Director of ‘Model Taxi 2’: “Season 3 requires large-scale production”

"I didn't expect it at all. I am truly grateful to have received so much love. I was happy when I felt with the viewers what I felt while reading the script. I was able to be angry, sad together, and happy together with many people living in the same era. “Thank you so much. I was the happiest and saddest when I saw the post saying, ‘It would be nice if Kim Do-gi’s article existed in real life.’ I also made season 2 with that feeling in mind.”

Lee Dan, director of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Model Taxi 2', revealed in a written interview that he viewed and participated in this drama from the perspective of both a director and a viewer. 'Model Taxi' is a private revenge drama in which a mysterious taxi company, Rainbow Transportation, and taxi driver Kim Do-gi (played by Lee Je-hoon) complete revenge on behalf of wronged victims. Taking on the responsibility of directing Season 2 of a popular drama is somewhat of a burden. Director Lee Dan also led 'Model Taxi 2' to a box office hit, establishing the serialization of 'Model Taxi'. Season 2 unfolded more cheerfully and quickly than Season 1. Director Lee Dan said, “Striking balance and increasing the hit rate” was the main focus of directing Season 2.

Director Lee Dan said, "In Season 2, in order to focus on Dogi's secondary character play and provide a platform for him to play as a secondary character, we had no choice but to lighten the weight of Season 1. The stories of victims who make inquiries to model taxis will be dealt with seriously. “As the story progressed, there began to be restrictions on the areas in which Kim Do-gi could play an exciting role. This was the part I was most worried about while directing,” he confessed. He continued, "One of the reasons why viewers loved the previous episode was because they thought it was a detailed depiction of cruel reality and a social accusation. So, there was a way to not leave this part behind and not harm Dogi's secondary character play, but without being too heavy. “I thought a lot about how viewers could deeply empathize with the stories of the clients,” he said.

Director Lee Dan said, "I thought that revenge would be exhilarating if viewers felt that the stories of the clients were my own. I also tried to create a point that would infuriate the villain enough for Kim Do-gi to beat him with peace of mind. However, the villain's evil deeds were not enough. “I thought it would be good if it wasn’t just hostile and violent,” he emphasized. He then revealed the reason for casting, saying, "I thought that the actors playing the victims should make viewers feel like they were people around me, not actors, so I recruited actors who had low recognition but could act naturally." In addition, "Even though it was a narrow, inconvenient, and distant place to film, we tried to make it realistic by visiting locations with a sense of realism where traces of ordinary people's daily lives were well-marked. “I tried to take care of the image details, such as the Ssamzie money in the closet, in the hope that viewers would accept the victims’ stories as stories from a place close to them,” he explained.

Director Lee Dan said, "On the contrary, we added settings that made the villains look more evil and cruel. We added a sense of scale to the villains' space, making it visually feel that the evil deeds they committed were not just one or two." He continued, "The villains are specific, such as the contracts and gold items in Kang Pil-seung's (real estate subscription broker) office, the urinals in the space where the children are confined, and the countless drawers in the Black Sun office and the hairpins and brooches inside them. “We decorated the villain’s space by adding props that hint that he may have done something bad and points that could arouse viewers’ anger,” he said. He explained, "I thought a revenge method that was too exciting or too fantasy-like would not be exciting from the viewer's point of view, so we had many meetings to adjust the balance so that it could be made in a more realistic way."

Viewers were angry and laughed together at the episode in the play, which was created based on a real event. Director Lee Dan explained, “I tried to portray the stories of the clients in a way that did not specify the victims, but made them feel like they were people close to me that I knew, that there actually was someone like that, or that I had seen them somewhere so that viewers could empathize deeply with them.” He also explained, "The perpetrator also tried to combine the various aspects of many real-life evildoers," and "Rather than demonizing the perpetrator or making him appear as a huge and great being, I thought it would be nice if he looked unremarkable and pathetic upon closer inspection."

Director Lee Dan expressed his gratitude to the 'Rainbow Luck Five' actors including Lee Je-hoon, Kim Eui-seong, Pyo Ye-jin, Jang Hyuk-jin, Bae Yu-ram, and Shin Jae-ha. Regarding Lee Je-hoon, he said, "Usually actors act in the director's 'Action!' People tend to start acting when they call and end their acting with ‘Cut!’ and then return to their original form. However, Lee Je-hoon uses ‘Cut!’ and ‘Action!’ “It was Kim Do-gi the entire time. It meant that he was focused and not relaxed,” he praised. He also said, “As the main character leading the Model Taxi series, I felt a sense of responsibility and a serious attitude, which is why I and the staff were able to immerse themselves in the work.” He continued, "There were many times when Lee Je-hoon brought to life scenes that were fun to read but difficult to implement in reality," and "Every time, a groan came out from behind the monitor. It was so cool that everyone held their breath and groaned when he gave the OK sign." reported.

Director Lee Dan credited Lee Je-hoon for the completion of realistic scenes, saying, "He even sent me a message saying, 'You can roll me around or pin me down.' He did a lot of the action scenes himself." He continued, “I thought he was an actor with a wide perspective,” and “An actor with sharp and strong lines, but on the other hand, has a lot of stories that trigger protective instincts and has hurt eyes. I think actor Lee Je-hoon, who has both of these aspects, is the perfect match for Kim Do-gi.” “I heard this,” he said. Also, "When asked, 'What kind of life did you live to be able to act like that?' I see that you chicly reply, 'The model taxi made me like this,' so I wonder if he is actually acting as an agent of revenge by driving the model taxi every night. .Also, he seems to be serious in everything, but when I saw that he was good at delivering outrageous ad-libs at unexpected moments, I thought that he was very flexible.”

