Running Man Season 1 — episode guide & air dates
Premiere: Jun 28 — Finale: Oct 25 · 19 episodes
These days, as variety shows are gradually disappearing, this is one of Korea’s representative variety shows that has been responsible for Sunday evenings for over 10 years. This program features numerous stars and members going around various places, playing games, and completing missions. In particular, among the many fun elements of variety shows, this one focuses solely on laughter. Open your eyes! Big fun is coming in! Open your mouth! Big laughter is coming in! Open your heart! Useful lessons are coming in!
Episodes
Hwang Kwang Hee and Lee Se Hee join the cast for a race where the members arrive in modern Seoul as either nobles or slaves from the Joseon era. Starting with different fortunes, they must change their status before the race ends. Those who remain as slaves face a penalty, while the nobles compete for a prize. Who will rise through the ranks before time runs out?
MIYEON and MINNIE join the members as failed CEOs hoping to stage a comeback and win a life-changing cash prize. By completing a series of assigned schedules, they earn daily wages that can be multiplied tenfold if they win the race. But with water ghosts secretly hiding among them and eliminating players, no one is safe. Who will survive and complete the ultimate comeback?
Cho Hye Lyun and Song Eun I reunite with Seok Jin for a nostalgic race that takes everyone back to 1995. As veteran comedians and variety stars go head-to-head, they must rely on their wit and memories to overcome a series of challenges. With pride and old memories on the line, the competition is filled with laughter and surprises. Who will prove they remember the past the best?
This week's race determines the opening time for next week's episode. Already facing an extremely early call time, the cast must complete missions to delay the start as much as possible. With sleep and pride on the line, they fight to avoid another sunrise shoot! But the production crew has a tempting trick up its sleeve, luring the members to sacrifice precious time for valuable rewards. How early will they have to wake up next week?
Kang Hoon, Kim Hye Jun, and Cha Woo Min clock in for a fierce race to become the company's favorite employee, with bonus gold bars at stake. But when the gold suddenly vanishes, every employee falls under suspicion as they learn the embezzler is among them. The race for favor becomes a hunt for the hidden culprit.
Ahn Bo Hyun and Kang Sang Jun join Team Flex, where the tycoons must launder their money and escape, while Jung Eun Chae and Kim Shin Bi race with the detectives to arrest the chairman. But an undercover detective and an undercover secretary are hiding on opposite sides, turning every ally into a suspect. Trust may be the most dangerous gamble.
Guests Hong Jin Ho and Kim Ji Yu join an epic board game race through historic Jongno, where a single die roll determines triumph or disaster. From chaotic physical challenges to sudden spatial swaps, two teams battle fiercely for coveted prizes while trying to avoid hilarious penalties. Pure luck and wild reversals guarantee that no one is safe until the very last turn.
Desperate to beat a scorching summer heatwave, Yu Jae Seok and the crew welcome guests Lee Ju Yeon, Jung Eun Ji, and Kim Ji Eun for a spine-chilling getaway. However, their refreshing stops turn into psychological warfare as hidden expenses accumulate at every turn. When ruthless betrayals leave one unlucky person with the entire balance, trusting anyone becomes dangerous.
The members dedicate a special race to veteran cameraman Kang Chan Hee, who has been with Running Man since its first episode. To thank him for 16 years of hard work, they compete in missions to earn darts and win him a collection of special gifts. Their final challenge pits them against a professional dart player, with every dart they earn improving their odds. Will the members overcome the pro and send Chief Kang home with all the prizes?
Kim Won Hun and Kwon Eun Bi join the members for a race inspired by Won Hun's signature catchphrase. Faced with a series of "Take it or leave it" choices, the members can win a variety of prizes, but every decision comes with consequences. Even their clock-out time is at stake as they try to read the room and make the right call. Who will know when to take it and when to leave it?
Heo Kyeong Hwan, Lee Ju Yeon, and MIYEON join the members for a race where Al calls the shots. From lunch to penalties, the members must leave their fate in the hands of Al and accept whatever it chooses. They even put their creativity to the test by using Al to compose original songs. With every decision out of their hands, where will Al's picks lead them?
ATEEZ's SAN and Han Ji Eun join the members as a grand duke and princess in a race to unite a divided kingdom. The three grand dukes face a crucial mission to identify the outsiders hiding among them. As trust gives way to suspicion, the members must figure out who truly belongs to each realm. Can the grand dukes expose the outsiders, reunite their kingdoms, and avoid the penalty?