Hit K-drama ‘Taxi Driver 3’ surges back with strong ratings and darker villains

From left, Pyo Ye-jin, Kim Eui-sung, Lee Je-hoon, Jang Hyuk-jin and Bae Yu-ram / Xportsnews

“Taxi Driver 3” is off to a powerful start, continuing the franchise’s streak of high ratings and social buzz as the show once again dives into real-world crimes and vigilante justice.

The series follows Rainbow Taxi, a secretive taxi company, and driver Kim Do-gi, played by Lee Je-hoon, as they deliver vengeance on behalf of victims failed by the system. The first season opened with a 10 percent rating and closed at 16 percent, while season two premiered at 12 percent and peaked at 25.6 percent, making the drama one of SBS’s biggest performers.

Part of the series’ appeal has been its dramatization of crimes familiar to Korean audiences, including child abuse, cult exploitation, elderly scams, illegal housing schemes, sex-trafficking chatrooms and medical ghost surgeries. Viewers say the show offers a sense of catharsis in confronting unresolved injustices.

A poster for "Taxi Driver 3" / Courtesy of SBS

“Taxi Driver 2” also became a notable overseas hit. In February 2023, it ranked No. 1 in daily viewership in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and made the top 10 charts in Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore.

Season 3 arrives approximately two years and six months after the previous finale, which ended with the line, “As long as the phone keeps ringing, the ride continues,” teasing the next chapter.

Episodes 1 and 2 center on taking down “Neko Money,” a global illegal loan and human-trafficking ring. Japanese actor Shô Kasamatsu — recently seen in the Disney+ series “Gannibal” and the Netflix film “Good News” — makes a striking first appearance as part of the new villain lineup.

The season debuted with ratings of 9.5 percent for the first episode and 9 percent for the second. Although slightly lower than last season’s opening, the show still outpaced other new weekend dramas, such as “Queen Mantis,” which started at 7.1 percent, and predecessor “Would You Marry Me?” which began at 5.6 percent. According to Nielsen Korea, “Taxi Driver 3” ranked No. 1 among weekly miniseries and topped viewers in their 20s up to the age of 49 with an average of 3.3 percent and a peak of 4.41 percent.

The franchise remains unusual for maintaining its original cast for three consecutive seasons — a rarity in a Korean drama production. Lee Je-hoon and the Rainbow Taxi members continue to be praised for their strong ensemble chemistry, while anticipation is growing over how the show will escalate its portrayal of “evolved” villains.

Producers previously released a poster showcasing six new antagonists with diverse personalities and styles, hinting at a more unpredictable lineup. On Monday, the team revealed that actor Yoon Si-yoon will appear as the villain in Episode 3, airing Friday.

“Yoon Si-yoon showed extraordinary commitment, even voluntarily undergoing extreme weight loss to embody the character,” the production team said, raising expectations for a dramatically transformed performance.

This article from Xportsnews is adapted by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.