# I Am a Running Mate (러닝메이트)
**I Am a Running Mate** (러닝메이트; also released as *Running Mate*) is a 2025 South Korean television series in which a disgraced model high school student becomes a running mate in a student council election and is drawn into an escalating campaign of political maneuvering, fake news, and betrayal[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en). It was co-written and directed by Han Jin-won, a co-writer of the film *[Parasite](https://www.edgepedia.org/parasite-2019-film)*, and stars Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sik, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon, Lee Bong-jun, and Kim Ji-woo[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en). The series premiered on the streaming service TVING on June 19, 2025, and is also available on Viu in selected regions[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native title | 러닝메이트 (Reoningmeiteu) |
| Format | 8-episode teen political comedy-drama, about 40 minutes per episode[2](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/i-am-a-running-mate-2024/) |
| Network and premiere | TVING, June 19, 2025; also on Viu in selected regions[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en) |
| Director and writers | Han Jin-won (directorial debut), with Hong Ji-soo and Oh Do-geon as co-writers[3](https://asianwiki.com/I_Am_A_Running_Mate) • [4](https://letterboxd.com/film/i-am-a-running-mate/) |
| Main cast | Yoon Hyun-soo, Lee Jung-sik, Choi Woo-sung, Hong Hwa-yeon, Lee Bong-jun, Kim Ji-woo[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en) |
| Festival premiere | Three episodes first shown at the 28th Busan International Film Festival (2023)[5](https://v.daum.net/v/20230824150908247) |
| Content rating | 15 (TV-15)[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
Noh Se-hoon (Yoon Hyun-soo) is a model student with good grades until an incident on a school bus, in which he is slapped by a woman after falling asleep, earns him the humiliating nickname "Erector" and makes him the laughingstock of the whole school[2](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/i-am-a-running-mate-2024/) • [6](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=17503020001753542002). To rebuild his reputation, he accepts an offer to run for vice president as the running mate of Yang Won-dae (Choi Woo-sung), the choir director and one of the school's most prominent students, only to discover that he is Won-dae's twelfth running mate[2](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/i-am-a-running-mate-2024/). Feeling deceived, Se-hoon switches sides and joins Kwak Sang-hyun (Lee Jung-sik), the school's most popular student, as his running mate[2](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/i-am-a-running-mate-2024/).
The election then becomes a contest between two camps: Sang-hyun's campaign, joined by the top-ranked student Yoon Jung-hee ([Hong Hwa-yeon](https://www.edgepedia.org/hong-hwa-yeon)), runs on "trend" and "innovation," while Won-dae's campaign, which recruits Se-hoon's best friend [Park Ji-hoon](https://www.edgepedia.org/park-ji-hoon) ([Lee Bong-jun](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-bong-jun)) after Se-hoon defects, runs on "tradition" and "unity"[7](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/broadcasting-service/11350242). As the race progresses over roughly one month, it is tainted by fake news, media manipulation, sabotage of campaign materials, slander disguised as "truth-telling," and mutual exposés, including a doctored audio recording and a forged transcript allegation[8](https://kdramaworlds.com/k-drama-guide/i-am-a-running-mate-2025-episode-guide-cast-ending-explained/) • [7](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/broadcasting-service/11350242). TVING's own description calls it a cheerful teen political drama about a school election war fought with every kind of scheme, more intense than the college entrance examinations[9](https://www.tving.com/contents/P001767946).
