The eighth episode of Taxi Driver Season 3 commences with a journey to a foreign land, introducing us to Cheon Gwang-jin, a man who runs a wrestling club and an illicit dog-fighting ring, all while livestreaming these brutal matches for online betting enthusiasts. As Gwang-jin learns of the demise of the volleyball betting site, he promptly reaches out to Seong-uk, inquiring about the fiasco. Meanwhile, Seong-uk is unearthing the grave that will ultimately lead the police to Min-ho's tragic end. Realizing that something has gone awry, Gwang-jin decides to fly to South Korea himself.
The episode then transports us back seventeen years earlier, to a time when Min-ho, Seong-uk, and Dong-hyeon were recruits at Jingwang University, where Gwang-jin served as their fearsome coach. To secure their loyalty, he bribed them with expensive shoes. Min-ho stood his ground, refusing to play ball and threatening to expose Seong-uk and Dong-hyeon for their deliberate loss of matches. Panicked by Min-ho's defiance, the two turned to Gwang-jin for help. The coach tried to intimidate Min-ho, but his resolve only hardened. Gwang-jin then offered Min-ho money to aid his father, Dong-su, a struggling watch repairman. Min-ho rejected the offer and requested to be left alone.
That night, Min-ho reached out to Dong-su with a promise of a future meeting. Later, he called Dong-hyeon into the locker room, urging him to confess everything. Instead, Min-ho found Seong-uk and Gwang-jin waiting there. Gwang-jin struck Min-ho on the head with a violent blow that caused a severe concussion, forcing Dong-hyeon to follow suit while ordering Seong-uk to stand by idly.
With his injuries, Min-ho struggles to exit the locker room, while Gwang-jin and Seong-uk slip out the back door, their movements a silent dance, avoiding the prying eyes of the CCTV cameras. Outside, Gwang-jin runs Min-ho over with his car, a chilling act of retribution. He then directs Dong-hyeon to don Min-ho's clothing and leave the locker room, crafting a false trail for the police to follow.
As for Seong-uk, Gwang-jin leads him to his ancestral gravesite, where his grandmother rests in peace. There, they perform a secret burial for Min-ho, beside Gwang-jin's grandmother's resting place, ensuring that no rumors would spread.
Dong-su is left in a state of desperation as Min-ho vanishes into thin air. He begins a desperate search for his son, while Dong-hyeon is eventually imprisoned for his violent actions. Seong-uk, on the other hand, continues to play the game under Gwang-jin's ruthless control.
Later, Gwang-jin tasks Seong-uk with a more heinous act: running over Dong-su with a truck. They ransack Dong-su's home, and due to his deteriorating mental state, he is institutionalized in a psychiatric facility. This explains why Sung-chul was never able to find him.
In the present day, Gwang-jin learns that Min-ho's burial site has been discovered. Sung-chul informs Do-gi that Dong-su's final wish was for Min-ho to receive a proper burial. Do-gi promises to honor this wish but reveals that someone more powerful had been manipulating Seong-uk all along.
Not long after, Gwang-jin summons Seong-uk and brutally tortures Dong-hyeon for revealing Min-ho's burial site to the police. In a fit of rage and betrayal, he ultimately drowns his once loyal accomplice.
Sung-chul's suspicions escalated upon learning that Min-ho had suffered a severe head trauma and concussion prior to his apparent "accidental" demise. That very night, as Min-ho's remains were being transferred to a nursing home, Gwang-jin intercepted the transport, staging an accident and stealing the remains. Jin-eon and Kyung-koo discovered the theft and promptly informed Do-gi and Sung-chul.
Go-eun later confirmed that Seong-uk and Dong-hyeon had met their ends through drowning and arson, respectively. Sung-chul feared for Dong-su, the last remaining witness, who was now in imminent danger. Coincidentally, Gwang-jin was found sitting beside Dong-su, who continued to repeat fragmented memories of Min-ho. As Gwang-jin attempted to kidnap him, Do-gi and Sung-chul arrived, with Do-gi engaging Gwang-jin's men in a fierce fight. The resulting chaos allowed Sung-chul to safely escort Dong-su home.
Later, Go-eun revealed that Gwang-jin's grandmother was a formidable businesswoman who founded Jingwang University as a sports institution, and that the money flowing through the betting apps could be traced back to her. The Rainbow Crew concluded that Gwang-jin's crimes were deeply rooted and meticulously funded. With Min-ho's body being the key to closing the case, Do-gi insisted on swift action.
As planned, Gwang-jin contacted Do-gi, hoping to leverage his combat skills for a new betting operation. Do-gi entered a remote, abandoned school, also financed by Gwang-jin's grandmother. Inside, Gwang-jin forced Do-gi to face dozens of opponents alone. Do-gi emerged victorious over most of them, earning Gwang-jin's admiration and substantial profits. Meanwhile, Go-eun secretly hacked into the school's blockchain system, taking control of the game and causing Gwang-jin to rapidly lose money.
As Jin-eon and Kyung-koo emerged from the Rainbow Taxi trunk and searched the premises for Min-ho's remains, Do-gi proceeded to the final stage of their plan. After defeating all the fighters, Do-gi confronted Gwang-jin directly. The fight ended with Gwang-jin severely injured and begging for mercy. Do-gi pushed him through a window into a freshly dug grave, where concrete was poured over him, burying him alive.
The episode concluded with Do-gi driving Dong-su to an elderly care home with Min-ho's ashes. As Dong-su gazed out at the crimson sky, he imagined sunsets shared with Min-ho in heaven.
