Running Man: Episode 277

by gummimochi

Fear and terror strike varietyland this week as a pathological virus seeks to turn humans into mindless zombies. Everyone is at risk and it’s up to our special agents to track down the small number of human survivors who are still trapped in the laboratory.

As their hunt progresses, they’ll discover more clues that suggest that not everything is what it seems—what they see now may very well change in a few short hours. If there was ever a zombie-themed episode done right, this is it. If you need to scare me a little to churn out keenly planned out concepts like this one, Running Man, then by all means, keep the spooks, thrills, and laughs coming.

EPISODE 277. Broadcast on December 13, 2015.

We fall into a world plagued by a dreaded zombie virus and the Running Man team is called into battle. Our special agents arrive at base camp in Seoul and are told that that the pathogen originates from a secret laboratory. Though there are 150 employees, the current human to zombie ratio is unknown.

The lab looks like a deserted war zone—dark and everything in disarray. It’s their job to save as many human lives and track down Professor Yeom, the only one who knows how to eliminate the zombies. Gulp, let’s just hope he’s still alive.

Noting that their squad leader shares the same surname, they ask, “Are we going to see you with a mole later?” “Is he related to you?” “I’ll be disappointed if you show up wearing glasses!” Ssshhh, just play along, boys and girls.

Their leader retorts: “I’ll take off my wig.” Hahaha. Anyhow, back to the matter at hand: Should they fail to take an antidote within 30 minutes of getting bitten, they’ll turn into zombies themselves.

Because they’ve only got one, the team must decide who gets to have it. Suk-jin pulls the mat hyung card, which is when Gary’s says he’s in the middle of the age pack. Then Kwang-soo pulls the maknae card. Yeah, it probably wasn’t a good idea to let these guys hash it out among themselves.

Haha (to Suk-jin): “You’ve lived a long life!” Suk-jin: “The rest of you are strong!” And then Jae-suk swoops in to ask if it works to take the antidote now. Lol.

The mention of a badge has Haha’s ears perk up (“How many dons is that?”) Leader Yeom: “It’s just a badge, doofus.” As soon as their squad leader leaves, the group bickers over who gets the antidote once more. Giving it to Suk-jin might be pointless since he’ll likely be the first to turn, and Jong-kook will have a heroic death whereas the Monday Couple will die out of love.

When Suk-jin says he should just have it, Jae-suk brings up a good point: “What are you actually going to do with two lives?” Kwang-soo is ruled out because they just can’t trust him, and the antidote ends up in Haha’s hands because he makes these thematic specials entertaining.

Commence Plan No. 9348234, and Jong-kook and Kwang-soo are the first to step out onto the field. The cold temperature only seems to send more chills down their spines, and they take cautious steps down the hallway.

They check the open room at the end of the hall, and Kwang-soo swears he heard something. Arming himself with a shovel, they hang around for another minute before moving on to the basement level.

Kwang-soo gets berated for accidentally slamming the door before they both head into the darkness. There’s something walking—no, lumbering in the next room. There’s more than one of them out there, and Jong-kook wonders if it’s possible to outrun them.

But Kwang-soo notes that these zombies don’t appear to be after them right now, and he whispers into the darkness in search of human lives. Jong-kook opens up a door… only to find a zombie hiding inside.

Its arm flails outside the door, and Kwang-soo grasps his shovel, threatening, “I’m seriously going to hit you!” That zombie’s sudden movements scares the bejesus out of them as they run up the staircase.

Jae-suk, Suk-jin, and Ji-hyo are next to enter the building and the eerie silence only makes them more nervous. Jae-suk freaks out when he sees zombies roaming around an open space, and a sudden noise sends them running.

Turns out it was just scaredy cat VJ Kwon-ryul and Jae-suk actually takes five steps into the room to do a head count before backing away again. They meet Gary and Haha by the entrance, and those guys immediately ask the important questions: What do the zombies look like? How do they move? Are they wearing nametags? Now we’re talkin’.

They figure that it’s worth a shot, and Jae-suk and Ji-hyo head upstairs where they find a secret room… which houses Professor Yeom. The professor is torn—he’s relieved to see human life, yet fearful because he’s already been bitten.

