Running Man: Episode 116

by gummimochi

Ever wish you could see the future? What kind of future would you set for yourself? And would you still want it if you knew that your biggest foe was a horde of ajummas? In this Running Man superpower universe, remember these words: “With great power comes great responsibility. This is a gift, a curse.” Who are you? A Great Seer.

EPISODE 116. Broadcast on October 21, 2012.

On a fair autumn day, the cast gathers at the Iksan KTX train station as Mr. PD informs us that today’s guests are on their way. The idea of a train race does a turn on Jae-suk’s nerves. He’s only mollified with the knowledge that at least Kwang-soo will be eliminated first.

Gary’s absence puts them on edge (don’t worry – he’s here) and they excitedly await the arrival of today’s guests.

It’s a Great Seer kinda day as three handsome men come tumbling out of the train: Ji Sung (Protect the Boss), Song Chang-eui (Syndrome), and Ji Jin-hee (Dong Yi). ‘Scuse me for a minute as I breathe in the hotness.

They certainly seem happy to be here and Jin-hee even playfully rips a bit of Jae-suk’s name tag. The cast gives us a rundown of the men’s previous appearances and what, Chang-eui was in Family Outing?

Mr. PD introduces today’s mission and for name’s sake, we’ll call it The Great Seer Race. Puny humans they may be now, but they’ll gain the knowledge to see the future. Reaction? Laughter.

The cast has a hard time grappling with the concept (and an old-timey tune plays in the background) and at the news that the remaining members will get ddakjis, Jong-kook’s ears perk up. The cast member who survives at the end of this time continuum is declared the winner.

It’s a Survival Train Ride and the eliminated will have to drive to the final mission location themselves and after Jae-suk asks where the next station is, he turns to Kwang-soo, “Tell your manager to meet you there!”

There seems to be some hope for Kwang-soo today as the members vote Chang-eui as the Most Likely to be Eliminated First. And if those small clips tell us anything, it might just be true.

Once on the train, Mr. PD makes sure that everyone’s exchanged proper greetings (because they’ll soon be saying their goodbyes) and the cast picks a number that determines their order in which they’ll perform the mini-missions at the train station.

Ji Sung and Jin-hee luck out and end up in the rear of the pack but Chang-eui isn’t as fortunate with a 2. This is not gonna be a good day for you, is it? Then Gary cries out, horrified at his 1.

Jin-hee happily yelps with glee and Ji Sung smiles, “I’m just going to go out for some air!”

Here, they’ve got one minute to flip a coin on a textbook and surprise! – Gary succeeds. Chang-eui’s up next and the coin turns two times in the air… and lands on the same side. The rest of the cast scramble back onto the train as Chang-eui buries his head in his hands.

Huh, so did Jong-kook predict the future when he noted that Chang-eui would be eliminated first or was Suk-jin’s comment that it would turn over twice more than a jest? In any case, Chang-eui lets out a deep sigh.

On the train, Jae-suk notes how quickly the other two guests abandoned their own and worry about their missing guest. Kwang-soo: “He’s got such sad eyes!” Cut to: Chang-eui’s sad eyes.

All everyone cares about now is who’s got that dreadful number 1. That honor is handed to Suk-jin with Jae-suk right behind him with a 2. I just hope that karma of teasing Suk-jin doesn’t come to bite you in the butt.

No worries on that end because Suk-jin thrusts his hand into the box and pulls out an elimination. The rest of the cast celebrate and don’t even give a second glance as they run back to the train.

Jae-suk notes his uncanny ability to point out the next eliminated member (Ji-hyo: “Be careful where you point that!”) and can’t help but admit the happiness that comes from the “it’s not me” realization.

Jin-hee writes a little note on the glass for Suk-jin: Bye. HA – so childish.

The remaining members choose their order again and Ji Sung starts to sweat when it comes to his turn. He picks a 4… which means Spartakooks gets to be numero uno this round.

