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[Listmaker]

Running Man Episode 77 - Episode Chat

Aired : January 15, 2012
Guest : IU, Ji Jin Hee, Joo Sang Wook, Kim Sung Soo, Lee Chun Hee
Venue : Hahwa Island (Yeosu, Jeollanam-do)

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What did you think of the episode after watching it?

N.B. This thread is strictly for chatting after you've watched the episode. Please refrain from commenting if it does not contribute to the episode chat at all.

[Listmaker]

I have to say, the red team's unification game really cracked me up - their lack of coordination with answers wasn't surprising (having Haha, Jae Suk and Ji Hyo in the same team is definitely interesting), however I didn't expect it to turn out this way. The ending was also action packed, especially when the three teams met.

A great episode in my opinion, though some of the guests didn't get a lot of screentime in this episode.

[Rubicant]

An interesting concept, a slight shake-up from usual pairings, and an adorable idol - but still lacking something in my eyes.

I normally absolutely detest wake-up games, because for the most part they act as needless filler. This time though, they got it right, not only using it as a way to introduce IU (who's voice even at early morning is still amazing), but as a way of teams being formed. My only complaint about this segment is the fact that it was pretty obvious that Ji Hyo was the third one out, but switched spots with Kim Sung Soo so that the girls weren't all stacked on one team. Overall, not a bad way at all to start out the show.

When the gimmick for the episode was announced, I didn't exactly get blown away by it. The Bingo concept has been done before in other variety shows, and done well so to see it pop up on Running Man, felt a little unoriginal, by their own stellar standards.

As for the teams, I was extremely happy to see "the pretty female guest" not end up with Yoo Jae Suk for the first time in my memory's recollection. I think a lot of us were wondering what it would be like to get Chun Hee and Gwang Soo on the same team together, and got our wish. With Kim Sung Soo (who I told you all had some variety chops!) it really rounded out and made a pretty entertaining team. Do I think IU could have got a lot more screen time if she were paired with "The Nation's Grasshopper"? Absolutely. But considering the number of guests, this team got a fair share of screen time without YJS's help.

The red team, ended up stealing a lot of the spotlight, and again goes to show how well Jae Suk is at bringing guests out of their shells, in Joo Sang Wook who was an after thought in the previous episode, turned into the guest who ended up with most screen time. No easy task, considering IU is also in this episode. Between Ji Hyo's competitive streak getting the best of her, and Jae Suk's ability to bounce the teams deficiencies off between Sang Wook and Haha, you see ended up with a team that I would have expected to get the second most screen time, rocket ahead and steal the majority because of how well the group dynamic worked.

The poor Blue Team got the most editing out, and sadly ended up not really delivering too much in terms of laughter, screen time, or competitiveness - something that was somewhat surprising considering (with the little time we did see them) how efficiently Ji Jun Hee was at picking up the game, and showing he could handle the normally oppressing personality of Jong Kook. Gary had a couple moments, but poor Suk Jin was really missing his easy brother. Surprsingly enough, the person who probably ended up with the least overall was Jong Kook, which I would have never guessed to be the case.

The race portion of the game was nice, but nothing too special. We did get to see a lot of Yeosu's specialty foods, and got to see some old games, and some really old games, like the food placement, and Family Outing's clam opening race, but overall nothing too special that really made the guests or cast stand out in a way that we haven't seen before. The crab flipping game dragged on for far too long, and really made me wonder how bad the games the blue team were doing had to be that we had to see so much of it - and it didn't help that the game itself had to be altered (from flipping two crab shells originally, to one) because of how difficult it originally was in initial planning.

It also seemed like a bit of a cop out, when the "advantage" for the first team to get to the island, was simply more time to find the clues. I guess it worked out, since they found the first clue, but really seemed like an unnecessary thing to promote beforehand if it was just going to be something obvious. I think it would have been better if they were given something that was actually tangible instead, like a map or GPS that the other teams could steal - something that would have added more action in the grand scheme of things.

As for the elimination game - I wasn't feeling it, and it felt really boring, despite the added concept and mission inclusion. I said in the previous episode's discussion, that I prefer smaller venues that force confrontation and this time, we get an entire island that seemed so expansive that it minimized the ability of the cast to be together more often, and made the mission aspect of the episode more important than the elimination element, which we really only had two major stand-offs to show for a whopping 12 member, 3 team elimination game. Overall, the lack of stand offs, and emphasis on goofing around, without having to be overly worried about somebody from another team sneaking up on you, made this one of my least favorite non-spy eliminations in the history of the show. I really wish that the "mission" was confined to a smaller area, so we would have had more stand-offs and action, but with a venue as large as an island - the game was too spread out to deliver a healthy balance. All wasn't overly bad, and for naught - the funniest moment of the entire episode did come from this game when we had the combined workings of Gwang Soo and Chun Hee trying to lift a helicopter which did have me doubled over.

