According to Nielsen Korea, the first episode of the Korean drama "Taxi Driver 3" aired on the evening of November 21 achieved an average nationwide rating of 9.5% on SBS.
Not only leading the rating in the same broadcast time frame on all channels, "Taxi Driver 3" also set a premiere record with the highest rating among ministries (short-form TV series/limited episodes) this year.
In addition to the plot, the chemistry between the actors also creates its own appeal from many aspects, including Lee Je Hoon's impressive body. The actor's ideal figure is delicately exploited in the film through the choice of outfit or camera angle.
Although it has just been broadcast, Lee Je Hoon's image of wearing a tri-hole shirt showing off his muscles has caused a stir on forums.
In an interview with Lifestyle Asia, Lee Je Hoon said that he spends more time practicing to have a toned body and "sharper" body lines. He exercises 2 hours a day, increasing his portion sizes to be high in protein to build muscle.
In addition, practicing helps Lee Je Hoon look "more powerful" when filming chase and punching scenes on film.
Previously, in "Taxi Driver 2", Lee Je Hoon had a strange appearance with long hair covering his eyes and physical training scenes showing off his broken body and gait in the prison room, bringing novelty and excitement to the audience.
According to The Straits Times, Lee Je Hoon shared that he was not afraid to increase about 10kg to 20kg for the role if the script required. The actor found the process of gaining or losing weight to suit the role to be a joy and worth trying.
Taxi Driver is one of SBSs most popular series. Since 2023, the series has ranked 5th in the national rating among all land-based dramas and cable dramas, reaching the highest level of 21%.
The second part of the film also won the Best Drama award at the 28th Asian Television Awards.
Director Kang Bo Seung is confident in the appeal of the work, saying that "Taxi Driver" is a series that is strong enough to last 10 seasons, if given the opportunity.
