[Thoughts] The downside of Running Man

Reacting to one of the articles I read about the show: ALLKPOP

Running Man is indeed fun to watch and for us viewers, it's just an hour long show packed with a lot of running and occasional hilarious moments. But for the celebrities who take part in it, it is more than a half day of continuous activities which is sure to make everyone feel sore all over.

According to the article I read above, some celebrities who have been invited to the program felt burdened rather than ecstatic.

I totally understand why some celebrities dread being a part of the show especially the busier ones. Although the recording lasts for just 12 hours, participants should be well rested before they go to the shooting or else they'll pass out. It also doesn't end when the cameras stop rolling cuz when they get home, they have to rest. So for the show, they should at least allot 2 days and 1 night for the preparation, taping, and resting. Some people may look at it as if it was just for 12 hours but the show actually takes up more time. That, now, could cause conflicts especially for celebs whose planners are almost full to the brim.

Another issue is the short airtime of the guests. For this part, I can't blame the mainstays and the editors if they can't find any good footage on the guests. Celebrities should grab the attention when the opportunity arises. If Jae Seok seems to overshadow them due to his talkativeness, we can't blame the guy for being a genius. I mean the guests should at least do their part. But the full blame is not on the guests either. I think the mainstays and staff should also consider their guests and change some stuff so that the guests get more exposure. But airtime is always a problem when it comes to big numbered casting. I think this was also a problem with FO where not everyone got enough airtime (esp Park Hae Jin and Park Shi Yeon). But then again, the problem was not with the other members but it was because they just didn't make efforts to stand out.

If RM wants to run for several seasons with different guests, they should do something about the format of the show. They should give more camera time for the guests and make the games less strenuous but more enjoyable. The picture taking game isn't strenuous but it's fun. I don't care if the games are intense or not anyway. As long as they don't fail to make me laugh at least once, then it's fine.