A scene from the Dec. 7 broadcast of MBC variety ‘Extreme 84’, which shows TV personality Kian84 attempting South Africa’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’. Photo MBC
Kian84, who took part in South Africa’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’, eventually collapses on the road.
In episode 2 of MBC’s variety show ‘Extreme 84’, airing this afternoon (7th), Kian84, embarking on his first trail marathon, faces a ‘hell section’ of descents, sand, and climbs, pushing him to his limits.
A scene from the Dec. 7 broadcast of MBC variety ‘Extreme 84’, which shows TV personality Kian84 attempting South Africa’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’. Photo MBC
Kian84 and actor Kwon Hwa-woon took on South Africa (SA)’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’. This race is run through a safari area where the ‘Big 5’lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards, and rhinosactually live, a high-difficulty trail course that traverses the natural environment as is.
With sand, swamps, rivers, rocks, and steep gradients continuing relentlessly, it demands stamina and mental fortitude far beyond that of a regular marathon.
A scene from the Dec. 7 broadcast of MBC variety ‘Extreme 84’, which shows TV personality Kian84 attempting South Africa’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’. Photo MBC
In the previous broadcast, on a steep ascent, Kian84’s stamina plummeted just 3㎞ after the start, and he began to walk. In this episode, he faces another crisis on a downhill section.
Confronted with a sudden steep grade, he shouts, “My body won’t stop!” He adds, “I’m like a car with broken brakes,” and unintentionally ends up overtaking the runners around him.
A scene from the Dec. 7 broadcast of MBC variety ‘Extreme 84’, which shows TV personality Kian84 attempting South Africa’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’. Photo MBC
After the steep slope, the pain is so great that he says he’s afraid to run again, and the pain in his ankle intensifies, trapping him in a vicious cycle of endlessly alternating between running and stopping. Then an extreme sandy terrain appears in succession, breaking Kian84’s pace.
Eventually, he says, “It’s a completely different system. This isn’t a race made for running. I should report it to the UN(?)” sensing the severity of the brutal course.
A scene from the Dec. 7 broadcast of MBC variety ‘Extreme 84’, which shows TV personality Kian84 attempting South Africa’s ‘Big 5 Marathon’. Photo MBC
As his thirst worsens, Kian84 shocks those around him by plunging his face into a flowing stream and gulping water. Next, on the uphill section known as the ‘graveyard of runners’, he loses his smile. In addition, amid a combination of hurdles such as changes in elevation, exhaustion, and thirst, he stops multiple times and finally sinks down on the road, collapsing.
Whether he can achieve his goal of finishing within seven hours remains to be seen. Kian84’s first trail marathon attempt and whether he finishes can be seen on MBC’s ‘Extreme 84’, airing today (7th) at 9:10 p.m.
