S1·E779 This Is the Romance of It Race

Episode recap

Running Man Season 1, Episode 779, titled “This Is the Romance of It Race,” takes the regular cast on a two‑day getaway in the coastal city of Tongyeong. The episode introduces Heo Kyeong Hwan as a guest participant who joins the members for a series of romance‑themed challenges. Over the course of the trip the team is divided into three “romantic courses,” each of which requires them to create visual and textual content that captures a sense of romance. The members must photograph selected locations or moments and then write accompanying captions. These captions are submitted to the public via social‑media platforms, where they are judged through public voting. The votes determine which team’s romantic presentation is most successful.

A central element of the competition is a budget constraint. The group is given a fixed amount of money to cover all expenses for the two‑day itinerary. For every $50 that the team exceeds this budget, one member is assigned a penalty, though the specific nature of the penalty is not detailed in the available synopsis. Conversely, the rules allow for “truly romantic moments” to earn deductions from any overspend, providing an incentive to prioritize heartfelt experiences alongside the financial goal.

The episode’s format blends travel, photography, and social‑media interaction, positioning the cast’s ability to convey romance as the metric for success. By requiring public participation in the judging process, the show extends its audience engagement beyond the studio set, turning the scenic backdrop of Tongyeong into a participatory stage. The combination of budget management, creative caption writing, and the pursuit of romantic moments creates a layered challenge that tests both the members’ teamwork and their capacity to present an appealing narrative to viewers online.

Overall, “This Is the Romance of It Race” showcases Running Man’s characteristic mix of physical travel, game‑based competition, and audience interaction, while highlighting Heo Kyeong Hwan’s first appearance alongside the regular cast in a setting that emphasizes both scenic beauty and the pursuit of romance within a structured, budget‑driven framework.