(SBS)

Producers of the South Korean variety show "Running Man" have apologized for plagiarizing the Japanese entertainment program "VS. Arashi."

"Regardless of how it might have happened, I express my sincere apology as the person in charge," executive producer Lim Hyung-taek of the SBS show said Monday. "I'll do everything I can to prevent similar incidents from happening."

Viewers have said an episode of "Running Man" that aired on Dec. 6 copied the format and rules of the game "Gorogoro Viking"
regularly shown on the Japanese program.

In that game, which was called the "pinball game" on "Running Man," contestants try to safely move balls from one side of a giant board that has holes on it to the other side.

"Running Man" is part of the umbrella program "Good Sunday" on the South Korean terrestrial network SBS. "VS. Arashi" is a Fuji TV variety show featuring the popular Japanese boy group Arashi. (Yonhap)