Since its first broadcast on July 11, 2010, 'Running Man' has grown into the longest-running television show in the country, thanks to the strong chemistry among its members and a never-ending evolution of diverse game races.
# Writing New History Every Week: Legendary Television show
The 15-year journey of 'Running Man' is nothing short of legendary. Its highest viewership rating soared to 21.9% (Episode 133 'Nine Swords'/Nielsen Korea, metropolitan area basis), and it currently holds the record for the most episodes among television shows, with 759 episodes and counting.
Even in the era of OTT platforms, 'Running Man' has not lost its momentum. It has been selected as the 'television show of the Year' by Wave for four consecutive years since 2020, maintaining the pride of terrestrial television shows. Additionally, it has won the 'Brand Customer Loyalty Award' in the weekend television show category for three consecutive years, hosted by the Korea Consumer Forum.
# The Original Global K-Television Sensation
The global popularity of 'Running Man' has led to co-productions around the world. Starting with the Chinese version 'Hurry Up, Brother' in 2013, followed by Vietnam in 2018, and the Philippines in 2022, the show continues to enjoy immense popularity.
On global social media platforms like YouTube, the official 'Running Man' channel's presence is overwhelming. The official YouTube channel boasts about 3.35 million subscribers, with the highest view count reaching 36.37 million views, and the official Instagram account has 2.7 million followers, receiving unparalleled love.
Yoo Jae-suk, the leading figure of 'Running Man', expressed his gratitude during the recent 15th-anniversary recording, saying, "We've been able to come this far thanks to the constant love from our viewers. I'm truly thankful." Choi Hyung-in, the director, also shared, "We believe we've come this far thanks to the love from our viewers. We ask for your continued interest and love. While celebrating our 15th anniversary as a television show is an incredible feat, we hope to remain strong and reach the 20th, 30th anniversaries, becoming the 'Country Diary' of the entertainment world."
Meanwhile, 'Running Man' is hosting a viewer event to celebrate its 15th anniversary. Since July 2, participants can enter a quiz and vote related to 'Running Man' on its official website for a chance to win limited edition merchandise.
The 15th-anniversary special race of 'Running Man' will be broadcast on Sunday, July 13, at 6:10 PM.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)