The lacking presence of Song Ji Hyo on “Running Man” has caused public opinion surrounding her to become concerning.
Since being selected as a fixed member of “Running Man” in July 2010, Song Ji Hyo has held her position for an impressive 13 years. However, her presence on the show has been extremely lacking, causing public opinion to become concerning.
In particular, on the June 25th broadcast of “Running Man”, Song Ji Hyo participated in quizzes with fellow cast members, tasted cold soybean noodle soup, and engaged in warm-up basketball matches to digest the food.
However, Song Ji Hyo’s performance was lackluster in this episode. Apart from the fact that the basketball matches were predominantly focused on male members, Song Ji Hyo’s presence on the show was hugely overshadowed, even compared to fellow female member Jeon So Min.
Regarding this, online communities have been filled with viewers’ criticisms, who compared Song Ji Hyo to being as listless as the background. They left comments such as, “Isn’t (Song Ji Hyo) basically the backdrop at this point?”, “In fact, she blended into the background”, and “Regardless of editing, such a lackluster attitude alone should warrant her departure (from ‘Running Man’.”
In fact, the controversy surrounding Song Ji Hyo’s attitude on “Running Man” is not new, and has actually been consistently brought up in the past. Her lackluster attitude on the show and noticeably diminished presence, especially compared to other members, have been subject to criticism.
As a result, demands for Song Ji Hyo to leave “Running Man” continue to persist. Some viewers have expressed frustration, stating, “If she doesn’t want to do variety shows, she should leave herself”, “Although it may be difficult to leave due to international fans, she doesn’t even seem to have the motivation for the show”, and “It seems urgent to reduce her appearance fee.”
Some fans have also offered sincere advice. One netizen, who claimed to be a long-time fan of Song Ji Hyo, said, “It’s not inherently bad to see Song Ji Hyo on variety shows,” but also pointed out, “It’s clear that she is very shy and doesn’t like to stand out, which is evident on the show.”
They further mentioned, “When she had the love line with Gary, Gary covered up (her lacking presence) well. However, after his departure, her role in the show significantly decreased”, adding, “While it’s true that she should have enough screen time until she finds the right concept and variety show sense, if it were another program, she would have already been removed.”
The same fan also emphasized, “Song Ji Hyo herself is likely aware of this, but because she and the other members are part of ‘Running Man’ and stands for its identity, it seems impossible for her to leave individually,” and “The production team should come up with a concept for her rather than simply let Song Ji Hyo stand in the background.”
This comment has stirred up heated discussions and received both opposing and supporting opinions from “Running Man” viewers. However, it is widely agreed that Song Ji Hyo lacks a distinctive presence on the show.
Currently, Song Ji Hyo is facing troubles related to her former agency, Uzu Rocks, and unsettled payment issues. Following the termination of her contract with Uzu Rocks in April, the actress also filed a report against Uzu Rocks CEO Mr. A for embezzlement in May. During this process, Song Ji Hyo personally covered the wages and other expenses of her staff, garnering praise from the public.
However, the appearance fee for “Running Man” is paid directly to Song Ji Hyo, and so remains unrelated to the current situation. As a result, numerous viewers have suggested reducing her appearance fee for the show, which is estimated to be around 4 to 5 million won per episode.
Source: Nate
