When BTS announced they would be pausing most of their group activities to focus on solo projects earlier this year, there was one piece of group content they refused to let ARMY go without: RUN BTS!.
“We want to keep RUN BTS!,” RM said during the break announcement video. This was a welcome surprise to BTS fans all over the world since not only did it mean they would get to see all seven members having fun together on a regular basis, it also meant the RUN BTS! hiatus announced back in October of last year would be coming to an end much sooner than everyone thought.
In BTS’ own personal variety web series where they play the most mayhem-filled competitions against one another, RUN BTS! has been the stage of some of the band’s most iconic moments and inside jokes, like when they scared the members half to death with a zombie apocalypse, when Jimin kept mistaking the word “carbonara” for “lachimolala” (a made up word BTS still reference to this day), or when Jungkook lost his mind after finding out Jin was a spy who ruined his chances at victory. And who can forget the Good Boy Jimin portrait from their “Photo Challenge” episode?
In sum, Run BTS! is essential viewing for any BTS fan who wants to be in on all the fandom jokes, as well as discover new, sometimes relaxed, but mostly hilariously competitive and intense sides of the members’ personalities. For new fans, though, it might be intimidating to come across over 150 episodes of the show, so here at We Got This Covered, we’ve compiled a list of 10 essential RUN BTS! episodes to get you started.
Episode 11 – “Back to School”
RUN BTS! has been airing since 2015 and some of the funniest episodes come from earlier seasons when the members were younger and the budget was humbler. In this episode, they put their acting chops to work by recreating a high school dramedy where each member has to play a specific trope. Although everyone was a hoot in their respective performances, SUGA’s take on a new female international student, known by all as Yoonji, has become the stuff of legend among ARMY.
Episode 20 – “Taste of Korea”
Cooking episodes are a common occurrence on RUN BTS! – a testament to their success among fans, who enjoy watching BTS scramble in the kitchen. Some band members are more versed in cooking than others (we’re looking at you, RM and V), so in this episode, they’re split into two teams who must battle one another to prepare the tastiest dish. Safe to say, seven people in one kitchen was bound to create major chaotic energy. “Taste of Korea” features Jungkook’s legendary magic sweet potatoes and V’s iconic squirrel plating.
Episodes 30 and 31 – “Variety Shows of Memories”
In this two part episode, BTS get to recreate classic games from Korean variety shows of the 2000s, and because RUN BTS! doesn’t kid around, every member is dressed with era-appropriate outfits. Unmissable moments from “Variety Shows of Memories” include Jungkook destroying the dance floor with a twerking rendition of Beyoncé’s “Crazy in Love” and the members going a little mad trying to nail every lyric to Korean nursery rhyme “Tomato Song” after just waking up from a nap.
Episodes 63, 64 and 65 – “BTS School”
This collection of episodes is definitely a fan favorite. In “BTS School,” SUGA becomes everyone’s teacher as they carry out tasks from different school subjects like music and P.E. Whenever the members’ spirits are as high as they were throughout this day, first class entertainment is assured for all involved. A prime example is their debate lesson where they must defend or oppose topics as essential as the validity of mint chocolate and each member is assigned a forbidden word, whose use will win them a jet of water to the face. When BTS pick the interjections “uh” and “HAHA” for an oblivious j-hope, the outcome is one of RUN BTS!‘s funniest moments ever.
Episodes 83, 84, and 85 – “Summer Outing”
Most RUN BTS! episodes are filmed at HYBE’s different studios, so it’s always exciting when the group gets to go on location. For “Summer Outing,” BTS visit a water park to play water polo, go down water slides, and conquer a huge, particularly slippery, obstacle course. V shooting off into the water as he shouts “BTS forever” is forever ingrained in ARMYs’ hearts, whilst the meal and gift exchange at the very end of the episode put a bow on top of a fun-filled group getaway.
Episodes 89 and 90 – “BTS Gayo is Back!”
Before the two shows were basically morphed into one, BTS Gayo was a variety show dedicated specifically to musical and K-pop related games. Because of BTS’ above-average artistic talents, activities where they get to sing or dance are especially engrossing and entertaining, which is why the “BTS Gayo is Back!” episodes are some of the best content RUN BTS! has produced. Additionally, since every game in these episodes is related to BTS’ music, ARMYs watching get to play along at home and try to guess which song the member has drawn, or which lyric they’re trying to mimic.
Episodes 97 and 98 – “Pajama Party”
“Pajama Party” is just a natural serotonin booster. The members all get to put on their comfiest pajamas and play random, fun games while lounging around. The moment where the group plays a focus and rhythm game called Animal Kingdom is a definite highlight that will get belly laughs out of anyone watching. These episodes are synonym with comfort, harmless fun, and a whole lot of hilarity.
Episode 109 – “Dubbing”
One of the most creative episodes of RUN BTS! to date is the one where they meet a professional film dubber who teaches them his craft. Unsurprisingly, BTS are great at dubbing, with SUGA’s performance as Woody from Disney Pixar’s Toy Story going down in history as one of the most endearing moments from the Daegu rapper. Jin, Jimin, and RM as the hyenas from The Lion King was every bit as amazing.
Episodes 131 and 132 – “77 Minute Debate”
If you’re going down this list and watching each episode in order, you will remember the debate segment from “BTS School.” A few years later, thanks to the activity’s popularity among fans, the RUN BTS! team decided to dedicate a whole two-part episode to BTS debating society’s most pressing issues. Of course, mint chocolate was once again a hot topic, as well as preferring soft versus hard peaches, and what to do first: wash your face or brush your teeth. The small jet of water used as punishment for saying forbidden words from the previous episode was updated to a full bucket that would pour down the members every time they used them. Thankfully, the seven artists were wearing appropriate clothing and hanging out at a pool. “77 Minute Debate” might have taken the cake for most chaotic episode of RUN BTS! to date if it weren’t for the next entry on this list.
Episodes 140 and 141 (plus Youtube extras) – “The Game Caterers x Run BTS“
Split between VLIVE and The Game Caterers official YouTube channel, this special collaborative episode of RUN BTS! with the presence of Korean variety show veteran PD Na Young Seok is one of the longest (spanning four parts), most intense, and most high energy episodes of the show. Although the members play really interactive, fun, and creative games throughout, it’s the second part, aptly titled “the hottest mess of a game in BTS history” on YouTube, that makes this The Game Caterers special one of the most memorable RUN BTS! episodes ever. In this segment, BTS all have individual missions which they must complete while simultaneously trying to sabotage their band mates’ attempts. With all of the backstabbing going on, it’s a miracle BTS’ bond was unaltered by the end.
Considering the almost two hundred episodes at one’s disposal, this list is in no way set in stone, but these ten glorious (and a little bit insane) episodes will get anyone hooked not just on RUN BTS! but on the band itself, as RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook’s personalities shine the brightest when they’re having fun.