Regarding Kim Eui-seong, "Just as CEO Jang was like a father to the Rainbow Transportation family, actor Kim Eui-seong was also like a father to 'Model Taxi 2'. He thought about the direction of the script with us, and when we faced difficulties and were wandering, he said, 'Then like this. He said, ‘You can do it~’ and suggested a solution that came from his years of experience and experience,” he said reassuringly. He also laughed, saying, “This time, CEO Jang’s secondary character also appears, and he played it so well that it made me think about how anxious he must have been.”

Regarding Pyo Ye-jin, "Go Eun showed a more mature side than in Season 1. Since Go-eun is a hacker and mainly works in call vans, it could have been frustrating to act alone while looking at the monitor, but I am thankful that Pyo Ye-jin brought to life scenes that could have been dull. “It’s big,” he said. He also said, "Thanks to Pyo Ye-jin's acting, I think viewers got angry and shed tears like Go-eun." He added, "In real life, she is small and thin, and polite, but every time Go-eun acts, she becomes bolder and makes mistakes written in the script. “I was surprised that there were times when I acted more boldly,” he said. In addition, he expressed his expectations, saying, "She did a great job with her side character acting and action scenes that put the villains at their wits' end, so I'm more curious about how far she can go in the future."

Jang Hyuk-jin, who plays Choi Joo-im, and Bae Yu-ram, who plays Park Joo-im, played an active role as a duo in charge of rear support for Kim Do-gi, who went directly to the field. Director Lee Dan said, "I think the people who create a different tone for the 'Model Taxi' series from ordinary hero films are none other than Choi Joo-im and Park Joo-im. Like a comma in the midst of the dark hero's activities, they give viewers room to breathe, and together they He praised him, saying, “He was active and made it possible for viewers to follow along with excitement.” He also said, “I was able to have fun thinking about and filming happily because he did all the makeup and costumes perfectly. There are many scenes that the two of you created well on set that went beyond what was written in the script.” He added, “He is a smart actor who clearly knows where to strike and fall. “Thank you,” he said.

This season, Shin Jae-ha joins the cast as On Ha-jun. On Ha-jun, who was thought to be a new taxi driver at Rainbow Transportation, turned out to be a villain. On Ha-jun had a desire for revenge on Kim Do-gi, but he later found out that he had been kidnapped by the criminal organization Geumhoe when he was young, brainwashed, and raised to be a 'killer'.

Director Lee Dan revealed the reason for creating the new character, saying, "I thought there was a need for an antagonist to lead Season 2. And I decided that a new character was needed who could show a different side of Dogi that had not been seen before." He continued, “Rainbow Fortune has Kim Do-gi, the designer and problem solver, and symmetrically, Geumsae has On Ha-jun, the designer and murder weapon. I think it would be good if Kim Do-gi, who is like an immortal being who always wins a fight, will also have a worthy opponent with whom he can compete. Kim Do-gi and On Ha-jun are equally smart and good at fighting, so I thought it would be interesting to find out what differences make a hero and a villain.”

Director Lee Dan expressed regret, saying, "It's painful. The timing of revealing On Ha-jun's narrative should have been carefully calculated." He said, "We cast Shin Jae-ha in the belief that he would be able to portray the duality of softness and sharpness well, and as a result, our judgment was not wrong. We had to dig deep into Kim Do-gi, who is not easy to let go, with a sad smile, so he appears soft and someone-like on the outside." “We needed an actor with an image that would appeal to everyone,” he said. He said, "I thought Shin Jae-ha was an actor with a beautiful voice, good impression, and warm charm. But didn't you know that the really bad people are sophisticated and polite on the outside, but are creepy and cold on the inside... Shin Jae-ha's creepy acting is also like that? “I thought she did a good job,” he said. “I thought Shin Jae-ha was a good actor. Her energy was directed outward. I was also curious about what kind of charm she would show when she collided with driver Kim Do-gi.”

It is said that Shin Jae-ha attended action school and received training for action scenes. Director Lee Dan said that Shin Jae-ha "stretched his ligaments while filming the action scene, but he did his best in the final rooftop scene and put all the staff on set in a state of emotion. I think he is an actor who is good at expressing both softness and sharpness. He is a good soul." “I thought he was an actor with a lot of courage,” he said.

‘Model Taxi’ is scheduled to continue with Season 3. Director Lee Dan said, “The biggest advantage of seasonal dramas is that viewers can share the sense of growing old and growing together with the main characters over time.” He confided, “If the pattern of solving the case is repeated, viewers may become predictable and lose interest, so I think it will be necessary to devise a longer and larger narrative structure that spans multiple seasons.” In addition, "Due to the nature of the drama, there is a lot of action, and even if it is not an action scene, there are many scenes that are difficult to implement, the fixed location changes for each episode, there is inevitably more outdoor shooting than set shooting, and because the basic 5 people appear, the shooting time and cost are high. "It requires much more than a typical genre production. As the season continues, large-scale production will be needed to meet the growing expectations of viewers," he said. He continued, "From the production team's point of view, seasonal drama production is a very welcome event. If there are stories that cannot be completed this season, we can look forward to the next season." He added, "If continuity between the production team and actors is guaranteed, the time for them to work together will be greatly reduced, and naturally, costs will increase." He also expressed his hope that “the number could be reduced.”

Director Lee Dan said, "I feel very fortunate to have been able to work with many viewers who share contemporary memories. I hope Season 2's message, 'There are things that can be recovered only if you remember', touched the hearts of viewers. “I hope that the true completion of this planning intention will be achieved in the lives of viewers,” he emphasized.

Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr