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Running Man: Episode 100

Happy 100th Running Man! For an episode as special and epic as this one, HeadsNo2 and I will tackle this week’s Running Man: Roulette Style. She just so happens to be an avid fan of the show too wouldn’tcha know. It’s the War of the Gods on Running Man because who wants to be puny superheroes when you get to be gods?

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Shinhwa – “Venus” [ Download ]

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EPISODE 100. Broadcast on June 24, 2012.

gummi: Has it already been 100 episodes? Time sure flies when you’re all run-run-run every week. Welcome to the winding wormhole of variety. Are you sure you know what you’ve gotten yourself into? ‘Cause I ask myself that each week.

Heads: *throws confetti* Happy 100th Episode, Running Man! I’m a variety newbie, but not when it comes to this show. I think I started my journey at Episode 50, then I went back and watched 1-49, and here we are, fifty more episodes later.

gummi: Not all in one sitting I hope. Those are a lot of hours…

Heads: I wonder if it’s physically possible to complete that in one sitting? I’d vote no. And is it going to sound cheesy if I say I’m glad to be here? Because I am.

gummi: Well, then it’s cheesy of me to say that I’m glad too.

Heads: Well, then it’s cheesy of me to say that I’m SUPER glad. Gladder. Is that even a word?

gummi: It is now. I say we can be trendsetters in the variety world. So the literal title of this episode is “War of the Gods”. Like at any moment, Spartakooks will roar, “THIIS IS SPARRTAAAA!!!” ‘Cause he can.

Heads: And he totally SHOULD. And okay, ‘cause I’m curious: Your ideal 100th episode guest. Go.

gummi: Is that even a question? Yoon Eun-hye, hands down. They’ve got a 6 year-old loveline pairing to complete. You all can tell us your answers in the comments. Yours?

Heads: I was trying to preempt this question… Is Jung Yong-hwa a weird choice? I always thought he’d make a great cast member. I’d say Park Ji-sung but we got a lot of him recently. That man was born to do variety.

gummi: Agreed. Well, our choices didn’t make the cut because today’s guest is actress Kim Hee-sun (Smile Again, My Fair Lady). Gosh, this is her first drama comeback in 6 years?

Heads: She’s got Faith with Lee Min-hot… I mean, Lee Min-ho, coming up. That other other time-traveling sageuk. Has he done much variety? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him, yunno, Not Acting.

gummi: Even if he was boring, I’d watch him for an hour and a half. They could bring back the RM punishments of yore, pastel hot shorts and all. Wouldn’t be a far cry from his City Hunter and Personal Taste days.

Heads: I seriously miss the days of punishment. Is that sadistic? I feel like gold is too nice, there needs to be more incentive! Okay, second pop quiz topic: Favorite Running Man alliance/pairing/team of all time. Go!

gummi: Obvious answer – Monday Couple. I still cry in my sleep knowing they can-never-be. I think they’re strong enough to last another 6 years though.

Heads: Totally agreed. Oh oh! Who’s the member you think has changed the most from episode one and who’s one you think hasn’t changed enough?

gummi: That’s a toughie. Most Changed might be Kwang-soo. He really had to step out of his own skin once Joong-ki left the show. Least Changed, Haha because his variety persona is pretty universal on each show. Like the Player persona is similar to his thick-skinned days on X-Man.

Heads: Okay, last pop quiz question: Ideal old feature from Running Man you’d bring back.

gummi: Do you remember the “Tea Time” stint they had? With those disproportionate lemon juice to sugar ratios? I’d put that on the top of my list.

Heads: Didn’t the viewers raise a bit of a fuss over that? Or was that when the cast had to shotgun boiling hot drinks? One and the same? Anyway, tainted tea is nice and all, but I think I’d bring back… Song Joong-ki! Okay, that’s a little more impossible.

gummi: We open near the SBS building where each one of our cast members who are dressed to the 9’s pull up to what looks like the puniest red carpet in the world. Even the food (street food) seems subpar to their wardrobe. HA – is Haroro giving an interview?

Heads: I love his player persona. Also, nice deflection of picking favorites among the female celebrity guests of yore by telling his interviewer to ask which of the female guests missed him the most. Ha.

gummi: His entrance is nothing compared to Ji-hyo who looks smokin’ hot by the way. Then the crowd are all screaming for Yoo Hyuk. Who’s in green – what else?

Heads: Oh… wow. Is that the suit he got as a gift from Haha? Couldn’t have picked a more epic day to wear it.

gummi: The one and only. I love how he tries to be all, the staff prepared this for me. Uh-huh, like we’re gonna believe that. Then he gets his revenge by pulling on Haha’s shirt. Man’s been lifting weights recently so I don’t mind… Sexy.

Heads: Then the whole cast joins in, and soon enough Haha’s shirt is around his shoulders. HA. Jae-suk: “Now it finally seems like a party!”

gummi: Looks like the cast already knows Hee-sun’s coming and they call Jae-suk out on calling her “Hee-sun-ee” like they’re good buddies. Then Kwang-soo discovers her in the fridge. What?!

Heads: Jong-kook’s reaction mirrors my own, namely… Why did they put a guest inside the refrigerator? The best part is that no one bothers to explain, because all the boys are too preoccupied with the pretty going on.

gummi: Ogling fanboys need no explanation. There goes Haha again puttin’ the moves on every female guest he can lay his eyes on.