Jong-kook isn’t confident in the game either (If the pointer turns one way, you look in the opposite direction to pass.) and neither does Jae-suk. Haha notes that it would be highly entertaining if it came down to number 3, Jin-hee, who answers, “No way…”

Jong-kook’s got his eye on the prize and surprisingly, he passes with flying colors. So does Jae-suk. But that wouldn’t mean that Jin-hee would… yep. As soon as the members realize they’re in the clear, back to the train they run.

Jin-hee’s flabbergasted at this turn of events and he cries out, “It’s 50:50! Why did he point in the same direction TWICE!” And because karma’s a bitch, Ji Sung playfully writes a goodbye note on the glass – this time for Jin-hee.

He’s still worked up in the car and as he reviews the order of elimination, he wonders, “Will [the person who picks] 4 be eliminated at the fourth station?”

We’re about to find out as Jae-suk picks number 2 for the third consecutive time and then it’s Ji Sung who chooses the ominous 4. Gary’s up first again and gripes at the next mini-mission: a multiplication round.

Kwang-soo seems pretty confident in his mathy skills and quizzes Jae-suk, “9 times 8!” Jae-suk: “72!” Ji-hyo sighs, “You’re so good…”

Gary and Jae-suk succeed but it’s once-confident Kwang-soo who gets his question wrong. 8 times 6? Kwang-soo: “42!” He’s barely got time to let the truth sink in and it’s only once they’re gone does he realize, “It’s 48…”

The eliminated chat in the car about the final mission location and Suk-jin mentions that sometimes they’re eliminated so early that they watch the broadcast and go, “Oh, so that was it…” Heh.

The conversation turns to about how Running Man broke Jin-hee out of his super serious mold into a hilarious, lovable, sexy man-beast. I… may have embellished a bit.

He shares that when news broke of Gary’s ordeal, he thought, “This is my chance [to join the cast]!” Suk-jin replies that they tossed the idea of having Geun-young around and Jin-hee muses, “… but I’m better.” Pfft.

They talk a bit more about the “upgraded” name tags (they tear off easier) and Suk-jin wonders what the 2013 model will be like. HA.

Oh right – we’ve still got six people on the train. Their next mission will be to hula hoop simultaneously for five whole minutes. Ji Sung asks Mr. PD to confirm if they receive ddakjis if they survive to the end. Which jogs Jong-kook’s memory to assert himself as the ddakji champion he is.

They start twirling their hula hoops and it turns out everyone’s pretty good… that is, except Jong-kook, whose hoop flails to the ground in a few short seconds. Guess they didn’t need five minutes after all!

Coach Kookie won’t be defeated as he continues to practice as the others look on. Aww, I don’t know if I should be laughing or crying that Jong-kook can’t hula hoop. Jae-suk: “Look at him! He’s swinging it around with his strength!”

But then their teasing balloon deflates as Jong-kook picks it up right away and starts twirling with ease.

Now at their second to last stop, it boils down to a version of the nunchi game where the last person to shout out a number is eliminated. (The game starts over if two people yell simultaneously) Haha makes it a point that he’s going to stand up first and there’s nuthin’ anyone can do about it.

Ji Sung figures out the loophole right away: if everyone gets up, then no one’s eliminated, right? They agree to do so.

But that’s a different story once they’re off the train as Haha insists for the final time that he’s going to shout out first… and stays still when the others stand up.

Then it’s down to Jae-suk and Gary who go through several rounds of calling out “One!” until they run out of time, forcing everyone back onto the train.

Jae-suk complains about how they all were caught up Haha’s web of betrayal (he laughs maniacally) and Mr. PD isn’t fazed. Thankfully there’s another local stop before the final mission location and good news – everyone gets to participate again.

They ring-around-the-rosy and then suddenly Mr. PD calls out, “Two!” And who’s the fifth wheel? Haha. (Omo! Did the ex-Monday Couple just hug each other?!)

Jae-suk points out as much in the train and Gary replies, “There was only one person I could find!”

The remaining four are given their ddakjis to see the future and Mr. PD explains the rules of their hocus pocus ddakjis. So it sounds like after they see into the future, they’ll throw the ddakji down to return to the present.

Mr. PD, did you find the door to bend the time-space continuum? Oy, this is gonna get confusing. Gary: “This is too hard. Can I return it?” HAHA.

