Korean Game-Tag Format ‘Running Man’ Is Eyed for U.S. Adaptation With Hellcat

A long-running Korean variety format, “Running Man,” is being developed for a potential U.S. run, according to Deadline. The trade reports that SBS, the Korean broadcaster behind the original series, is working with Pippa Lambert’s Hellcat to create a U.S. adaptation.

Deadline frames the concept as a recurring game built around tag-style missions and team challenges, presented in an episodic format. The report says the project would translate that structure for American audiences as a new production rather than a repackaging of the existing series.

The original “Running Man” launched in Korea in 2010 and has accumulated more than 700 episodes, Deadline reported. The series has operated for years as a weekly entertainment staple in South Korea, according to the trade’s description of its run and output.

Deadline’s exclusive reporting identifies Hellcat as the adaptation partner, highlighting Lambert’s company as the production entity working with SBS for the U.S. market. The report does not specify a network or streaming destination, nor does it provide details on a premiere date, episode count, or production schedule.

The U.S. adaptation would join a growing slate of international television formats that are being tested for domestic fit, where local producers adapt the premise, rules, and production approach to match broadcast standards and audience expectations. With “Running Man” rooted in a recurring competitive structure, any U.S. version would likely require localization of challenge designs and logistics for filming in the United States, Deadline’s account suggests.

For viewers, the translation of a long-running, mission-based format may affect what kind of programming families and general audiences can expect from week to week, especially if the adaptation targets broad accessibility. The original series’ extended history and high episode volume, as described by Deadline, indicate the format has been used repeatedly, and that the adaptation would be expected to sustain that pace if it reaches production.

As of Deadline’s report on June 29, the effort is described as being “eyed” for a U.S. run, meaning it is at the development and negotiation stage rather than a fully announced production with confirmed casting and distribution. The next steps would depend on how SBS and Hellcat finalize the adaptation plan, including the U.S. production team, the rights package, and where the series will premiere.