Heo Jae returned to entertainment after two years and expressed unique feelings.
On the 10th, during the 4th episode of the MBN 30th anniversary special series 'Running to Live', the 'Ddoisan Crew' participated in the 'Seoul City Run 10km Marathon,' which took place in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, marking a day to confirm the fruits of their sweat over the past month. Despite the pressure to finish within the set 'target time', they encouraged each other and did not give up until the end, heating the hearts of the viewers.
Before the event, Deputy Director Lee Yong-pyo announced a mission, saying, 'Beyond simply finishing, each must cross the finish line within the designated target time.' He emphasized, 'The goal is to complete the 10km in half the time recorded during the previous 5km marathon.' After a short while, when the starting whistle blew, the 'Ddoisan Crew' began the marathon at their own pace. The leaders were Jang Dong-seon, Lee Jang-jun, and Han Sang-bo, while the lower group was a fierce competition between Heo Jae, Yang Jun-hyuk, and Choi Jun-seok. In the women's group, Yul-hee and Son Jeong-eun formed a rivalry, battling closely. Despite having a 'herniated disc', Bang Eung-hee participated in the marathon, but while running she unfastened her neck brace and eventually expressed knee pain, drawing sympathy. Sleepy reflected on the mistake of having 'overpaced' earlier and focused on managing his stamina, while Jeong Ho-young and Jo Jin-hyung talked about the food they wanted to eat after the marathon, making everyone laugh as they ran hard.
Meanwhile, as the lower group's return point approached, they showed signs of extreme fatigue. Choi Jun-seok, who had repeatedly vowed, 'I will not walk today,' conflicted as it went past 40 minutes, saying, 'I'm really struggling. Should I just walk?' Despite this, he continued to run and ultimately succeeded without walking, completing the 10km. Choi Jun-seok, achieving first place among the 'lower group three,' expressed pride, saying, 'Many around me said it was impossible, but I felt I could do it. In fact, recently, I have not succeeded in anything I tried to pursue. But now I have the confidence that I can do at least one marathon.'
Heo Jae appeared to be close to exhaustion, saying, 'I feel blood in my throat.' However, he gained strength from the encouragement of 'marathon legend' Lee Bong-joo, and continued to run in response to the cheers from many runners and citizens shouting, 'Heo Jae, fighting!' Heo Jae confessed, 'Having been retired for over 20 years, my physical condition is not good, so I was very afraid of the marathon. But I feel like I have reached a turning point in my life through this marathon. I hope this can become a turning point in my life and a source of vitality.' Everyone applauded his earnestness and determination, and Heo Jae finished second among the lower group and crossed the finish line in 14th place overall.
Heo Jae previously served as the president and owner of the Daywon Sports basketball team, Goyang Daywon Jumpers. The newly established Goyang Daywon Jumpers became known to the public thanks to Heo Jae's influence, and he showcased his presence as an owner by also appearing in the KBS 2TV entertainment program 'The Boss's Ears are Donkey Ears'.
However, in 2023, Goyang Daywon Jumpers became the first team to be expelled from the Korean Professional Basketball League (KBL). There were disruptions in paying the 1.5 billion won KBL membership fees, which were delayed twice due to mismanagement of its parent company, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. It was also revealed that players, who had fought hard to make it to the playoffs, as well as wages for team staff and partner companies, had not been paid for nearly six months, shocking everyone.
During this process, Heo Jae faced criticism for trying to cover up the failing team with his fame. Consequently, there had been a period when he was not seen on broadcasts. However, he has recently returned to entertainment through 'Running to Live' after two years, drawing attention with his unique passion.
Meanwhile, the first place of the day went to Jang Dong-seon. Lee Jang-jun, who finished second by a hair's breadth, said, 'I will never settle for second place again,' gathering his resolve. Han Sang-bo came in third, An Seong-hoon in fourth, and Yul-hee, who was the fifth and the top woman finisher, especially moved emotions when she shouted her children's names as she saw the finish line, saying, 'Mom is almost there~.' The last place was Yang Jun-hyuk, but he succeeded in finishing after a fierce battle with the 'return bus', achieving a valuable accomplishment. Yang Jun-hyuk expressed his emotions, saying, 'I thought of my daughter while running. I will give the completion medal to 'Palpal-i' (a nickname for his daughter).'
As the entire 'Ddoisan Crew' successfully completed the race, An Seong-hoon, who shortened the target time the most, was named the MVP of the day. An Seong-hoon said with a smile, 'I really wanted to walk at the 8km point, but thanks to the fans cheering for me everywhere, I was able to gather my strength. I want to commend myself for not only finishing but also significantly shortening my target time.' The caster Bae Seong-jae encouraged everyone, saying, 'This completion of the 10km marathon will be a significant milestone in the lives of the 'Ddoisan Crew'.' Deputy Director Lee Yong-pyo praised, saying, 'Although the distance increased from 5km to 10km, everyone except for two people managed to shorten their records.' Although Bang Eung-hee and Yang Jun-hyuk did not come in under the target time, they received applause from all the 'Ddoisan Crew' for finishing despite their health issues. The preview revealed afterward showed the scene of the next mission, the '10km Sunset Marathon', where Deputy Director Lee Yong-pyo mentioned, 'If you cannot shorten your record today, you will not be able to participate in 'Running to Live,'' shocking everyone with the mention of 'immediate elimination'. Attention is focused on whether all members can survive in the next marathon competition where survival is at stake.
'Running to Live', a special program celebrating MBN's 30th anniversary that portrays the fierce growth of 'beginner runners,' airs every Saturday evening at 8:20.
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