Fans of the long-running SBS variety program "Running Man" were shocked when news of Song Ji Hyo and Kim Jong Kook's impending departure surfaced. Following reports that the two were blindsided with SBS' controversial decision to remove them from the program, showrunners may have a hard time finding new members to replace the two celebrities.
News of Song and Kim's exit from "Running Man" surprised and angered many fans given the way that SBS handled the situation. Several reports revealed how the two South Korean stars were not properly informed of SBS' decision to replace Song and Kim.
Plans to reformat "Running Man" into a new show were communicated to its cast members including the potential exit of two members. However, Kim was allegedly taken by surprise when he was informed through a phone conversation that he was being let go, while Song learned of her exit after news of SBS' decision made headlines.
Following news of Song and Kim's departure, several reports also revealed SBS' attempts to cast Kang Ho Dong for the reformatted show. Recently, Kang's agency revealed that the TV personality decided to decline the offer given his discomfort over the situation.
It appears that Kang's decision may be a foreshadowing of "Running Man" showrunners' difficulties in casting new members following Song and Kim's controversial departure. Speculations even pointed to the SBS variety show's potential cancellation given its low TV ratings.
In 2015, "Running Man" viewership shares still posted double-digit ratings. However, the SBS show's current year ratings have yet to hit the 10 percent mark.
An April episode marked one of the variety show's lowest viewership shares with a TV rating of 4.9 percent, according to Nielsen Korea, as cited by All Kpop. "Running Man" producing director Im Hyung Taek even acknowledged the show's declining ratings.
In an earlier interview with Star News, Im commented that the show's low ratings can be considered as a curse or as an opportunity to do better. He even mentioned the need to change some elements of the variety program, as well as enhancing the show's quality.
At this point, it is unclear if "Running Man" showrunners will be able to inject new life into the SBS program and attract viewer interest especially after the way that they handled Song and Kim's exit. SBS has yet to comment on the controversy surrounding the two cast members' impending departure.
"Running Man" aired its first episode on July 2010 with Song and Kim as part of its original cast. Watch a clip of the SBS show below: