How Running Man Evolved into a “Race + Missions” Format

 

How Running Man Evolved into a “Race + Missions” Format

Title:
How Running Man Evolved: From Urban Games to “Race + Missions”

Intro:
Since its debut in 2010, Running Man has become a staple of Korean variety entertainment. While the show was initially known for spontaneous urban games, Wikipedia currently claims it later adopted a “race + missions” format — but tags that statement with “citation needed.” Is this true? And if so, when and why did this transformation happen?

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📺 The Early Format: Urban Chase + Games

Running Man premiered in July 2010 with a format centered on completing challenges in real urban locations like shopping malls or city landmarks. The earliest episodes, such as Episode 1, featured cast members locked inside a building overnight, competing in games to escape — a blend of reality TV and variety chaos. [SBS Korea Archives]

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🔄 Gradual Shift to “Race + Missions”

Over time, the show transitioned toward a more structured format where episodes revolved around competitive races interwoven with physical and mental missions. The shift became more noticeable around 2014–2015, with story-based missions, team competitions, and multi-stage objectives becoming common.

This evolution was not sudden but incremental:

• Episodes 150+ introduced structured games with clear mission segments

• Specials with celebrity guests began incorporating fixed course races with time limits

• Overseas episodes often centered around themed races (e.g., landmark hunts in Australia, China, Vietnam)

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🎯 Why the Format Shifted

The change was driven by both creative and practical reasons:

1. Filming Control: Urban guerrilla-style shooting posed logistical and safety issues. A set race allowed for easier production.

2. Narrative Clarity: Races gave episodes a start-middle-end structure — ideal for both live TV and streaming viewers.

3. Audience Engagement: Competitions and alliances built anticipation and memes, keeping fans invested week to week.

4. Globalization: A race format is universally understood, aiding global syndication and subtitling.

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🧩 Today’s Formula

The standard Running Man episode today follows this general pattern:

1. Opening + team formation

2. Series of missions (physical, strategic, humorous)

3. Final race with a twist (time limit, secret traitor, elimination)

Rather than chaotic skits, Running Man evolved into a structured game-variety hybrid, retaining its humor while boosting its replay value and exportability.