Queen Mantis
Queen Mantis (Korean: 사마귀: 살인자의 외출; RR: Samagwi: Salinjaui Oechul) is a South Korean television series that aired on SBS from September 5 to September 27, 2025. The crime thriller series consists of eight episodes and was broadcast in the Friday and Saturday 21:50–23:10 time slot.
Background
The series is a South Korean adaptation of the 2017 French television series La Mante, which originally aired on TF1. The narrative follows a serial killer and her estranged son, who must collaborate to solve a series of copycat crimes.
Plot
Jeong I-Shin (played by Ko Hyun-Jung) is a convicted serial killer known as "the Mantis," who was responsible for the deaths of five men two decades prior to the start of the series. Her son, Cha Su-Yeol (played by Jang Dong-Yoon), has spent his life distancing himself from his mother's legacy and now serves as a police officer. When a new string of murders emerges that mimics the signature style of the original Mantis crimes, Cha Su-Yeol is forced to seek his mother's assistance to identify the copycat culprit.
Production
The series was directed by Byun Young-Joo and written by Lee Young-Jong. It followed the conclusion of the drama The Winning Try and was succeeded by Would You Marry Me on October 10, 2025.
Cast
The main cast includes:
- Ko Hyun-Jung as Jeong I-Shin
- Jang Dong-Yoon as Cha Su-Yeol
- Cho Seong-Ha as Choi Jung-Ho
- Lee El as Kim Na-Hee