Their final mission location is an old-timey movie set and Jae-suk spots Kwang-soo right away, “Do I tear off his name tag right now?” Kwang-soo is legitimately surprised and yelps that he’s empty-handed.

Hmm, it looks like the eliminated are searching for some extra one-time-use ddakjis themselves. Jong-kook stumbles upon two boxes and he opens one to reveal: Danger. Uh-oh.

Out of nowhere, a man in a suit is hot on his tail. Bad news bears for Chang-eui too as he starts running from his pursuer. In the distance, Gary breaks out laughing, “This is the second time I saw Chang-eui! The first time he was eliminated and now he’s running away!”

Suddenly a loud gong disperses through the town and wait a minute, that’s a horde of ajummas running at them. WHAT?! They’ve got no time to react and run but as then another minute later, another noise and they disappear.

Meanwhile, we catch up with Jin-hee who squeals, “Hee! I found it!” and safely tucks a ddakji into his pocket. He runs into Ji Sung and tries to convince him to share the wealth, “You’ve got two right? Gimme one!”

Ji Sung’s reluctant and Jin-hee pulls the We’re gonna be workin’ together for the next three months card on him. But Ji Sung is sharp enough to politely decline, “I’ll think about it.”

Somewhere else in town, Haha and Kwang-soo chase Jae-suk down the street until they corner him. Jae-suk insists that he only has one ddakji but there’s more to elimination then just ripping off name tags. He’s got powers and he’s not afraid to use ’em!

Jae-suk claims that if he can bring someone else with him if he’s eliminated and Haha says, “Then I recommend Kwang-soo!”

But while his back is turned someone else zooms by and rips off his name tag: Jin-hee.

Just when you think that Jae-suk’s smile is out of place for someone who’s out of the game, he raises his ddakji into the air, “The power to see the future!” and slams it down onto the ground.

We go back in time (So is it future Jae-suk in the past? My brain hurts already.) two minutes prior and Jae-suk who has seen his future turns back to Jin-hee: “You were going to eliminate me! I saw it!” Ha – I don’t think the overacting sells it but it’s still funny.

Well, that was the future and this is the present and Haha yells out, “What are you doing! Get him!” See the future to change the present but it’s still the same future. Still with me?

Seeing the future is not without it’s consequences as another crack in a mirror tells us. Everyone is blindfolded and Gary yells out, “No you can’t do this!” (The words for ‘blindfold’ and ‘no’ sound similar. Hee.)

They’re gathered together and when the blindfolds come off, it’s utter chaos as everyone reaches for another’s name tag left and right. Then Ji Sung rips off Haha’s name tag much to his annoyance.

Never fear because he pulls out his ddakji and we see that he sees the future in fancy CG… it’s just that the present isn’t as clean cut as Mr. PD tells them to go back to being blindfolded.

Now they all have to pretend that the now past-present never happened. Haha goes beyond his seer powers, making sure that his VJ is ready when he makes his escape. Haha: “Come down here!” VJ: “But the full shot…” Haha: “What full shot?!”

He makes his daring escape when the gong rings again. At least… you got to change the future?

This man is not so lucky. Suk-jin sits alone in jail and sighs that he had a ddakji in hand when he was eliminated. We flash back to when he uncovered the ddakji and how Chang-eui had asked to see it.

I’m sure he meant to just call out the phrase just to show Chang-eui how to use it but yunno powers – sometimes they get outta control.

So Suk-jin wasted his ddakji and as a consequence, the horde of ajummas all came after him. Then Ji-hyo took hold of this opportunity and eliminated him.

Jong-kook decides that they should eliminate the members who have ddakjis and give Ji Sung chase. Ji Sung: “What crime is it to have [a ddakji]!”

Soon the others join them and in the scuffle, Chang-eui rips off Jae-suk’s name tag – he’s out. Jong-kook shouts for help to eliminate Ji Sung but Haha and Jin-hee drag Jong-kook away instead.

Kwang-soo stands there, confused: “Who do I eliminate!” He goes for Ji Sung instead, and the Great Seer pulls out his ddakji, “The power to see the future!” Damn – is it hot in here?

