History Series / RunningMan

** Shippers for the 'Secret Couple' [[ShippingGoggles still exist]] despite Ji Hyo's relationship and Ha Ha now being a married man with a kid.

** There's even a section of the {{Fandom}} that would even go so far as to [[ShippingGoggles see them]] as a BattleCouple.

* LikeBrotherAndSister: The guys all refer to Ji Hyo as part of the family and like a sister even with the temporary [[{{Canon}} love line]] in the show with Gary. That [[ShippingGoggles doesn't stop shipping]] though.

** The 'Monday Couple' love line between Gary and Ji Hyo, even if it's mostly one-sided. At the beginning of the show, Ji Hyo was too shy to really keep it up as much as Gary who seemed to use it just to make her more comfortable in the variety setting. Ji Hyo [[AnchoredShip ended it]] when she began her real-life relationship though. [[ShippingGoggles That doesn't stop the fans.]]

* AgonyOfTheFeet: Acupuncture mats, anyone?

* OnlyAFleshWound: Much to the concern of fans, [[TheDeterminator Kim Jong Kook]] continues to participate and give it his all even if he's injured. He used to take pain medication to relieve his back pain and ignore it to film, but eventually had to have back surgery. Even while recovering from surgery he returns to the show.

* Unishment: Some of the punishments for losing are not so much of a punishment, and actually makes the punished casts happy to have done it, as usually it involves making others happy, such as making dolls or puddings for others. Other times, it gives a good enough new experience for the punished casts that they didn't mind it at all in the end.

** Ha Ha: The Pororo theme song. Lutricia [=McNeal=]'s "Perfect Love" was his theme song before he get married.

''Running Man'' is a popular South Korean Variety show focused on a main cast of seven celebrities who compete in various games and races throughout a number of locations in Korea. The show became famous with its signature set up of velcro-ed nametags of the players on their backs and ripping them off in the final game to ‘oust’ other players.

* TimeBomb: This trope appeared as early as episode 12, which lead to a [[spoiler:WireDilemma and then WrongWire]]. The James Bond special is also focused on defusing one, and episode 47 invokes this in a timer race.

** During Song Joong-Ki's time on the show, Kwang Soo would often claim to be close friends with him due to similar age, only to have Joong-Ki deny it. In his departure speech, Joong-Ki finally admits to being close friends with Kwang Soo.

* BadassInANiceSuit: In episode 76, the [=PDs=] [[EnforcedTrope enforced]] this trope on the four guests for the episode's [[ProfessionalKiller Killers]] theme. However, [[RealityEnsues Reality Ensued]] when the guests realized how [[ConspicuousTrenchcoat eye-catching]] their wardrobes were, making it incredibly difficult for them to blend in with the crowd.

* JumpRopeAntics: Usually inevitable with a jump rope mission, but surprisingly averted for the One Chance jump rope mission that they beat in only three tries. The staff was not happy, and made an even crazier One Chance mission for the next episode. [[spoiler: It didn't work out for them either.]]

* FunnyAfro: Gary in Episode 127.

* {{Adorkable}}: Kwang Soo can fall under this trope at times, especially when he gets really bashful around Yuri from Music/GirlsGeneration.

* ConspicuousCG: Every time super powers show up.

* AccidentalPervert: When Ji Hyo spills tea on her chest at the start of Episode 92, poor Gwang Soo instinctively tries to dry her with his napkin. Cue uproar from the rest of the group.

* TheAlcoholic: Jihyo is frequently framed as one by Gwang Soo.

** In the Romantic Comedy episode, the entire group gathers to watch Jong Kook punch Gwang Soo a few times with a boxing glove before ripping off his name tag. [[spoiler:Gwang Soo then rips off Jong Kook's (who is the only one with the power to eliminate Gwang Soo at that point) name tag causing the rest of the cast to run off]]

** During Song Joong-Ki's time on the show, Gwang Soo would often claim to be close friends with him due to similar age, only to have Joong-Ki deny it. In his departure speech, Joong-Ki finally admits to being close friends with Gwang Soo.

** Lee Gwang Soo can't lie to save himself. Though considering he's an actor by trade, this may be a case of BadBadActing.