### Cast and characters
The six leads play students at the fictional Yeongjin High School[7](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/broadcasting-service/11350242):
- **Yoon Hyun-soo** as Noh Se-hoon, the model student seeking to restore his reputation[10](https://www.viu.com/ott/viuscene/i-am-a-running-mate-a-wild-high-school-kdrama/)
- **Lee Jung-sik** as Kwak Sang-hyun, the popular presidential candidate Se-hoon eventually joins[10](https://www.viu.com/ott/viuscene/i-am-a-running-mate-a-wild-high-school-kdrama/)
- **Choi Woo-sung** as Yang Won-dae, the choir director and incumbent vice president who first recruits Se-hoon[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en)
- **Hong Hwa-yeon** as Yoon Jung-hee, the top student who joins Sang-hyun's camp[10](https://www.viu.com/ott/viuscene/i-am-a-running-mate-a-wild-high-school-kdrama/)
- **Lee Bong-jun** as Park Ji-hoon, Se-hoon's best friend, later recruited by Won-dae[7](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/broadcasting-service/11350242)
- **Kim Ji-woo** as Ha Yu-kyung, Won-dae's vice-presidential running mate[10](https://www.viu.com/ott/viuscene/i-am-a-running-mate-a-wild-high-school-kdrama/)
## Production and release
Han Jin-won, who co-wrote *Parasite*, winner of the [Palme d'Or](https://www.edgepedia.org/palme-dor) at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, makes his directorial debut with this series[3](https://asianwiki.com/I_Am_A_Running_Mate). He shares writing credit with Hong Ji-soo and Oh Do-geon[4](https://letterboxd.com/film/i-am-a-running-mate/). Filming was completed in September 2023, and three episodes received their premiere in the special premiere section of the 28th Busan International Film Festival in 2023, two years before the broadcast release[11](https://firstreviewer.tistory.com/1484) • [5](https://v.daum.net/v/20230824150908247).
At a production press conference in Seoul in June 2025, Han described the series as a bright, positive story in the manner of 1990s teen dramas rather than a harsh survival narrative, saying he avoided extreme genre styling and documentary-like treatment and instead emphasized realism in overlooked details, with extensive script readings and rehearsals[12](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/202506122200003).
The series was released as a TVING original with all eight episodes available on June 19, 2025[6](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=17503020001753542002); CJ ENM's content page lists the original release date as June 18, 2025[13](https://www.cjenm.com/en/featured-contents/i-am-a-running-mate/). It is also available on Viu in selected regions[1](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en).
## Reception and context
Korean coverage positioned the series as a new direction for school dramas, replacing violence with psychological warfare and bringing politics into the classroom setting[6](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=17503020001753542002). Reviewers praised the fresh performances of the young cast and the way the escalating campaign exposes ambition, class, and power beneath the comedy[7](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/broadcasting-service/11350242) • [11](https://firstreviewer.tistory.com/1484). Criticism focused on forced slang in the dialogue and underdeveloped motives for why the student council election becomes so heated[6](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=17503020001753542002). On MyDramaList the series holds a user rating of 7.7[2](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/i-am-a-running-mate-2024/).
## References
1. [Running Mate, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/kr/show/running-mate/umc.cmc.493izdub0gawj6pt5u56z34ye?l=en)
2. [I Am a Running Mate, KoreanDrama.org](https://koreandrama.org/k-dramas/i-am-a-running-mate-2024/)
3. [I Am A Running Mate, AsianWiki](https://asianwiki.com/I_Am_A_Running_Mate)
4. [I Am a Running Mate (2025), Letterboxd](https://letterboxd.com/film/i-am-a-running-mate/)
5. ['독전2' '발레리나' '화란' 부산에서 먼저 만난다, Daum/Maeil Business](https://v.daum.net/v/20230824150908247)
6. [폭력 빼고 정치 넣은 '러닝메이트', 티빙 학원물 계보 이을까 [OTT리뷰], TV Daily](https://www.tvdaily.co.kr/read.php3?aid=17503020001753542002)
7. ['기생충' 작가 첫 연출작 '러닝메이트', 하이틴 정치극으로 색다른 여운, Star Today (MK)](https://www.mk.co.kr/news/broadcasting-service/11350242)
8. [I Am a Running Mate (2025): Episode Guide, Cast & Ending Explained, K-Drama Guide](https://kdramaworlds.com/k-drama-guide/i-am-a-running-mate-2025-episode-guide-cast-ending-explained/)
9. [러닝메이트 1화, TVING](https://www.tving.com/contents/P001767946)
10. ['I Am A Running Mate': A Wild High School Kdrama, ViuScene](https://www.viu.com/ott/viuscene/i-am-a-running-mate-a-wild-high-school-kdrama/)
11. [티빙 오리지널 '러닝메이트': 교실에서 펼쳐지는 치열한 정치 드라마, First Reviewer](https://firstreviewer.tistory.com/1484)
12. [대선 후 2주, 명랑한 '고딩 선거전'에 빠져볼까요, Sports Khan](https://sports.khan.co.kr/article/202506122200003)
13. [I Am A Running Mate, CJ ENM](https://www.cjenm.com/en/featured-contents/i-am-a-running-mate/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › East Asian web and streaming serials › Titles Cr to In*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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