite part of this episode had to be the table tennis match between Jong-kook with the fan and Jae-suk with the frying pan. Hilarious! :D
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19 janey
August 31, 2013 at 8:31 AM
When fanboy Kwangsoo screamed out ITS SHINHWA!!!! that was my thoughts and actions exactly. The next EP is going to be so good. Back to good ole hardcore Running Man. Shinhwa have Nike free runs on and they mean business. SO PUMPED
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soprection
August 31, 2013 at 11:04 AM
Haha, I thought Kwangsoo's fanboying was really cute too. You could tell he was REALLY EXCITED to meet Shinhwa.
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20 miyo
August 31, 2013 at 8:41 AM
This episode is the first I havent been able to finish. The bullying of Kwang Soo is going too far. The constant bickering of Jae Suk and Jong Kook is getting old fast. Ji Hyo's attitude toward Kwang Soo is mean. Instead of being a nice noona, she's becoming a bully as well.
And it's just not as funny anymore. Instead of picking at each other all the time why not try to be more entertaining to the viewers. I never thought I would ever think this but Jae Suk's role as an MC is starting to lack. The constant bullying, picking, shallow comments on looks over and over again is annoying. He has always been my favorite but no longer. I actually find Cool Kidz on the Block a much better show. There is heart at the sole of that show, the heart of RM is dying. Maybe that is why the ratings are going down. I agree with it. I dont find it a must watch show anymore.
If RM wants to regain their popularity, instead of having filler idol guests who they think will get more viewers, why not get idols that are actually entertaining. There are many. And stop being so shallow about how good looking someone is. The more you say it the more we realize that's all they are really good for. I much prefer the actors and idols who kick ass in competition, than a pretty one who does nothing but get their fans to watch. BORING.
Bottom line: stop the bullying. You are not setting a good example of our youth.
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mod
August 31, 2013 at 11:55 AM
"...instead of having filler idol guests who they think will get more viewers, why not get idols that are actually entertaining. There are many. And stop being so shallow about how good looking someone is. The more you say it the more we realize that’s all they are really good for. I much prefer the actors and idols who kick ass in competition, than a pretty one who does nothing but get their fans to watch. BORING."
Did you talk about Shinhwa? Do you think they're just 'filler idol guests'? Really?
Those guys are hilarious, entertaining and have tons of variety skills. Even they have their own variety show. FYI, SBS's shows became extremely popular back in 2000s because of Shinhwa's appearance (e.g. X-man, before KJK and YEH's scandal rose, there is Shinhwa light up the show). Not only SBS's, but also other TV stations' became popular. It's not because they're idols. Every time they participate on a show, they show good effort and do the best they can to make audience satisfied after watching. Even if only one Shinhwa member appeared on a show, he could give the audience some big laughs.
That's your own opinion anyway. Maybe you're not familiar with them (they just came back to e-world for 2 years). So please, don't give easy harsh judgement if you don't know the reality :)
P.S: Eric doesn't only have good look. He's a famous rapper, producer, actor, CF king, CEO, and the real leader of a legendary group. that’s all he is really good for :) :)
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mongjilover
September 1, 2013 at 11:05 AM
Couldn't agree more! Shinhwa is amazing just like Running Man members. I've watched ep 161, indeed that's one of the best episodes ever! You can tell that both RM members and Shinhwa enjoyed it. Even Jongkook said that Shinhwa must come again to the show! Jaesuk called them 'dongsaengs' showed their close and comfort interactions. I hope next time Shinhwa would come to RM w/ complete six members (Oppayam, we miss you!)
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Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:38 PM
Did I say it was Shinwha. I did not. I didn't even know there were on because I stopped watching the whole episode as I stated in my comment.
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Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:42 PM
And "there" was meant to be "they"' I know you guys will pick on my grammar and typing and anything else I voice.