The ending was a bit of a letdown - it goes to show how conceptually flawed the Bingo concept was, in that once a team had any sort of particular advantage (especially with the ability to steal a person's mission number, if they are carrying it [which I would have just hidden the clues with VJ or something, if it were me]) Once the red team had the three mission numbers, and there possible victims didn't include Jong Kook, I didn't really think that any other team had a chance, and the outcome was overly predictable and expected. When a 12 person elimination game, only has 3 total eliminations, in the amount of time the game was given - you're left with a bit of an empty feeling and feel a bit cheated in possible confrontations that are left out there. It almost felt, as if everybody wanted to get off the darn island, and just didn't give there all. It just goes to show, that a game that is so heavily based on strategy and based around tasks that doesn't exactly include all the players - you are left with something lacking in the final product.

Overall, not my favorite episode, or even in the the top half, but nothing that I won't be watching again in the near future. I preferred the ways that Bingo was used on other variety shows far more than this iteration, but was happy to see the guests all open up a bit more, and give there all with the concept. It's just too bad that the producers didn't come up with a better way of utilizing the concept into a way that left me with a feeling of satisfaction.

Edited by Rubicant, 21 March 2012 - 11:05 AM.

[kurisutina]

lol at the end where Haha and YJS are screaming their heads off in fear (they're both afraid of heights if I remember) and Jihyo and Sangwook enjoying it.

Joo Sangwook definitely lucked out on being paired with YJS, who immediately took something like his laughter and gave him a character to build on. He totally was that awkward guy but really endearing (which is great since I loved him in Giant). Jihyo asserting herself throughout was priceless as well--I'm pretty competitive so I might've done the same. Poor Blue team barely had any screen time, which is a shame because I wanted to see more of Ji Jinhee.

IU is adorable.

Gwangsoo + Chunhee combo was hilarious. Hands down the best part of the episode. The juxtaposition of their pitiful character sounds "Childhood Memories" and "St. Agnes and the Burning Train" just killed me XD

[Nalph]

Ah, the wakeup mission is omg. For a moment, I became an IU fan.
It is really a bad idea to watch this episode after dinner. I totally went from full to totally hungry in like 1 minute :S
Sang Wook has a funny and infectious laughter LoL!
Lol-ed at Haha attempts to reverse time again. Infectious episode all in all.

[RengokuOniGiri]

where did ji hyo run off to at the last battle?? Starting from Ji Jin Hee running towards the red team she literally dissapear and show up again only at the helicopter....When the three team at each others throat i expected the ace to come out and end it

[Rubicant]

RengokuOniGiri, on 21 March 2012 - 11:53 PM, said:

where did ji hyo run off to at the last battle?? Starting from Ji Jin Hee running towards the red team she literally dissapear and show up again only at the helicopter....When the three team at each others throat i expected the ace to come out and end it

Ji Hyo was the second person eliminated, in the initial showdown between the red and yellow teams. Kim Sung Soo eliminated her.

[Jeffroro]

I wasn't a very big IU fan but i totally loved her after the wake up mission. Very cute and I think her songs are good too.

I think the thing is with lots of guest is that one guest may not get good screen time. The games they play at the "breakfast" section is pretty good, it was entertaining.

[wingsy]

IU's wake up songs were awesome.
Red team was fun to watch, especially with Jae Suk and HaHa bringing out the best in Sang Wook.
Really wish they didn't edit out blue team so much. I thought they were funny--especially Jin Hee. Probably part of it was the grouping though. Suk Jin and Gary normally shine more when paired with more social people like Jae Suk or Gwang Soo. Or even Gary with Ji Hyo because then Gary actually puts in effort to make people laugh.
The ending was too predictable since the Red team had too much of an advantage.
The episode became a bit disappointing at the end, but I think at least it was better than the previous episode. Rather than a helicopter reward, I wish they had some form of punishment for the losing team. Kind of missing the hot pants and subway stations, etc. lol.

[zsefv]

i got a question, when IU was singing for the wakeup mission, the you subbers put "So Precocious", i looked up the dictionary and it translates to exceptional early development, exhibiting mature abilities at an unusually early age, is that the correct meaning? or would "Cute" be a better option?