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Kim Eui Sung on Taxi Driver Season 3.
Recently, an interview with Kim Eui Sung for SBS's recently concluded Friday–Saturday drama Taxi Driver Season 3 was conducted in Seoul.
Taxi Driver Season 3 follows employees of Rainbow Taxi, a taxi company operated by Jang Seong Cheol (Kim Eui Sung), the head of the crime victims' support center Blue Bird Foundation, who carry out revenge on behalf of those wronged. Led by former special forces officer-turned taxi driver Kim Do Gi (Lee Je Hoon), the team includes white hacker An Go Eun (Pyo Ye Jin), former automobile development researcher Choi Gyeong Gu (Jang Hyuk Jin), and former aircraft maintenance mechanic Park Jin Eon (Bae Yoo Ram) — mechanics at Rainbow Taxi.
In the K-drama, Kim Eui Sung plays Jang Seong Cheol, the CEO of Rainbow Taxi. Sharing his thoughts on the conclusion of Season 3, he said, "While filming this dark, strange, and rough drama, I never imagined it would receive so much love and continue even now, five to six years later. I think it's a miracle."
"The previous season concluded with high ratings, so I was cautious about whether we could achieve the same again. Of course, I hoped it would happen, but hasn't the broadcasting scenario changed a lot since then? Terrestrial networks have been struggling with ratings, yet viewers are still giving us so much support and tuning in, so I don't even know how to express my gratitude."
As Taxi Driver has come to Season 3, there's also the question of whether the series will continue into another season.
Kim commented, "I think the possibility of next season should be considered open," and added, "Among ourselves, we don't really talk about the next season. It feels like something you shouldn't talk about. It's like when someone you loved very much goes abroad to study and you can't see them anymore."
He cited "distrust in the law, the judicial system, and other forms of public authority deeply rooted in modern society" as the reason Taxi Driver has continued so far.
"People seem to feel that, compared to the injustice suffered by victims, the punishment imposed on perpetrators is not sufficient. Because viewers deeply empathize with and support taking revenge and administering punishment on their behalf in a personal way, this drama has been able to maintain its popularity."
He added, "There have been many dramas that deal with vigilantism," adding, "I think there are other reasons why Taxi Driver has been able to successfully carry on through multiple seasons. Personally, I believe Lee Je Hoon's role as the lead is a major factor. The way he clearly distinguishes right from wrong and steadfastly, almost bluntly, drives forward the principle of rewarding good and punishing evil seems to have given viewers a sense of comfort and catharsis."
Expressing his gratitude, Kim Eui Sung said, "I feel very thankful to actor Lee Je Hoon." "He has a very strong sense of responsibility toward this series, and he himself is like an ascetic — completely free of issues and always polite. To the point where you think, 'Can a person really be like that?'"
He continued, "He's gotten older, yet he still throws himself into the action work without any hesitation or compromise. I just hope his knees stay in good shape (laughs). I may be older, but I can be immature in some ways. Whereas, he's much younger yet mature and highly responsible as an actor, so I always feel reassured by him."
Kim Eui Sung chose the first episode of Season 1 as his most memorable scene.
"It was a story about a young woman with a disability being exploited sexually and for labor. The content was intense and shocking, so there were a lot of critical comments. But when the next episode showed the perpetrators getting their comeuppance in the same way, public opinion completely changed. I think that scene is emblematic of the Taxi Driver series as a whole."
However, the question of whether private revenge is truly justified remains unanswered. "Season 1 contained a lot of that kind of reflection within the drama itself," adding, "From Season 2 onward, you could say the series has moved beyond that point to some extent and surpassed those concerns."
The actor also brought up the case of the late Lee Sun Kyun and spoke about social responsibility. "It's been two years since actor Lee Sun Kyun passed away, but there haven't been any changes, not even concerning the laws," he said. "We had promised to keep pushing for measures to prevent such incidents, but since little has actually been achieved. I feel ashamed."
He continued, "If there is something that needs to be done, it shouldn't be limited to the world of actors, but I think about ways to reduce cases where society drives someone to the extreme, breaks him, and leaves him with no chance to recover."
Emphasizing that he must not disappoint the public, Kim said, "I always carry that mindset. I want to show that I am an actor who will never disappoint, both in my performances and in real life as well."
