In SBS’s crime thriller "Queen Mantis" (helmed by Byun Young-joo, written by Lee Young-jong), he plays Cha Soo-yeol, a detective who also happens to be the son of the notorious “Mantis.” Jang pushes through a bruising arc where filial love, contempt, rage, and reconciliation collide―and he never takes his foot off the gas.
In the Sept. 27 finale, Soo-yeol emerges as the case-closer. He pieces together clues inside and outside the task force, stepping squarely into the center of the investigation while flashing profiler-sharp instincts in the field and in interrogation. His scenes opposite Ko Hyun-jung amplify the tension, as he alternates between appealing to maternal instincts for information and coolly exploiting the contradictions in their relationship.
When he finally confronts his mother, the conflict peaks. The detective’s icy control slams into the son’s long-suppressed turmoil, erupting in fury. At the height of a hostage standoff, Jang calibrates Soo-yeol’s every move―equal parts closer who brings the case home and son who leaves a quiet gesture of forgiveness―delivering a finale that lands with impact.
Across the series, Jang is the axis that keeps the story steady. He isn’t just a by-the-book cop or a victim’s son; he’s a man on the edge, toggling between steely decisions and raw, volatile emotion. From the cool, rational lead on the investigation to the explosive clashes with his mother and, ultimately, a fragile detente, his performance fuels both the tension and the emotional echo of each episode.
His late-season run is especially potent. Even under maximum pressure, he projects a detective’s authority while letting us see a son’s vulnerabilities―distilling the series’ core message into a single, conflicted figure. For Jang Dong-yoon, "Queen Mantis" stands as a clear career pivot, proving he can command a genre piece just as convincingly as the youth and romance roles that first put him on the map.
With "Queen Mantis," Jang takes a decisive step up. All eyes are on what face he’ll reveal next―and in which project he’ll do it.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)