Netizens criticize Song Ji Hyo’s recent performance on “Running Man”, “Would she change or leave the show after 13 years?”
Viewers expressed disappointment in Song Ji Hyo’s attitude and performance on recent broadcasts of “Running Man”.
In the June 25th broadcast of “Running Man”, Song Ji Hyo was seen enjoying eating ice alone and not participating in the activities with the member, such as Jeon So Min, Kim Jong Kook, Haha and Yang Se Chan. Later, when they changed their seat and tasted cold soybean noodle soup, other members made comments one after another but Song Ji Hyo only stayed silent and smiled lightly on her own.
Netizens who watched the broadcast poured criticism, such as “She did even worse than usual”, “They filmed only one episode a week. Was it that difficult for her to react properly?”, etc.
People who support Song Ji Hyo pointed out that the actress is currently having a conflict with her agency and that it must have affected her performance on variety shows. However, some counterargued, saying “Ji Seok Jin is also struggling with the same issue and the same agency, yet he still does his job well.”
Song Ji Hyo has been active on “Running Man” since August 2010 and was once called an “Ace” member. However, in recent years, she is rarely seen on the screen.
The reason Song Ji Hyo shone brightly in the past was that she dedicated herself to the games wholeheartedly. Knowing that her talking skills were not good as she started as an actress rather than an entertainer, Song Ji Hyo poured all her spirit into the games, played the games with her entire body and proudly gained the “Ace” title despite being the only female member.
However, Song Ji Hyo’s performance has weakened since 2017 as the members got older and intense physical games were gradually replaced by talk-oriented mini-games. Moreover, after Jeon So Min, who owns extraordinary entertainment skills, joined the cast, viewers began to compare her with Song Ji Hyo and pointed out the differences in their performances.
Song Ji Hyo failed to show a significant change in the process. The actress looked very shy when unfamiliar guests appeared on the show, and when many female guests participated in one episode, Song Ji Hyo would become overshadowed despite being a fixed member. The biggest issue is that Song Ji Hyo did not even react to the members when they tried to take care of her and help her get more screen time.
In the past, Jung Hyung Don and Gil also took a long time to adapt to “Infinite Challenge”, but during that process, they were able to improve and make use of their entertainment skills to create their own characteristics, such as “Donnie who is good at everything except for being funny” and “a born boring friend”. Similarly, Lee Sang Yeop also successfully made himself stand out on “Sixth Sense” by making people laugh at his “not funny” aspect.
However, Song Ji Hyo is not a beginner on variety shows, like the case of Jung Hyung Don, Gil and Lee Sang Yeop, but someone who has been active solely on “Running Man” for the past 13 years. Her talking skills and quick-witted sense may be weaker than that of other members, but shouldn’t she even turn those weaknesses into her own character as a professional entertainer?
Kim Jong Kook, who has almost no physical weaknesses, was teased for his poor soccer skills, but he eventually accepted it and transformed it into an interesting fact about him to captivate viewers. Apart from “Running Man”, he had also tried various ways to survive on many other entertainment shows. Therefore, it seems that Song Ji Hyo needs to make a bold change.
Source: Daum
