'Taxi Driver 3' Premieres to Rousing Success, Dominating Ratings with Kim Do-gi's Triumphant Return

SBS drama 'Taxi Driver 3' has made a spectacular comeback, immediately capturing audience attention and securing the top spot in ratings with its premiere episode.

The first episode, aired on the 21st, showcased protagonist Kim Do-gi (Lee Je-hoon) and the Rainbow Taxi team launching their revenge-for-hire services by rescuing a high school student, Yoon Yi-seo (Cha Si-yeon), who had been kidnapped by a Japanese crime syndicate.

The premiere achieved a peak viewership rating of 11.1%, not only ranking first among all programs in its time slot but also marking the highest premiere rating for any mini-series aired in 2025. This strong start signals a promising run for the drama.

The episode kicked off with Kim Do-gi's dramatic raid on a human trafficking auction, heralding the thrilling return of the 'Onion Hero.' The story then delved into the case of Yoon Yi-seo, a high school girl abducted and held captive by a Japanese crime organization. Having narrowly escaped, she sought the taxi service's help for revenge, only to be recaptured by the syndicate in a cliffhanger situation.

Kim Do-gi infiltrated the school, reprising his legendary Season 1 persona, 'Teacher Hwang In-seong,' to gather information. Through Yi-seo's friend Ye-ji (Lee Yu-ji), he uncovered the grim truth: Yi-seo had fallen victim to illegal mobile gambling schemes, accumulating massive debt to predatory lenders. To repay these debts, she was coerced into accepting a job placement in Japan.

The Rainbow Taxi team sprang into action to save Yi-seo. Go Eun (Pyo Ye-jin), in disguise, infiltrated the gambling ring, posing as Ye-ji to get close to the loan sharks and uncovering the existence of a malicious criminal cartel known as 'Neko Money,' which orchestrated everything from mobile games to loans and job placements.

Upon arriving in Japan, Go Eun found herself trapped in a suspicious office labeled 'Life Reset.' Despite the presence of signal jammers within the building, Do-gi stormed the office to rescue her. Fortunately, Go Eun had already managed to subdue her captors. A moment of relief was short-lived as Do-gi discovered numerous profiles of women plastered on the office walls and abandoned luggage, igniting his fury at the vast number of victims who had disappeared without a trace.

To infiltrate the syndicate, which operated in a decentralized manner making it difficult to reach the leadership, Do-gi adopted a new persona. He intentionally provoked lower-level members, caused a disturbance at their hideout, a gymnasium, and issued a direct challenge to their boss via CCTV, delivering a thrilling promise of retribution.

'Taxi Driver 3' has captivated fans eagerly awaiting its return with the seamless chemistry between Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, and Bae Yoo-ram, along with their compelling character portrayals. The expanded scale due to overseas locations, the impactful performance of Japanese actor Kasamatsu Sho as the 'Neko Money Boss,' the rapid-fire plot, and the stylish cinematography all contribute to Season 3's unique charm, promising an exciting journey ahead.

Meanwhile, 'Taxi Driver 3' continues the narrative of Kim Do-gi, a taxi driver for the clandestine company Rainbow Transport, who exacts private revenge on behalf of wronged victims. The drama airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM on SBS.

Netizens are ecstatic about the show's strong start, with comments like 'The wait was worth it!', 'Kim Do-gi is back!', and 'This season already feels more intense than the previous ones!' flooding online forums.