Your First Look at Jeon So-min’s Final Episode on Hit Korean Variety Show ‘Running Man’
The actress joined the cast of Running Man in 2017, shortly after Gary’s departure.
Update:
Ahead of Jeon So-min’s last episode on Running Man, SBS has revealed a wistful trailer for the actress’ last run as part of the cast. This comes after the announcement in October that So-min would be leaving the show after over six years as a fixed member of the variety programme.
The preview for the episode, aptly titled ‘Goodbye So-min’, starts with the actress filming herself on the way to meet the rest of the cast for her last Monday filming for the show. While commuting to the production set, So-min reflectively laments, “I think that when people get used to things, they start to forget how precious those things are. Now that I know today is the last [shoot], even the commute feels different…doesn’t it?”
In the preview, the rest of the cast welcome their youngest member warmly, before they embark on one last adventure together. The cast spends the day relaxing and enjoying the day together, just as So-min likes, doing activities that she enjoys. At the end of the trailer, the other members of Running Man each read heartfelt handwritten letters to So-min, to bid her goodbye. But before Yang Se-chan can get to his letter, he chokes up and turns around as his eyes well up. Se-chan and So-min joined the cast of Running Man together in 2017, following Gary’s departure from the programme.
You can catch So-min’s last episode with the Running Man team coming out on November 12. For now, check out a clip from the trailer below:
Original, October 24:
After six years with the South Korean variety programme, Jeon So-min is departing from global hit K-variety show, Running Man. The former model-turned-actress will be recording her last episode with the Running Man cast on October 30, after over 300 episodes with the team. Aside from So-min’s role as one of the two female fixed cast members, the Running Man cast includes original members Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Jong-kook, Song Ji-hyo, Haha, Ji Seok-jin as well as Yang Se-Chan, who joined the show in 2017 with So-min.
According to statements from both So-min’s agency and SBS, the broadcasting company that owns Running Man, the actress is stepping down to recharge and rest after more than half a decade with the programme. After this period of rejuvenation, she will be showcasing a refreshed version of the So-min that we all know and love, including activities in the world of acting.
So-min’s agency revealed that the decision to leave Running Man was not an easy one, since she had been with the production cast and crew for so long. But ultimately, she felt that it was the right time to step away.
Fans of Running Man are naturally heartbroken, given Jeon So-min’s indispensable bright energy on the show. Avid viewers of the long-standing variety programme have shared their thoughts on social media regarding So-min’s departure, saying, “I started watching Running Man again because of Jeon So Min”, and that “she wasn't afraid to make a fool out of herself to create a funny scenario. A true gem and professional. Huge loss to the show”. Other supporters also seemed to understand So-min’s choice to step down from Running Man, stating, “Well, Jeon So Min is such a good actress so I did want to see her in other works...but I guess it is hard to film a drama when you need to film Running Man every weekend.”
Running Man began airing 13 years ago, back in July 2010. Originally capturing both Korean and international audiences with its innovative urban racing missions, where cast members and guests would be locked in landmarks all over South Korea, the show later moved into the more common game-centric variety style. In spite of this change, Running Man is still the nation’s longest-running variety show of all time. The show’s enduring success has been largely attributed to the production team’s inventive direction as well as the cast’s balance as a comedic group.
So-min’s departure comes more than two years after actor Lee Kwang-soo’s exit from the programme in May 2021. Kwang-soo, an original cast member of Running Man, was with the show for over 10 years. For now, fans can look forward to the remaining few episodes of Running Man, before So-min takes her final bow with the team.
