7 Moments from RUNNING MAN’s “RUN 2 U” in Manila

It was a never-ending race of good memories with the South Korean Variety show Running Man’s fan meeting “RUN 2 U” in Manila on Saturday, July 6. 

Cast members Ji Seok-jin, Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Jong-kook, Song Ji-hyo, Haha, and Yang Sechan filled the SM Mall of Asia Arena with happiness and memorable performances for PH Runners.

Here are 7 highlights for their thrilling “RUN 2 U” in Manila, their first stop in Southeast Asia.

A year of longing

A year after their fan meet, six iconic runners returned expressing how much they miss their PH fans with a song cover of “Spring Day” by BTS. Wearing black and white outfits, they started bringing colors by coming on stage individually, and the Filipino crowd showed their best cheer for the members.

Energy-filled interviews

The night is followed by a question-and-answer session hosted by Ryan Bang and Kring Kim. Members expressed their gratitude for the fans’ warm welcome and support. 

“It’s been more year since we came back in Manila, I am very happy to see that this place was full,” Jaesuk said.

It truly feels like watching an opening of a Running Man episode live as members tease Seokjin on his full and shining “bling bling” outfit. While Jihyo who is known for her good Korean pronunciation also taught the crowd with Korean slang “찢었다 (jji-jeot-da)” which means “You nailed it!”

Competitive group games

The “What is Next?” game opens the first assignment of the evening which challenges the casts to guess the next sentence from the show’s clips. The audience participated in the following session, “All About K-Pop,” which involved guessing K-Pop songs.

The show with a current number of 615 episodes, nothing beats the feeling of 

witnessing the members live in their fun and chaotic selves. 

Solo and Sub-unit Performances

Here’s the most exciting part of the concert – the solo stages from the Running Man members! Did you have a guess what songs they performed? 

Every member had a solo song in the beginning: including bias wrecker Se Chan the rockstar, Song Jihyo with her full-on aegyo and adorable performance, Seokjin with heart-warming vocals, soulful singer Jongkoook, Haha’s rave party, and the return of energetic Yo San Seul.

PH Runners are surely spoiled with a SpartAce sub-unit. Their great chemistry made the audience swoon to the highest level of kilig!

Lucky Runners

It is not a complete fan meet without a top-tier interaction with fans. A select group of fans with the funniest and best cosplay of the members were also able to go up on stage. All in their creative costumes, they were paired with members and a challenge of “Telepathy Game.”

Furthermore, Yoo Jae Suk and the fan won the mission which made the fan have a solo group photo with the members. 

New music from Running Man

While the concert was nearing its end, the blue hue complimented the sincere message of Running Man’s 9th-anniversary song “I like It.” The feels switched up into a fun and endearing moment as members also share the stage with Jong Kook’s “Lovable (Sarang Surowo).

Runners near the stage were able to take pictures and receive signatures from the South Korean icons.

A first for Running Man Philippines

Running Man Philippines, the local franchise of the show, and its Filipino cast for Season 2 consisting of Glaiza De Castro, Buboy Villar, Mikael Daez, Miguel Tanfelix, Kokoy de Santos, Angel Guardian, and Lexi Gonzales served as the opening act of the night. 

They hyped the crowd with the performance of hits “Raining in Manila,” “Maharani,” “Tala,” and “Pantropiko.” They also performed the show’s original soundtrack (OST) “RUNNING MAN.”

The three-hour fan meet “RUN 2 U” in Manila concluded with their new song which is yet to be released. It is followed by a group photo opportunity for VIP raffle winners. 

It’s an advanced celebration of 14 years of laughter, comfort, and entertainment at RUNNING MAN’s fan meeting “RUN 2 U” in Manila organized by PULP Live World.