Reality program "Running Man" is receiving negative criticism after cast member Song Ji Hyo was forced to touch bugs as a form of punishment during the Feb. 5 broadcast of the show.
On the said episode, HaHa was tasked to choose a member whom he would save from punishment for failing to complete the challenge. His choices were: Song Ji Hyo, Kim Jong Kook and Lee Kwang Soo.
According to Koreaboo, the punishment assigned for Song Ji Hyo was that she was to put her hand inside a box filled with mystery creepy crawlies. Every minute that passed, the box inched closer to Song Ji Hyo's hands.
Song Ji Hyo, who appeared to have an extreme fear of bugs, begged HaHa to save her from the punishment. She even cried in panic. "Oppa, I love you. You liked me at the beginning, right? We had a love triangle. I'll be really good to you from now on," the actress pleaded, as quoted by Soompi. Noticing her struggle, HaHa ultimately decided to save Song Ji Hyo.
Upon learning that she had been saved, a panic-stricken Song Ji Hyo scrambled away from the bug-filled box in haste. Moments later, Song Ji Hyo still appeared to be genuinely freaked out by the incident.
Netizens, however, weren't pleased with the punishment given to Song Ji Hyo as it appeared that she was deeply terrified and traumatized by it. One commenter wrote that the show went too far, while another said that it wasn't at all entertaining to see someone suffering in pain.
Last year, a huge controversy surrounding the show erupted after it was reported that cast members Song Ji Hyo and Kim Jong Kook were dropped out without given notice. It was subsequently reported that "Running Man" would end in Feb. 2017. To the relief of fans, SBS clarified that the show is not ending this year, but that there are attempts to reformat the show.