Heads: So Mr. PD explains that Hee-sun isn’t your average guest, with this being the “War of the Gods” special, and that she’ll be Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, while the rest of the cast remain puny mortals for now. But! They can earn their chance to become a god through their missions, although two are going to get left out anyway (by popular vote). So it’s like Survivor: Immortals?

gummi: With their mortality on the sacrificial altar. In the car, Haha runs Hee-sun through the cast’s nicknames and suggests that she offer her own. Er, ‘Princess’?! At least she made it semi-cute by accenting the end (-jjoo).

Heads: It’s cute when she anoints Ji-hyo as ‘Mung-jjoo’, which sounds like her cute version of ‘Princess’. They arrive at their first destination, the Han River, where Maknae FD is dressed like a… Greek god? Oh dear.

gummi: He’s a teeny Zeus! On a teeny bike! How does he rock every wig he puts on? The mission is a Chariot relay race where they’ll need to pick up each cast member and beat Maknae FD. The last guy will have to drag the OTHER 7 members. They point to Spartakooks for that honor.

Heads: I know that’s the point of missions, but this one seems HARD. Hee-sun’s definitely got some fighting spirit as she takes off running, and they’ve ordered the members to be picked up from weakest to strongest. Maybe Haha should have been first?

gummi: Good point since he can’t even piggyback one person for longer than 10 seconds. But they’re gaining on Maknae FD by the time Kwang-soo picks them up. Now this chariot looks more like a clown car.

Heads: Why is Maknae FD so exhausted? That tiny bike is no chariot. This is chaos of the funniest kind – and Jong-kook almost catches up to Maknae FD, but they lose by a hair. Aw.

gummi: I’d really thought he’d be able to make up for lost time. HA – the theory that the pretty women have short tempers strikes again as Hee-sun gripes that the guys should have gotten in without waiting. Oh well, now they have to choose two members who won’t become immortals. Kwang-soo gets to choose first… and votes Jong-kook.

Heads: Votes start piling up for him, and when it’s Jong-kook’s turn, he goes with the flow and votes against himself, too. Ha! Keepin’ it cool. Ji-hyo’s the first one to put a vote in for Kwang-soo, then Jae-suk, and in the end both Jong-kook and Kwang-soo are forbidden from becoming immortal.

gummi: Poor baby. And if it couldn’t get any worse, it does ’cause he gets scolded in the car and Hee-sun glares, “Is Running Man a joke to you?” The cast flatters her vanity asking questions like, “Since when were you so pretty?” and “How long will you stay pretty?” and she aegyo answers, “Always been!” and “Always will!”

Heads: I kind of like that she admits she thought all their flattery was cheesy when she’d watch the show, but now she totally loves the attention.

gummi: Who wouldn’t? Woah, we’re already out our final mission location? That was fast.

Heads: Good. Let’s get to nametag ripping! There better be some nametag ripping. All gods were made by ripping nametags! I’m way too excited about this mission I know nothing about.

gummi: *jumps in seat* They’re led into a massive temple filled with hundreds of worshippers. Each of the members (sans Jong-kook and Kwang-soo) are inducted into their godly statuses. In order to win, they’ll need to be the last immortal standing. To keep track, we’ll list each of the gods/goddesses here:

  • Jae-suk: Poseidon (Weakness: Water)
  • Gary: Apollon (Weakness: Marks)
  • Ji-hyo: Athena (Weakness: Ankle)
  • Haha: Eros (Weakness: Kiss)
  • Suk-jin: Hermes (Weakness: Alter Ego)

Heads: Hee-sun’s (Aphrodite’s) weakness is… nakedness? Well, that’s going to be a little awkward. I love that Jong-kook and Kwang-soo, the two puny mortals, have to shimmy their way through the wall of Halloween vampires… and Jong-kook knocks down a column?

gummi: With a cry of “THISSS IS SPARRTTTA!” Well, not quite. But I feel like he should. Kwang-soo is helplessly stuck on the other end of the vampire guardians. I didn’t know they were the gatekeepers to Mt. Olympus.

Heads: See, Running Man is an educational experience. They get their mission… to survive the war of the gods? Good luck with that one, guys!

gummi: Did you see their VJs? They’re in togas too!

Heads: Cuuuuuuuute!! Aww, I love team solidarity. Also, the empty-space-filled-with-costumed-extras reminds me of the old days, and therefore I love it.

gummi: They’re just as helpless as ever too, roaming the great expanse, shrugging their shoulders when directly asked about what’s going on. Then Jae-suk hits the jackpot – he’s found the water guns he needs as Poseidon.

Heads: Now his god-name totally makes sense. Hee-sun finds a roomful of dolls, which I don’t quite get yet, and Ji-hyo finds a piano. Maybe these rooms don’t necessarily correspond to them? There are a ton of pimped out rooms, after all.

gummi: HA – How can a cardboard cut-out of Choi Min-soo elicit just as much fear as seeing the real thing?

Heads: Is there really a cardboard cut-out for every guest ever? Too cool. And Jung Yong-hwa! Hello, cardboard boy!

gummi: The man still looks good in 2D. Jae-suk runs into Hee-sun and Gary outside and oh-so-innocently Gary gives away that he’s Apollon. “Was I not supposed to say that?” Caption: Idiot God.

