As viewers poured in complaints over actress Song Ji-hyo's missing Running Man screen time, a heated debate has continued.
On the 8th, the SBS entertainment program Running Man aired the "Run & Fun Company: Spin the roulette" Race. This race determined performance incentives and whether to work overtime based on the roulette results, and the Running Man members transformed into office workers to compete fiercely to earn performance incentives and avoid overtime.
However, during the approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes of airtime, Song Ji-hyo drew attention with only about 10 seconds of screen time. She only appeared in reaction shots and group cuts and was not seen taking a leading role. Viewers who saw this criticized Song Ji-hyo's passive attitude.
Song Ji-hyo was an original member of Running Man; she appeared as a guest in the program's early days in 2010 and then joined as a fixed cast member, leading the program together. At the time, she won great love by establishing herself as Running Man's ace through boldness that threw herself into games and notable performances in every game with her unpretentious charm.
Because of this, she rose to win the variety category grand prize at the SBS Entertainment Awards and gained much popularity not only in Korea but also overseas. In 2016, she and Kim Jong Kook were once at risk of being forced off the show, but the production team withdrew the removal because of strong backlash from viewers, showing the solid support they had from fans.
But recently voices expressing regret over Song Ji-hyo's allegedly unprofessional attitude have emerged among viewers. Unlike the past when she was praised as an ace, her diminished presence disappointed fans. In fact, Song Ji-hyo's screen time on last week's broadcast was about 1 minute.
Some argued that as Running Man's format changed from the early days of physical competition to a talk-centered program, Song Ji-hyo's character finds it harder to shine. Still, there are responses that it is regrettable that Song Ji-hyo has not sought to adapt to the program.
Earlier, calls for Song Ji-hyo to leave were raised once in 2023. Criticism that Song Ji-hyo's participation in broadcasts was particularly not enthusiastic led to demands for her to leave. At the time, Yu Jae-seok said he had tried, noting, "Ji-hyo talks like this here now, but when she gets home she calls and says, 'Oppa, how was my outfit today?' 'From next time I'll prepare my outfit harder.'" Later on "Excuse," Yu Jae-seok expressed regret over the issue of Song Ji-hyo's potential departure and comforted her, saying, "There's no need to be overwhelmed by it. Rather than speaking awkwardly, just work hard from next week, so don't worry about it," He added. Then Song Ji-hyo said it "became a good stimulant."
Afterward, Song Ji-hyo returned to the program with a more proactive attitude, but the same controversy has resurfaced after three years. Even if the production edited for the program's fun and pace, the fact that screen time surviving hours of shooting is less than a minute is an accountability issue regarding Song Ji-hyo's personal attitude. Longtime viewers who have cherished the program have voiced their upset, drawing attention to how the situation will be handled.
[Photo] OSEN DB
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