Actor Lee Je-hoon proved the classic of the dark hero in SBS drama 'Taxi Driver 3', delivering a perfect full stop. 'Taxi Driver 3' punished the great evil that dreamed of 'martial law' through sacrifice and citizens' solidarity, offering a heavy aftertaste and thrilling catharsis as it closed the grand journey.
Lee Je-hoon returned as the special forces officer 'Soldier Doki' in the final episode of SBS gold-and-Saturday drama 'Taxi Driver 3' (directed by Kang Bo-seung | written by Oh Sang-ho | produced by Studio S, Group Eight, BN Entertainment). Beyond uncovering the truth of his junior's death, he revealed the dark side that continues to exist within the military organization, depicting Kim Doki's desperate struggle between life and death and the victory of justice as 'Taxi Driver 3' drew its final curtain.
In the finale broadcast on the 10th, the truth hidden behind the death of Yoo Seon-ah (played by Jeon Sonee)'s superior was revealed, and Kim Doki once again charged toward a huge villain. Doki learned that Yoo Seon-ah had sacrificed herself to save her colleagues after discovering the secret of the operation, and using her final message and video as clues, he began tracking the truth of the secretly orchestrated operation within the military.
Their plan, which sought to sacrifice even allied forces under the pretext of orders and security, was revealed to be a dangerous attempt to manipulate a wartime situation centered on border area B24, immediately expanding the scale of the drama. Facing power where common sense does not apply, Doki joined hands with the Rainbow Transport team and launched a risky but certain "nun-nun-ee-ee" counterattack to prevent a greater tragedy. Based on the evidence and internal information Yoo Seon-ah left behind, Doki and the Rainbow Transport team uncovered that the final mastermind behind the operation was the 'martial law villain' Oh Won-sang (played by Kim Jong-soo) and completed a meticulous plan to thwart the plot to provoke an all-out war through bombardment and sacrifice.
At exactly 10 p.m., when it seemed everything would end with the artillery fire order, Rainbow Transport's operation completely collapsed Oh Won-sang's scheme and turned the tables with fireworks and sparklers unfolding in the night sky instead of shells, the stage of Elements, and the appearance of past clients who had gathered again at the scene.
However, Oh Won-sang, consumed by madness to the end, denied responsibility, confronted Doki head-on, and after an extreme standoff with continued gunfire, Doki chose to sacrifice himself and plunge into the river with Oh Won-sang. Doki's survival after disappearing below the cliff plunged everyone into shock, but in the final scene Doki reappeared cheerfully in front of the sister of season 1's villain Madam Rim (played by Shim So-young), giving viewers both relief and delight. Even at a moment when all fighting seemed over, Kim Doki's refusal to stop operating left a strong impression that the Taxi Driver's run toward justice continues somewhere as an ongoing action, decorating the grand finale.
In the finale, Lee Je-hoon completed the apex of the character Kim Doki with performance that maximized emotional range, once again proving the classic of the dark hero. In the scene where he stands up again wounded by gunfire to confront Oh Won-sang, he raised both physical pain and mental anger, bringing the drama's immersion to a peak, and his unwavering gaze before the truth and his decision to throw himself to protect his comrades displayed Kim Doki's conviction without filter.
Until he cheerfully reappeared in the final moment, Lee Je-hoon alternated emotion and action to tightly build the flow of the drama, maintaining a high-tension sense of suspense throughout the broadcast. Through season 3, Lee Je-hoon showed deeper emotional acting and sophisticated, high-difficulty action, forging the character Kim Doki into a genre of its own and putting a clean full stop on the narrative.
Upon the show's end, Lee Je-hoon expressed deep gratitude to viewers, saying, "I feel like I received the greatest love an actor can get through the 'Taxi Driver' series. I am truly grateful to the viewers," and added, "It was an honor to live as Kim Doki, who listens to the voices of the wronged, and every moment was precious and happy because I was with the Rainbow Transport team," revealing special affection for 'everyone's signature role' Kim Doki and Rainbow Transport.
[Photo] 'Taxi Driver 3' broadcast capture
[OSEN]