Queen Mantis
Promotional poster
Also known asThe Mantis: Original Sin[1][2]
The Locust: The Murderer's Outing
Hangul
사마귀: 살인자의 외출
RRSamagwi: sarinjaui oechul
MRSamagwi: sarinjaŭi oech'ul
Genre
Based onLa Mante[3]
by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Nicolas Jean, Grégoire Demaison and Laurent Vivier
Developed bySBS & Studio S[4][5] (planning)
Written byLee Young-jong[4][5]
Directed byByun Young-joo[4][5]
Starring
Music byJo Yeong-wook
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producers
Producers
Running time70 minutes[1]
Production companies
Original release
NetworkSBS TV
ReleaseSeptember 5 (2025-09-05) –
September 27, 2025 (2025-09-27)
Related
La Mante (French original)
Mrs. Deshpande (India)

Queen Mantis (Korean사마귀: 살인자의 외출) is a 2025 South Korean mystery-thriller-police procedural television series written by Lee Young-jong and directed by Byun Young-joo based on the 2017 TF1 series La Mante. Go Hyun-jung and Jang Dong-yoon portray the lead roles. It aired on SBS TV from September 5, to September 27, 2025, every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 (KST).

Synopsis

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A woman was imprisoned as a serial killer a long time ago. The story unfolds as someone begins committing a series of murders imitating her.

Cast

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Main

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A woman who was imprisoned for being a serial killer.
A detective. Jung Yi-shin's estranged son.
A police officer who advised Cha Soo-yeol to become a detective.
A detective who should be in charge of the investigation but is replaced by Cha Soo-Yeol without knowing his connection to his birth mother.

Supporting

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President of a pottery studio. Cha Soo-yeol's wife.
  • Lee Hwang-ui as Jeong Hyeon-nam[10]
Suyeol's maternal grandfather and Jeong Yi-shin's father. He cared for Suyeol, who grew up without parents
  • Kim Min-ho as Bae Seong-gyu[10]
A member of the serial murder investigation team. He has a deep respect and camaraderie for Kim Na-hee
The youngest detective in the Violent Crimes Investigation Unit.
  • Park Wan-hyung as Son Ji-an[10]
Cyber Investigator in the Investigation Team
A close friend and colleague who runs the same workshop as Jeongyeon.
  • Lee Chang-min as Park Min-jae[10]
  • Lee Tae-gu as Seo Gu-wan[10]
  • Lee Yoon-geon as Hong Seung-pyo[10]
  • Han Si-a as Kim Eun-ae[10]
  • Gil Eun-seong as Kim Woo-tae[10]
  • Cha Sun-bae as Park Eun-bae[10]

Production

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Development

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The eight-episode series is written by Lee Young-jong and directed by Byun Young-joo. It is developed by Studio S, which also co-produced the series with Mega Monster, Merry Christmas [ko], and Docu-Factory Vista for SBS TV.[7]

Queen Mantis is Lee's debut as a television series writer. He previously wrote the screenplay for the films Flu (2013), The Witness (2018) and 12.12: The Day (2023).[12]

In an interview with OSEN, Lee said that the initial plan was to adapt La Mante into a film; however, Mega Monster recommended a series adaptation instead, which later prevailed.[12]

Casting

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On November 14, 2023, the production companies announced that the lead role for the series was offered to Go Hyun-jung.[3] On July 23, 2024, Go and Jang Dong-yoon were confirmed to portray the lead roles.[6]

Ji Chang-wook was offered the role of Cha Soo-yeol but declined due to scheduling conflict.[13][unreliable source?]

Kim Bo-ra previously portrayed the role of Ha Seol in the 2024 MBC TV Friday-Saturday drama Black Out, which was the debut television work of director Byun Young-joo.[7][9]

Filming

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Principal photography began in August 2024. Filming was done from October 2024 to February 2025.[7]

Promotion

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A teaser for the series was aired on December 21, 2024 during the 2024 SBS Drama Awards.[8][14]

Release

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It premiered on SBS TV on September 5, 2025, and airs every Friday and Saturday at 21:50 (KST).[15]

Queen Mantis is available for streaming on Wavve, Netflix[16] (South Korea and selected regions), Kocowa (North America), U-NEXT[17] (Japan), friDay Video, Hami Video and CHT MOD (Taiwan), TrueVisions Now[18] (Thailand) and Rakuten Viki[19] (selected regions).

