‘Running Man’ Star Song Ji Hyo Meets New Female Partner Jeon So Min; Yang Se Chan Also Joins SBS Show
Avid "Running Man" viewers will soon see two new cast members joining the SBS variety show. Comedian Yang Se Chan and "Endless Love" actress Jeon So Min both signed up to become permanent members alongside Song Ji Hyo, Yoo Jae Suk, Kim Jong Kook, Haha, Lee Kwang Soo and Ji Suk Jin.
After several months of having only six cast members, "Running Man" will be going back to its roots to feature a team comprised of eight celebrities. When the show premiered in July 2010, the variety program had eight cast members with Song Ji Hyo as the only female celebrity. However, given the earlier exits of Song Joong Ki and Gary, showrunners of the SBS show recently decided to inject new blood into its long-running variety program.
A representative from the SBS show confirmed Yang Se Chan and Jeon So Min participation and even recounted their earlier appearances in the program. In an interview with local reporters, the said source shared how the show posted high ratings when the comedian and the "Endless Love" actress guest starred in "Running Man," Korean news outlet Sports Chosun quoted the representative as saying.
Jeon So Min appeared several times in "Running Man," the most recent is in episode 343 that aired on March 26. For Yang Se Chan, he was partnered with Lee Kwang Soo and Ji Suk Jin in an episode released in October 2016 that featured a house territory battle.
Apart from the two celebrities' inclusion to the SBS show, "Running Man" is also slated to undergo some changes in its format, however, details of the said enhancements were not revealed. Meanwhile, many fans are looking forward to seeing Jeon So Min and Song Ji Hyo's onscreen chemistry together given that it will be the first time that the show will have two female cast members.
In other news, "Running Man" cast member Yoo Jae Suk topped the list of TV variety hosts with the highest brand reputation for the period March 1 until March 30. The said comedian and TV personality nabbed the first place, followed by Park Myung Soo, Lee Soo Geun, Kim Gura and comedienne Park Narae, according to the Korea Business Research Institute, as cited by Soompi.
"Running Man" airs every Sunday on SBS. Filming activities with the new cast line-up started on April 3, Monday.