Photo: The Straits Times/Running Man/Instagram
Running Man star Lee Kwang Soo nabbed a top prize at this year’s SBS Entertainment Awards on Sunday.
He took home the Top Excellence Award for his performance on popular variety programme Running Man, which has been plagued with controversy lately over the alleged dismissal of two of its cast members, Song Ji Hyo and Kim Jong Gook.
The production team announced later that the two would stay on until the show’s February finale.
On Sunday, all six cast members of the show were at the awards ceremony.
Lee delivered a heartfelt acceptance speech, thanking those who “worked hard to defend Running Man.”
“To Ji Suk Jin, who taught me about life and entertainment, to Yoo Jae Seok, who made me the person I am today, to Kim Jong Gook, my mentor, to Haha, whom I love like family, to Song Ji Hyo, who is like my real sister, and to Gary, Song Joong Ki and Lizzy. I love you all so much,” Lee said, listing each of his team-mates.
Pictures showed Song shedding tears.
Fans were left wondering why Running Man, which has been airing on SBS for almost seven years, reaped only one prize.
In response, SBS, in a statement on Instagram, explained that the Running Man cast had asked not to be given any prizes as they wanted to keep a low profile during the awards show.
“For this reason, Running Man was only given one award,” the statement added.
The night’s Grand Prize was handed to comedian-TV host Shin Dong Yup for his work on Mom’s Diary – My Ugly Duckling, a reality show spotlighting celebrities and their mothers.
The show, launched in July, boasted a viewership of over 10 per cent on Friday nights.
The original version of this story was published in The Straits Times on December 27, 2016.
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