Korean Format ‘Running Man’ Heads To U.S. With Hellcat
EXCLUSIVE: Running Man, a long-running Korean variety series, is eyeing a run in the U.S.
The series, which is ostensibly a weekly game of tag, comes from Korean broadcaster SBS, which is working with Pippa Lambert’s Hellcat on a U.S. adaptation.
The show launched in Korea in 2010 and with over 700 episodes, is a staple of SBS’ weekend schedule. It has been described as a mix between Traitors and Taskmaster.
It is a “high-concept celebrity urban chase show that has evolved into a character-driven competition series blending celebrity guests, large-scale missions, strategic mind games, and serialized comedic rivalries”, per the logline.
Hellcat, founded by former ICM and WME agent Lambert in 2020, has just started conversations with networks and streamers over the remake. It marks the latest international format for the company, which is adapting Australian canine reality series Muster Dogs, for Wonder Project.
The company also worked with SBS on a scripted remake of K-pop comedy series Modern Farmer, from Jason Reed, Jessica Matthews, Joe Broido, and Ann Kim, for NBC in 2022.
It would mark the latest Korean series to make its way to the U.S. following the success of Fox’s The Masked Singer.
“Running Man is an inventive and durable entertainment format,” said Lambert. “The show feels knowable yet also disruptive. The challenges all take place outside of the studio and are wildly imaginative and surprisingly low-fi. At its core, the format thrives on returning cast chemistry – where alliances fracture, rivalries deepen, and comic personas evolve over each season. That long-term relational storytelling is what gives the show its engine.”
Kevin Kim, executive producer of SBS International, added, “Running Man has proven that the most powerful formats are built not just on mechanics, but on relationships. The simplicity of the games is intentional – it leaves room for spontaneity and authentic humor to take center stage. We believe a U.S. adaptation has the potential to capture that same energy while forging its own identity for a new audience.”
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