S1·E179 New Year's Cooking Battle, Part 1

Episode recap

Running Man season 1, episode 179, titled “New Year’s Cooking Battle, Part 1,” aired as a special installment that centered on a culinary competition to mark the holiday season. The episode brought together a diverse group of guest stars who joined the regular cast for the themed challenge. Among the guests were Jae‑kyung, a member of the K‑pop group Rainbow, and Sung‑kyu, who represents the boy band Infinite. The lineup also featured actor‑singer John Park, singer‑songwriter Kim Kyung‑ho, actor Lee Dong‑wook, comedian Park Soo‑hong, and actress Song Kyung‑ah. Each guest was introduced by name, with the affiliations of Jae‑kyung and Sung‑kyu explicitly noted, reflecting the program’s habit of highlighting the entertainment backgrounds of its participants.

As a hallmark of Running Man, the episode blended the show’s characteristic blend of humor, teamwork, and competition. The New Year’s Cooking Battle premise set the stage for a series of food‑related tasks that required the participants to collaborate, strategize, and showcase their culinary skills. While the specific rules and outcomes of the challenges are not detailed in the available synopsis, the format of the series suggests that the guests and cast members engaged in a series of games designed to test their ability to work together under time pressure, often resulting in comedic moments and unexpected alliances.

The “Part 1” designation indicated that the cooking battle would continue in a subsequent episode, allowing the competition to develop over multiple installments. This structure is consistent with Running Man’s practice of extending special events across more than one broadcast, giving viewers a chance to follow the progression of the contest and see how the participants adapt to evolving challenges.

Running Man, described as a representative Korean variety program that combines comedy and reality elements, continues to attract audiences by pairing its core cast with popular figures from music, acting, and comedy. Episode 179 exemplified this approach, leveraging the star power of Jae‑kyung, Sung‑kyu, and the other guests to create a festive, competition‑driven episode that celebrated the New Year while maintaining the show’s signature blend of playful rivalry and entertainment.