The outbreak of the zombie virus can be traced to this laboratory, and he has some clues from his experiment logs: a) the zombies have limited vision; and b) they do not react to light; however they do c) react to loud noises; and d) freeze for a moment when their nametags are ripped off.

Turns out that’s exactly what Suk-jin is doing as he uses sound to attract or deflect the zombies around him. Gary and Haha test the nametag ripping hypothesis as well. Jae-suk and Ji-hyo are told that there are multiple antidotes hidden in their building. It’s up to them to find those doses before they turn too.

Professor Yeom hands them his notebook, only to squirm moments later. Oh no, looks like the prof’s 30 minutes are up. Downstairs, Jong-kook tells Kwang-soo to keep it down—hasn’t he noticed that the zombies turn toward them whenever they talk? Smart.

Not only that, Jong-kook’s spied the laptop as well. But then Kwang-soo screams before running out the door to lock Jong-kook inside. Dude, do you really want to deal with Zombie Spartakooks?

Jong-kook slips out just in time to give Kwang-soo a taste of his own medicine by opening the closet door. Kwang-soo runs, having learned his lesson, and then they both double back for that laptop…

… and then Jong-kook screams before locking Kwang-soo inside. LOL. Jong-kook attracts the zombies to the door while Kwang-soo swipes the laptop and heads to the opposite stairwell. He discovers a part of Professor Yeom’s experiment log before staring into the camera for a PSA: Kids, as long as you remain alert, you can survive the zombie den.

At least we learn that the zombies can’t experience pain, but they’re still plenty scary enough. Suk-jin finds one passed out(?) by a doorway, and Jae-suk can’t bring himself to enter. Why is it lying down?

Still, they discover more clues inside, including one that points them to some emergency food supply located nearby the gymnasium. The next room holds neck warmers which they realize can be placed on the zombies to neutralize them, just like the unconscious one next door.

The hunt is still on for human lives, and Haha and Suk-jin discover their first human. Suk-jin is a master of zombie deflection, and once they’re in the clear, the man says there was also a woman downstairs.

They lead the man to the medical tent where Suk-jin and Haha both jump to take credit (each successful rescue earns an agent 1 point). Suk-jin gets the point for entering the tent first.

Speaking of humans, Jong-kook and Kwang-soo discover a woman in one of the basement levels. She cries that she’s hungry, so Kwang-soo hands her the emergency foodstuff: chocolate.

As they escort her out, she whispers that she’s got a friend hiding on the same floor. Kwang-soo ventures into the darkness to find the woman, who says she’s got a friend. Kwang-soo: “Why do these people have so many friends?” Hahaha.

The team regroups inside the building, and Jae-suk points out that there HAS to be an upcoming twist because the zombies aren’t a threat to them at all. Suk-jin adds that they’ve got to do something before their enemies are given some kind of advantage or some stronger foes will show up.

Jong-kook tells the others that one log noted that the zombies will become more intelligent as time passes. They may not be able to speak at present, but that could all change soon enough.

Four of our agents enter Professor Yeom’s office, unaware that he’s been bitten. He barely tells them that he is infected before squirming in pain, at which point Jong-kook tells Haha to hand over his antidote.

He sends them away, telling them that it’s too late, and the guys hope that he doesn’t come to (literally) bite them. Jong-kook: “Would you like for us to kill you before you turn?” Professor Yeom: “I want to live!” HA.

Gary gets two steps out the door before running back inside because of an approaching zombie. Now the creatures are getting faster and more aggressive, and Haha finds himself trapped behind the table. Eee, no!

The zombie grabs hold of Haha before chomping down on his hand. Abandoning him, they realize that Haha still has the antidote. By the time they head back into the office, Haha has already downed the entire vial.

While they’re busy lecturing Haha for drinking the only antidote (or so they think) they’ve got, they fail to realize the other zombie in the lab coat in the room. They skedaddle before the zombie professor rises.

Now that the zombies have morphed into slightly more advanced forms, the agents get a move on with finding survivors. Suk-jin discovers another experiment log which states that the zombies’ speed soon matched that of a human. Uh oh, this means those guys are gonna run.

One actually gives chase to Jae-suk and Ji-hyo, who are saved by the staircase. Why do I get the feeling that the zombies are going to be able to climb stairs soon?

