Variety Review: Running Man Episode 578

Guests: Jang Hyuk


My Entertainment Score: 6 out of 10 laughs


I enjoyed a lot of this episode, but there was a lot more talking than gaming and that made me a little sad.


What Happened


Theme: Alpine Club Race


Opening/ Guest Introductions (start of episode- 11:01)

The members break down their fall hiking fashion in teasing detail and welcome Hyuk as the guest. **Special Note: He is not a new permanent member. Some translations I’ve seen make it look like that may be the case, but it is not. He is only a guest for this episode.**


The members will go to several places and freely enjoy the area. Taking photos, attractions, and food will cost money. Each member was asked to bring cash for this episode. The member that spent the least money at the end of the day wins. The top two will get a prize. The others, depending on their ranking, will get running balls put into a box for a random draw on who gets the penalty for the day.


The cost at each area is added up for the whole group and then divided among them equally. There is a choice made between each area that will allow one or more members to be exempt from paying in that area.


Exploring the Area (11:01- 28:34)

The members have a snack and enjoy all the attractions of the area from walking to bike rides. All of these things cost ‘money’ that the members will have to pay back later, but they don’t know that yet.


First Game: Reminiscent Chattering (28:34- 45:18)

Each member is given a “Secret Santa”. For that person, they must react enthusiastically to anything they say as they progress through lunch. At the end, if they are able to guess their Secret Santa, both members get points. If they fail to guess correctly, they lose points.


Flags for Exemption (45:18- 49:26)

The members get on the bus one at a time. On their way in, they have to choose one of three flags: red, green, or yellow. The members that choose the least popular color are exempt from paying for the fun things earlier.


Lunch (49:26- 1:13:33)

First the members travel to a new location. Then, before lunch, they do a relay race in a teams of two. There are 5 obstacles to overcome. 1. Forward roll zone. 2. Crawling on all 4 fours under hurdles. 3. Jumping rope 10 times. 4. Crawl on your back under nets like military training. 5. Gauntlet- staff attack with toy hammers and balloons.  Each member of the team completes a complete lap of all the obstacles before passing the chalk. The team must complete 4 laps in total. 


The real trick to this race is the baton. The baton they are using is a 70 cm. piece of chalk. At the end of the race, there will be 10 seconds deducted from their time for ever centimeter of chalk that they have managed to protect. As an added difficulty, trot music will randomly play. At that time, the racers must dance and the chalks can be attacked by other teams. 


The teams were predetermined: Jaesuk and Haha, Jongkook and Jihyo, Hyuk and Somin, Seokjin and Sechan.


55:21- Actual Racing Begins.


1:06:48- Lunch Begins. Seokjin and Jihyo were hilarious here.


Flags for Exemption  (1:13:33- 1:15:03)

This is the same as the last time.


Flags for Exemption-Final  (1:15:03- 1:17:21)

The members move on to a location made famous by BTS. They are given time to snack and explore one more time. 


The members are all given 3 colored flags. At the same time, they will raise a flag. The least popular color is again exempt from paying. 


Final Results and Punishment (1:17:21- end of episode)

The punishment is to find a road sign that reads “Gangneung” and to take a photo with it. That is the location of filming for the new movie Hyuk is in and it is in the opposite direction from Seoul (home).


Preview: Street Human Fighter. Dance battle competition? 
























!!!Spoilers!!!


Reminiscent Chattering

Seokjin picked Sechan- Correct, 1 point each

Jihyo picked Seokjin- Correct, 1 point each

Jaesuk picked Somin- Correct, 1 point each

Jongkook picked Jaesuk- Correct, 1 point each

Somin picked Jongkook- Correct, 1 point each

Haha picked Jihyo- Correct, 1 point each

Sechan picked Hyuk- Correct, 1 point each

Hyuk picked Somin- INCORRECT---Somin gets 1 point for fooling him. Haha and Hyuk lose 1 point each.


---Somin is the sole winner of the game and gets an extra $20---


---The group spent $186.50 playing around.---


Flag Exemption

Haha chooses green 1 green

Jaesuk chooses green 2 green

Somin chooses yellow 1 yellow

Seokjin chooses green 3 green

Sechan chooses red 1 red

Jihyo chooses red 2 red

Jongkook chooses red 3 red

Hyuk chooses red 4 red


--Yellow is the least popular: Somin is exempt--


The other 7 members split the bill and each have to pay $26.


Relay Race

2-Haha and Jaesuk: 8:28 time. 16 centimeters of chalk remaining. 8:12 final time. $20

1-Jihyo and Jongkook: 8:35 time. 24 centimeters of chalk remaining. 8:11 final time. $40

3-Hyuk and Somin: 8:52 time. 10 centimeters of chalk remaining. 8:42 final time. $10

4-Seokjin and Sechan: 9:20 time. 7 centimeters of chalk remaining. 9:13 final time. $0


---The group spent $206 on lunch.---


Flags for Exemption Pt. 2

Hyuk chooses red. 1 red

Seokjin chooses yellow. 1 yellow

Haha chooses green. 1 green

Sechan chooses yellow. 2 yellow

Somin chooses yellow. 3 yellow

Jihyo chooses red. 2 red

Jongkook chooses red. 3 red

Jaesuk chooses yellow. 4 yellow.


--Green is the least popular: Haha is exempt--


The other 7 members split the lunch bill and each have to pay $30.


Final Location Flags for Exemption

Seokjin chooses red. 1 red

Jaesuk chooses yellow. 1 yellow

Jongkook chooses red. 2 red

Hyuk chooses yellow. 2 yellow

Haha chooses yellow. 3 yellow

Jihyo chooses red. 3 red

Sechan chooses green. 1 green

Somin chooses yellow. 4 yellow


--Green is the least popular: Sechan is exempt--



---The group spent $335.50 playing around.---


The other 7 members split the lunch bill and each have to pay $48.


Final Results

  1. Somin -exempt from punishment and gets a prize.

  2. Haha -exempt from punishment and gets a prize.

  3. Jongkook -1 penalty ball in the box.

  4. Sechan -2 penalty balls in the box.

  5. Jihyo -3 penalty balls in the box.

  6. Jaesuk -4 penalty balls in the box.

  7. Seokjin -5 penalty balls in the box.

  8. Hyuk -6 penalty balls in the box.


*The prize is local specialties from Gangneung.*


*Two members’ names were drawn at random from the box for the penalty. Seokjin and Sechan!!! were chosen! Whoa!

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