Variety Review: Running Man Episode 582

Guests: None

My Entertainment Score: 5 out of 10 laughs

The second game had me in stitches, but the rest of the episode fell a little flat for me.

What Happened:

Theme: Sechan Filial Son Race

Opening/Race Explanation (start of episode- 17:26)

The members, excluding Sechan, are interviewed in pairs about Sechan and how he has come along as a variety presence. They are told that for Sechan’s birthday, they are going to do a Filial Son, Sechan Special. He will choose which pair he sees as his variety parents for each game. They will earn money when they win with him. The options are Jongkook and Haha, Jaesuk and Somin, or Seokjin and Jihyo. He makes his first choice and then everyone gathers.

Sechan gets $1000 for the day. He can, at any time, give allowance to any of the other members. His prize will be determined by the amount of money that he saves over the course of the day. The two other members that get the most money by the end of the day will also get a prize, while the two with the least money will get a punishment. Sechan is automatically excluded from punishment.

Each game will be played to determine which team gets the best chance of earning individual cash. The winning couple each gets 2 scratch cards. One will give them $100 while one is a dud. Second place each gets 3 scratch cards, while third place each gets 4 scratch cards. This means the winning team members will each have a 50-50 chance at $100. Second place has a ⅓ chance at $100. Third place members will each have a ¼ chance at $100.

Members can earn more scratch cards if they write out 5 bad things about Sechan and turn the list in to the crew. It can be trivial nonsense, but it must be 5 things. Each list of 5 earns a scratch card that could be worth $100.

First Mission: Head Smack Mafia Game (17:26- 37:33)

The members each draw a card to determine if they are a citizen or a mafia. Then everyone wears a blindfold and stomps their feet. The mafia are allowed to remove their blindfold and deliver a smack to the back of the head of one target. Everyone removes their blindfolds and votes on who the mafia was. If neither of the two mafia are caught, they get a point. If one is caught, the citizens get points. The team who has accumulated the most points at the end of several rounds wins the 2 scratch card chance.

Lunch (37:33- 52:40)

The members make their own lunch, which turns out unexpectedly all around. There wasn’t a game, but it did give the members time to write out bad things about Sechan in order to earn more scratch cards.

Second Mission: Massage Tag (my name, not theirs) (52:40- 1:07:46)

One member of each team will come out to play each round. That member will wear a blindfold and massage gloves that give off a low-frequency electrical pulse. At the whistle, the members will wander around until they touch another member. Any time a member yells because of the massage, they will lose a point.

Sechan was allowed to choose his team for the mission. He switched to Jaesuk and Somin’s team. (I think he was just trying to fairly move around to each team. He didn’t stop to think about who would be most likely to win at all.)

Round 1: Jongkook vs Sechan vs Seokjin

Round 2: Haha vs Somin vs Jihyo (...I love this version of Haha)

Round 3: Haha vs Jaesuk vs Seokjin (Jaesuk got to choose his opponents)

Third Mission: What Happened to My Family (1:07:46- 1:21:52)

Three rounds are played, with the eldest member of each team (Jaesuk, Seokjin, and Jongkook) being the representative in each round. That member will sit at a table with headphones blaring music for a certain span of time. The rest of the members sit facing him and slander them. If the representative gets curious, he can secretly push a button to turn off the music for the rest of the round. When he does, his teammate can no longer earn points for their slanders.

Final Results (1:21:52- end of episode)

The punishment chosen by the members is to sing Happy Birthday to Sechan while using the low-frequency massagers from earlier in the day on their necks.

Preview: Top Star Seokjin’s Day

!!!Spoilers!!!

Sechan’s First Choice: Jongkook and Haha, they get $50 each.

First Game: Head Smack Mafia Game

Jaesuk and Somin
1. Jaesuk picks the correct card- $200
2. Somin picks the wrong card- $0 Sechan gives her $20 allowance.
Jongkook and Haha (with Sechan)
1. Jongkook picks the correct card- $200
2. Haha picks the wrong card- $0
3. Sechan picks the wrong card- $0
Seokjin and Jihyo
1. Seokjin picks the correct card- $200
2. Jihyo picks the wrong card- $0

Lunch

Sechan gives $10 to everyone as a thank you for making him a birthday meal.

Second Mission: Massage Tag

Before the game begins almost all the members hand in lists to earn extra scratch cards.

Seokjin and Jihyo
1. Seokjin picks the wrong card- $0
2. Jihyo picks the wrong card- $0
Jaesuk and Somin (with Sechan)
1. Jaesuk picks the wrong card- $0
2. Somin picks the wrong card- $0
3. Sechan picks the wrong card- $0
Jongkook and Haha
1. Jongkook picks the correct card- $200
2. Haha picks the correct card- $200

Third Mission: What Happened To My Family

Seokjin and Jihyo (with Sechan)
1. Seokjin picks the wrong card
2. Jihyo picks the correct card
3. Sechan picks the correct card
Jaesuk and Somin
1. Jaesuk picks the correct card
2. Somin picks the wrong card
Jongkook and Haha
1. Jongkook picks the wrong card
2. Haha picks the wrong card