Guests: None
My Entertainment Score: 7 out 10 laughs
This episode was geared more toward sentimentality, but they still managed to get in their laughs. I hope Kwangsoo’s health speedily improves without the physical stresses of the show and that he’s back on the variety circuit soon. *Note: the show has said they have no plans to replace Kwangsoo.*
What Happened:
Theme: Goodbye, My Special Brother.
Opening (start of episode- 13:03)
Prerecording Meeting with Kwangsoo (start of episode- 4:25)
The staff meets with Kwangsoo to discuss what he would like most to do, to eat and where he would most like to go for his last episode.
Opening/Race Explanation (4:25- 13:03)
The staff invited a real judge to rule on their list of the crimes they found in his footage from the 11 years he has been on running man: everything from theft, assault, and property damage to public indecency and fraud. The judge sentenced him to 1050 years in prison!
For this week’s race, the members will be working to reduce his sentence through various games meant to reform him. If they can reduce it to 0 before 6:30pm, there will be no punishment, but if they fail, everyone will get a punishment.
Because it’s Kwangsoo’s last day, various presents were prepared for him. Each time they get rid of 150 years, Kwangsoo will have to choose between a raw and hard-boiled egg to break on his head. If he gets a hard-boiled egg, he will get that present.
The members, not including Kwangsoo, had a meeting before the show where they learned about the gifts and were given a hidden mission. A professional photographer following the group would be taking photos to commemorate Kwangsoo’s last day. They each will get a copy of the photos at the end of the shoot as a gift. The member’s mission is to have the most photos with Kwangsoo. The person with the most photos will get all the prizes Kwangsoo gets, with each place after that getting one less present. The person in last place would get a punishment. The possible gifts are Dom Perignon (champagne), Balenciaga hoodie, a brand name bag, pants, a decorative picture frame, a sound bar, and a bedding set. Anyone notice something here?
First Game (13:03- 19:47)
The first game obliquely tested Kwangsoo’s knowledge on the members. He had to draw from two different boxes. The first box had a sentence starter related to time, such as “Yesterday morning” or “Last year”. The second box had the numbers 1 through 7. After drawing from each box, Kwangsoo had to come up with a sentence using the prompt that would apply to the same number of members as the number he drew from the second box. So...an example not in the show...hmmm...If he got “Last night” and 3, he could have said, “Last night, I wished my son a good nights rest.” Because only Seokjin, Haha, and Jaesuk have children, he could be reasonably certain to correctly match the number he drew. For each correct match, he would reduce his sentence by 50 years.
Second Game (19:47- 38:45)
Change Locations/Lunch (19:47- 31:23)
The members go to the Han River, where there are a lot of Running Man memories, according to Kwangsoo’s wish and board a ferry. They have a relaxed last meal together. There was another game that wasn’t shown, but for which Kwangsoo was able to take a chance at earning another prize. They spent some time relaxing and enjoying the ferry ride together while reminiscing about the past.
Second Game (31:23- 38:45)
This game...poor members...tested them on elementary level Chinese characters. They, in turn, were shown a character and had 3 seconds to say what it means. If all 8 members succeeded, Kwangsoo would reduce his sentence by 300 years. Eventually, the PD gave them a break and agreed that 5 correct answers could earn a 200 year reduction.
Third Game (38:45- 43:22)
On the way to the final location, they play a game where they call someone using Kwangsoo’s phone. A member impersonates him and if the recipient of the call does not realize the farce, Kwangsoo’s sentence will be reduced by 300 years. There were lesser amounts depending on how long they could keep the call going before the recipient asked if it was really Kwangsoo.
Fourth Game (43:22- 51:20)
Exiting the bus one at a time, the members were asked questions about Kwangsoo. For each correct answer, Kwangsoo’s sentence would be reduced by 40 years. After everyone arrived in the LP bar, they went over the questions and answers.
Fifth Game (51:20- 54:18)
A pop-up pirate game was produced. The members would take turns putting in swords. Depending on how many swords were put in before the pirate popped, Kwangsoo’s sentence would be reduced. If he had remaining years on his sentence after the first play, they would play again and again right up to the 6:30 deadline. If he popped on the first sword, it was a 150 year reduction. The second was a 140 year reduction. The third would get rid of 130 years and so on.
Letter Writing/Gifts (54:18- end of show)
This was the emotional part of the show. There were tears.
1:13:20-There was a twist, which I’ll talk about in the spoilers only. It was also touching.
Preview: First Game Lovers Meeting-It looks like all the members will get into character as game lovers and then...zap become other characters. I’m thinking it's a jumanji type, sucked into the game thing, but I’ve been fooled by these previews before.
!!!Spoilers!!!
First Game
Kwangsoo got three questions right, reducing his sentence by 150 years. (900 years left)
He correctly chose the egg for his first prize.
Second Game
Kwangsoo reduced his sentence by 150 in the unshown game (750 years left) and did not earn the second prize in the egg game.
In the Chinese character game, 200 years were reduced (550 years left).
Kwangsoo correctly chose the egg for the sound bar prize.
Third Game
Seokjin managed to fulfill the full time requirement on the phone and reduced Kwangsoo’s sentence by 300 years. (250 years left).
Fourth Game
Three members (Jaesuk, Jongkook, and Jihyo) got questions correct to reduce his sentence by 120 years. (130 years left).
Kwangsoo correctly picks 3 eggs to earn 3 prizes.
Fifth Game
Kwangsoo popped the pirate on the first try! for a 150 year reduction--He is now reformed. Lol.
He incorrectly guessed eggs and didn’t get the final prize.
TWIST
The prizes that Kwangsoo has been earning throughout the episode were actually gifts that he had been preparing for the members. In order to deliver them on the show, he had to ensure that all his members were ‘winners’ in the photo contest. The staff set up dice, seven of them according to age, and used them to indicate what rank each member currently was in for the photo contest. Kwangsoo succeeded and was able to give each member the gift that he prepared for them.
Seokjin got the designer bag.
Jaesuk got the designer hoodie.
Haha got the trendy pants.
Somin got the champagne.
Jihyo got the bedding set.
Jongkook got the sound bar.
Sechan got the picture frame (it was something Sechan didn’t get when Kwangsoo and Sechan went art shopping together.)
Kwangsoo was given a golden nametag (real gold), a hand-written book of notes from the staff, speakers, and the photo book from the photographer that day.