Veteran actor Kim Eui Sung has spoken highly of Lee Je Hoon, calling him a trustworthy and principled actor after working together for five years on the hit SBS drama “Taxi Driver.”
Season 3 of “Taxi Driver” recently concluded with an impressive average rating of 13.3% for its final episode, outperforming competing programs in the same time slot. The drama has also become the highest-rated Korean miniseries of 2026 so far, particularly among viewers aged 20–49, with an average rating of 4.6% in the key demographic.
Based on a popular webtoon, “Taxi Driver” follows a secretive taxi service that delivers revenge on behalf of victims who fail to find justice through the legal system. Since its premiere in 2021, the series has maintained its original core cast across all three seasons, including Lee Je Hoon, Kim Eui Sung, Pyo Ye Jin, Jang Hyuk Jin, and Bae Yoo Ram, who portray the members of Rainbow Taxi.
In a recent interview, Kim Eui Sung reflected on the journey of the drama and the bond formed among the cast.
“Five years is not a short time,” he said. “When we first started filming, it was during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The story was very dark, and I wondered whether audiences would accept such a heavy tone. I never imagined the show would last for five years and receive so much love across three seasons.”
Expressing pride in the long-standing teamwork of the Rainbow Taxi cast, Kim Eui Sung added that maintaining the same five members over multiple seasons is rare in the industry.
“It’s not easy for five actors to stay together that long in our line of work. I’m very proud that we managed to do it together,” he said.
Kim Eui Sung also joked that some cast members have begun to resemble their characters in real life, noting that Pyo Ye Jin has become “more fierce, just like Go Eun,” while managers around her appear “increasingly clueless.”
However, Kim Eui Sung emphasized that Lee Je Hoon has remained the most unchanged throughout the years.
“He’s exactly the same as ever,” Kim Eui Sung said. “He’s someone we never have to worry about. He lives very properly, makes no mistakes, and is incredibly reliable. Lee Je Hoon is truly a pillar of trust for all of us.”
The veteran actor also shared a rare behind-the-scenes anecdote, recalling the only time he ever saw Lee Je Hoon lose his temper on set.
“It was the first and only time,” Kim Eui Sung said. “The filming schedule was extremely tight, and the staff hadn’t prepared alternative plans for scenes that required long setup times. Lee Je Hoon spoke firmly, saying, ‘Let’s work more responsibly.’ Even standing beside him as a senior, I could clearly feel that his sense of responsibility toward the project was on a different level.”
When asked about the possibility of a fourth season of “Taxi Driver,” Kim Eui Sung responded cautiously.
“Popularity alone isn’t enough to keep a series going forever,” he said. “Producing a drama that is both profitable and sustainable—especially on a public broadcast network—is very difficult. We all probably hope to continue, but we’ve never said it out loud. We just understand through our eyes that we may meet again someday.”
As “Taxi Driver” continues to cement its legacy as one of Korea’s most successful long-running action dramas, Lee Je Hoon’s professionalism and reliability remain at the heart of its enduring success.
Sources: Netizenbuzz