Taxi Driver 3 Smashes Records with Highest 2025 Miniseries Premiere Ratings

Taxi Driver 3 has roared back onto Korean television screens with a vengeance, delivering the highest premiere ratings of any miniseries in 2025. The highly-anticipated third season kicked off on November 21 with an average nationwide rating of 9.5 percent, taking first place in its time slot across all channels. The vigilante taxi crew’s return proves that justice-driven K-dramas still reign supreme among viewers.

Taxi Driver 3 Premiere Performance Breakdown

The Rainbow Taxi Crew Returns

Based on the webtoon “The Deluxe Taxi,” the series follows ex-special forces operative Kim Do Gi who suffered a tragic loss when his mother was murdered. He joins Rainbow Taxi, a vigilante organization posing as a luxury taxi service, where undercover agents specialize in punishing criminals who have evaded justice.

The core cast returns with undeniable chemistry: Lee Je-hoon as Kim Do Gi, Kim Eui-sung as Jang Sung-chul (Rainbow Taxi CEO), Pyo Ye-jin as Ahn Go-eun (genius hacker), Jang Hyuk-jin as Choi Kyung-gu, and Bae Yoo-ram as Park Jin-eon. After spending five years together, Lee Je-hoon noted that “the line between our real personalities and our characters has faded,” with their on-screen chemistry now reflecting their real-life bond.

Season 3’s High-Stakes Mission

The premiere episode wasted no time delivering intense action, following the Rainbow Five as they embark on a dangerous mission to rescue a kidnapped high school girl held captive by a Japanese crime syndicate. This season tackles an international human trafficking ring, expanding the team’s operations beyond Korean borders for their biggest challenge yet.

Director Kang Bo-seung, who worked as assistant director on Season 1 before taking the helm, promises viewers will experience intensity “right from the start.” The season explores both the beginning and end of Rainbow Taxi’s story, with Lee Je-hoon teasing new personas including “Adventurer Do Gi” and surprisingly “cute, unexpectedly naive” versions of his character.

Competition Can’t Slow Down Success

Despite facing competition from Taxi Driver 3 in the same time slot, MBC’s “Moon River” achieved its highest viewership ratings with the fifth episode scoring an average nationwide rating of 6.1 percent, marking a new all-time high for the show. The Friday-Saturday drama battle benefits both series, proving Korean audiences have an appetite for quality storytelling.

A Legacy of Justice and Impact

The Taxi Driver franchise has built an impressive legacy since its 2021 debut. The first season finale achieved the fourth-highest rating of any Friday-Saturday drama in SBS history, while Season 2 became 2023’s most-watched miniseries. The series earned international recognition by winning Best Drama Series at the 28th Asian Television Awards.

What sets Taxi Driver apart is its “cider” effect—the satisfying feeling viewers experience when victims receive justice. The show tackles real social issues including workplace exploitation, school violence, corruption, and scams with unflinching honesty, resonating with audiences who’ve felt failed by legal systems.

For fans following Korean drama trends, Taxi Driver 3’s record-breaking premiere signals that socially conscious thrillers continue dominating the streaming landscape. The series airs on SBS and streams internationally on Viki, making it accessible to the global fanbase that propelled previous seasons to success.

What’s Next for Rainbow Taxi?

With 16 episodes planned through January 10, 2026, viewers can expect two new episodes every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM KST. The addition of Hong Kong actor Edan Lui (Mirror) adds fresh dynamics, while the season promises to reveal long-held secrets about Rainbow Taxi’s origins.

Director Kang Bo-seung left the door open for future seasons, suggesting “the final chapter could mean it’s the last of the trilogy, or it could mean we approached it with the intensity of it being the final season.” Whether this truly marks the end or simply another chapter, one thing is certain: Kim Do Gi and his team aren’t finished delivering justice.

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