Netflix’s "Mantis" has locked a Sept. 26 premiere and unveiled a striking teaser poster and trailer.
A spin-off of "Kill Boksoon" (2023), "Mantis" dives into a contract-killer world where the rules have crumbled. Yim Si-wan stars as elite assassin Han-ul ― nicknamed “Mantis” ― who returns from a long hiatus to find MK ENT., the country’s biggest hitman agency, in free fall after its CEO’s death. Caught between his old training partner and fierce rival Jae-yi (Park Gyu-young) and a retired legend, Dok-go (Cho Woo-jin), Han-ul is thrust into a no-mercy race for the No. 1 spot.
The teaser poster, revealed on the 27th, spotlights Han-ul in a vivid, blood-red suit ― a gleaming, textured look that telegraphs a killer with singular flair and hints at a character we haven’t seen before. Back from vacation to chaos, "Mantis" arrives just as the industry teeters on collapse, setting the stage for a stylish, cutthroat scramble to the top.
His moniker, “Mantis,” carries a grim edge in Korean, and his signature sickle-shaped blade teases sleek, visceral combat. The tagline “A New Era of Rising Killers” amps up anticipation for a brutal clash to crown the next No. 1 in a world with no rules left to break.
The teaser opens with the gravelly voice of MK ENT. chief Cha Min-kyu (Sul Kyung-gu) laying out the rules of the trade, pulling viewers straight into "Mantis"’ seductive underworld. As order collapses, Han-ul, his longtime friend-turned-rival Jae-yi, and the resurrected legend Dok-go collide in a razor-edged power struggle. Precision takedowns and rhythmically cut set pieces promise a propulsive, style-forward action ride.
“You think I’m under you now?” Jae-yi taunts, to which Han-ul snaps back, “So you wanted me dead?” The barbed exchange teases a complicated bond that blurs friend and foe. Meanwhile, Dok-go’s comeback signals a seismic shake-up in the pecking order ― raising the question: who claims the throne in this new era of rising killers?
Starring Yim Si-wan, Park Gyu-young and Cho Woo-jin, "Mantis" premieres Sept. 26 on Netflix.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)