Receiving lots of admiration and acclaim for his compelling portrayal, Lee Je Hoon sat down for an interview and talked about his recently-concluded drama Taxi Driver!
Post the conclusion of the SBS drama Taxi Driver, lead actor Lee Je Hoon revealed his thoughts and affection towards his latest project.
Expressing his fondness towards the series, the actor conveyed, “I don’t think it’ll be easy to see this kind of piece again. I hope the story will be written further. I want to do well as there is a lot of pressure and responsibility.”
While his character portrays various personas, Lee Je Hoon was relieved and glad that he was positively received.
Based on a webtoon of the same name, Taxi Driver follows the story of a team called Rainbow Taxi Revenge Service, who avenges victims who are treated unjustly.
Aired last May 29, the final episode of Taxi Driver notched a 15.3% rating (based on Nielsen Korea).
“Through my role Kim Do Ki, I wanted to provide that gratifying relief to viewers.”
In the drama, Lee Je Hoon portrays Kim Do Ki, a taxi driver who works for “Rainbow Taxi Company.” He is a member of a deluxe taxi company team that punishes the perpetrators on behalf of the victims. He played an active role in executing their revenge plans.
Exploring his character, Lee indicated, “‘Kim Do Ki is a character with severe trauma, pain, and sorrow after losing his mother in the past, and I realized that his life is miserable and lonely.”
Talking about the process of playing his character, Lee Je Hoon expressed, “When I first read the script, I pondered on its meaning and efficiently played the role “Kim Do Ki.” He continued, “I thought I was like Batman. Isn’t it called the “Dark Knight?”
In each episode, the cast turns into different characters to solve each case. The actor revealed, “I was worried that viewers might be confused because the supporting characters are distinct to Kim Do Ki.”
“Fortunately, I had absorbed the character’s direction and intentions well. After its premiere, almost 90% of the filming was done, and I was able to express it with more energy and freedom. Thank you for supporting and cheering for Kim Do Ki a lot. It truly gave me a lot of strength.”
Lee Je Hoon also revealed that he accepted the offer after reading the scripts for episodes 1 and 4 since the two particular chapters came off really strong.
Particularly, Taxi Driver dealt with the case of exploitation of disabled people and school violence. He mentioned that he did not hesitate as PD Park Jun Woo, director of the SBS current affairs show Unanswered Questions, was directing the drama.
On controversies of using a stunt double
In Taxi Driver, the actor shows off spectacular action scenes such as car chasing. Discussing his preparations, Lee Je Hoon mentioned, “I’ve been waiting for a project where I want to show action properly. I spent a long period of time working with the martial arts director, and thankfully, I was able to portray it without too many difficulties.”
He continued, “The producer and the staff were worried that the main actor might get hurt. Because in that case, the entire shoot could stop. There were a lot of dangerous scenes in car-chasing, such as the 180-degree drift scene.”
Due to its incredible action scenes, controversies arise wherein viewers speculate that the actor used a stunt double during that one specific fighting scene. Viewers pointed out that during the transitioning scenes, he appeared with distinct appearances, including hairstyle.
Discussing the concerns over the stunt double, Lee Je Hoon assured, “In fact, it wasn’t a difficult action scene, but the production team was concerned. However, I still decided to proceed with filming. The producer said he was sorry (for the controversy afterward), but on the other hand, I thought I should do better. The action, including the drift scenes, were challenging yet fulfilling.”
On the possibility of Taxi Driver Season 2
The final episode also showed an open ending in which the members of Rainbow Taxi Company, who returned to their lives, have gathered together again.
“I think the ending left room for the people of Rainbow Taxi Revenge Service Team to continue helping people who are not protected by the law. It feels good that prosecutor Kang Ha Na (Esom) also joined and raises the curiosities and anticipation of viewers.”
The actor goes on, “Wouldn’t it be meaningful if the team moved on to a role of helping solve a new case?”
Then he laughed, “The process will not be easy, but since I’ve already done it once, I wonder if I can deliver the message and emotions that are both fun and sympathetic to the viewers in the next season [if there is]. “
On choosing his projects
Looking at Lee Je Hoon’s acting portfolio, his works mainly delve on social issues, such as Signal, movies Anarchist from Colony and I Can Speak.
The recently-released Netflix original series Move to Heaven had also received favorable reviews from the audience.
Explaining the process of how he chooses his projects, Lee stated, “As an actor, I research and study the characters. I am also interested in topics surrounding society, so it seems to influence my selection of works. I think I was able to appear in Taxi Driver because of my previous work.”
“The moment I act, I pour everything into it, and I’ve never cared about myself. It will always be the same. I don’t have a sequel to work on yet but we’ll have to continue searching for more amazing projects. It takes a lot of effort, but please watch over me as an actor who has a lot to grow and show in the future.”
Source: Yonhap News | NEWSIS
Photos: PRJ
