On March 8, users across online communities flagged that Song's actual screen time in the episode amounted to roughly 10 seconds.
The episode ran about 90 minutes, but viewers say Song was mostly limited to reaction shots and group scenes and rarely took a leading role.
Calls for Song to leave the show are not new. In 2016, producers abruptly informed Song and fellow cast member Kim Jong-kook that they were being dropped. The decision drew heavy backlash; producers later issued an official apology and both returned to the program.
In 2024, Song appeared on the YouTube channel “Jo Dongari” and addressed whether she would leave 'Running Man,' saying, “I won’t quit on my own unless the producers end the show.”
Song Ji-hyo joined 'Running Man' as a regular cast member in 2011 and has remained on the show for 16 years.
