'Taxi Driver' returns with more spectacle for season 2

A scene from season 2 of the SBS action crime series “Taxi Driver” / Courtesy of SBS

By Lee Gyu-lee

SBS' hit crime comedy series “Taxi Driver” is back for its second season with more spectacle and hard-boiled action.

The action series, based on the popular webcomic “The Deluxe Taxi,” revolves around taxi driver Kim Do-ki, played by Lee Je-hoon, who works for the Rainbow Taxi Company which runs a service to take revenge on behalf of its clients. Along with the people at the company, Do-ki helps victims of violence and injustice by taking matters into his own hands to seek justice.

A poster for season 2 of “Taxi Driver” / Courtesy of SBS

The first season, which aired in 2021, garnered huge popularity with its cathartic storyline of avenging evil, scoring a 16 percent viewership rating.

The new season premiered last Friday with a 12.1 percent rating, picking up on the taxi company's unusual service. Do-ki gets a job from a desperate father looking for his son. Suspecting that the son became a victim of human trafficking, Do-ki flies to Vietnam to hunt down the criminals behind the trafficking cartel.

Lee said that the second season involves more dynamic and colorful scenes than the previous one.

“I'm so thankful and honored to have the chance to make season 2 so soon. The production team and I have spent a lot of time discussing how we can deliver meaningful messages and fun in the second season,” the actor said during a press conference for the show, Friday.

“With such enormous love we got for the first season, we were able to tape the first two episodes for season 2 in Vietnam. I was awed that we could bring a colorful and cool story of Rainbow Taxi Company going abroad. I was happy that we could add a more exotic tone and spectacle (for this season).”

The latest season welcomes a new director, Lee Dan, joined by scriptwriter Oh Sang-ho, who co-scripted the first season.

“Season 2 will have a more delicate, tightly woven flow from director Lee's lead. You may think it's a lot more interesting than season 1,” the actor noted.

The first season spotlighted real-life social issues, such as forced labor, school bullying and workplace abuse, following the stories of victims.

The director said that the new season will entail more relatable stories of people facing injustice.

“I felt that revenge will be more cathartic if the viewers can relate (to the topics) like 'this is my story,' or 'this could happen to people around me.' If season 1 had stories about bullying and telephone scams, this time we brought issues that are closer to our lives like fraud against elderly people and issues related to real estate,” she said.

She added that the new character, Oh Ha-joon, played by Shin Jae-ha, who will be the latest recruit at the taxi company, will introduce a new subplot in the story.

“The point here is how Kim Do-ki hit it off with a new person (in the company). We felt the story needed a fresh character so we decided to get Shin aboard. With a new character, there will be a new narrative.”

“Taxi Driver” airs on Fridays and Saturdays at 10 p.m.