Heads: Aww, Gary. And then he’s like, Pretend you didn’t hear anything! But Jae-suk figures out that the fancy rooms may have something to do with their weaknesses, and grabs an umbrella to protect himself against water.

gummi: So smart. We check in with Kwang-soo and Jong-kook who are busy trying to deduce their own role in all of this. Jong-kook wonders if the nametags have some significance and in walks Suk-jin. Unfortunately for Hermes, he ends up in Jong-kook’s Herculean grasp trying to reason with the mortals for his life. That’s ironic.

Heads: Of course, this would only happen with Suk-jin. Kwang-soo and Jong-kook bicker back and forth about whether to rip Hermes’ golden nametag off, and Kwang-soo decides to bolt instead. Suk-jin’s left to bargain with Jong-kook (“I’m a god!”) which makes me wonder… all the gods have weaknesses, but do they have any powers?

gummi: Hard to tell because Jong-kook tears off his nametag before we can find out. Wait is he out? Noggins start churning and Hee-sun tests that theory on Jae-suk. Hee-sun: “I didn’t know what would happen!”

Heads: Wait, is he out now? But then the announcement comes to both Jae-suk and Suk-jin: Gods can’t die, and nametags are infinite. Suk-jin might as well have won the lottery.

gummi: The tables have clearly turned ’cause now the humans have got to run for their lives (literally). Meanwhile, the other gods tease each other about this tidbit. Hee-sun: “Rip it off!” Jae-suk: “Should I?” Hee-sun: “…No.”

Heads: I’m still stuck on being insanely happy for Suk-jin. His one true weakness, finally overcome! We might actually see him play a game? Blows my mind. Okay, I love that Jong-kook has a very reasonable discussion with Kwang-soo about how humans shouldn’t meddle in godly affairs, which is a nice way of saying that they should just hide.

gummi: Let the immortals battle it out, we’ll stay in the mountainside until they die or we do. Whichever comes first.

Heads: Haha loves quoting bits of Hee-sun’s movie Mister Q at her, and it’s not long before Jae-suk picks up on their togetherness and Haha’s out-of-place backpack. Haha: “I’m the god of backpacks!”

gummi: Because Zeus is obviously the god of North Face.

Heads: HA! Does that mean the product placement is effective?

gummi: As natural as ever. Thankfully for him he’s got ‘Hera’ on his side ready to knee kick Poseidon to oblivion. Then Hee-sun quips, “You do it all!” which works because do it = haera = Hera. So punny.

Heads: Hee-sun and Haha have formed something of a team, and Hee-sun confides her awkward weakness… which lights up Haha’s face like you wouldn’t believe.

gummi: I love that his first reaction is, “Noona, what kind of lie is that?” You can tell he’s genuinely surprised ’cause his voice drops a register or two.

Heads: So funny. He refuses to believe it’s not a joke till the end, and Hee-sun finds a roomful of clothes, deciding to bundle herself up to protect herself from nakedness. She tries a couple of outfits and lands on one of Joo-won’s tracksuits from Secret Garden. Sewn one stitch, one stitch at a time. Hahaha.

gummi: Does a face cut-out of Yoon Eun-hye count as a cameo appearance? Who should walk in the next moment but Jong-kook himself and Kwang-soo runs out after he spots something underneath the mask. Omg, the instructions say: Wear the mask, cover the ears of your target and say “Of course!”? This might be even better than a cameo.

Heads: This is epic win, is what it is. Of course, Suk-jin is their first target, and Kwang-soo wears the mask, covers Suk-jin’s ears, and says the magic words… only nothing happens. They’re all confused, no one’s explaining, and so Kwang-soo tries putting the Eun-hye mask on Suk-jin, then Jong-kook tries wearing it, which, hahaha.

gummi: The captions tell us that this would have been the weapon used against Jong-kook if he had been a god. I would have loved to have seen that. These loveline pairings in the variety world – virtually unbreakable.

Heads: Aaah, now it’s all making sense, and Suk-jin gets the gist of all the rooms – each one is tailored toward a specific weakness. So it’s virtually the cutest thing ever when Jae-suk starts going around with a flowery bow and arrow, with the instructions to shoot the target’s heart.

gummi: Almost as adorable as Suk-jin walking around in a grasshopper costume. He’s a Water god, not an Insect god!

Heads: The. Cute. Is. Killing. Me. I love that no one has any idea who their weapons work against, and Suk-jin tries ripping off Jae-suk’s nametag in his grasshopper costume. No dice.

gummi: I don’t get why Haha isn’t his first choice. Wouldn’t his playboy-like ways scream Cupid? Hee-sun’s caught on now and her clue is pretty awesome. They’re like Voodoo dolls but it only works when your target’s in sight. Are you reminded of the Jason doll? ‘Cause they look like mini Jason dolls. Then Haha discovers his own weakness. Lucky!

Heads: Seriously. But Hee-sun’s weapon seems unstoppable… and oh hay there, Vitamin Water. Almost missed you. Can Haha just like, swallow the lipstick so no one can take it and he’ll be the ultimate winner? Maybe I’ve watched too many spy movies.

gummi: What goes in must come out is all I’m sayin’. It’s pretty smart of him to use it as a cover and plants a big ol’ kiss on Jae-suk. Bromance, it’s a-killin’ me.

Heads: Okay, Haha’s idea is way more brilliant and safe. And hi-larious… omg, why is he kissing Jae-suk multiple times? Having to pause for laughter.

gummi: You have to turn the other cheek. I just replayed it. Twice. They keep bowing to each other, initially to get over the awkwardness but Jae-suk tries to use it as an opportune moment to shoot only that he keeps missing his chance.

