A high school student has passed away while playing the name tag game, sparking criticisms against Running Man, the show that made the game popular.

On June 11th, approximately 40 high school students in Mainland China played the name tag game in an abandoned industrial building after finishing their exams. One of the participants went missing and was later found to have fallen down an elevator shaft. The student died on the scene.

As this tragic news hit Weibo, some questioned the influence of both the Korean and the Chinese version of Running Man, and whether the shows should bear some of the responsibility for this accident. However, netizens were quick to jump to the defense of the show, commenting as follows:

1. [+1329] Those who said that Running Man’s games are dangerous, and that fans are dumb, are you stupid? We have learned that we shouldn’t play in dangerous places since we were young. Running Man usually plays games in places like the library and the park! It is dangerous to drive a car too, can you blame it on the car manufacturer? It is dangerous to have cycling competitions, can you blame it on the people who created these events? There can be danger anywhere, you can only blame yourself for being brainless.

2. [+993] Some people said Running Man should bear some responsibility – where is the logic in that? The people who said or thought this must have gotten their brains slammed by the door. Remember to go see the doctor.

3. [+968] You think Running Man didn’t tell you all to be safe and pick a good place [to play in]? Should students who pass away while running the 800m race go argue with the Olympic committee? Even though we feel sorry for the loss of a life, do not point fingers and blame this on others randomly. Don’t forget Running Man’s original intention. Don’t be unreasonable like those that argue with the car manufacturer after killing someone while driving.

4. [+779] How come the majority of the people are focusing on the name tag game? Running Man has been filming in Korea for so many years without any accidents. There are many similar shows in Japan and there hasn’t been any accidents. How come so many people think this had to do with the game as soon as something happened China?