Variety Review: Running Man Episode 575

Guests: None


My Entertainment Score: 7 out of 10 laughs


There were some fantastic parts of this episode, but some parts dragged horribly for me. 


What Happened


Theme: Webfoot Octopus Game


Opening/ Ddakji  (start of episode- 8:16)

The members are met individually near their homes by pink clad, masked men. They are given the mission to play ddakji. Each time they win, they can take $10 and keep the opponent’s ddakji. If the pink men win, they do a toy hammer hit and keep the opponent’s ddakji. When one of them runs out of ddakji, the game ends.


Race Explanation (8:16- 14:10)

The member that ‘survives’ to the end, will win a $3000 cash prize for the day. Each member has 5 ‘lives’. Each time they lose a life, they are told, one of their limbs will be severed. HAHAHA….I cannot even begin to describe the giggle fit I experienced when I realized what this meant: They actually cut off, with scissors,  one sleeve or pant leg of the member in question. *Catwhistles and giggles* 


They can use the money earned in ddakji to purchase marbles. They will also earn marbles in the games. Everyone will get an additional 3 marbles each hour. There is also a betting booth that the members can use between games to earn more marbles. Turning in 10 marbles, at any time, allows them to eliminate 1 life from the person of their choice. --This got messy, with people pooling their resources and betting and stealing, and I think it’s too complicated for the spoilers, so I’ve cut out the attempt at a marble tally.


Free Time (14:10- 21:11)

There are 3 possible games to play at the betting booth. The first is ‘odd or even’, where they must guess whether the host is holding an odd or even number of marbles in their closed fist. If they are correct, they will double their bet. The second is ‘roulette’ where they must guess which of the 4 colors the wheel will stop on. If correct, they will earn 4 times their bet. The last game is never shown, so I guess no one cared to try their luck that far.


First Competition: Losing Yutnori (21:11- 41:40)

Yutnori is the game where 4 sticks are thrown and their landing position determines how many spaces to move around a board. In this case, the members want to AVOID finishing in the top 3. The first 3 members to get their piece all the way around the board will lose a life. Those that survive get 3 marbles.


They added a toy hammer penalty for knocking someone back to the start by landing in the same space And they added a ‘move back 2 spaces’ option as well.


Second Free Time (41:40- 46:00)


Lunch (46:00- 49:37)

The members had to pick a shape without knowing the reason. In the drama, they had to play the dalgona game using the shape they picked, but in this case, they got certain meals based on their choices. 


One member was able to earn 3 marbles from several other players by selling part of their meal.


Second Competition: Majority vs Minority (49:37- 1:08:36)

For four rounds of different games, the members will hold up either a triangle or square to determine their teams. The people on the winning team in each round will get one point.  At the end of all the rounds, the members with the lowest scores will lose a life.


**As in the drama, all the lights go out at one point and the members make a mad grab for each other’s marbles.**


Round 1: Tug-of-war: Somin, Sechan and Jongkook vs Seokjin, Haha, Jihyo, and Jaesuk. (56:00)

Round 2: Game of wits: Boys vs. Girls. (59:15)

Round 3: Bottle Cap Flicking: Haha, Sechan, Jongkook vs Jihyo, Somin, Seokjin, and Jaesuk (1:01:05)

Round 4: Dice Roll: Jongkook and Sechan vs everyone else. (1:07:08)


Third Competition: Hide and Seek of Despair (1:08:36- 1:19:07)

**The free time wasn’t shown.**


For three rounds, the members will have a short amount of time (30 seconds, 10 seconds, etc) to count out how many items are in a box (or tank). They roll a die numbered 1 to 3 for each round to determine an error margin. Any member whose guess does not fall within the error range will lose a life...each round. This game was obviously designed to weed out members as the end of the show drew near.


Final Competition: Gonggi on the Cliff (1:19:07- end of episode)

Gonggi is a lot like Jacks in the west, but they use stones. In this case, they must throw all five and catch them all on the backs of their hands. Then, they must toss them all again and catch all five in order to survive. If they fail, they lose a life. They may play as many times as they have lives. The first person to succeed wins the cash prize. 



Preview: Golden Ratio Race with guests Bibi (singer), Yeji of Itzy, Luda of WJSN, and MC Minzy aka Jung Junha (comedian turned singer)
























!!!Spoilers!!!


First Free Time

Seokjin loses a life due to marble payment.


Losing Yutnori

1st- Haha loses a life.

2nd-  Seokjin loses a life. (down 2)

3rd- Sechan loses a life.


Second Free Time

Seokjin loses a life due to marble payment. (down 3)

Jaesuk loses a life due to marble payment.


***Somehow, Jongkook and Somin are missing one life each at the start of the next competition and Haha is down 2***


Majority vs Minority

Jaesuk loses a life due to marble payment. (down 2)

Jongkook loses a life due to marble payment. (down 2)

Haha loses a life due to marble payment. (down 3)


Tug-of-war: Jaesuk, Jihyo, Haha, and Seokjin each get a point.


Haha loses a life due to marble payment. (down 4)

Jongkook loses a life due to a marble payment. (down 3)


Game of Wits: Somin and Jihyo each get a point.

Bottle Cap Flicking: Jaesuk, Jihyo, Somin and Seokjin each get a point.


Haha loses his last life due to marble payment. He joins the pink gang enforcing the game. He gets into acting mode and I loved it.


Dice Roll: Sechan and Jongkook each get a point.


Final Tally for 4 rounds:

3 points- Jihyo

2 points- Jaesuk, Seokjin, Somin, Jongkook

1 point- Sechan---loses a life (down 3)


Hide and Seek of Despair

Round 1: Webfoot Octopus: 30 seconds: Jongkook, Sechan, and Somin lose a life.

Round 2: loaches: 30 seconds: Jongkook Seokjin, and Jihyo lose a life. Seokjin and Jongkook are out and join the pinks. 

Round 3: Koi: 30 seconds: Jihyo and Jaesuk lose a life.


Sechan loses a life due to marble payment and is out. He joins the pinks.


Gonggi on a Cliff

1st attempt:

Somin loses a life (down 4)

Jihyo loses a life (down 4)

Jaesuk loses a life (down 4)


2nd attempt:

Somin loses a life and is out.

Jihyo loses a life and is out.

Jaesuk SUCCEEDS! He wins the $3000 cash prize.

Variety Review: Running Man Episode 576

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