Heads: Ji-hyo’s gut reaction to Jae-suk’s smooch-covered face? Laughter. Call me foolish, but I totally thought that Ji-hyo was defending her big, very obvious scooter when Jae-suk kept asking her what she was hiding. But no, she drops a tiny water gun, and by the time she turns around Jae-suk is already holding his. Is this a standoff?

gummi: They have a mini battle of wits but then you remember that Ji-hyo’s the Goddess of War so she advances, chasing Jae-suk throughout the building, shooting that wimpy water gun. Damn, she should have headlined Athena.

Heads: This chase is AWESOME, because she is totally relentless. Yooruce Willis does eventually escape, but he sure had to work for it. Hee-sun calls Ji-hyo into a separate room… oh no! Run, Ji-hyo!

gummi: Hee-sun pulls her voodoo magic, the light twinkles… but it fails. Now I’m thinking this is what they meant by “nakedness.” As in, no nametag = naked. Is that too far-fetched?

Heads: Good question, because she’s not sporting the hand-stitched Italian-crafted tracksuit anymore. Either way, Ji-hyo escapes and finds a box with a body scrubber and the instructions that if she erases the carved signs on the target’s body, they’re out.

gummi: Haha and Gary (who has a lipstick stain on his cheek, mind you) run into Suk-jin who calls for a truce. Little does he know that the two dongsaengs have already planned to toss Suk-jin in the swimming pool, thinking he’s Poseidon. In he goes…nope, nothing happens. Aw, now Hermes is all wet!

Heads: And if that’s not bad enough, Hee-sun comes running up to him with her voodoo doll version of him all, “This is yours! This is yours!” And rips off the tag on the doll. Aww, the “alter ego” was Suk-jin’s weakness, and just like that, he’s out.

gummi: The vampire guards take him away and the idiot dongsaengs rejoice in celebration, “It worked!” In any case, one god falls from the heavens.

Heads: I love that Hee-sun just goes along with it, laughing at Gary and Haha’s total confidence that they ousted Suk-jin as Poseidon. This is good news for Jae-suk, since it’s in his best interest to let them keep thinking that, and then Haha points out this big ol’ bell in the center of the building, with the instructions that if three gods gather and ring it, the human world comes to a stop. This is getting really complicated.

gummi: Is it sad that no number of gods can take out Hercules Jong-kook and they have to resort to a time slip BELL for that advantage? Isn’t it enough that they have to match weaknesses to the appropriate god?

Heads: Apparently not, since Jong-kook and Kwang-soo find another secret box with a secret weapon, and now I can’t keep up with what the difference is between the room-weapons versus the secret-box-weapons anymore.

gummi: Even THAT doesn’t make a difference because the speakers blare that Pandora’s Box has just busted open which means all the gods’ weaknesses will be known to the world. The gods freak out while the puzzle pieces finally come together for the humans. Objective: Find Pandora’s Box!

Heads: Hee-sun is officially adorable. She’s carrying around like five different weapons she’s found and tries peddling them to Jae-suk like, “If you wear this, you’ll gain another life!” But in the end nothing she tries has any effect, and she moves on to her next target.

gummi: She’s like the Black Market for Godly Items. It’s pretty adorable how she just plays it off the next moment.

Heads: Why is Ji-hyo the only one riding around on a scooter/skateboard? Either way, the gods and humans find themselves at an impasse when Jong-kook and Kwang-soo lock themselves in a room, which is when Ji-hyo gets an idea: Ring the bell!

gummi: The humans make a run for it with the gods on their toes. No time to lose and Hee-sun is hoisted up, her hands just inches from the bell… Ring!! The human world comes to a standstill. What’s Kwang-soo to do now?!

Heads: Or Jong-kook, for that matter, but we don’t see where he ended up quite yet. Jae-suk is the one who finds Kwang-soo first, and ousts him as a means of survival. Poor Kwang-soo’s all, “How could you do this to me? This is the 100th special episode…” Aww. Jae-suk isn’t all that sorry, but he thanks Kwang-soo for all his work over the past episodes.

gummi: His entire family’s watching! That’d be an awkward family gathering. I can imagine him going, “This is when I get eliminated!” With one human out, the human world resumes as normal.

Heads: I love that Jae-suk has been carrying around the weapon that would’ve worked on Kwang-soo had he been a god all this time, and grumbles about how tired, hungry, and thirsty he is. Luckily there’s that room full of Vitamin Water to quench his godly thirst.

gummi: Even luckier then that he spots a mysterious box in the middle of the pile and checks his surroundings for any sneaking gods. You can rely on Jae-suk’s inability to keep a low profile because Ji-hyo can read him like an open book, noticing the box herself. Woah, that’s Pandora’s Box!

Heads: Ji-hyo’s nametag is inside, and her ankle weakness is announced to the whole building, which sends her running for her godly life. Jae-suk thinks back to the ankle shackle Hee-sun tried on him, realizing that’s the weapon needed to take Ji-hyo out. Whoa, are there multiple pandora’s boxes?

gummi: Yep, because Gary just found Haha’s nametag. His weakness of kisses is shouted out and the bromance chase to kiss Haha starts. I’m torn between wanting Haha to win and wanting to watch that kiss. The boxes keep popping up everywhere!

