S1·E109 Four Seasons Training Race

Episode recap

Running Man S01E109, titled “Four Seasons Training Race,” is presented as a special episode that brings two of South Korea’s most celebrated Olympic athletes onto the regular cast’s playing field. The guests for this installment are swimmer Park Tae‑hwan, a multiple‑time Olympic medalist, and rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon‑jae, also an Olympic competitor. According to the episode synopsis, the games selected for the day are described as “perfectly suited for the guests,” indicating that the challenges are designed to highlight the athletic strengths of a swimmer and a gymnast. In addition, the episode incorporates a “fun twist on the classic name‑tag elimination,” a staple mechanic of Running Man in which participants attempt to remove each other’s name tags while completing various missions.

Running Man, which debuted in 2010, is a Korean variety program that blends comedy with reality‑based competition. Each episode typically features the regular cast members engaging in a series of games, missions, and physical challenges that test teamwork, strategy, and individual skill. The format often includes a name‑tag elimination component, where participants must avoid having their tags taken while trying to capture those of their opponents. The series is noted for its high‑energy contests and the way it adapts its games to suit special guests or thematic concepts.

In “Four Seasons Training Race,” the presence of Park Tae‑hwan and Son Yeon‑jae provides a distinct athletic dimension to the usual roster of challenges. By tailoring the games to the guests’ sporting backgrounds, the episode offers viewers a chance to see Olympic‑level talent applied to the playful, fast‑paced environment that defines Running Man. The added variation on the name‑tag rule serves to refresh the familiar elimination mechanic, giving both the regular cast and the Olympic guests a new strategic layer to navigate. Overall, the episode maintains the series’ characteristic blend of humor, competition, and guest interaction while spotlighting the capabilities of two of South Korea’s top athletes.