The Veteran Guests of Running Man

The Ace. The Giraffe. The Tiger. Sound familiar? They’re nicknames for some of the cast members of “Running Man,” the reality-variety show that delivers pandemonium with incredible challenges in every episode; things are guaranteed cray-cray on their turf, and I love every minute of it. Even the biggest pop stars and most intimidating actors are reduced to a screaming, blithering, mudslinging mess – an altogether deliciously entertaining experience.

The guests on “Running Man” run the gamut from pop music and rap worlds to legendary actors and Olympic athletes. After a few seasons, some veteran guests have emerged from the show’s many episodes: Jung Yong Hwa (from CNBLUE), Suzy (miss A), and Nichkhun (2PM).

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JUNG YONG HWA

Episodes #7, 11, 17, 35, 36, 72, 73, 104, 127, 129, 186 (11 episodes).

The true veteran guest of Running Man, rocker and actor Jung Yong Hwa, has been on the show so many times, he’s considered part of the Running Man family (they call him Super Guest or Idol Ace).

He’s got a credit I’d frame on my wall (and Instagram), too: Jung Yong Hwa’s one of the few guests to have ever torn off Kim Jong Kook’s (aka the Tiger’s) name tag. He even dedicated the win to his parents; cute. Yong Hwa has the most wins (a total of seven) for any guest. 

Just watch him get his game face on:

Favorite Moments:

Episode #7: There was that picture-taking challenge. And Yong Hwa’s impromptu performance of “I’m a Loner” when Ji Suk Jin (aka Big Nose) and Haha stumbled upon a CNBLUE fan on the streets of Seoul. Sweet.

Episode #127: This was the episode in which the aforementioned tearing of the Tiger’s name tag gloriously took place. Yong Hwa was teamed up with fellow CNBLUE member Lee Jong Hyun, Simon Dominic (Supreme Team), Lee Ki Kwang (BEAST), and Song Ji Hyo (Running Man cast).

Episode #186: The entire CNBLUE quad appeared on the show (members had appeared on the show individually before), forming a particularly visually-friendly team onscreen.  Both CNBLUE and the Running Man camps (including guest, actress Shim Eun Kyung) recruited extra team members from the crowd, while Running Man teams struggled to get ogling CNBLUE fangirls to focus.