Heads: Ahaha, this is amazing. Ji-hyo finds Gary’s Pandora’s Box of Weakness, and Hee-sun is without the ball and chain when Jae-suk finds her. They try to work out the kissing mechanics on Haha and Hee-sun bravely volunteers for the task, thinking that a woman needs to do it, and licks her lips in readiness. You can even hear the staff laughing.

gummi: Maybe she really wants to do it. Those subconscious desires coming into the forefront. They strike a deal about Ji-hyo, who has no idea of course. In a distracted moment, Hee-sun sneaks up to Ji-hyo, attaching the ball and chain to her ankle. She feels bad about it afterwards and adds, “You’re really pretty in person!”

Heads: Another god bites the dust. Oh, this is too funny – Jae-suk tries to figure out who the stamp is for, and almost gets tricked by Hee-sun, if she weren’t standing stock still with her eyes darting back and forth like a comic criminal. Realization slowly dawns on him that the stamp is meant for her naked foot and she plays the “You can’t be looking at me like that, Oppa” card. Hahaha.

gummi: Her sideways glances are so funny. Human Jong-kook offers up his services to a god which sounds pretty good to Haha, who accepts. Jae-suk’s the closest god they can bring down to Earth (Hee-sun’s by the door, protesting against the alliance) which is when he mentions that Haha is holding onto that lipstick…

Heads: So now it comes down to who can convince the mortal onto their side, but Jae-suk finds the lipstick on him and starts slathering it on… and then plants one on Haha’s forehead. Nation’s MC + Red Lipstick + Bromance = Best Episode Ever.

gummi: And then he’s showering him with kisses! I’m falling out of my chair.

Heads: Jae-suk tries to claim he’s Cupid to avoid getting thrown in the pool, to which Gary’s like: “How is Cupid a god? He’s not a fairy?” Not getting that Eros IS Cupid. Bahaha.

gummi: He needs to attend Fairytales & Mythology 101 taught by Professor Homer. They corner Jae-suk to the pool, daring him to dip a toe into the water. His foot hovers…but he can’t.

Heads: Wait, why is he wading into it?! He goes from standing, to kneeling, to sitting, and still no effect. The secret ingredient Jong-kook has to add to the water to kill the god Poseidon is a bottle of acid-pink Vitamin Water. Did Vitamin Water buy this whole episode?

gummi: That acid-pink Vitamin Water’s got to wet his nametag. But they choose to target Gary instead as Hee-sun scrubs his tattoo (gasp!) and the staff tell Jae-suk that he’s not out yet. Well, if that’s the case, and Jong-kook’s back is in the open….

Heads: Which leaves it open to Jae-suk, who doesn’t think twice before ripping it off. Jong-kook,out. In the struggle to scrub off Gary’s tattoo, Jae-suk falls back into the pool… but his nametag still survives! Wow. Luck is on his side today.

gummi: Hee-sun’s taking Gary on 1:1, determined to scrub off that temporary tattoo even if it’s the end of the world as she knows it. And Jae-suk hilariously goes back and forth trying to find the stamp, then the ink. Which is wet. So lipstick will have to do!

Heads: Smart thinking! To her credit, Hee-sun fights to the bitter end, but Jae-suk is finally able to stamp the lipstick on her bare foot. Aphrodite, out. She keeps insisting that she scrubbed Gary’s tattoo off, but he pulls his sleeve up to reveal some ink left over. He warns Jae-suk, “If you’re going to take this off, you’re going to need water.” And Jae-suk starts rubbing the scrubbing cloth on his own wet pants, HA.

gummi: Now it’s just a matter of who can eliminate whom first and Gary is in a mad dash to drag Jae-suk to the pool while Jae-suk furiously scrubs Gary’s arm. THIS IS MADNESS.

Heads: THIS IS RUNNING MAN! Also, this is a-mazing. Gary keeps splashing water on Jae-suk’s back while Jae-suk scrubs his arm, and it’s like the perfect storm of funny. I’m dying. Gary: “You’re going to take my skin off!” It looks like a close one…

gummi: …And the speakers declare Gary’s elimination (They give us a shot of Gary’s squeaky clean arm even before their tussle.). Which means Jae-suk reigns supreme over all the other immortals and the world, getting a nice shiny gold trophy for his efforts. He gives it away to Hee-sun instead. Congratulations on 100 episodes Running Man! Here’s to 100 more!

Heads: *throws more confetti* See you in another hundred!

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haha...lol...
running man fighting.........

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cant belive m...1st

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My sister loves this show...I have yet to join the band wagon. Looks hilarious.
Thanks for the recap :)

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awesome episode! favourite part was definitely the kissing

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yeah...there goes BROMANCE...love the KISSES...

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it's so funny ! congratulation running man for your 100th episodes.. ^^
and thank you gummi & heads for the recaps!

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the end of this episode was so funny. whole family watched it twice haha.

can't wait for today's episode!!!!! yoon dohyun!!!!!!!! squees and flails!!!!!!

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It's cool that you two have a Roulette version just like jb and gf! lol

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thanks ladies! i always look forward to your recap to understand bits and pieces missing in the btwn the subs!!

I jump for joy when you used Shinhwa's Venus as the filler or representative. Not sure what is is call. Is it because KHS is a Venus as she is the most beautiful as she claimed? LOL. Funny, she was Eric's ex too!

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Ooh, I'm going to have to agree with gummimochi: my guest of choice would definitely be Yoon Eun-hye (maybe before her next drama?). One can only hope.