* BattleAura / BurningWithAnger: The producers frequently impose a fiery aura around Kim Jong Kook. Occasionally it's because he's pissed off at someone ([[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder and it's probably Lee Gwang Soo]]).

* BullyAndWimpPairing: Kim Jong Kook and Lee Gwang Soo whenever they're coupled together
* ButtMonkey: Lee Gwang Soo, full stop. Even [[NoFourthWall the staff]] can be heard laughing at his [[CosmicPlaything misfortune at times]].

** Reaches unbelievable levels in Episode 143 with the raw egg incident: each player takes a turn choosing an egg and smashing it against their forehead; choose the one raw egg out of the batch (the rest are hard-boiled) and your team loses. Out of thirty total eggs in the first round, Lee Gwang Soo gets that one raw egg; the staff brings out a new batch of 20 eggs and Gwang Soo goes first...and immediately picks the raw egg again. Also proves he is a CosmicPlaything.
** Ascends to celestial tier in Episode 292 in the Unluckiest Festival, where unfortunate events happening to a player is considered a win. First, in the initial elevator test (ten total floors with half having some kind of prank like being shot with a water gun, pick three floors and those with the most bad things happening to them are team captains for the day) Gwang Soo is the only one to go 3-for-3 in picking unlucky floors[[note]]his face had to undergo clapping chalk-filled erasers, getting scribbled on with a marker, and getting aggressively kissed all over his face[[/note]]. Then in the actual Unlucky competitions he goes 6-for-7 in having something bad happen to him[[note]]smacking his head with a real wooden stick (6 out of 9 were real), getting a dried octopus tentacle for a sword blade (3 out of 6 had joke blades), smashing a raw egg against his head (2 out of 3), getting squirted in the face with Chinese ink instead of water (1 out of 2), drinking extremely bitter tea instead of something refreshing (1 out of 3), eating a pastry full of wasabi instead of banana cream (1 out of 2); his only reprieve was Ji Suk Jin "winning" Pop-Up Pirate[[/note]]. At least the Unluckiest Festival is one where being unlucky means you win. [[spoiler:Which, naturally, meant that his bad luck deserted him in the very last match-up between him and Ji Suk Jin, meaning Gwang Soo [[YankTheDogsChain didn't even win the prize for all of his misfortune that day]].]]

* CannotKeepASecret: Lee Gwang Soo and Ji Suk Jin. Sometimes they give away that they have a secret before the members even knew there was supposed to be a secret at all.

** See ButtMonkey, Lee Gwang Soo. Ji Suk Jin can also apply, well known as the easiest member of the group. Guests often say that their goal for that episode is to rip off his nametag. He's even [[RunningGag nicknamed the 'Race Starter']] since he's usually the first to go and it's as if the real race starts after he's been ousted.

** Lee Gwang Soo's [[BigNo "ANDWAE!!"]] and "I love (insert foreign country here)."

** Lee Gwang Soo. To the point that Kim Jong Kook thinks it's an actual disease.
** There's even the Betrayal Trio comprising of Lee Gwang Soo, Ha Ha and Ji Suk Jin. Episode 146 centers around them.

** Lee Gwang Soo - Black
* ComedicUnderwearExposure: Lee Gwang Soo had this going on in a few episodes, of both "pants splitting" and "pants falling off" varieties.

* [[spoiler:FakingTheDead]]: In episode 79, [[spoiler:Ji Suk Jin]] is revealed to have pulled off the Running Man equivalent of this, in a shocking turn of events; specifically, [[spoiler:he had his two agents drag him off with his mouth covered, giving the appearance that he was eliminated, and then spent the rest of the game eliminating members in secret.]] It even leads to a [[spoiler:HeKnowsTooMuch moment when Gwang Soo is unfortunate enough to witness him eliminating HaHa.]]

* FriendToAllChildren: Lee Gwang Soo and Haha both seem especially popular with kids.

** Betrayer Gwang Soo; due to his tendency to betray someone else, ''particularly'' Jong Kook.

* IWantMyMommy: Usually invoked by Song Ji Hyo or Lee Gwang Soo.