It seems unless I write only positive comments, people will rip me apart. A kind of bullying in fact. Bullying through replies that I shouldn't watch the show. I guess you want me to be a robot and say I love everything about RM.
Goodbye everyone.
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snowdrop87
September 2, 2013 at 8:19 AM
Yeahhh!!!!!! I agree with u 110%.....I couldnt express my happiness when i saw d guest participating this ep was SHINHWA(I thought i saw it wrongly@.@, Love so much the Pirattes concept, Eric u r soooo handsome)
hooray!!!my wish came true(thx so much to RM staff who invited them to the show=) Im sooo excited to see how the show would become!!!!!!
I wish they will still invite Shinhwa member to the show maybe next time Dongwan can come and interact FD Go Dong Wan,hahhaa=)
ps: thx for the nice recap, it really made my day brighter than prev RM recap,hehe ^_______^
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iloveys
August 31, 2013 at 12:32 PM
"Instead of being a nice noona, she’s becoming a bully as well."
this is variety! if you guys have a problem with it, don't watch. everyone knows they're joking, if you're a running man fan you know how much kwangsoo adores his hyungs and noona and how much they adore him. it's just for fun, and you shouldn't take it so seriously -____- and the ratings are going down because of Real Men. And if you guys haven't noticed, Kwangsoo has his fair share of annoying moments with the betrayals and dramatic yelling.
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chameleah
September 1, 2013 at 10:59 AM
Very well said!
Just stop watching if you didn't like it. Geez, those grumbler's comments really made my day. LOL reading those complaints. Get a life, grumbler.
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Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:28 PM
It's called an opinion. RM used to be my favorite show. I told countless people and friends what a great show it was. Creative, hilarious, highly entertaining.
I did not like this episode. I can not praise something when it is not IMO.
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Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:52 PM
Btw I have a life. I work 50 hours a week, on 2 different fields of fashion and costuming for TV, Film, and theatrical productions all over the world.
Volunteering by growing food that I donate to feed the poor hungry and homeless. So far I have donated over 500 lbs. of fresh organic produce. if you don't believe contact Outside In and Urban Gleaners in Portland OR. That is where I garden and deliver food every single week since June. By myself.
I also create wearable art clothing, am a sewing and craft instructor, donate to countless people fabrics and other costuming materials.
I have a life. Stop being so mean to people who's opinions are different than yours.
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Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:56 PM
Who's whose. I'm so disappointed that I have to defend myself so I am tying while I have the flu. Lots of grammars errors. go ahead and make fun of that too.This is my only time I can downtime other than watching my varieties shows at the end of the day whenever I get a chance.
That's it, I'm done, I won't ever be back to comment ever agin so you can be sure I'll try to find a better life.
Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:35 PM
I know what variety is. I know what it's like to kid around. I also know what bullying is. Someone I know DIED because they were bullied throughout school and killed them-self.
They is kidding around and there is bullying. Annoying someone is different than bullying.
The ratings is down because there are better things to watch. RM know their ratings have dropped. What I said is that for me as a viewer the show is waning for various reasons I stated in my comment which by the way I allowed to voice.
There just for fun and then there's people like me and I am not alone who find the bullying hard to watch and for me personally highly disturbing that it is so acceptable, ESP on a top show. It's not fun.
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sp
April 23, 2015 at 3:02 AM
I got why you are annoyed with the bullying and it may set a bad example. Everyone is entitled to their opinions so it shouldn't suprise you others may find you too uptight. As long as we don't resort to name-calling it's still acceptable.
What I don't get it is why you are pinning the blame on KJK, YJS, SJH for the bullying when LKS is also part of it, being the victim. Don't tell me the bullying is real because I don't believe he's a doormat who regards these people as his family even though they treat him badly. He often sabotages his own team only for a LOL or WTF moment and it annoys me at times but I still like him as I believe he's doing it for what he thinks is entertaining for the viewers. The casts meet outside the show sometimes to discuss about what to do with the show, they are all apart of it. Be fair, don't single anyone out.