Thanks for the joint recap, gummimochi and HeadsNo2! :)

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But we agree with Heads that Joongki is the "feature" we want back the most, right? :D

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Oh my God, yes; come back, Joong-ki, all's forgiven! :D

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Yes! I would love to see Song Joong-ki back!

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I liked Joongki (and Lizzy) well enough, but they really didn't have the personas that the current cast has - which is the perfect size.

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Hahaha. True enough. But I think in Song Joong-ki's earlier days he was such a big factor in solving the problems. It wasn't until later that he lost his steam and wasn't able to do much - especially since he got caught and put in prison earlier on in the games. But I just miss Joong-ki for the adorable, which is the same for Lizzy. Heh. I know. Shallow. X)

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Agreed--love the strategies of Joongki. The reason the cast spreads out for hunts and hunts in pairs is partially due to him. He'd often come up with strategies that I'd be shouting at the screen for. I liked they showed his brainy side too.

Running Man wouldn't be the same now without him back then.

Later on, he had trouble--popular celebs don't get to sleep.

Though I do admit he's easy on the eyes... but I mainly love the nostalgia.

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I think Yoon Eun Hye and Bong Sun in the same episode would be filled with unbelivable funny.

I also want Joongki back too... maybe for a "golden" episode. (ya know, reliving the old games or some such)

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I know this is pathetic, but I had a dream about it last night... that Yoon Eun Hye would be on (playing a soccer game or some such.) TT I was so sad when I woke up and found out it wasn't true.

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I was really pissed off at Kwang-Soo in this ep for suggesting that Jae-Suk let him slap him after the game for taking him out. It's so rude of him and I seriously think that he has crossed the line. Even in the Park Ji-Sung ep involving the tug-of-war, he was hurting Jong-Kook by twisting his arm. That's mean, not funny.

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It's a variety show. Methinks you're taking it too seriously. If you watched since episode one, you know that Kwang soo can get away with that because the cast is pretty close knit and have come to trust each other. He didn't pull that sort of thing at the beginning, and was overly humble. He's gotten that way towards the end because they love and trust each other *that* much that he can ignore the age system.

To put it this way, in Korea, you can sometimes see two men yelling at each other and faking blows, and then see them laughing the next minute and asking about the wife and kids of the other.

(I thought it was only in dramas--but I saw it in real life. They were cursing at each other as a greeting and then laughing the next minute. One called the other Hyung, too... so I knew there was an age gap.)

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yaeh...me think you are taking this too seriously too..its the persona that he builds in the variety show...in fact the real life kwang soo is a quite and shy person..unlike his character in running man...
Running man fighting..

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awesome episode ! keep running -man !! <3

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YONGHWAAAAAAAAA.

as a permanent member. nuff said.

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my vote for permanent member - Yong Hwa! ^^

woah, the ending battle was awesome and epic madness! it's a big mess! how Jae Suk went back and forth like, ok! got the stamp! no, where's the ink pad?! ok! but no ink! aaahhh...use lipstick then! hahaha... i totally was rolling on the floor laughing :D

and yeay, so happy for our beloved Nation MC...Yoo Jae Suk foevaaaa! ^^ I

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I totally love this show!

Thanks for the recap!

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I love this joint recap!!
Ahahaha the part where jaesuk keeps coming in contact with water but not getting out from it I almost died laughing! XD

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This episode was so epic, they picked a great guest, and a great theme too!

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Initially, I was disappointed that it was a female actress who was guest starring but Kim Hee Sun was good!

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I would say Kim Yuna as my ideal 100th guest.

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My ideal guest will be Yoon Eun Hye. I wonder why they haven't succeed bring her to Running Man (I'm being positive here, to think the producer must have tried at some point).

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Don't think she wants to draw any more attention to the whole KJK-YEH thing.

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This was a great episode.

Ahh, 100 episodes! How far have these guys come? From the awkward 1st episode to now...ahh I love it. Running Man forever

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Happy 100th ep Running Man!! Manse manse manse...
thanks for the roullette recap Gummi & Heads... you make it more interesting

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Woot!!

Not only is it the 100th Running Man but we also get the Dynamic Recapper Duo to amp up the funny!! Thanks, Ladies - here are your virtual flower bouquets from an appreciative fan! Look closely - each bouquet has a bottle of soju nestled into the middle for you. :)

This was an excellent ep. The crew must have worked on this one for months. Ordinarily, I'm not overly fond of having a female guest, but Hee-sun was pretty close to perfect. Funny, fearless and sarcastic - and smart!

I have to admit, if I was there as a RM member, the only shot of me would have been one of total puzzlement on my face trying to figure out what in the heck was going on. It wasn't until the Pandora boxes came to light that I finally 'got' it. But, my cluelessness didn't stop me from appreciating the funny - I laughed through the whole thing. That face cut-out of YEH on Spartakooks face was priceless! And that final battle with Jaesuk and Gary? Unbelievable!

Thanks for the recap - on to the next 100!! :)

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Oh, forgot to add - my all-time favorite RM?
The Thailand 2-parter with Nickhun - LOVED it!