** Most famously "St. Agnes and the Burning Train" by Sting for Lee Gwang Soo. He may also have "Theme of False Emperor" from the Sangokushi Taisen OST.

** The hunt for spies usually starts with ousting the wrong people. Typical traitors Gwang Soo and Ha Ha are often suspected early.

* PottyEmergency: Lee Gwang Soo in episode 91.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Kim Jong Kukk or Kim Jong Kook, Lee Gwang Soo or Lee Kwang Soo...

%%** Lee Gwang Soo in episode 132.

** Gwang Soo's 'Death Note' can only take out one person and can only be used once. The power is even voted the least useful by fans.

* TheVirus: The main theme of episode 140, where the cast must find a happiness antidote to stop an anger virus that's plaguing Korea (and Gwang Soo).

* WholesomeCrossdresser: Quite a few episodes have the guys dress up as girls for team balance, such as episodes 181 and 220. Usually, Gwang Soo is the first choice for this situation.

** The members ''generally'' go easy on the girls, including Ji Hyo, though Kim Jong Kook is the one who most strongly adheres to this trope. Haha and Lee Gwang Soo have been known to go all out against female guests, with Haha wrestling several to the ground without remorse. As for [[ButtMonkey Ji Suk Jin]], he tries his best against them as well, but then again his best is... well...

** In the first round of episode 93, all six other members must hunt down and take out Kim Jong Kook within thirty minutes. [[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome It doesn't go as planned.]]

* DogPileOfDoom: In order to subdue the Commander in episode 75. [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments And it was hilarious.]]

** The crowning example of this would be in Episode 150, [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments where Gary had to be ''dragged'' out of the arena.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: In one episode, Ji-Hyo and the guest (who happens to be this tiny twenty-something year-old girl) end up the only survivors of the mission team. On their way to retrieve the last mission item, they hear bells approaching, so Ji-Hyo confronts them head-on to create a distraction. She even [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments hugs the guest]] before heading off.

** Lee Gwang Soo in episode 132. And it was ''[[SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome awesome]]''.

* TrainStationGoodbye: Jongkook and guest Moon Geun-Young in episode 114.

** Episode 157 has the girl from ''TheRing'' appearing out of a well, scaring both Jong Kook and Kwang-Soo.

** Episode 136 with the [[MacGuffin Golden Sword]], Haha's mannerisms become similar to [[LordOfTheRings Gollum's]] and Ji Sukjin ends up being outed when [[ItMakesSenseInContext riding on a cow while yelling 'Big Nose Power!']].

* UnexpectedCharacter: Lee Gwang Soo's own father in ep. 165. The other cast members didn't know that a mission location was in the building he worked in, with the obvious exception of Gwang Soo who recognized it right away. He even gave three of the cast members, Gwang Soo included, a ride to the next mission location.

** He even has his own YouTube [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27n1RM95U4s compilation]].

** In the first round of episode 93, all six other members must hunt down and take out Kim Jong Kook within thirty minutes. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome It doesn't go as planned.]]

* DogPileOfDoom: In order to subdue the Commander in episode 75. [[CrowningMomentOfFunny And it was hilarious.]]

** The crowning example of this would be in Episode 150, [[CrowningMomentOfFunny where Gary had to be ''dragged'' out of the arena.]]

* HeroicSacrifice: In one episode, Ji-Hyo and the guest (who happens to be this tiny twenty-something year-old girl) end up the only survivors of the mission team. On their way to retrieve the last mission item, they hear bells approaching, so Ji-Hyo confronts them head-on to create a distraction. She even [[CrowningMomentOfHeartwarming hugs the guest]] before heading off.

** Lee Gwang Soo in episode 132. And it was ''[[CrowningMomentOfAwesome awesome]]''.

In June 24 2017, an animated version of the same name was announced. After 10 months, the WesternAnimation/RunningMan animated series has been aired in Korea, and after a while, Asia on Cartoon Network.

* TimeBomb: This trope appeared as early as episode 12, which lead to a [[spoiler:WireDilemma and then WrongWire]]. The James Bond special is also focused on diffusing one, and episode 47 invokes this in a timer race.