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mitzy
September 1, 2013 at 10:51 AM
Complaining about casts' bully? Same old story *hoahmm* It's just a common thing on variety show. Other K-variety shows also use it (verbal or physical way). C'mon, If you feel uncomfortable about that, just stop watching. And don't forget to protect youths around you not to watch RM. If the bullying thing was very unacceptable, then the production team wouldn't air it for sure.
Oh, and I was wondering if you would re-check your opinion about Filler Idol Guests who are Good Looking Only (such a cheap, cheap comment. Sorry!) after you watched tonight's episode. Shinhwa is fierce, entertaining and can kick ass in competition. Period.
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Miyo
September 1, 2013 at 10:24 PM
Did I mention the filler idol was Shinhwa? I did not. You assumed wrong. Like I said I didn't watch the whole episode because I did not like the bullying.
Bullying is wrong. Period. People kill themselves because they were bullied. Kids go into schools and shoot other kids they felt bullied them. Yes bullying wrong? 100% wrong.
The production team probably doesn't care enough about how damaging bullying is because of viewers who keep watching the show support that bullying is okay. There is not enough media coverage in Korea on this issue that is killing many people in the US. ESP children. I don't mind how they used to pick on each other which is very common in Korea, but bullying is dead wrong.
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21 maymay
August 31, 2013 at 9:10 AM
Didn't realize ratings ate dropping. ..am a fan of RM since the beginning. ..some episodes are slow and some more entertaining. ..but I still like the interaction between the casts...and whatever role they are playing. ..it's just entertainment. I never take things to heart bcos they're all like family irl
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22 TS
August 31, 2013 at 9:16 AM
Shinhwa!
Eric looks an actual pirate. Hyesung looks cute per usual. So, they look really funny!
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23 Lilian
August 31, 2013 at 10:22 AM
In recent times, this was one of my fav episodes, after the one featuring Jisung and the other footballer! It was funny without requiring any guests......the games were hilarious and I so loved it that in the first round Suk Jin was up against the person he most feared! And Haha was just awesome...... I also admire their persistence to win in the hand slapping game. Jaesuk was most definitely in pain!!! And the car scenes were definitely hilarious!! I didn't know that RM would go to such great lengths to differentiate the winners =P
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24 soprection
August 31, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Thank you for the recap!
Because I knew this was meant to be a Snowpiercer parody, I got the opening part but I think maybe it went on too long. Honestly the games weren't that interesting (except the ping pong) but the interactions between the members made up for that. I really liked the mud flat game as well, although I did feel bad for Gwangsoo. He worked really hard but ended up in the bottom again. Imo, the funniest part was the little lunch interlude with all of the jokes as per their ranks. Sukjin really has a slight evil streak.
I'm looking forward to the next episode though. I think Shinhwa will be really good guests.
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chameleah
August 31, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Me too! Looking forward to ep 161. RM fighting!
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PL
September 1, 2013 at 2:52 AM
Yeah, he worked really hard, and improved so much, in both appearance and ability. I just watched episode one today and found that Kwang Soo was the first person ever to get his name tag ripped off in RM history, and his opponent then, in a face-to-face confrontation, was none other than Gary. Fast forward to three years later, Kwang Soo managed to tie with Gary, the Random Commander, in nametag ripping in the second 2013 Han Hyo Joo episiode, and now, rip off Gary's name tag first instead. That's especially impressive, considering his hectic drama and overseas travel schedule:
- Arriving in South Korea in the wee hours of Sunday morning
- Drama filming in the day (and night?)
- RM filming commencing at 4 am Monday
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25 iloveys
August 31, 2013 at 12:39 PM
Am i the only one that really liked this episode? People are always asking for more cast only episodes, and here one is where the interactions are great and there's still a bunch of complaining. And yes there were parts where it was obvious Kwangsoo was put in last place just because, but why is everyone always pitying him? Kwangsoo has annoying moments too, like when he betrays at times when he really shouldn't. It's just variety, and korean variety at that so don't tell them to change things just bc it doesn't fit to your international tastes.
