Variety Review: Running Man- Episode 539

Guests: Defconn (Rapper, MC) and Kim BoSung Actor. Also, Shin GyuJin (comedian) as a side character not a game participant.


My Entertainment Score: 8 out 10 laughs


The theme and outcome of this week was completely irrelevant for me. I enjoyed the games so much that it didn’t matter who won. The cast seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves and (generally) there was fair play all around. It helps that they played one of my favorite games (The Strawberry Game) and a ball game (because Jongkook just cracks me up during ball games). I enjoyed it immensely! If you only have time for part of the episode, I recommend the Strawberry Game.



What Happened


Theme: Running Man School: The Burning 18 Again! I feel the need to explain that they mean that the members ought to rediscover the fiery passion of youth for the episode.


Introductions of Clubs and Guests (start of episode- 6:56)

This is the usual greeting chatter and playfulness. 

Band Club: (start of episode- :53)

Jihyo, Sechan, Haha

Dance Club: (:53- 2:22)

Somin, Seokjin, Jongkook….later joined by Defconn

Student Guidance Club: (2:23 - 4:55)

Jaesuk, Kwangsoo….later joined by Kim BoSung

Guests Arrival (4:55- 6:56)


Teacher Arrival/Dress Inspection (6:56- 21:41)

Gyujin assesses the suitability of the members’ outfits and style for school, giving demerits as he goes. This was much funnier than you would expect! Not only was it biased, but the members were at their best in ad libbing excuses and trying to throw each other under the bus.


Today’s Race Explanation (21:42- 22:42)


The three teams (clubs) will compete in games to earn funds. Between rounds, teams will hide their money in their club room and the other clubs will have the opportunity to steal funds. (One member is left, blindfolded, in the club room with a toy hammer in order to defend their cash.) The team with the most funds at the end of the game will get a prize.

Individuals will be judged by the teacher throughout and given demerits based on criteria related to the ‘class’ they are in. The 3 individuals with the most demerits at the end of the day will have to stay after class and do an annoying punishment. Demerits can be removed by paying funds that the club earns to the ‘School Support Fund’.

This means that the bottom 3 who get punishment could also be the members of the winning team.


Moral Education Class (22:42 - 45:14)


Members Enter, Game Explanation, Practice for the guests (22:42-28:25)

This is a hilarious game where the members have to break up the Korean word for strawberry into 1, 2, or 4 beats, depending on what the member calling on them asks for. Everyone created a four count beat (slap knees, clap, snap right hand, snap left hand). The attacking person calls out another’s name and a number between 1 and 4. The defending member has to fit 딸기 (ttalgi) into the beat the correct number of times. On 3, they would split each syllable up for the first two beats and then say it quickly for the remaining two beats.---Wow! This is hard to explain!--- So, 1 would be tta-al-g-i, 2 would be ttal-gi-ttal-gi, 3 would be ttal-gi, ttalgi, ttalgi, and 4 would be ttalgi, ttalgi, ttalgi, ttalgi. 

Because this is a team game and meant to be part of the Moral Education Class, the game was modified to make it a loyalty game. This means that a team was called on and the number could be as high as 16 for the team with 4 members and 12 for the teams with 3 players. The team would have to say the correct number of strawberries (in turns) before they could attack. For instance, if a team of three members had to do 6, the first could do only 1, the second member 4, and the last member another 1 to add up to 6 all together.


Demerits could be given for failing the loyalty test or for failing to be funny.


Strawberry Game!!! (28:25- 44:26)

I could not have enjoyed this more. I laughed and laughed. Adding is apparently the hardest thing in the world and strawberry is a tongue twister when set to a beat. This also had one of my favorite Seokjin moments ever. It may actually have been my favorite. 


Demerits Earned during the game revealed (44:26- 45:14)

The reasoning here was hilarious.



Lunch Break- 1st Opportunity to Steal Funds (45:15- 52:36)

Rules Explained (45:15- 46:35)

I previously mentioned this general idea. Some further rules are mentioned. No hiding the money on your body and all your money must be hidden.

You also learn that $0.10 will get rid of one demerit when given to the teacher for the ‘School Support Fund’ during this part of the game. And you learn that 1st place earns $1, 2nd place earns $0.70, and 3rd place earns $0.50


Money Hiding (46:35- 49:57)

Members were even being sneaky with their own teammates. 

