SBS ‘Taxi Driver 3’
Actor Jeon So-ni instantly seized the small screen in ‘Taxi Driver 3’ with explosive charisma hidden behind an unadorned look.
In episodes 15-16 of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama ‘Taxi Driver 3’ (written by Oh Sang-ho / directed by Kang Bo-seung), aired on the 9th and 10th, Jeon So-ni made a special appearance as ‘Yoo Seon-ah’, a sergeant in Anti-Terror Team 1 and a direct subordinate of special-forces operator Kim Do-gi (played by Lee Je-hoon), delivering a performance that ran through the show to its core.
On screen, Yoo Seon-ah made an exceptional entrance from the very first flashback. During training, she drove a paint training dagger into Kim Do-gi’s side and shot back, “This is a dying message,” a cheeky yet confident display that was more than enough to show a soldier’s spirit. With a bare face, squared posture, and crisp action, Jeon So-ni embodied ‘soldier Yoo Seon-ah’ to a tee. In particular, her steady, unflinching gaze that did not waver even before veteran Lee Je-hoon left a strong impression, pushing immersion in the story to its peak.
Yoo Seon-ah was a junior whom Kim Do-gi cherished so much that he lauded her, saying, “There is nothing more to teach.” He showed extraordinary concern, saying, “If your safety is not secured, abandon important information,” but Yoo Seon-ah’s fate rushed toward tragedy. Because of the corruption and deceit of her superiors, she became entangled in a bomb-vest incident. Jeon So-ni delicately portrayed the complex emotional arc of emptiness at being betrayed by the organization she trusted and, even so, her resolve to fulfill her duty as a soldier, bringing viewers to tears.
The highlight of this episode was Yoo Seon-ah’s final struggle. While moving to her assigned position, she forced the subordinates riding in the truck to disembark to secure their safety, then took the wheel alone and headed into harm’s way. As she gathered the bomb vests in question and classified documents to take them to the military prosecutors, she hurled a venomous condemnation at the corrupt forces blocking her path: “You are no longer soldiers. Get ready to take off your uniforms.” To the very end, she left a body cam with Kim Do-gi to secure evidence, and, upholding her pride as a soldier, she fell in the line of duty, leaving a lingering impact.
After the broadcast, viewers flooded communities and social media with heated reactions such as, “A rediscovery of Jeon So-ni,” “Now I understand why Kim Do-gi was so sorrowful,” and “The uniform suits her so well and the action is exhilarating.”
Jeon So-ni infused a potentially flat soldier character with her own colors, expressing both warm affection for her comrades and the toughness that refuses to compromise with injustice. In particular, her all-in action and the distinctive discipline of a special-forces member drew praise such as, “I would believe it even if she were an actual soldier,” once again proving her standing as an actress audiences can trust.
Accordingly, having exerted a presence that permeated the entire flow of the story beyond a simple special appearance, attention now turns to what new sides of herself Jeon So-ni will unveil to surprise the public next.