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nomad
August 31, 2013 at 1:43 PM
Nope. I really liked it too. I found this epi totally hilarious!
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PL
September 1, 2013 at 3:00 AM
I'm probably even lonelier for liking the Snowpiercer segment and finding the later half of the episode relatively boring!
As for the mistreatment issues, I think variety casts should really quit this mentality that the more you bully or abuse someone when the cameras are rolling, the more you are showing favor to him. In the entire cast of seven, Gary is probably the only one who has never ill-treated anyone on the screen.
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Elia
September 1, 2013 at 3:58 PM
PL, I'm so with you!!!
I find the the Snowpiercer segment very funny, but the rest of segments are draggy, at the end the whole ranking system seems pointless and anti-climax, then suddenly the theme changes to pirates and SHINHWA are introduced....
this episode starts great, but then it gets slow and confusing. I do find the bullying jokes a bit too much compared to other episodes. I usually can handle RM bullying lightheartedly and laugh at it, but this episode is simply too cruel for my taste.
I really wished RM back to what it used to be, and I really wanted to love this episode, but sadly, I couldn't. Hopefully next week would be much better.
RM Fighting!!
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sp
April 23, 2015 at 3:26 AM
Yes, I noticed that too but I feel like somehow Gary is the one that is least close to everyone? I mean they are all obviously a very close-knit group but if they have to rank others in the order of how close they are, I think he'd end up in the bottom rung of most people's list, except Haha.
Right or wrong, they are bullying the people they are very close to and know well their limits. It's like an egg or chicken question, are they doing this whole "bullying" thing because the viewers want to watch it or are they promoting such behaviours and influencing the viewers?
I think for sane viewers, we know they are not bullying or hurting one another. They are polite and careful with the guests they don't know, even if that means they'll lose the game. But they are highly competitive with and only act mean to each other. I see that as playful acts between close friends.
Anyway, I like the snowpiercer segment too.
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mod
September 1, 2013 at 10:32 AM
no you're not ^^ I always love every little part of interaction between RM members, how close they are. That's why RM is still exist, because of their strong relationship and commitment :)
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miyo
September 3, 2013 at 12:13 PM
bullying is an international problem. Korea has the highest suicide rate in the world. Korea also has a prevalent problem with bullying: parents, schoolmates, employers. My cousin jumped off a mountain because of it. Im Korean American, she lived in Busan.
It's not a matter of international taste. It's a matter of continuing to use a method that kills people. Annoying is one thing, bullying is completely another.
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jenji
January 11, 2014 at 4:20 PM
actually these kind of varities can help people by showing them to not take bullying seriously
one week he is bullied next week he is same saying hyung noona
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26 a.n.jell
August 31, 2013 at 9:33 PM
Oh Yeah!...Finally! Wish granted!.... I've always wondered when will the Shinhwa boys guest on RM and that it would totally be awesome...I hope their episode turns out well and maybe they'll be invited for another appearance in the show again sometime in the future...i really love them a lot...plus i like seeing the xman cast reunite after years... <3
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27 rox82
September 1, 2013 at 12:30 AM
I love the ep. Just kinda confused in the beginning about the ice elevator thing. They could have done away with it and no one would notice. The mini games were funny, especially the hand slapping and table tennis parts. Since my bias is Ha Dong Hoon, I was so happy to see him win the challenge! WEEEEH! <3
Got so excited at the last part when Shinhwa was shown. My favorite idol group in my favorite variety show! I wish there's more than 1 episode for this guesting because I know Shinhwa will never disappoint (though it's disappointing that Dong Wan was not able to participate). I was anticipating Dong Wan and Kwang Soo rivalry, Jong Kook - Junjin, Haha - Andy, Jaesuk- Eric, Min Woo - Gary, Hye Sung - Ji Hyo, Shinhwa Broadcast meets Running Man. I bet name tag ripping will be a thrill. :) Can't wait.
