‘Running Man’ In Crisis With 5-member Cast After Departure Of Jeon So-min And Temporary Absence Of Ji Seok-jin
The cast of “Running Man” becomes five people with Ji Seok-jin’s departure
Ji Seok-jin’s agency ESteem Entertainment said on December 18th, “Recently, Ji Seok-jin decided to take a break from SBS’s ‘Running Man’ due to advices that he needs treatment after a medical examination.”
Earlier, Jeon So-min dropped out of “Running Man” after six years. Her last broadcast was on the 12th of last month. In October, when the news of her departure was reported, Jeon So-min’s agency King Kong by Starship explained the reason, “Jeon So-min decided that she needed a moment to recharge herself so that she could show better acting performances.”
Jeon So-min joined as a new member of “Running Man” in April 2017 and was greatly loved by viewers for her quirky and lovely character. As a result, she won three awards in the 2017 SBS Entertainment Awards, including Female Rookie Award, Best Couple Award, and Global Star Award, and in 2018, she won the Best Variety Award.
At the time of her departure, an official from “Running Man” said, “The replacement of Jeon So-min has not been decided yet. For the time being, we will film it with a six-member cast, including Yoo Jae-seok, Ji Seok-jin, Kim Jong-kook, Haha, Song Ji-hyo and Yang Se-chan.”
With Jeon So-min’s recent departure, “Running Man” has returned to the “six-member system” for the first time in about six years, and now Ji Seok-jin announced his temporary absence, causing a change in the membership again. Running Man is now having a “five-member cast,” which has never been seen before.
After Jeon So-min dropped out, the ratings of “Running Man” fell slightly. In Jeon So-min’s last broadcast, the ratings recorded 4.2%, and in the next broadcast with 6 members, it fell to 3.5%.
Voices have been raised that a new member is needed with Jeon So-min’s departure. Now even Ji Seok-jin is leaving, so fans are starting to feel worried. Some are sending messages of concern, leaving comments such as “Isn’t it a crisis if Ji Seok-jin left for good?” and “Running Man would not been so fun with so many empty spots?”
Source: My Daily
