Skip to main content

Just when you thought the Fast and Furious franchise was slowing down, Fast 9 arrived with a roar this summer. It brought some new characters, including John Cena’s Jakob, to really shake things up. But a longtime character made a surprising reappearance.

If you haven’t seen Fast 9 yet, know that spoilers lie ahead. But if you’re already in the know, you might enjoy a look back at Han Seoul-Oh’s cars and how a dead man re-entered the Fast and Furious franchise.

Who is Han Seoul-Oh?

Sung Kang, who plays Han in the Fast and Furious franchise, attends the world premiere of 'Fast & Furious 6' in May 2013 in London
Sung Kang plays Han in the Fast and Furious franchise | Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

Tokyo Drift isn’t exactly one of the most beloved films in the Fast and Furious franchise — mainly because Vin Diesel and Paul Walker aren’t in it — but you need to see some key moments in that movie to appreciate the rest of the films. Though Diesel had a short cameo at the end, Entertainment Weekly reported, it wasn’t enough to really tie it into the rest of the franchise. That might have just changed with Fast 9.

Han Seoul-Oh, played by Sung Kang, may have given Tokyo Drift the hook it needed to join the rest of the family. But to understand this, you need to know Han’s backstory. 

To start, the movies weren’t filmed chronologically, so if you’re doing a Fast and Furious movie night, Tokyo Drift actually takes place after Fast 6. This might clear up any confusion fans faced when Han appeared in the next film as if nothing had happened.

With that in mind, Han originally met Dominic in Mexico. The two began working together, and Han had a steady role in the films until he moved to Tokyo after his girlfriend Gisele’s death. There, he apparently died after being struck by a Mercedes. Fans were horrified to see his car go up in flames, and many mourned his death. Which car did Han appear to die in, and which other vehicles has he driven over the years?

Which cars has Han driven in Fast and Furious?

Like most Fast and Furious characters, Han drives a wide array of drool-worthy vehicles. Some feature more prominently than others.

According to Fandom, one of Han’s favorite rides is his 1997 Mazda RX-7, which he supposedly died in. Though other cars appeared with Han behind the wheel, the RX-7 is his go-to ride in Tokyo Drift.

Another vehicle he drove was a 1970 Plymouth Road Runner, proving that Fast and Furious appreciates classic muscle cars too. In addition, Han piloted a 1967 Chevrolet C-Series truck, a Lexus LFA, and a 2001 Nissan Silvia S15 Spec-S. The last is referred to as the Mona Lisa of the drift world.

So, how is Han still alive in Fast and Furious?

Considering Han returns in Fast 9, it’s obvious that he didn’t actually die when Decker Shaw slammed his Benz into Han’s vehicle. But the fire was the perfect cover for Han to fake his own death. 

This wasn’t the original plan. However, Han was such a popular character that fans didn’t want to see him go, The Hollywood Reporter notes. In fact, some even held a vigil that helped promote his resurrection and even changed the timeline of the Fast and Furious films so that Han could be brought back as part of the team. So, how did he survive that crash?

“When we thought Han was burning up in the RX7, he was actually not far off with Mr. Nobody (Kurt Russell). The government agent first introduced in Furious 7, after Han’s ‘death,’ was responsible for faking Han’s death, F9 reveals,” Insider reports.

“But why? It turns out Mr. Nobody was friends with Han’s former girlfriend, Gisele (Gal Gadot). After her death in Fast 6, the currently nameless Mr. Nobody poached Han to work for him. Han faked his death and never alerted Dom or his friends about his whereabouts in order to steal a device (Project Aries) that’s at the center of F9.”

Given that Han has returned, many fans hope Gal Gadot’s character will also come back. That is if she’s not too busy playing Wonder Woman.

Related

What Was So Bad About the 1999 Mazda Miata That ‘Fast & Furious’ Killed It?