With no competing dramas in sight, Taxi Driver 3 continues its unstoppable run. Episode 9, which introduced a new villain played by Jang Na-ra, comfortably secured first place in its time slot while recording its highest peak rating yet.
According to Nielsen Korea, Episode 9 of SBS’s Friday–Saturday drama Taxi Driver 3, which aired on December 19, achieved a peak nationwide rating of 13.3%, with 11.2% in the metropolitan area and 10.0% nationwide. Although this marked a 2.3% drop from Episode 8 on a nationwide basis, the drama still dominated its time slot without facing any real competition.
Among viewers aged 20–49, the key demographic, the drama recorded an average rating of 3.4% and a peak of 4.2%, maintaining its position as No.1 across all channels in December.
Episode 9 Highlights: Undercover Manager Kim Do Gi
In Episode 9, Kim Do-gi (Lee Je-hoon) goes undercover as a manager at an entertainment agency after discovering that idol trainee Romi (Oh Ga-bin) was pressured into sponsor meetings and driven to attempt suicide. The episode opened with Do-gi rescuing Romi after she jumped into a river, setting the stage for a dark and emotionally charged storyline.
Romi had been preparing for her girl group debut under the agency Yellow Star, enduring extreme training and weight control under CEO Kang Ju-ri (Jang Na-ra). However, just before debut, Romi lost consciousness after being summoned by her manager and later woke up at an adult entertainment venue. Soon after, a video from that night was used to blackmail her.
With no memory of the incident and facing massive penalty fees, Romi was pressured into sponsor meetings to “resolve” the situation. Overwhelmed by fear and guilt toward her fellow trainees, she attempted to take her own life—only to be saved by Do-gi.
The Villain Emerges: Jang Nara’s Chilling Duality
To uncover the truth, Do-gi infiltrates the agency as a manager, carefully observing CEO Kang Ju-ri. Under the guise of “mental training,” she verbally and physically abuses trainees, enforces fake smiles, orders surveillance, and burdens them with massive debts under the pretense of investment and education.
The episode culminated in a tense undercover scene at the entertainment venue shown in Romi’s video, where Do-gi nearly gets caught spying on Kang Ju-ri—leaving viewers on edge heading into Episode 10.
Jang Na-ra’s special appearance drew particular attention. She portrayed a successful CEO on the surface, while simultaneously embodying a ruthless villain who exploits young trainees through violence, manipulation, and financial abuse. Her chilling performance quickly became one of the episode’s most talked-about elements.
Viewer Reactions and What’s Next
Viewer response was overwhelmingly positive. Online comments included:
- Another legendary episode.
- Jang Nara’s acting gave me chills.
- The storyline is shocking.
- Can’t wait for the satisfying payback.
- I’m watching this drama live for the first time in years.
Taxi Driver 3 follows the secretive Rainbow Taxi company and driver Kim Do-gi as they carry out private revenge on behalf of wronged victims. Episode 10 airs on December 20 at 9:50 p.m. KST, with anticipation running high over how the truth behind Kang Ju-ri’s crimes will be exposed.
Sources: SBS,Wikitree
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