As for a new team member, Yong-hwa or Nickhun - either choice would make a happy dance in my soul....
:)

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Hm, I'd have to say my favorite RM episode is the first "Strongest Running Man" episode, just because it was funny how the Commander pretty much lost his shit and went Ape-Man crazy on the cast. The fear he instilled upon the rest of the cast? Still awesome and funny. I'd also go with the second "Strongest Running Man" episode because that's the Superhero Special. Holy cow, I think I have too many favorite RM episodes now that I think about it. So many to choose from. *facepalm* My favorite part about all the abroad episodes is the fan love. Ooooooooooooh yeah. X)

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its RM's 100th episode and the cast is given the red carpet treatment -- well sort of.
KJK = should wear suits more often; he actually looks great in a formal attire
ji-hyo = whoah, she cleans up pretty good :D. you could see jaws drop when she showed up
jae-suk = green overkill!
ha-ha = funny and campy
suk-jin = looks surprisingly spiffy; too bad about that wardrobe (eyewear) malfunction though LOL!
gary = looks nondescript even while wearing a monkey suit
kwang-soo = looks thinner & taller in black

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Hahaha. The Bromance and kisses is killing me man.

It was fun to see you guys (hrm, ladies) tackle this episode together Conversation Style. It gives us an extra amount of Spice. Happy 100 episodes Running Man. Can I ask for another 100 episodes please pretty please with Cherry on top? Thanks. X) <3

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Happy 100 th episodes RM yahooo! Hope will see the 200 episodes congrats

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"Heads: I wonder if it’s physically possible to complete that in one sitting? I’d vote no. And is it going to sound cheesy if I say I’m glad to be here? Because I am."

TT I'm a freak. I started at Episode 1 and marathoned to episode 78.... in about 3-4 days. (Or was it a week? That was blurry.) And I cried when Joongki left too. TT

I only interspersed it with other dramas when I had to.

(I'd lost my job and needed something to knit to)

I ate to it and paused it when going to the bathroom. And when I got to the final episode (for that while) I crumpled into a ball of, "Well now what do I do?" TT Jae Suk and crew have been haunting my dreams ever since. Can you make them stop~

(I was in Korea during the filming of one of the punishments. I was excited watching that episode figuring out that I was actually there--though I didn't see myself.)

I also told my brother if he sees Running man filming I can say hi to him through the show. Haha. He declined. (I was grumpy).

Yeah... I know, I'm hardcore. *slinks away*

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As of the 100 ep I think I watched it 3x Haha knows how to be really funny in the red carpet" wanna be Jaesuk is totally embarrassed but hilarious Yah I dont knw about much Of Heesun but the first part is very funny and also the last part when Jaesuk is pissed coz his all wet tired n freakin messed up I will truely be so dissapointed if Gary wud win again great its Jaesuk he deserves it Heesun is pretty funny too unlike other Female pop guests she is more entertaining to watch. She is blunt and cool I like her shes still very pretty eventhough shes married n had a baby Shes a Hot Mama

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I like the episode its fun but as Jaesuk whining about looking around aimless at first cant blame him the door of draculas is awesome but the funny part is when haha is in trouble and caught up with jaesuk n Kjk n the hilarious line is Ill hold your hand I wad ROLF daebak. Overall the concept is great but the execution the writing is kinda confusing and all over the place Sometimes simplicity is more enjoyable and funny to watch. I stumble upon ep 44&45 and its a daebak episodes simple hide n seek joyride n a little kick at the end Thats a well written episodes I must say and Jang Hyuk who can u ask for

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Iam really satisfied that Jaesuk wins I feel theres no other one who deserve it but the main character. I like gary but find it he always shows up at almost the end that y he always win dont you think I notice that gwangsoo bignose haha ofcourse jaesuk are always at the first part and tru the middle they get kick out is that how RM written these days? Hope they consider going back in the old days I really loving eary episodes n was shocked how low ratings most of the great episodes are

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Such a shame that Gary didn't win this time. I love how Hee-sun uses aegyo to get out of everything. "You're really pretty in person" after eliminating her.

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Kwang-soo stated in an interview that he was real nervous about doing a variety show since he's actually pretty shy.

Ji-hyo did look really hot in the intro.

Haha also looked "cute" w/ that off-shoulder look. lol

The YEH/KJK X-Man reference was epic.

All in all, I liked this ep - thought the premise was pretty clever/interesting and Hee-sun was into the game, but at the same time, kinda felt something was lacking for a 100th ep.

Wish the editing showed when/how Haha and Gary learned that Suk-jin wasn't Poseidon as they had believed.

As for Hee-sun, she definitely was into playing and winning the game - so that was good.

I know she is regarded as one of the leading beauties of Korea, but I don't see it (her eyelids are a bit weird which gives her a "bug-eye" look); not saying she isn't pretty, but there are numerous actresses or idols who are prettier.

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so do you think when they say she is one of the leading beauties of Korea they are only looking at her face to make that decision, hell no, it's not only about the pretty face but it's about charisma, presence, personality, fame and lot of other things, kim hee sun has it all, that is what makes her very beautiful in Korean people's eyes, it is like a miss world and miss universe contest where they not only look at a pretty face but other things too to make the decison, so it's all the stuff added together kim hee sun is one of the leading beauties of Korea.

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Happy 100 ep RM!!!!! Although I have never seen any project of Kim heesun, She appeared very likable here. Wish her personality show in the drama faith too. And I love the picture of YEH~~~~

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100 episode and here I am still watching it! Been watching this show since episode 1 and never failed to watch a single episode. Seen them struggling for the ratings and here they are on the top of the game. I'm happy for them. Cheers to 100 more episode RM!

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Hilarious!! Just by reading the recap put me in stitches. I'm sooo...gonna enjoy watching the raws when it appears!

