'Running Man' PD: "Ji Yee-eun and Bata's romance was unknown even to the production team... Learned about it on the morning of the 800th episode shoot"

*This content was translated by AI.

SBS's 'Running Man,' Korea's longest-running variety show, marked a historic 800th episode broadcast starting from its airing on the 26th.

Since its first broadcast in August 2010, over 16 years—a span long enough for generations to change—'Running Man' has been responsible for bringing laughter to viewers every Sunday evening.

Kang Hyung-seon PD, currently in charge of direction, expressed, "The 800th episode feels like a dream and is hard to believe. I am truly grateful to the viewers who have supported the show for 16 years. It is all thanks to the viewers." Below is an interview with Kang Hyung-seon PD.

◆ "The 800th episode, a dreamlike record... The secret lies in the members' unchanged presence"

Q. You have reached 800 episodes, a first for domestic variety shows. What are your thoughts as the current directing PD? How did the members react?

PD Kang: I first joined 'Running Man' as an assistant director in 2016, 10 years ago, and stayed for about three and a half years. Returning to 'Running Man' in 2026, 10 years later, to reach the 800th episode still feels like a dream and is hard to believe. This year marks the 16th anniversary of 'Running Man,' Korea's longest-running variety show, and the members, who have run non-stop for 16 years just like the show's name suggests, are amazing and admirable. The members did not act unusually or get overly excited just because it was the 800th episode shoot day. Like the previous 799 shoot days, and just as the upcoming 800th shoot day will be, they were lively, bickering, and joyful as usual. I believe such consistency is the driving force behind the longest-running variety show.

Q. For the first time in variety history, a fixed member, Ji Seok-jin, reached the age of 60. The race to celebrate this was interesting; what was the actual atmosphere on set like?

PD Kang: Over the 16th years, members who were in their 30s became 40s, and those in their 40s became 50s. The eldest member, Ji Seok-jin, has now reached the beginning of his 60s. From the members' perspective, this shoot day held special significance. As an outdoor variety show, it requires a lot of physical stamina, and there are many missions involving physical exertion, so injuries, big and small, often occur. Seeing our 'Running Man' eldest brother, Ji Seok-jin, stand firm until his 60th birthday with the resolve to provide healthy laughter to viewers after all those times, gave the members an opportunity to reflect on the time they have spent together. We prepared the 'Ji-Tsubi's 60th Birthday Party' race to commemorate this meaningful episode. Immediately after the shoot, Ji Seok-jin personally expressed his gratitude, saying, "Thank you for creating this episode," and fans also seemed to enjoy it greatly, so it will likely be remembered as a special episode.

◆ "Ideas come from communication with members... Learned about Ji Yee-eun's romance rumors on the morning of the shoot day"

Q. Recently, rumors of Ji Yee-eun's romance became a hot topic. Did the production team and members know in advance? Please also share Ji Yee-eun's actual reaction.

PD Kang: Actually, the production team did not know in advance either and learned about the news during morning greetings on the day of the 800th episode shoot. Ji Yee-eun, the subject of the romance rumors, must have been flustered as it was her first time experiencing such an event, but seeing her smile and sublimating the issue into entertainment with the unique energy of a shoot day made me, as the director, very grateful.

Q. Your creative races are always highly praised. How does the production team come up with ideas?

PD Kang: Usually, when there are guests, we find ideas from the guests' works. When there are no guests, we reflect social issues or trends relevant to that period to generate ideas. We also draw inspiration from meaningful past episodes or even from conversations with Yoo Jae-suk. Sometimes, we develop relational structures from casual remarks made by the members, so we strive to communicate with the members as much as possible.

Q. 'Running Man' continues to maintain a top position in the '2049 viewership ratings.' What do you think is the biggest driving force behind 'Running Man's' sustained popularity?

PD Kang: I believe it is each member's unique character and their chemistry. From the early days of 'Running Man,' each member had distinct charms and traits, and through making that well, we achieved a phenomenon-level popularity. The name 'Running Man' itself has become a brand with its own vitality, and I think this is the secret behind 'Running Man's' continued maintenance of a thick fanbase not only domestically but also overseas. Through this unique making, as some members leave and new ones join, explosive chemistry from new combinations emerges, which gains the response of fans and viewers, allowing us to maintain popularity for 16 years.

Q. You have consistently worked with 'Running Man' from assistant director to director. If you had to pick the most difficult or challenging moment while working in the variety entertainment genre, what would it be?

PD Kang: It is greatly affected by the weather. Due to the nature of variety shows, there are many road scenes and missions that involve moving around locations, and games that can only be played outdoors, not indoors. So, even when all shooting preparations are complete, if the weather suddenly worsens on the morning of the shoot day, everyone goes into a state of high alert. The most awkward moments are when we have to scout new locations for missions, change the rules to allow shooting to proceed, and quickly adapt games to the situation.

Another factor is the members' condition. When one member falls ill, faces unavoidable circumstances, or encounters unexpected issues, it is difficult to take a week off or shoot without a member due to the nature of a regular program that shoots weekly. Therefore, the members are always mindful of their health management and strive to manage their personal daily lives thoroughly and maintain them as a routine. Not only the production team but also the cast members are always mindful of this, which I believe is why the program has been maintained for 16 years.

◆ BTS V, DEX, aespa Karina receive 'Running Man' guest love calls

Q. There is high interest in the loan member system, with figures like Kang Hoon and Daniel Choi. Recently, there were mentions of Gongmyung on the 'Jim Jong-guk' channel. Is there a possibility of new loan members joining in the future?

PD Kang: We always keep the possibility open for new loan members to join. We are also internally listing guests who had good chemistry with the members. In the future, we plan to invite various people as guests to find those who fit well.

Q. Many guests have already appeared, but if there is a guest you would like to invite to 'Running Man' in the future, who would it be?

PD Kang: I would like to invite BTS's V, who has shown great affection for 'Running Man' and always sparked major buzz whenever he appeared; DEX, who mentioned wanting to be someone who can always greet Yoo Jae-suk in the morning at the year-end award ceremonies; and aespa's Karina, who, surprisingly, has never appeared on 'Running Man' yet but has been frequently mentioned by the members.

Q. If you could say one word to the viewers who have supported the show so far, what would it be?

PD Kang: I am truly grateful to the viewers who have supported 'Running Man' for 16 years. Thanks to you, 'Running Man' has been able to claim the title of Korea's longest-running variety show. To repay the love and interest you have shown, the production team and members unite every week, ponder deeply, and strive hard. We will continue to work hard every week to become a program that runs for 10 or 20 more years, so we ask that you watch us with a warmer gaze.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.