S1·E532 The Best Friends Friendship Race, The 1st Friendship Awards

Episode recap

The episode opens with the regular cast of Running Man preparing for the program’s annual year‑end awards ceremony. In lieu of the usual competition, the episode is framed as the inaugural Friendship Awards, a race in which each regular member is paired with a designated “best friend.” The concept emphasizes interpersonal chemistry, with the outcome of each challenge determining which pair receives a prize and which pair must endure the show’s customary penalty.

Joining the regular cast as best‑friend partners are six guest personalities: Cha Tae‑Hyun, Lee Mi‑Joo, Yang Dong‑Geun, Jang Dong‑Min, Huening Kai and Choi Yeon‑Jun. Their presence expands the roster of participants and introduces new dynamics to the team‑based games. Throughout the broadcast, the pairs engage in a series of missions designed to test cooperation, communication and mutual trust. The tasks are presented as a race, with each team striving to complete the objectives more quickly than the others.

As the competition proceeds, the episode highlights moments where the chemistry between each regular member and their guest counterpart becomes decisive. The format rewards pairs that demonstrate strong synergy, allowing them to claim the Friendship Award prize. Conversely, pairs that struggle with coordination or fail to meet the required performance thresholds are assigned the penalty, a staple of Running Man’s format that typically involves a humorous or physically demanding consequence.

The episode culminates in the announcement of the winners of the first Friendship Awards, marking the beginning of a new tradition within the long‑running series. The inclusion of the six guests as best friends not only adds variety to the established cast but also reinforces the show’s emphasis on camaraderie and teamwork. By linking the Friendship Awards to the upcoming year‑end ceremony, the episode sets the stage for the broader celebration of the program’s achievements over the past year.