During the latest broadcast of the SBS variety show Running Man on Sunday afternoon, South Korean entertainer Yoo Jae-suk humorously remarked that singer Kim Jong-kook looked like an ordinary middle-aged man after being easily dragged across the floor by national judo athlete Kim Min-jong during a physical strength challenge.
Judo and Basketball Stars Join Running Man
The Sunday episode, themed around medals, featured Olympic judoka Kim Min-jong and national basketball team shooter Lee Hyun-jung as special guests. Lee Hyun-jung expressed his lifelong fandom for the long-running program, sharing that watching the show provided comfort while living abroad. The episode featured a series of competitive segments, including a basketball quiz where correct shots earned teams clues to unlock a hidden prize.
During the basketball quiz, Song Ji-hyo missed the answer to a financial district question regarding Wall Street, incorrectly guessing a local shopping street instead. Yoo Jae-suk successfully answered a question about Pimatgol Alley, a historical Seoul pathway dating back to the Joseon Dynasty, securing crucial clues for his team.
Rubber Band Tug-of-War Demonstrates Overwhelming Strength
The competition shifted to a physical challenge where contestants had to retrieve objects from behind a heavy-duty rubber band held by opposing players.
When Kim Jong-kook attempted to pull against Kim Min-jong and Lee Hyun-jung, he failed to move his opponents entirely. Observing the struggle, Yoo Jae-suk remarked that Kim Jong-kook looked like an ordinary person, prompting Kim Jong-kook to jokingly admit that he was just an ordinary uncle.
Solving the Weight Scale Puzzle for Gold Medals
Following the physical tasks, the cast located a digital scale inside a building as part of the final mission. Yoo Jae-suk, Ji Suk-jin, and Lee Hyun-jung initially recorded a total weight of 242 kilograms, which triggered a failure sound.
Using the clue “bal”—referring to foot size—Yoo Jae-suk deduced the correct target involved the shoe sizes of Kim Min-jong and Lee Hyun-jung, which measured between 310 and 320 millimeters. After factoring in additional items to reach approximately 310 kilograms on the scale, the trio successfully cleared the mission and received gold medals.