Elsewhere, Jong-kook discovers a survivor in the closet. He closes the door upon seeing a zombie and rips off its nametag to temporarily freeze him. Another comes at him and tries to force the door open… but can’t because he can’t overpower Jong-kook. HAHAHA.

What’s even funnier is that Jong-kook opens the door and tells the zombie to get over here so he can rip off his nametag. Once the zombie’s down, Jong-kook hurries to save the human.

Kwang-soo makes sure not to make a sound while he walks through zombie-infested grounds. He discovers an antidote and pockets it before he hears a soft knocking. It’s a survivor and Kwang-soo leads him away.

There are more humans waiting to be found, and the agents are eager to claim them for their own. Jae-suk starts running with the human upon seeing a zombie and races through the rooms, other zombies hot on his tail.

He’s able to lead his survivor to safety but Ji-hyo is still weaving through the halls. Suk-jin tries (but fails) to use the neck warmer attack. They finally get to the stairs, but take a look at the dozen of zombies behind them.

In a safe corner, Jae-suk complains about how Kwang-soo has been trying to get rid of clues and experiment logs wherever he goes. The hyungs agree that they should give Kwang-soo up, and plus—they need to see the effects of getting bitten.

Kwang-soo says they’re all a team, but Gary’s not having it, especially after what he’s been through last week. The guys point out that they haven’t seen Suk-jin lately—could he have turned?

No, he’s with Ji-hyo, who lures a zombie long enough for him to tear off its nametag. They’re soon surrounded by zombies again, and both agents distract their enemies before running to freedom.

A little later, Gary has another survivor down on a basement level. They make it up the stairs where the others are eager to guide the survivor back. The woman cries that many of her friends are still trapped downstairs, and the noise attracts a pair of zombies who can NOW CLIMB STAIRS.

Gary gets bitten, and Suk-jin rushes to usher the survivor to the tent to collect his point. Current scoreboard: Jong-kook, Kwang-soo, and Suk-jin: 2 points. Ji-hyo and Jae-suk: 1 point.

Kwang-soo doesn’t fall for Gary’s lie that he isn’t infected, but Gary gets upset when Kwang-soo’s more interested in that survivor than him turning into an undead. Gary’s new goal is to find an antidote, and he makes sure to show ALL the zombies that he’s already been bitten. Ha, leave it to Gary to make a tragic consequence funny.

Gary: “I promise to bring you lots of people when I turn!” Outside, the others are convinced that Kwang-soo’s been bitten when Gary appears out of nowhere… er, practicing his zombie acting skills.

Kwang-soo swears that he hasn’t been bitten, to which Ji-hyo retorts that even if he did, he would’ve taken the antidote by now. A body search yields nothing.

Downstairs, Suk-jin stops in his tracks when a zombie calls out: “Big Nose!” The doors behind him slam shut, and the noise attracts the zombies. He screams as he’s engulfed by zombies while the guys laugh on the other side of the door.

The zombie mob finally disperses when they realize that they’ve got Big Nose Hyung and celebrate.

The guys explains that this is revenge for stealing all of their survivors earlier, but Suk-jin has more pressing news: the zombies can speak. Just like Gary, Suk-jin speaks to the zombies like buddies, roaring in celebration with them and asking them if they know where the antidote is.

Gary has less than ten minutes before he turns when he stumbles upon an antidote. Eep, don’t take it until you’re in a safe zone! He consumes it just in time.

Downstairs, Kwang-soo is busy looking for more human survivors. He’s got it down to a science now, handing out foodstuffs before trekking the zombie-filled hallways in silence. I’m going to be totally honest—the way the zombies move freak me out. (Yes I know they’re actors.)

His survivor count is up to five before running to Suk-jin, who claims to be clean. Kwang-soo finds yet another survivor but makes sure Suk-jin doesn’t steal him away. In the medical tent, he declares, “I’m going to save the world!”

As the minutes tick past, Suk-jin gets progressively more antsy about his fate. The symptoms are getting worse, and soon it’s too late—he’s turned.

