'Taxi Driver 3' Dominates Ratings with Stellar Villain Lineup; Jang Na-ra Teased for 'Twist Casting'

SBS's hit Friday-Saturday drama 'Taxi Driver 3' is continuing its reign of success, captivating audiences with its compelling villain portrayals in each episode.

Dubbed a revenge drama where the taxi service Rainbow Cabs and its driver Kim Do-gi help victims seek justice, 'Taxi Driver 3' builds upon the foundations of its previous seasons. It's being praised for its solid world-building, gripping storyline, cinematic direction, and the vibrant performances from its cast that complete the drama's universe.

The series has already broken its own viewership records, achieving a peak rating of 15.6% and a nationwide average of 12.3% by its eighth episode. It also dominated the key demographic viewership (2049), reaching a high of 5.19% and ranking first among all programs aired on any channel in December. Furthermore, it secured the top spot for non-original series on Netflix in Korea and maintained a four-week consecutive run at the top of the FUNdex drama-variety rankings, solidifying its unchallenged run.

A key factor behind 'Taxi Driver 3''s popularity is its unique 'villain series.' As an episodic drama, it not only focuses on the main heroes – Do-gi (Lee Je-hoon), CEO Jang (Kim Eui-sung), Go-eun (Pyo Ye-jin), Choi Do-han (Jang Hyuk-jin), and Park Jin-eon (Bae Yoo-ram) – but also on the clients and villains of each case. The antagonists, in particular, are presented as protagonists of their respective arcs.

'Taxi Driver 3' differentiates itself by casting prominent actors as these formidable villains. The season kicked off with Japanese actor Kasamatsu Sho as 'Matsuda,' the leader of an illegal Japanese loan shark organization involved in international human trafficking. Kasamatsu Sho's portrayal of a cynical man devoid of faith in humanity, coupled with the barbarity of a yakuza boss, intensely heightened the drama's immersion.

Following him, Yoon Shi-yoon delivered a chilling and powerful performance as 'Cha Byeong-jin,' a former lawyer at the apex of a used car fraud cartel. Yoon Shi-yoon's dedication, including extreme weight loss for the role, earned him praise, with viewers commenting they 'couldn't even recognize him' and 'never knew Yoon Shi-yoon could play an evil role so well.'

Most recently, Eum Moon-suk appeared in episodes 5-8 as 'Cheon Gwang-jin,' a notorious psychopath responsible for illegal gambling, match-fixing, murder, body disposal, and heinous family crimes. As the main villain for a substantial four-episode arc, Eum Moon-suk's spine-chilling portrayal of madness amplified the catharsis of the 'Rainbow Heroes'' brand of justice.

With the successful performances of Kasamatsu Sho, Yoon Shi-yoon, and Eum Moon-suk, anticipation for the next villain is at its peak. Actress Jang Na-ra is set to appear as 'Kang Ju-ri,' a former girl group member turned entertainment agency CEO. She is expected to portray the twisted inner self and greed hidden behind a successful businesswoman's facade. Given Jang Na-ra's beloved image of warmth and loveliness, her venture into an antagonist role is truly a 'twist casting.' Viewers are eagerly wondering what kind of performance Jang Na-ra will deliver in her first-ever villain role, continuing the compelling villain saga of 'Taxi Driver 3.'

Netizens are buzzing with excitement, with comments like, 'Lee Je-hoon's acting goes without saying!', 'The villains' acting is amazing every time,' and 'Jang Na-ra as a villain, I'm so looking forward to it!' showing high anticipation for the upcoming episodes.