Taxi Driver 3 Finale: The Last Operation Delivers Ultimate Sacrifice and Military Conspiracy

In the final episode, Kim Do-gi (Lee Je-Hoon) uncovers a military conspiracy far more sinister than he imagined. After discovering that his former comrade Yoo Sun-ah sacrificed her life to prevent a manufactured war, Do-gi learns that higher-ranking officers fabricated the special mission for personal political gains. Now, Do-gi must use every resource at his disposal—and the full backing of his team—to eliminate the problematic officers and expose the truth.

The Plot: A Sacrifice Revealed

When Do-gi reunites with his former unit, he receives devastating news: Sergeant Yoo Sun-ah is dead. What’s worse, she was disgraced and demoted before her death, labelled a traitor by the very organization she served.

Determined to uncover the truth, Do-gi retraces Sun-ah’s final steps to the location where her truck exploded. Following his own teachings—teachings Sun-ah had internalized completely—he searches for the “bird nest” where she would hide critical intelligence if trapped. What he finds are bodycam footage that reveals the shocking reality: Sun-ah martyred herself to save her comrades.

The footage exposes a horrifying plot: commanding officers had hidden bombs inside tactical vests meant for Sun-ah and her unit, planning to have them detonated and blamed on North Korea to trigger an international war that would result in a military regime taking power. Sun-ah discovered this conspiracy, and rather than allow innocent soldiers to die, she sacrificed herself to stop the operation.

When Do-gi hears Sun-ah’s final message on her bodycam—”I knew you would find me, Kim Do-gi, sir”—he breaks down in tears. For the first time in the entire series, the stoic vigilante is emotionally exposed and vulnerable. His grief, anger, and sense of betrayal are raw and devastating.

With this evidence, Do-gi realizes that the true architect of this conspiracy is General Oh (Kim Jong-Soo), a disgraced former officer who once sent Do-gi’s unit on a suicide mission. Though dismissed from active duty for sexual misconduct, General Oh continues to wield significant influence within the military establishment and remains determined to manufacture war for political gain.

Behind-the-Scenes: The Making of a Masterpiece

The chemistry and professionalism displayed in Taxi Driver 3 didn’t happen by accident. The cast and crew have spoken extensively about their dedication to bringing this finale to life.

Lee Je-Hoon’s Commitment to Excellence

Lee Je-Hoon, who portrays Kim Do-gi, delivered one of his most vulnerable performances in the finale. But his preparation went far beyond emotional depth. For Taxi Driver 3, Le Je-Hoon took on the challenge of speaking fluent Japanese and English throughout the season.

In an exclusive interview, Lee Je-Hoon revealed: “Acting in foreign languages felt like a huge challenge and responsibility for me, so I practiced extensively and gave it a lot of thought. I worked with both Japanese and English teachers, received multiple lessons, and they even carefully checked my lines on set.”

His commitment was so thorough that co-star Edan Lui, who plays Interpol officer Michael, praised his professionalism: “He had a lot of lines, but he would come to the set fully prepared.

And he also had to handle speaking in both Japanese and English. You could really see his dedication and attitude toward the role. He’s a very dedicated actor. Even though he’s famous and has been in the industry for so many years, he can keep such a professional attitude.”

The Power of the BORNSTUNT Team 

One of the defining elements of Taxi Driver 3 is its intense action sequences. Lee Je-Hoon credited the stunt team for making this possible: “I can confidently say that without the BORNSTUNT team, there would be no Kim Do-gi.”

The BORNSTUNT crew has been with the Taxi Driver franchise since Season 1, and their familiarity with Lee Je-Hoon’s movement and physicality allows them to choreograph increasingly complex and dangerous sequences. For this season, the action is far more intense and impactful, with the stunt team pushing boundaries while maintaining safety standards.

The Rainbow Deluxe Taxi Squad Reunites

When the cast returned to the underground lair set for Season 3, the emotional reunion was palpable. Pyo Ye-jin (Go-Eun) recalled: “Today was our first day filming on set, and it felt like I’d gone back two years in time.

Everything is exactly the way it was before, though it also feels slightly improved at the same time.”

Kim Eui-Sung (CEO Jang) shared: “Coming back here again, I feel deeply moved. 

Meeting all of our old family members and working together again, I feel so happy, and I’m filled with determination to work hard and create a great drama.”

The camaraderie between the five core cast members is genuine—Lee Je-Hoon, Pyo Ye-jin, Kim Eui-Sung, Jang Hyuk-Jin, and Bae Yoo-Ram have become a true family over three seasons.  

Lee Je-Hoon remarked: “By now, our teamwork has reached a point where we can understand each other just by making eye contact.”

Pyo Ye-jin’s Police Force Background

Pyo Ye-jin, who plays the brilliant hacker and Go-Eun, worked extensively with the stunt director to bring authenticity to her action scenes in Season 3.

She explained: “Since Go-eun has a background in the police force, I wanted her action scenes to look natural and convincing. Under the guidance of the stunt director, I worked to make her movements feel as familiar and realistic as possible.”

The result is that Go-Eun’s combat sequences feel earned and credible, matching the realism of the show’s vigilante narrative.

Edan Lui’s Multilingual Challenge

Hong Kong pop star Edan Lui made his K-drama debut in Taxi Driver 3, playing Interpol officer Michael. Not only was this his first acting role, but it was also his first time acting entirely in English, which is not his native language.

Edan revealed: “I was quite nervous and felt a lot of pressure. Since my English isn’t that good to begin with, I specifically found a teacher beforehand to teach me line by line.” The teacher worked on refining his pronunciation to sound more British, but Edan ultimately prioritized fluency over perfect pronunciation to maintain his acting authenticity.

Working opposite Lee Je-Hoon proved transformative. Edan noted: “Every scene with him represents the development and changes in our characters’ relationship. At first, I have to observe what kind of person he is, test him, then invite him to solve the case together, and later get frustrated and even scold him. There’s a line of emotional build-up throughout, so the emotions have to be very precise.”

The Finale’s Impact: Record Ratings and Cultural Moment

The finale episode achieved peak viewership of 16.6%, with the 2049 demographic (prime advertiser target) reaching 3.6%, securing the #1 spot in its timeslot and among all programs aired. The finale also became the highest-rated episode of the entire season.

More impressively, Taxi Driver 3 took first place in Gallup Korea’s poll of Koreans’ favorite broadcast programs for December 2025, demonstrating its massive cultural significance. The series has remained the #1 show on Viu across Singapore, Philippines, Hong Kong, and other regions, proving its global appeal.

The finale’s exploration of military corruption, sacrifice, and justice resonated deeply with international audiences. The combination of action-thriller elements with emotional character development distinguishes Taxi Driver 3 from typical Korean dramas in the action-thriller category.

What Comes Next?

While Episode 16 concludes the Rainbow Deluxe Taxi’s latest mission, the finale hints at future operations. The appearance of Shim So-Young, who reprises her Season 2 character (Bok-ja’s sister), suggests the world of Taxi Driver is far from finished.

 As Do-gi survives his final operation—battered but unbroken—the stage is set for new cases, new missions, and new opportunities for the Rainbow Deluxe Taxi crew to deliver justice to those failed by the system.

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