Running Man Episode 678 Review
Guests: None
My Entertainment Score: 8 out of 10 laughs
I enjoyed the simplicity of this race as well as the competitiveness of the members.
What Happened:
Theme: $1,000 Deam Prize Race
Note: The morning of the filming of this episode, an announcement was made about Somin’s impending departure from the show. Next episode is her last appearance as a regular cast member.
Opening (start of episode- 15:25)
The opening itself begins as a race to get to the location. The first 3 to arrive will get a clue about the location of the $1,000 prize money envelope. Then the first search period begins even while arrivals are happening.
Race Explanation
Note: This episode went a little differently than usual in that most of the episode was ‘free time’ for searching and shopping and the rules were given out several times as members arrived or as they were needed. So, I’m going to condense the rules into one place and only give the timestamps for the games. Everything else is free time for searching.
A ‘commisary’ tent is set up by the staff. Members can purchase all kinds of things there from the pens that they need to claim envelopes to snacks to cooking equipment to entertainment. All purchases are made “on credit” and the payment is due 3 times during the day. Payment COULD be made in cash or in a series of ever worsening punishments depending on the debt amount accrued by the entire group. There is a ‘debt envelope’ and the names of the people on it are required to pay.
The prize money envelope when claimed will be re-hidden by the staff until the end of the day. The owner of the envelope gets to specify where the envelope should be hidden. At the end of the day, the member whose name is on the envelope will get to keep the cash. Note: each pen is one-use only, so members have to purchase new pens each time an envelope is claimed.
The day is split into three segments with a game separating each. At the end of the game, two members will be chosen at random to get a hint on the prize envelope’s location. Each member has one running ball to start each game and the winners of the game get 2 additional running balls toward a hint.
First Mission: Gourmets With Different Tastes (17:12- 34:00)
Each member was given the same type of dish but the level of spiciness (or sourness or sweetness) was different for each plate. Members needed to taste the dish in front of them and then figure out the level of spiciness based only on the other members words or reactions.
First Debt Collection (42:00- 44:45)
Second Mission: Wet Zombie Game (44:45- 58:00)
I want to see some of my favorite idol groups playing this game…so badly!
The room was protected with plastic and the members all wore white protective clothing. There were 3 rounds. In each round, one member was the zombie who had to wear a blindfold. The other members were humans who had to wear squeaky rubber chickens on their feet. To catch the humans, the zombie used a water gun with colored water but was only allowed to shoot 10 times total. The zombie gets a point for each member he shoots. The humans get points from 1 to 6 depending on the order they are caught (or not caught). Each round lasted 3 minutes.
Round 1: Somin Zombie - 45:40.
Round 2: Jongkook Zombie - 49:25.
Round 3: Seokjin Zombie - 53:25.
Second Debt Collection (1:09:58- 1:10:55)
Third Mission: Side By Side Pillow Fight (1:10:55- 1:21:53)
Two members battled at a time. Each sat on a (padded) log over foam cubes, both facing the camera. Then a pillow fight began with each member getting a turn to take a swing. The member to stay on the log longest wins the round. The winner was determined in a bracket-style tournament.
Final Debt Collection and Prize Results (1:28:35 - end of episode)
Preview: For Somin’s final shoot, the staff allow her to do her trip for Running Man Trip Project. Where will she take the members for her final goodbye.
!!!Spoilers!!!
First Arrival Bonus Winners
Somin
Sechan
Jaesuk
**Note: I will not keep track of all the envelope transitions as there are quite a few of them, several are done off screen, and the timing of them is unclear.
Gourmets With Different Tastes
Seokjin, Jongkook, Jihyo, and Somin tied with 2 points each, so they all got 2 additional balls.
Haha and Jihyo were chosen to get hints about the prize envelope location.
First Debt Collection
Flogging was given to Seokjin and Somin.
Wet Zombie Game
Jaesuk, Haha, and Jihyo have the high scores and get additional balls.
Haha, Somin, and Sechan get hints about the prize envelope location.
Second Debt Collection
The debt envelope was not found, so the diving in cold water penalty is put on hold. The members chosen for the third debt collection will take this penalty and the next.
Side By Side Pillow Fight
First Rounds:
Jaesuk defeats Seokjin.
Jihyo defeats Somin.
Haha defeats Sechan.
Second Rounds:
Jaesuk defeats Jihyo.
Jongkook defeats Haha.
Final Round:
Jaesuk defeats Jongkook
So Jaesuk gets 2 extra running balls and Jongkook gets 1.
Jaesuk and Sechan get the prize envelope location hint.
Final Debt Collection
Sechan and Somin have to do the water dive.
Final Money Envelope Owner
Jaesuk is the last to find the envelope, but he kindly puts Somin’s name on it as a gift.
