Why Lee Kwang-soo Is Leaving 'Running Man' After 11 Years

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Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel, health, home/interior design and property/real estate. Soo covered the COVID-19 pandemic extensively from 2020 to 2022, including several interviews with the chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Soo has reported on various major news events, including the Black Lives Matter movement, the U.S. Capitol riots, the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. and Canadian elections, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Soo is also a South Korea expert, covering the latest K-dramas—including the breakout hit Squid Game, which she has covered extensively, including from Seoul, the South Korean capital—as well as Korean films, such as the Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated Past Lives, and K-pop news, to interviews with the biggest Korean actors, such as Lee Jung-jae from Squid Game and Star Wars, and Korean directors, such as Golden Globe and Oscar nominee Celine Song. Soo is the author of the book How to Live Korean, which is available in 11 languages, and co-author of the book Hello, South Korea: Meet the Country Behind Hallyu. Before Newsweek, Soo was a travel reporter and commissioning editor for the award-winning travel section of The Daily Telegraph (a leading U.K. national newspaper) for nearly a decade from 2010, reporting on the latest in the travel industry, from travel news, consumer travel and aviation issues to major new openings and emerging destinations. Soo is a graduate of Binghamton University in New York and the journalism school of City University in London, where she earned a Masters in international journalism. You can get in touch with Soo by emailing s.kim@newsweek.com . Follow her on Instagram at @miss.soo.kim or X, formerly Twitter, at @MissSooKim .Languages spoken: English and Korean

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South Korean actor Lee Kwang-soo is leaving the Running Man variety show to "take care of his body and mind," his agency King Kong by Starship announced on Tuesday.

The actor will step down after an 11-year run to focus on his recovery from a car accident in February 2020. Lee underwent surgery after fracturing his right ankle in the accident.

Following a brief break after the surgery, he returned to filming Running Man. The show, which airs on South Korea's SBS network, sees regular cast members and guests compete to complete various missions.

Lee was regularly undergoing rehabilitation treatment during filming, according to the show's producers.

SBS said in a statement that "even when he was not in the best of health, he undertook both the rehabilitation treatment and Running Man recordings at the same time out of his love and responsibility for the show."

The network statement added: "It was not easy for him to do both at once, and he spoke about his concerns with the members and production team."

Lee's agency said: "It has been difficult for him to be in perfect condition during the recordings. After long discussions between the members, producers and his agency since the accident, it was decided that he will take some time to take care of his body and mind.

"Eleven years is not a short period of time, so it was not an easy decision to make. But it was decided that he needed time off to physically recover for future activities.

"We sincerely thank you for sending so much love and attention to Lee Kwang-soo on Running Man."

Lee's final recording of the show will be on May 24.

Running Man has attracted much attention in South Korea and other parts of Asia, earning Lee the nickname "Asia Prince," according to South Korea's Yonhap News.

Several celebrities have appeared as guest competitors or cast members, including K-pop bands Girls' Generation, Big Bang and Super Junior, as well as the actor Song Joong-ki, star of the Netflix gangster drama Vincenzo.

Lee began his career as a model before making his TV debut in the SBS sitcom Here He Comes in 2008, according to IMDb.

The actor has since appeared in several South Korean films and TV shows, including the 2012 romantic comedies Wonderful Radio and All About My Wife. He had a supporting role in The Innocent Man (known as Nice Guy on Netflix), a 2012 drama series that starred Song.

In 2016, Lee starred in a South Korean remake of U.S. comedy Entourage.

Lee Kwang-soo press conference Seoul 2015
Lee Kwang-soo seen at a press conference in Seoul on October 14, 2015. The South Korean actor is leaving the "Running Man" television series to focus on his recovery from a car accident last year.... TPG/Getty Images
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About the writer

Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in travel, health, home/interior design and property/real estate. Soo covered the COVID-19 pandemic extensively from 2020 to 2022, including several interviews with the chief medical advisor to the president, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Soo has reported on various major news events, including the Black Lives Matter movement, the U.S. Capitol riots, the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. and Canadian elections, and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Soo is also a South Korea expert, covering the latest K-dramas—including the breakout hit Squid Game, which she has covered extensively, including from Seoul, the South Korean capital—as well as Korean films, such as the Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated Past Lives, and K-pop news, to interviews with the biggest Korean actors, such as Lee Jung-jae from Squid Game and Star Wars, and Korean directors, such as Golden Globe and Oscar nominee Celine Song. Soo is the author of the book How to Live Korean, which is available in 11 languages, and co-author of the book Hello, South Korea: Meet the Country Behind Hallyu. Before Newsweek, Soo was a travel reporter and commissioning editor for the award-winning travel section of The Daily Telegraph (a leading U.K. national newspaper) for nearly a decade from 2010, reporting on the latest in the travel industry, from travel news, consumer travel and aviation issues to major new openings and emerging destinations. Soo is a graduate of Binghamton University in New York and the journalism school of City University in London, where she earned a Masters in international journalism. You can get in touch with Soo by emailing s.kim@newsweek.com . Follow her on Instagram at @miss.soo.kim or X, formerly Twitter, at @MissSooKim .Languages spoken: English and Korean

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Soo Kim is a Newsweek reporter based in London, U.K. She covers various lifestyle stories, specializing in Read more