SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘Queen Mantis’ (directed by Byun Young-joo; written by Lee Young-jong) has been delivering shock after shock, turning living rooms upside down each week. At the center is Ko Hyun-jung as Jung Yi-shin, gliding between angelic and chilling, elegant and grotesque―a career-redefining transformation that has viewers riveted.
Jung Yi-shin earned the nickname “Mantis” after brutally killing five men. Episode 3 revealed the toll was actually six, with her first victim being her abusive husband, who terrorized both her and her son, Cha Su-yeol (played by Jang Dong-yoon). Even after reuniting with her son for the first time in 23 years, her true intentions remain a mystery―is she protecting him, or manipulating him?
Which begs the question: why did Yi-shin confess five murders to Detective Choi Joong-ho (Jo Sung-ha) back then? Choi says he had no smoking gun―only a hunch. With no hard evidence, she could’ve denied everything. So what made her confess? And why did she keep writing him letters for years afterward?
On the 17th, the production unveiled a still from Episode 5: a tense, wordless standoff at a police station 23 years ago. Jung Yi-shin sits impassive, almost relaxed; Detective Choi’s face is grave, his eyes edged with unease. The power dynamic between cop and prime suspect appears flipped on its head.
“In Episode 5, airing Sept. 19, the real reason Jung Yi-shin confessed to five murders 23 years ago will be revealed,” the producers tease. “You’ll also learn why she chose Choi Joong-ho specifically to receive that confession―and why, when a copycat emerged 23 years later, she pushed to coordinate the investigation through him.”
“Their one-on-one is a pivotal beat in the story,” they add. “Ko Hyun-jung and Jo Sung-ha sustain razor-sharp focus and tension, capturing the characters’ nuances in meticulous detail. Even the crew held their breath watching the scene unfold.”
‘Queen Mantis’ airs Episode 5 on Friday, Sept. 19 at 9:50 p.m. KST.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)