Viewership

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Queen Mantis : South Korea viewers per episode (thousands)
SeasonEpisode numberAverage
12345678
1127213251341144612701098119114041293
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Media Research.[20]
Average TV viewership ratings
Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
(Nielsen Korea)[20]
Nationwide Seoul
1 September 5, 2025 7.1% (3rd) 7.3% (3rd)
2 September 6, 2025 6.9% (2nd) 7.3% (2nd)
3 September 12, 2025 7.3% (3rd) 7.0% (3rd)
4 September 13, 2025 7.5% (2nd) 7.5% (2nd)
5 September 19, 2025 6.6% (5th) 6.9% (3rd)
6 September 20, 2025 6.0% (3rd) 6.4% (3rd)
7 September 26, 2025 6.3% (6th) 6.5% (3rd)
8 September 27, 2025 7.4% (2nd) 7.9% (2nd)
Average 6.9% 7.1%
  • In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Mantis: Original Sin". WelCon: Well-made K-Content. Korea Creative Content Agency. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d "The Mantis: Original Sin, You and Everything Else, Walking on Thin Ice: Kakao Entertainment to extend global K-content streak into 2nd half". newsroom.kakaoent.com. Kakao Entertainment. August 13, 2025. Retrieved August 13, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c Ha Soo-jung (OSEN) (November 14, 2023). [단독] 고현정, 연쇄살인범 변신...차기작은 '사마귀' [[Exclusive] Go Hyun-jung transforms into a serial killer... The next work is 'Mantis']. Nate (in Korean). Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o 1회 [Episode 1]. Queen Mantis (in Korean). September 5, 2025. SBS.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l 사마귀 [Queen Mantis]. SBS TV (in Korean). Seoul Broadcasting System. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Oh Myung-eon (July 23, 2024). 살인마와 형사 아들의 공조...'사마귀'에 고현정·장동윤 캐스팅 [Collaboration between a murderer and her detective son... Go Hyun-jung and Jang Dong-yoon cast in 'Mantis']. Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Lee, Ja-yeon (January 17, 2025). [인터뷰] '세상을 바라보는 다른 태도', <사마귀> 변영주 감독 ['A Different Attitude to the World', Director Byun Young-joo of <The Mantis: Original Sin>]. Cine21 (in Korean). Hankyoreh Media Group. Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c Ha Soo-jung (OSEN) (December 23, 2024). "너무 늦었으니 들어가서 자요"..연쇄살인마 고현정, 섬뜩한 웃음(사마귀) ["It's too late, go inside and sleep"..Serial killer Go Hyun-jung, creepy smile (Mantis)]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  9. ^ a b Lee Ye-ju (MyDaily) (December 24, 2024). 김보라, 고현정과 호흡한다...'사마귀' 출연 확정 [공식] [Kim Bo-ra, acting together with Go Hyun-jung... Confirmed to appear in 'Mantis' [Official]]. Nate (in Korean). Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 사마귀 : 살인자의 외출 | 등장인물 [Queen Mantis [Character Introduction]]. SBS (in Korean). Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  11. ^ Son, Bong-seok (August 12, 2025). 배우 김태정 ‘서초동’ 범죄자에서 ‘사마귀’ 수사팀으로 변신 [Actor Kim Tae-jung transforms from a criminal in "Seocho-dong" to a member of the "Witty" investigation team.]. kyunghyang (in Korean). Retrieved August 12, 2025 – via Naver.
  12. ^ a b Park So-young (OSEN) (August 27, 2025). "1300만 '서울의 봄' 작가의 첫 드라마..'사마귀' 작가 "섬? 하? 뭉클" [인터뷰]" [The first drama from the writer of "12.12: The Day," which drew 13 million viewers... "Mantis" writer: "[A] lot? Huh? Touching."]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). Retrieved September 1, 2025.
  13. ^ M. Lim (January 9, 2024). "Ji Chang Wook Turns Down Offer + Go Hyun Jung In Talks For Korean Adaptation Of French Thriller "La Mante"". Soompi. Rakuten Viki. Retrieved February 4, 2025.
  14. ^ SBS (December 21, 2024). [스페셜 티저] 고현정X장동윤, 변영주 감독의 파격적 문제작 - 사마귀 - SBS [Go Hyun-jung X Jang Dong-yoon, Director Byun Young-joo's Unconventional Problematic Work - The Mantis: Original Sin - SBS]. YouTube (in Korean). Retrieved January 30, 2025.
  15. ^ Kang, Seon-ae (August 4, 2025). 연쇄살인마母 고현정X경찰子 장동윤…'사마귀', 대본리딩부터 치열했다 [Serial killer mother Go Hyun-jung and police officer son Jang Dong-yoon… 'Witch' was intense from the script reading.]. SBS Entertainment (in Korean). Retrieved August 4, 2025 – via Naver.
  16. ^ "Watch Queen Mantis - Netflix Official Site". Netflix (in Korean). Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  17. ^ "コ・ヒョンジョンとチャン・ドンユンが親子役で共演!韓国ドラマ『カマキリ』が9月19日(金)よりU-NEXTで本国同時で独占配信!" [Go Hyun-jung and Jang Dong-yoon co-star as mother and son! Korean drama "Mantis" will be exclusively distributed on U-NEXT simultaneously from Korea starting Friday, September 19th!]. U-NEXT (in Japanese). September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 15, 2025.
  18. ^ Ployjaehaha (August 19, 2025). "Queen Mantis เมื่อตำรวจสายสืบต้องร่วมมือกับแม่ผู้เป็นฆาตกรต่อเนื่อง "ไขคดี"" [Queen Mantis: When a detective teams up with his serial killer mother to solve a case]. TrueVisions (in Thai). Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  19. ^ "Queen Mantis". Rakuten Viki. Retrieved August 29, 2025.
  20. ^ a b Nielsen Korea ratings:
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