In the episode aired on the 16th, 'Running Man' achieved a target demographic rating of 2.9%, securing the top spot in its time slot with a significant lead over the second place. The peak rating during the broadcast even soared to 5.7% (according to Nielsen Korea's data for households in the metropolitan area).
The opening of the episode celebrated member Yoo Jae-suk's 20th entertainment award win. Previously, Yoo Jae-suk received the Grand Prize at the '2024 SBS Entertainment Awards,' marking his 20th overall win. During his acceptance speech, he expressed his joy by saying, "Everyone, I did it," which became a hot topic. Ha Ha congratulated him, saying, "Our hyung did it," while Kim Jong-kook added, "I can't imagine what it feels like to win 20 awards." On the other hand, Ji Suk-jin humorously suggested, "Now that you've hit 20, declare that you're done receiving awards," eliciting laughter.
Additionally, the episode featured a 'Don Go Don Rak Family' race with guests Joo Jung-hyuk, who resembles Yang Se-chan, and Kim Si-eun, who resembles Ji Yae-eun. Joo Jung-hyuk, making his second appearance on 'Running Man,' warmly embraced his doppelganger Yang Se-chan, catching viewers' attention. This was also Kim Si-eun's first appearance in a variety show, and she laughed while saying she felt an "inner closeness" with Ji Yae-eun, with the two even looking alike when they smiled.
The race was structured as a team competition, featuring 'Doppelganger Family' Yoo Jae-suk, Yang Se-chan, and Joo Jung-hyuk; 'Aggrieved Eye Family' Ha Ha, Ji Yae-eun, and Kim Si-eun; and 'Real Family' Kim Jong-kook, Ji Suk-jin, and Song Ji-hyo. The teams competed to stack the most money on a check card, with each family tasked with finding items that resembled them. The 'Doppelganger Family' team humorously claimed that a dried cuttlefish resembled Ha Ha, and they even found a mop that looked like Ji Yae-eun, providing plenty of laughs.
Amid fierce competition, the 'Doppelganger Family' claimed first place, while the 'Aggrieved Eye Family' faced a cream pie punishment. In the midst of this, Ji Yae-eun managed to avoid the punishment for the first time.
Meanwhile, next week's episode teased an unexpected special, piquing curiosity. During the recording, Yoo Jae-suk revealed, "I went to Kim Jong-kook's house during the Lunar New Year holiday, and it was a mess. He was living with trash. We need to go help him," while Ha Ha added, "The room next to the living room is a junkyard," exposing the shocking reality.
Kim Jong-kook defended himself, saying, "I’m just storing things for moving," but Yoo Jae-suk retorted, "You haven't even found a new place to move to, so what do you mean moving?" The episode ended with the members heading to Kim Jong-kook's house, raising anticipation for next week's broadcast.
[SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae]
(SBS Star)