By Jae-Ha Kim
KOCOWA
April 30, 2021
If you enjoy your vengeance storylines with a big dose of revenge, “Taxi Driver” is the K-drama for you. Based on the webcomic “The Deluxe Taxi,” this series tells the story of Kim Do Ki (Lee Je Hoon) — a former special forces officer — who’s recruited by the mysterious CEO of the Rainbow Taxi company. Jang Sung Chol (Kim Eui Song) is a wealthy philanthropist who also spearheads the Bluebird Foundation to benefit crime victims. The pair share a disturbing bond — both their parents were killed by a serial killer and neither believes the perpetrators received the justice they deserved.
Do Ki learns quickly enough that he wasn’t hired solely for his mad driving skills, which would put a Formula One racer to shame. Rather, his skill set includes being able to fight an army of criminals while keeping his cool and outsmarting even the most deviously clever criminals. Along with a trio of colleagues, which includes the company’s ace hacker Ahn Go Eun (Pyo Ye Jin), Do Ki gets justice for the victims and survivors.
The first four episodes showed a lot of promise. Do Ki helped a mentally handicapped young woman who was physically and sexually abused by her bosses. The company only ever hired handicapped employees (so they could take advantage of the workers without ever paying them). He also infiltrated a high school to rid it of bullies, who essentially were teenage gangsters. And when he was hired to drive a child molester who’d just been released from prison, things didn’t exactly go the way that the unremorseful criminal had planned.
Part of the fun of watching “Taxi Driver” is seeing evil people get their comeuppance. And, of course, part of the pleasure of watching series like this is because we know that in real life, vigilante justice isn’t condoned. But as with all new series that we love, it can be difficult waiting for the new episodes to be released.
So, to make things a little more bearable while we wait for the latest episodes of “Taxi Driver,” here are some K-drama recommendations that may satiate your desire for revenge.
No one is better at getting revenge than Song Joong Ki in his hit mafia series, “Vincenzo.” But if you want more vengeance served with a kinda/sorta love story, you must check out “The Innocent Man.” Kang Ma Ru (Song Joong Ki) plays a smart med student who goes to jail for the woman he loves when it appears that she has murdered someone. But as can be expected, his time in prison leaves him a broken man. And when he is released, he blames her for how his life has turned out (even though it was his decision to take the fall) and sets out to ruin her life.
“The Penthouse” (Seasons 1 and 2)
I’m trying to think of any major characters in “The Penthouse” who don’t wreak vengeance on someone else and I’m drawing a blank… If you think of any, let me know in the comments below. Everyone from the teenage students, to their parents, to their teachers is out to climb up the social ladder by stepping on top of someone else. You know how in the U.S. there are all these crossover episodes of TV shows? How cool would it be if “Taxi Driver” crossed over with “The Penthouse” for even one episode. I know it won’t happen, but OMG what I wouldn’t give to see Do Ki deal with Dan Tae (Um Ki Joon)…
Lee Jong Suk plays a man who seeks righteousness and vengeance to clear his family’s name. The media, needing a villain, painted his by-the-book father as a coward who ran away from a disastrous fire. In reality, he was a heroic firefighter before he perished while trying to rescue victims. His son, Ha Myung (played for Lee Jong Suk), grows up and becomes a journalist so that he can reveal the corrupt reporter who caused the most damage to his family. His goal is to honor his father, who deserved better.
“Kairos”
Shin Sung Rok portrays a cold businessman who puts work before his family, which includes a classical musician wife and an adorable daughter. But when his family is threatened, he goes into full on vengeance mode to seek out who is trying to destroy his life. This series has a time travel element and Sung Rok’s character isn’t easy to warm up to in the first few episodes. But as he realizes that what he has lost is something that money can’t buy, he does everything he can to get his life back to normal. Sung Rok is such an expressive, talented actor that he has viewers rooting for his not-always-likeable character.
You know that saying, “Revenge is a dish best served cold“? How apropos for these satisfying K-dramas. Now it’s your turn. What are some of your favorite revenge-filled series?
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