So we return to the present-past (or past-present?) down to the VJ tumbling to the ground and Jae-suk asks with great emphasis: “VJ are you okay? Chang-eui, you weren’t going to eliminate me, right?”

But seeing the future comes with at a great cost. As the mirror cracks again, the ajummas burst out of the buildings. Time to run!

The ajummas crowd around an exhausted Jae-suk and right after the gong sounds again, Ace Ji-hyo slips in and eliminates Jae-suk. Aw, your future didn’t change for the better.

The boys gather around and decide they have to force the use of the remaining ddakjis. Fingers point to Jin-hee who emphatically denies possessing any but he quickly runs away when their suspicion radar pings.

Once he’s a safe distance away, he calls out, “I’m sure there’s someone amongst you with one too!” And so they start searching each other and find one on Kwang-soo. Oh hai red undies.

They tear off his name tag and Kwang-soo lifts his ddakji. Ji Sung: “Throw that away after you use it!” And this future is fortuitous because now when they search him, they come up with nothing.

Let’s not forget that there’s a consequence involved and this time, Haha and Kwang-soo’s name tags are switched until one person is taken out. And that person is Haha.

Chang-eui finds a ddakji of his own but he’s easy prey against Jong-kook. After he uses it, he yells, “I saw the future! We rallied together and went after Jin-hee hyung!”

As a consequence, Chang-eui and Jong-kook’s name tags are changed and the four boys head down the hill to see the ex-Monday Couple and Jin-hee.

The trio all have ddakjis and resolve that the loser in rock-paper-scissors will use their ddakji. Gary betrays Jin-hee at the last second, which forces his hand and in the new future, Jin-hee runs away.

The gong rings again and everyone gets blindfolded again.

Everyone is separated and as soon as the blindfold comes off, Jong-kook races towards Chang-eui who is currently in Kwang-soo’s grasp. But he’s a second too late as Kwang-soo rips off Jong-kook’s name tag.

Chang-eui asks why Kwang-soo did it as they watch Jong-kook get dragged to jail. Kwang-soo: “Because there wouldn’t be another time to…” Rrrriippp! Chang-eui: “That’s right!” Well played, sir.

In jail, Haha hears some noise in the distance and comments, “Sounds like someone getting scolded.” Suk-jin: “Probably Kwang-soo [by Jong-kook].”

Hee – I love how both Gary and Ji Sung scared each other by both being sneaky. They fail to gang up on Ji-hyo and Gary uses his ddakji after Ji Sung tears off his name tag. Back to the Future Version 9.0 and Ji-hyo screams, “Ajummas!”

Impressively, Gary manages to withstand the ajummas and in a corner Chang-eui remarks, “Ajummas are the scariest.” Truer words, good man.

Now it’s the ex-Monday Couple versus the three guests and Ji Sung comes flying out of nowhere and somewhere in the mix, the ex-Monday Couple are both eliminated.

Ji-hyo sees the future and then her name tag is exchanged with Ji Sung’s. Gary runs to her side to protect her by ripping off Ji Sung’s name tag. At the same time, Jin-hee runs towards Ji Sung.

Both she and Ji Sung are eliminated.

Gary faces off against Jin-hee after he eliminates Chang-eui. It’s brute strength against brute strength and Gary shouts, “I hold my pride in name tag ripping!”

He swings Jin-hee around and as Jin-hee falls forward, Gary rips off his name tag. Gary falls to his knees in celebration – it’s all over! Something smells fishy… this was way too easy…

and sure enough, Jin-hee pulls out his second ddakji and raises his last glimmer of hope to the heavens. Gary stops short, shocked.

Now in the present, Jin-hee starts to tear off Gary’s name tag with his teeth. Woah, woah – hold your wolf headdress there, Lee Seong-gye.

They circle around each other, grabbing for each other’s name tags and then Jin-hee grasps Gary’s name tag with two hands. Another turn and Jin-hee eliminates Gary.

Today’s Great Seer, aka Jin-hee, is awarded a gold sandglass and he lets out a triumphant grunt.

Wait, you didn’t see this in your future? Keh.

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