SBS’ Friday-Saturday drama Queen Mantis (directed by Byun Young-joo; written by Lee Young-jong) is barreling toward its endgame. The notorious serial killer “Mantis,” Jung Yi-shin (Ko Hyun-jung), and her detective son Cha Soo-yeol (Jang Dong-yoon) have formed a fraught alliance to catch a copycat 23 years after the original murders ― and the stakes won’t let up until the final credits roll.
Episodes 5-6 zeroed in on a likely suspect: Kang Yeon-jung, once a child abused by a victim Jung Yi-shin killed 23 years ago. Now an adult, Kang appears to have transitioned and is living as a woman, raising fresh questions about whether she’s truly behind the copycat spree ― and who she really is.
On Sept. 25, one day ahead of Episode 7, the production unveiled new stills placing Cha Soo-yeol’s wife Lee Jung-yeon (Kim Bo-ra) in extreme danger.
In the images, Lee lies on the floor in the dark with her hands tightly bound. A looming shadow hints at an unseen threat, while blood trickling from her forehead and cuts across her face dial up the dread. Her eyes are wide with fear ― and a mysterious hand reaching toward her makes the moment downright chilling.
Earlier, Jung Yi-shin warned Soo-yeol that Lee Jung-yeon could be targeted after crossing paths with prime suspect Seo Gu-wan (Lee Tae-gu). Even after escaping the retirement home, Jung Yi-shin sought out her daughter-in-law first ― a warning that now feels ominously prophetic.
“Episodes 7 and 8 ignite a head-on showdown between Jung Yi-shin and Cha Soo-yeol and the copycat killer. In the crossfire, the person Soo-yeol cherishes most, Lee Jung-yeon, faces grave danger,” the producers teased, adding that Kim Bo-ra “poured all her energy into an intensely detailed performance that cranks up the suspense.”
Who’s driving Lee Jung-yeon to the brink ― and how will her crisis reshape Jung Yi-shin and Cha Soo-yeol’s uneasy partnership? Episode 7 of Queen Mantis airs Friday, Sept. 26 at 9:50 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)