Grim Reapers are quite popular in Korean media because of ancient folklore and largely due to the popularity of Gong Yoo-led Goblin. Now, the bringers of death will haunt the Running Man members themselves, in the upcoming episode.
As noted by website Soompi, in episode 547 of Running Man, the SBS variety show will be parodying the hit fantasy film series Along with the Gods. The episode is hilariously titled Along with the Birthdays.
In both films of Along with the Gods series, there are three Grim Reapers who each guide a soul of a dead person to the afterlife. The three Grim Reapers in Along with the Birthdays episode are Lee Kwang-soo, Jun So-min and Yang Se-chan. Their targets are Yoo Jae-suk, Song Ji-hyo and HaHa all three having been born in the month of August. Ji Suk-jin and Kim Jong-kook will be the underworld judges, determining whether the three deserve reincarnation or damnation.
Lots of comedy and hilarity are to be expected as the name of the episode already suggests. South Korean singer and television personality No Sa-yeon will be making a special appearance, playing a female version of King Yeomra, who rules the underworld. Curiously enough, the name Yeomra, sounds similar to King Yama, the lord of death in Hinduism.
In the episode preview released, Jun So-min can be seen wearing a traditional black hanbok and gat. She is seen stopping Yoo Jae-suk, in a car and asking him to come away with her. Jae-suk has a confused look on his face as this happens. All three Grim Reapers carry a big white box, which might contain a message for the soul they are seeking.
The preview also teases the various activities and games that the members will be a part of in the episode. Apart from No Sa-yeon, actor Lee Sang-yeob will also be making an appearance in the episode as a witness in Betrayal Hell. He arrives through a large door in the judgement hall and can be seen making accusations against the three souls being judged.
Grim Reapers are personifications of death and they take the soul of deceased beings to the afterlife. The soul is then judged by basis of seven trials. Based on the evaluation, the soul is either saved/reincarnated or damned and punished.
In Korean mythology, the Grim Reaper is called Jeosung Saja, which roughly translates to the "messenger from the other world," or "herald of the afterlife."
Episode 547 of Running Man airs on August 26 at 4.50 pm KST. Watch the preview below.