Money Stealing Time (49:57- 52:36)


P.E. Class (52:36- 1:12:17)


Members Gather and Fool Around, Team Fund Totals Revealed (52:36- 54:00)


Rules Explained (54:00- 54:58)

The teams will play “Expanding Territory Table Tennis”. Three people are allowed to play on each side. The team can designate one member to take a demerit to add to the other team’s table (small tables are used as expansions and placed in designated squares along the back and sides). This makes it harder for your team to go out and harder for the other team to reach a short shot. Each team will play a game against each of the other two to determine an overall winner. In the event of a tie, the number of points scored will break the tie.

In addition to the demerits taken to expand territory, the teacher will be watching the games and assigning demerits as well.


Student Guidance vs. Band Team (54:58- 1:03:58)

Table extensions are purchased immediately and again in the middle of the game when one team starts losing. 

Dance Team vs. Student Guidance (1:03:58- 1:10:56)

This starts with some goofing around and practice. Table expansions are purchased immediately, which makes reach an issue for the Dance Team. They have Sukjin, Jongkook, and Somin playing while Defconn is on the sidelines.


Results (1:10:57- 1:12:17)

The breeze over the last match but show a clip of which team wins. They announce 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and distribute funds to the clubs. Demerits are also given out.


Club Activity (1:12:17- 1:15:26)

Money Hiding (1:12:17- 1:14:25)


Money Stealing Time (1:14:25- 1:15:26)

Many members turn in money, often stealing from their own team, in order to reduce their demerits.


Results (1:15:26- 

Game Results Announcement (1:15:26- 1:19:55)

The punishment was revealed. The 3 members with the most demerits would have to write an apology letter that would be posted to the Running Man social media page.


Punishment (1:19:56- 1:20:48)



Preview: Charismatic Sisters, Ugly Siblings race with Kim Jaehwa, Cha Chunghwa, and Shin Dongmi. How will the three families distribute their allowances?











!!!Spoilers!!!


Results:


Dress Inspection:

Demerits Received:

Haha- 10

Sechan- 0

Jihyo- 1

Kwangsoo- 18

KimBosung- 9

Jaesuk- 1

Defconn- 6

Seokjin- 12

Jongkook- 6

Somin- 5

***Current bottom 3: Kwangsoo, Sukjin, Haha***


Strawberry Game:

Band Club 1st Place $1

Dance Club 2nd Place $0.70

Student Guidance Club 3rd Place $0.50


 Demerits Received:

Jaesuk- 5 (for a total of 6)

Sechan- 3 (for a total of 3)

Defconn- 3 (for a total of 9)

***Bottom three unchanged***


Lunch Break:

Haha removes 3 demerits (for a total of 7) before the game begins.

Kwangsoo removes an unidentified amount of demerits through the course of the game.

Kwangsoo is caught by BoSung and has to stand in the hall for part of the game.

A third mystery person also removes demerits.


Dance Team Total $0.60

Band Team Total $0.60

Student Guidance Team Total $0.30

(This means that 4 demerits were removed by Kwangsoo and the mystery person in some combination.)

Expanding Territory Table Tennis

Student Guidance Club vs. Band Club- Band Club Wins (so many demerits used!)

Dance Club vs. Student Guidance Club-  Student Guidance Club Wins(another large number of demerits used!)

Dance Club vs. Band Club- Dance Club Wins


All 3 teams have 1 win and 1 loss, so the team with the most points wins.

1st place- Student Guidance Club- $2.00

2nd place- Band Club- $1.50

3rd place- Dance Club- $1.00


Demerits Received:

Seokjin- 3 

Jongkook- 7

Haha- 3

Jaesuk- 3


Demerit Standings going into the last Stealing Time (I don’t know how these numbers come out this way-There were too many demerits passed around in the table tennis rounds and some were gotten rid of in the stealing round without telling us who it was….I trust them)


Jaesuk- 6

Kwangsoo- 4

Bosung- 10

($2.30 for the Student Guidance Club)

Haha- 5

Jihyo- 6

Sechan- 9

($2.10 for the Band Club)

Seokjin- 6

Jongkook- 10

Somin- 8

Defconn-4

($1.60 for the Dance Club)

***Current bottom 3: Bosung, Jongkook, Sechan***


FINAL RESULTS


Club Funds:

Dance Club- $1.50

Band Club- $0.50

Student Guidance Club- $0.20

***Dance Club WINS*** Gift certificates given as a prize


Demerits:

Jaesuk- 2

Jihyo, Haha, Sechan, Bosung, Defconn- tied for 2nd least demerits

Somin- last to be exempt from punishment


Confirmed for punishment:

Jongkook- 16

Seokjin- 17

Kwangsoo- 18

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