KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 1 — A Malaysian appearing in an acclaimed Korean series, let alone having lines in Bahasa Malaysia? How often do we see that in the world of K-dramas?

Well, that was certainly the talk of social media yesterday—especially in the K-drama community—when 26-year-old Malaysian Muhammad Amir Haiqal Azhar, a Selangor-born actor who has been living in Korea since 2018, made a cameo appearance in the fourth episode of the third season of the hit series Taxi Driver as the character Park Gun (박군).

Despite only appearing for a few seconds, the actor was seen on screen alongside the show’s lead, Lee Je-hoon, who plays Kim Do-gi and delivered lines in Malay, shouting: “Woi, nak gi mana woi! Handphone aku b.doh—eh, s.al, kau nak pergi mana?” (Hey, where are you going! That's my handphone, stupid _ eh, why, where are you going?)

His unexpected use of Malay language in a major Korean production quickly caught the attention of viewers nationwide — and the moment has since gone viral, as it’s one of those rare occasions where a Malaysian appears in a K-drama, let alone delivering lines in Malay.

In an interview with Malay Mail, he stated that the role of Park Gun came about when he was contacted by a company he had worked with before.

They informed him that they were casting for a role in Taxi Driver 3, so he immediately submitted his portfolio, went through the audition process, and was ultimately chosen.

“The filming was in early June this year, and in the script, my lines were not fixed, but they (Production team) did mention that I need to shout and curse Je-hoon in Bahasa Malaysia.

“So I made the lines myself and acted in that scene,” he said.

About the actor Amir Haiqal Azhar

The actor shared that he is still relatively new to the entertainment industry, having acted for only less than two years.

Aside from his cameo in Taxi Driver, he has taken many roles as extras in Korean dramas, which also includes a brief appearance in the sixth episode of another hit of 2024, Shop for Killers.

In addition, he has done sketch comedy on YouTube and acted in a movie called Hideaway, which was just released recently in Korea.

“I also have 3 more unreleased independent films in which I starred as the main character.

“Independent films are not released on online platforms, but my director and I are planning to publish our film at some film festivals in Malaysia next year,” he told Malay Mail.

“Lastly, there is another unreleased Netflix K-drama that I starred in, and I don’t think I can leak too many details about it, but for a little hint, the drama will be released next year, and the main character is Lee Jae-Wook,” he added.

Taxi Driver follows Kim Do-gi, a former special forces soldier who becomes a taxi driver for a company with a secret mission.

Rainbow Taxi, as the company is known, operates as a vigilante group, helping victims take revenge on criminals who have slipped through the cracks of the justice system.

The show’s previous seasons have earned accolades such as the Seoul International Drama Awards and the SBS Drama Awards.

After two successful seasons in 2021 and 2023, the third season has arrived, which will span 16 episodes.

Episode 5 is scheduled to drop on December 5, and you can catch the first two seasons as well as the latest four episodes of season 3 currently streaming on Viu.