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28 danell
September 1, 2013 at 7:06 AM
Gary has lost a lot of weight. He used to be very muscular and bulky with a square face. Kwang soo is still young so it's no surprise he's getting stronger compared to his hyungs.
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29 Hari
September 1, 2013 at 9:26 AM
Yes Luzie...Eric is FINE! Overall a funny episode: ranking games, lunch time antics, camera assignments. Everyone had a hard time not laughing at themselves as much as laughing at each other. I'm glad they ffwd'd through ball catch and banana boat quiz; I'm sure the cast was pooped by then. I'm looking forward to part 2.
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30 onyxx
September 1, 2013 at 9:45 AM
the scenes that had me roaring off was the hand-slapping bout between KJK and Jae-suk. man, jae-suk had my sympathy from the start -- i knew it was only a matter of time before he'd start yelping.
and that restaurant scene -- it's hilarious how the current pecking order among the RM cast could bring out the "beast" or the "angel" within. all in all, this was a fun-filled episode :)
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31 angie_han
September 2, 2013 at 12:32 AM
Thanks for recapping, gummi! I like this episode. Stop attacking each other btw (I've read all comments here.) We all have our own thoughts. Just sit back and enjoy watching. RM fighting!
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32 Cdaze
September 2, 2013 at 7:45 AM
loved the elevator concept...just like real corporate life...you have to work your way up...survival of the fittest!
thanks for the recap!
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33 dkaoru
September 2, 2013 at 9:03 AM
I love this ep! The interactions between the RM members were hilarious! And I find the funniest moment is when they're just sitting down for lunch and not during the games itself.
The 4th place bullied 6th place who then bullied 7th place! that's why they say shit rolls downhill, and if you're at the bottom of the hill, you're screwed!
Monday couple moment during lunch was awesome!
and yeahhhh finally SHINHWA on RM!!!!
just wished Dong wan could have been there as well. O well nothing is perfect I supposed!
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34 LoL
May 26, 2014 at 11:43 AM
I love this episode, it's so funny & the interactions member about ranking so much fun to watched it.. But about the bullying..its just sake of variety show dont take so serious & dont fight with people if you dont like this show --" They're just like family know about each other happy & sad shared it together.. >> Miyo
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35 Anon
September 17, 2014 at 12:45 PM
Just watched this episode. Jongkook really can get annoying at times. Most of the times really. He's really freakin useless without strength. How is it, it was okay for him to slap around Jaesuk that hard when he berated Kwangsoo for a light slap? I think he was trying to make himself better for slapping Jaesuk that hard by picking on the younger one.
I think only Gary has never picked on anyone on the show before.
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36 jenn
October 23, 2014 at 2:51 PM
Does anybody know the korean name of that 70's cartoon 'ghostman' ? ??
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37 Jjang
June 10, 2015 at 12:38 AM
This episode is one of the reason that show Running Man doesn't need guest to be funny, but i agree with Miyo, PL, & Anon comment, the bullying part is kinda over the top, i understand it's for show but when kwang soo is pushed back by KJK, you will know he use real strength.
and agree to Miyo comment about filler guest, like shinwa in this episode which they basically do nothing and it take almost 10 minutes run time just to introduce them for next week episode. and the minutes it take to reintroduce them in next week episode. so basically almost 1/3 of one episode run time just for introducing them.
or like Sulli in episode 153, or Taeyon in episode 112 what's the point is having her there if the mission is strength related. in which both of the girls lack off
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38 Amy
March 1, 2017 at 10:03 PM
I love running man but I SERIOUSLY HATE THIS EPISODE !! I can't bear to finish this episode because they were too harsh to kwang soo. This ranking stuff is such a rubbish. It become worse when the 1st rank can change other people position. This episode irritates me a lot!!
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