Trailer Reaction: Taxi Driver Season 2 (2023)

The second season of Taxi Driver is just around the corner (3 days to go from my neck of the forest) and the previews look promising. If you’ve been following me for a while now, you’ll be aware that I was/am a fan of the first season. Indeed, what’s not to like? A vigilante style superhero who drives a cab and helps the weak get their revenge. I would go so far as to say that it is the best K version of Leverage. Of course it’s not for the faint-hearted and as I’ve said elsewhere recently, K dramas don’t hold back on abuse, exploitation and bullying. The intention on the part of the showrunners is always to assault the senses and provide a visceral experience. It’s one of those rare K dramas that I watched with every member of my family. In fact, it became a weekly event where we hurled choice words at the screen and condemned the show’s most heinous villains.

From the previews and script session, it looks like most of the cast is back. Indeed, all of the Rainbow Taxi gang are all dressed up looking eager to get back into the saddle. That in itself is quite the feat. Joining the returning cast is Shin Jae-ha who can be seen at the moment in Crash Course in Romance as Mr Ji, Jung Kyung-ho’s PA. Not more is given concerning his character apart from the fact that he will be part of the gang. Others will remember Shin Jae-ha also from Prison Playbook and A Poem a Day. I was hoping that Jang Hyuk-jin and Bae Yoo-ram would get better hairstyles this time but sadly no… judging from this introductory shot of the gang. Esom doesn’t look like she’s returning. My daughter’s sorry but to be honest, I didn’t really connect with the character Kang Ha-na until much closer to the finale.

Of course the biggest drawcard was and is Lee Je-hoon who was terrific in the titular role in the first season so I expect him to put in an equally energetic performance . A man of many masks, Kim Do-gi takes lead in various cases as they exact vengeance on those who have exploited and bullied the weak. His is former military and the team’s muscle. His passion for the cause is due to his own discontent with the system in dealing with his mother’s killer. Like before, the team will exact vengeance on behalf of those who have no other place to turn to.

The gang looks to be expanding their horizons and head overseas in this shot. One of the highlights of the series is the incredible action set pieces and accompanying cinematography. Again, it looks like they’ve given the show the same treatment here. One expects a show called Taxi Driver to have the obligatory car chases. Visually it looks stunning.

Also noteworthy is an unnamed enemy with substantial resources. The Rainbow Taxi gang appear to be targeted by an unknown entity at this point. The question is whether some of the baddies from the last season are out for blood. Most probably. I noticed that the ring leader behind the phishing scam, Lim Bok-ja, made an appearance during the script reading session. Furthermore it seems that at some point Do-gi lands in the slammer. Is it deliberate? Has he gone undercover for a mission? Or has the law caught up with him?

The second series will have a lot to live up to. Will it fall prey to sequelitis? Only time will tell. The first season registered its highest rating at over 15% among the locals and it was equally popular among international fans. The previews certainly promise another wild ride and adrenaline rush.

Taxi Driver is adapted from a popular webtoon