Zombie Big Nose Hyung can freely take the stairs, to Jae-suk’s horror. Zombie Suk-jin’s also a little vain as he cries out repeatedly: “Big Nose!” He tells the zombies to bite everyone… before bursting into laughter at his own dramatic acting. Oh dear.

Kwang-soo even gets close to take a picture and show it to Zombie Suk-jin. It’s hard for Suk-jin to stay in character (“I feel awkward too”) as much as it’s hard to believe that Suk-jin’s playing a zombie.

Kwang-soo belatedly mentions that he had an antidote, which spurs Jae-suk to ask why he didn’t give it to Suk-jin then. Zombie Suk-jin is filled with resentment and charges at Kwang-soo to bite him. Er, does that count?

It must, but it’s pointless since Kwang-soo takes out his antidote… that gets knocked out of his hands. LOL. Zombie Suk-jin chases after his new friend while Jae-suk remarks that they’re done for if Kwang-soo turns.

Still, Kwang-soo gets a gulp in, which Zombie Suk-jin says isn’t enough. Kwang-soo: “What kind of zombie can speak so articulately?” Determined to keep his record, Kwang-soo runs through the halls in search of an antidote.

Ji-hyo attempts to remain hidden when soon-to-be-zombie Kwang-soo stomps past. He calls over the other undead, and soon they’re surrounded by zombies. Ji-hyo pushes Jae-suk into the fray and the latter gets bitten.

Jae-suk is nonplussed about this consequence and told to work on his zombie acting. At present, Kwang-soo leads the survivor scoreboard with 6, Gary and Haha both have 4, Jong-kook and Ji-hyo each have 3, and Jae-suk has 2.

Time runs out for Kwang-soo who is now Zombie Kwang-soo. He’s out to find Haha, who discovers another clue. The Monday Couple hears a cry for help. What if it’s a trap?

Jong-kook, Ji-hyo, and Gary are wary to venture into the darkness while Haha reads Professor Yeom’s experimental log that exposes a frightening truth: the zombies are as smart as humans and therefore, uncontrollable.

So Ji-hyo is caught off-guard when a zombie jumps at her, and a group of them (including Zombie Suk-jin) bites her. There are no restrictions for the zombies, now able to climb stairs. Jong-kook and Gary make a run for it.

Despite being bitten, Ji-hyo still continues to find more survivors, though Suk-jin bites one she tries to save. While she searches for an antidote, the remaining agents (Jong-kook, Haha, and Gary) are told that there are three survivors left in the building.

Inside, Ji-hyo shows an attacking zombie that she and her survivor have both been bitten. Unfortunately there’s only one antidote and she makes sure he drinks it before she runs back inside.

Haha busts a gut upon seeing Zombie Kwang-soo, who spits at him and says gruffly that he could’ve lived and that he didn’t have to become a zombie. Who’s the articulate one now? Haha locks the door behind him, only to be met with another scare: Zombie Jae-suk.

Haha gets bitten while Kwang-soo tries to open the locked door. A civil war breaks out between zombies as Zombie Kwang-soo is infuriated to learn that he didn’t get to infect Haha.

Elsewhere, Ji-hyo takes advantage of a distracted moment to try and pull a neutralizing neck warmer over Zombie Suk-jin’s head. The other zombies can do nothing since she’s already infected—in fact, they start rooting for her.

Zombies Jae-suk and Kwang-soo chase down Jong-kook to point out how he’s the only one wearing a jacket. They run into Gary a minute later, and the latter pretends to already be infected… before zipping past them.

To his luck, Haha finds another antidote. The remaining three agents are called back in for an emergency meeting. There’s no need to find more survivors because there’s one person out there whose DNA can cure the pathological disease.

She’s currently tucked away in a capsule in the lab, and she’s the world’s last hope. The trio roams the building, but it’s Gary who finds the secret door. As expected, the young lady is inside and she wakes.

This is rookie actress Shin Se-hui who is escorted out by Jong-kook. Oddly enough, the zombies let them pass, though Haha and Gary aren’t so lucky. There are too many zombies to count upstairs, but none of them attack either Jong-kook or Se-hui.

Haha rejoins in time to close the glass doors to allow Se-hui run out to freedom. The zombies chomp on the remaining agents while Se-hui climbs into the tank. The sacrifice may have been great, but now the world has a much brighter future.

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