'Taxi Driver 2' Hits Netflix Global Top 10, Reaching 9th in Non-English Series

The SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Taxi Driver 2' is achieving remarkable success, currently ranking 9th on Netflix's global chart for non-English series.

Episodes 3 and 4 featured a thrilling display of justice as Kim Do-gi (Lee Je-hoon) and the Rainbow Heroes took on the 'used car villain' Cha Byeong-jin (Yoon Si-yoon) and his accomplices, who cruelly destroyed the lives of ordinary citizens. Do-gi's transformation into 'Hogoo Do-gi' to infiltrate the villains' operation, and the satisfying 'eye for an eye' retribution delivered to the criminals who sold defective flood-damaged cars, provided immense catharsis to viewers. Actor Yoon Si-yoon's impressive transformation into a villain also garnered significant attention.

The drama's popularity is evident in its ratings. Episode 4 recorded a peak viewership rating of 15.4%, with 12.6% in the Seoul metropolitan area and 11.6% nationwide, securing the top spot in its time slot and ranking 4th among all miniseries aired this year. The 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of popularity among advertisers' target demographic, also dominated, achieving a peak of 4.9% and an average of 4.2% for Episode 4, ranking first across all channels in November.

'Taxi Driver 2' is also making waves on OTT platforms. It secured the No. 1 position on Netflix's 'Top 10 TV Shows in Korea Today' and achieved 9th place on the global Non-English TV Shows chart (November 24-30). Its inclusion in the Top 10 as the only series not specifically released worldwide highlights its exceptional international appeal.

Furthermore, the drama topped the TV-OTT Content Popularity rankings for the fourth week of November (Nov 24-30) according to Good Data Corporation's FUNdex. It has also captivated international audiences, with episode ratings on IMDb averaging 9.5 points (as of December 2).

The success of 'Taxi Driver 2' can be attributed to its faithful continuation of the series' unique worldview, combined with more stylish and exhilarating action direction, significantly upgrading the appeal of the heist genre. The strong team chemistry and character performances from Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-sung, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, and Bae Yoo-ram, developed over three seasons, have become a reliable source of entertainment. The appearances of notable guest stars like Kasamatsu Sho and Yoon Si-yoon as episode villains have also added fresh excitement and immersion, serving as a unique viewing point for Season 3.

Looking ahead, Episode 5 will delve into the 'Murder Case Without a Body of the Jin Gwang University Volleyball Team,' the incident that initially led Rainbow Taxi to begin its revenge-proxy services. Anticipation is high for the continued success of 'Taxi Driver 2' as it embarks on this new storyline.

Korean netizens are showering the drama with praise, commenting, "As expected from Taxi Driver! K-revenge stories that resonate globally," "Yoon Si-yoon's villain acting was truly chilling," and "Can't wait for the next episode!"