Jang Nara Shocks as Villain in 'Taxi Driver 3': Unveiling the Dark Side of K-Pop Industry

Jang Nara captivates audiences with her shocking transformation into a villain.

On the April 19th episode of SBS's 'Taxi Driver 3' (directed by Kang Bo-seung, written by Oh Sang-ho), viewers witnessed Kim Do-gi (played by Lee Je-hoon) and the Rainbow Taxi team uncovering the dark underbelly of an entertainment agency after saving idol trainee Lee Ro-mi (played by Oh Ga-bin) from a suicide attempt.

During the episode, Kim Do-gi sensed something amiss when Lee Ro-mi, a passenger in his taxi, confessed her dream of becoming an idol singer who brings hope and comfort to people. After she jumped off a bridge into the Han River, Kim Do-gi, driven by a foreboding feeling, turned his car around and heroically rescued her from the water.

In the hospital, Lee Ro-mi's belongings revealed a heartbreaking note stating, "I will take the dirt and darkness so that the members can shine brightly," shocking the Rainbow Taxi team. Despite being in a state of severe malnutrition, Lee Ro-mi was forcibly discharged by her agency's manager, Song, who even assaulted her. Witnessing this, Kim Do-gi ran over Song with his car to subdue him and took Lee Ro-mi back into his taxi to learn the horrific truth about the agency 'Yellow Star.'

Yellow Star's CEO, Kang Ju-ri (played by Jang Nara), outwardly appeared as a supportive mentor investing heavily in trainees' futures. However, she was, in reality, a ruthless entrepreneur forcing trainees to drop out and saddling them with massive debts. Lee Ro-mi, under Kang Ju-ri's orders, lost consciousness after drinking water given by manager Song on her way to a recording studio and found herself abandoned on a nightclub table. Kang Ju-ri threatened Lee Ro-mi with a video of the incident, saying, "This video will be released when you debut, and I can't stop it." The agency's director, Yoo Tae-joo, further manipulated Lee Ro-mi, urging her to "take a bad person as a sponsor for success," pushing her to the brink.

The Rainbow Taxi team discovered Yoo Tae-joo's involvement in the video threatening Lee Ro-mi and realized the entire scheme was a coordinated effort by Kang Ju-ri and her staff. To fully expose the truth, Kim Do-gi took a bold step by infiltrating Yellow Star as a manager, replacing the injured Song. Inside, he witnessed Kang Ju-ri's chilling dual nature, as she verbally and physically abused trainees, telling them their expressions were "unappetizing," and forced managers to carry listening devices.

Kang Ju-ri warned Kim Do-gi, "Do not be kind to the trainees," and ordered strict surveillance. However, Kim Do-gi, evading Kang Ju-ri's watchful eyes, accelerated his plans for revenge to end the trainees' suffering. With trainees enduring harsh conditions, such as violent mental coaching costing 3 million won per session and surviving on a single roll of kimbap shared among four, viewers eagerly anticipate Kim Do-gi's fierce pursuit of justice.

Reporter Chaeryeong Lim, TenAsia syjj426@tenasia.co.kr