Variety Review Running Man Episode 645

Guests: Roh Yoonseo (actress), Joo Woojae (model)

My Entertainment Score: 8 out of 10 laughs

This was SO much better than the last few weeks! A number of solid games are played in this episode with a theme that’s solid but not overpowering. The guests were highlighted excellently this time around too.

What Happened: 

Theme: Running Man Variety School

Opening/Guest Introductions (start of episode- 21:35)

We begin by having each member and guest choosing between one of two variety teachers: the hero of variety-Jaesuk or the master of a long but thin career-Seokjin. The trick is that Jaesuk is in the room marked with Seokjin’s picture and vice versa. In this way, the teams are formed.

Jaesuk -Jongkook, Haha, Sechan, Somin, Yoonseo

Seokjin - Jihyo, Woojae

Guest Introductions - 14:58. 

Race Explanation (21:35- 23:35)

The students will bet their coins on the teacher of their choice for all of the luck based games for the day and will get coins back based on a multiplier. The two students with the most coins at the end of the day will get a prize. EVERYONE else will get a penalty. The teachers will get coins equal to the amount their students earn. The teacher with the most coins at the end of the day will get a prize and the other will get a penalty. Students can change “classes” after each period.

First Period: Open the Variety Gates (23:35- 39:00)

Everyone will pick a lane, run, and smash through a false door at the same time. Those who land in the kiddy pools on the other side will get one coin and pass to the next round. Those who land on a cushy mat are out. There are 4 rounds.

*Remember, students bet on the teachers. For this game, they bet how many rounds the teachers will pass. I’ve decided not to keep track of all the bets. It got tedious REALLY fast.*

Class Reassignment (39:00- 58:38)

The students are told that the next round is the pop-up pirate. The students can line up for a teacher, first come, first served (but I’ll list them in order of seniority).

Jaesuk: Haha, Jihyo, Woojae, Yoonseo

Seokjin: Jongkook, Sechan, Somin

Impromptu Game - 45:20. Yoonseo tells the members about a game she has played and the members try it out. The PD even offers coins for the winning team. It’s a variation on the Strawberry Game that I love so much. And they’re terrible at it, as expected. PLEASE DO MORE OF THIS!!

Second Period: Pop-up Pirate Lunch (58:38- 1:08:50)

Lunch menus are auctioned off. Without knowing the menu, the teachers bet how many swords they think they will need to pop the pirate, knowing that they have a limited number of swords available. The teacher that bids highest wins the opportunity to try to pop the pirate. If it DOES pop, he earns the menu for his team. Unfortunately, any swords that they use are gone for the rest of the game. 

Lunch - 1:07:20. Yet again, Haha has to sit to the side and have a different meal because of his advertising contract with another brand. This time, at least, Woojae has to join him.

Third Period:  (1:08:50- 1:30:35)

They began this with another impromptu game that the members learned from Woojae. This one was a twist on the 007 game. 

Variety Quiz Game - 1:17:45. The students all sit in chairs that are hung by ropes over foam pits. The staff gives a quiz question such as “Films with over 10 million views” and everyone takes turns giving answers. The team with the higher number of points at the end of the question will win. Ropes numbered 1-16 are available for each team. The teacher for the winning team will cut two ropes for each question. The correct number will dump a student into the foam pit. The team to drop all the students first will win the game overall.

Final Results (1:30:35- end of episode)

The prize was vitamins and health supplements. The penalty was “random ink sponge”. Six black sponges were available. Three had water and three had ink. The sponges were pressed to the faces of the losers and three ended up inky.

Preview: The members take to the streets visiting Sechan’s hometown, Dongducheon, and try out the many fun things in the area. However…one person will be randomly chosen to pay for each activity and meal. A nervy, fun day lies ahead.

!!!Spoilers!!!

Open the Variety Doors

Round 1 - Seokjin and Woojae are out. Somin won her bet on Seokjin.

Round 2 - Sechan and Somin are out.

Round 3 - Yoonseo and Jaesuk are out. Jongkook, Sechan, and Yoonseo win their bet and get 15 coins.

Round 4 - The final winner is Haha for Jaesuk’s team. Haha gets 4 coins for winning.

Everyone gets coins based on the number of rounds they passed.

Jaesuk gets 45 coins from the students’ bets on him.

Strawberry Game Variation

Seokjin Team wins. Seokjin, Jongkook, Sechan, and Somin each get 2 games.

Pop-Up Pirate Lunch

Jaesuk Team - 2 menu items.

Seokjin Team - 6 menu items! This team wins and all the students double their bet (Jongkook, Sechan, Somin). In total, Seokjin gets 40 coins from the students’ bets on him.

Variety Quiz

Jaesuk Team wins.

Final Results

Teachers: Jaesuk wins. Seokjin is up for a penalty with the students.

Students: Yoonseo wins (prize and safe from penalty). Sechan is second (prize and safe from penalty). 

Jihyo, Somin, and Woojae ended up with the inked faces.