I love the X-Man reference in this ep. And the staff was spot-on with the Dangyunhaji-ear-clap weakness for Jong Kook! i would have loved it if Eun Hye appeared in this ep too! The ratings will hit an all time unbeatable number!

Also major congratulations to Jae Suk for winning the 100th episode! Its epic and symbolic to me since he has always stepped back to let the others shine. Not that he doesn't try his best in the games, but you know that he somehows downplay his involvement to let others have more airtime. He's a born leader through and through. Its no surprise that he's loved by all. My fave hero~~♥

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You can watch it on Dramafever raw or with timed subs.

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I kinda... Was hoping that Song Joong Ki would make a comeback for the 100th episode. But, that was hilariously fun I think I can live with it... :-D

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Happy 100th episode RM!

Gary is indeed one of the strongest in running man.. he's almost always in on the last battles.. I'm glad jaesuk won this time though.. he deserve it..
It would be nice to see Yong Hwa and Nickhun again on RM.. they are both competitive and fun to watch..

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I think being an actor n in a variety show likr RM needs stamina Joongki when he started looks so fit then he look bones after I dont know how Seunngi manage all of it in 5 years n his doing concerts too n other things I think his a Superman hehehe look at Jihyo at first she looks so pretty now she always looks tired Yeah being a Hot Celebrity is not sleeping n getting enough rest feel bad n not for them bec they have poor health but has riches popularity n beauty

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And poor Jaesuk did he said his sleepy tired walking around for nothing and that man needs a vacation he looks older now than Sukjin Jaesuk take care your health too much work and little rest makes the body grow weak n old faster we want to see you healthy and happy congratulations for all the hardwork RM is the BesT!!!

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By the way Jihyo looks pretty when she had black hair and why Korean Celebrity likes putting on like very dark color lipstick I mean lips shd look natural pinkish or rosy to look younger right and in casual looks deeper lipstick or nude is best when u have smokey eyes and heavy eye makeup dont get it

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Congratulations RM wow I still remember Lee Hyori in the 1st episodes now its 100 daebak.

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I agree Jihyo looks pale with her natural makeup not flattering If I recall right YJS comment that she looks sick when she reapply he lipstick ouch I really want her to look glowing and pretty like before I want to see her blooming

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My qs is when is Lee Min Hot (and Jung Il Woo he he) gonna guest??? And add Jun ki to that list as well! And Rain better guest too when he comes out the military!

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We can all dream of that day... but hey, if they can wrangle some bigger name stars lately...

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I know it's a minor quibble, but I'd like to point out that it was Jae-suk who suggested Kwang-soo and Ji-hyo seconded the proposal instead of the other way around.
Great recap guys.

I loved the episode. I actually like how they integrate themes to make the show interesting. And while the old hide-and-seek were fun and exciting, the show wouldn't last as long as it did by not adapting to change.

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Hysterical!!! Loved it, but wish there was a different guest!

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Kim Jong Kook would have eliminate Jaesuk if he poured the liquid at Jaesuk nametag!!! In the end, it is gary and Jaesuk fight. Anyway, love spartakook reaction when his team mates voted him out.. He gamely voted himself out. I think Kim Jong Kook and Jaesuk are born leaders. Love all the cast members. Happy 100th episodes. Look forward to more creativity and fun.

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okay... i just loved this episode like all the others... excited to watch the next one..

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Awesome recap! Hope to see more roulette style recaps of the show in the future! This show brings so many tears of laughter(?) to so many people's lives...! Thanks, Gummi and Heads!

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I demand more Heads/gummi Running Man recaps! I was great to read, thank you!

They really must have emptied the prop shop for this one. That building was like a Running Man museum. It was a perfect location for the game too, all those winding corridors and multiple levels.

Ji Suk Jin looked surprisingly great on the red carpet! Not bad, Big Nose Hyung. Though the Hades/Hermes mix-up... The PD needs to review his Greek mythology, apparently >.<

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The PD actually got it right. It was mistranslated elsewhere. His mission card stated something in the nature of being a "messenger" which Hermes was. Hope that helps!

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Oh, I see! Thanks for the clarification. And thanks again for the recap :)

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i love this episode.. i don't care what they say but i think this is their smartest episode ever..

i liked the guest too even if i don't know her shes game and active with anything shes like ji hyo who can take on the boys.. lol it was really funny when she wanted to out haha with a kiss and the way she scrubbed gary, btw running man is always scrubbing gary like in the wake up mission in earlier ep i just find it funny^^

for the first time i don't really know what will happen next. halfway i just gave up guessing whats what and enjoyed the show.. i wish running man will never end^^

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"btw running man is always scrubbing gary like in the wake up mission in earlier ep i just find it funny^^"

haha that's so true! i never noticed it until u mentioned it. Great episode as usual!!

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I personally found this episode really amusing and exciting. Like the recent episodes, despite how funny Kwang Soo is. He's starting to take it a little too far. But all you fans just keep going on about the rant on "This is a variety show" etc. Jong Kook wasn't even this mean at the beginning of Running Man, he didn't even resort to *SO MUCH* violence the way Kwang Soo is doing this recent episodes. Anyways, i thought they would go even bigger for the 100th episode and getting the Running Man permanent members together, with Joong Ki and Lizzy to celebrate that moment. But oh well, this episode was still enjoyable.

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Can Yoon Eun Hye just be a guest soon!!??? I loved the way to kill Sparta...too bad he wasn't a God. Would have loved seeing the others try it on him...haha. And, Yoo Jae suk was really damn lucky!

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