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‘Running Man’ Shutdown — Kim Jong Kook Gives His Side Of The Story, Why The Show Is Going Off The Air

By Patricia Grannum
Published on: 14:52 PST, Dec 17, 2016

Running Man, the long-running South Korean variety reality show, is getting cancelled.

“We held an emergency meeting with the members as well as the production staff. After the discussion, we have decided that ‘Running Man’ will finish at the end of February with all six current cast members,” SBS disclosed in a statement, according to Soompi.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYwebAGtczA

Now fans are wondering why the popular show will be going off the air.

Koreaboo reports that the show is getting cancelled because of all of the casting changes that were taking place on the show.

Before the announcement of the show cancellation, news broke that longstanding members of the Running Man team, Kim Jong Kook and Song Ji Hyo, were fired from the show.

What made their dismissal even more shocking was the news that both cast members reportedly weren’t given advanced notice before they were fired.

According to Koreaboo, the news that Jong Kook and Ji Hyo were fired without notice caused “awkwardness” among the remaining members of the cast and the producers and it messed with the chemistry on the show.

“There was a problem in the way we communicated. Before we could even say ‘What’s going on’ the situation got out of hand and misunderstandings had developed,” said a Running Man producer Jung Cheol Min.

“We were discussing multiple styles of formatting change and due to a lack of communication, things got out of control and the unthinkable happened. We used to be like family but now things are awkward between us. Even during the meeting today we were all saying ‘Why has it come to this?'”

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Jung PD, a cast member on the show, also stood up for the producers and said that the way the Kim Jong Kook, Song Ji Hyo dismissal was handled was a result of a miscommunication.

“The members weren’t the only ones that were like family, the producers were just as close. It makes no sense that we would do such things on purpose, it was all a misunderstanding due to a lack of communication,” he said. “We are still close but I couldn’t avoid being saddened by how they were hurt all because of misunderstandings.”

But as Koreaboo reports, Kim Jong Kook and Song Ji Hyo have given their side of his story via their agencies and there may still be some tension between them and the producers of the SBS show.

“They decided to stay on the show until February after the meeting,” a representative from Song Ji Hyo’s agency said. “The relationship with SBS is awkward right now but that’s a problem with the SBS producers. She wants to do her duty and stay loyal to the members of Running Man. She wishes to end things on a good note.”

All Kpop reports that Kim Jong Kook has further explained why he reversed his decision to leave the show immediately after he was kicked off. According to All Kpop, he was motivated by a loyalty to the cast members he has worked with for years.

“Kim Jong Kook talked to the ‘Running Man’ members and staff without his manager…After talking to the members, he decided to change his mind. It had to do with his loyalty to the members who he spent the last 7 years with,” an insider connected to Kim Jong Kook’s camp said in an interview.

“There was trouble with the rocky process, but personally, he isn’t offended…He thinks it’s not really the staffs’ fault either.”

Running Man will air its last episode in February 2017.

[Featured Image by Seoul Broadcasting System]

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