SBS’s Friday-Saturday thriller "Queen Mantis" (directed by Byun Young-joo, written by Lee Young-jong) has viewers hooked with audacious twists and high-impact storytelling. The show notched back-to-back personal bests in nationwide Nielsen Korea ratings and is on a hot streak on Netflix, ranking No. 1 in Korea (9/8-9/14), No. 6 globally among non-English series (9/8-9/14), and Top 10 in seven countries (9/8-9/14).
Set 23 years after the capture of the brutal serial killer known as “Mantis,” a new copycat begins to prey on victims. To crack the case, a detective is forced into an unlikely alliance with the very person he’s hated his entire life―his mother, the original “Mantis.” The eight-episode series has aired through Episode 4, and all eyes are on the identity of the copycat.
Reunited by the case, Jung Yi-shin (Ko Hyun-jung) and her detective son Cha Soo-yeol (Jang Dong-yoon) chase leads Yi-shin uncovers―only for the killer to taunt police with brazen, continued murders. Their first prime suspect, Seo Gu-wan (Lee Tae-gu), was killed in a hit-and-run, further muddying the waters.
Another key suspect has emerged: Park Min-jae (Lee Chang-min), who once lived next door to Yi-shin and Soo-yeol. Scarred by severe childhood abuse, Min-jae sees Yi-shin as his savior, keeps orbiting Soo-yeol, and even built meticulous scale models recreating every “Mantis” crime scene. Soo-yeol’s suspicions toward Min-jae are at an all-time high.
On Sept. 18, the production team teased, “Episodes 5 and 6, airing this week, will finally bring the copycat ‘Mantis’ into focus.” They added, “Not only Jung Yi-shin and Cha Soo-yeol but the entire homicide task force―and Soo-yeol’s wife, Lee Jung-yeon (Kim Bo-ra)―will be pulled into the center of the storm. Get ready for some big twists.”
After four tightly wound episodes packed with reversals, riveting performances, and stylish direction, fans are eager to see how "Queen Mantis" reveals the culprit―and just how shocking that reveal will be.
"Queen Mantis" airs Fridays at 9:50 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 p.m.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)