‘Queen Mantis’ has viewers buzzing over the big question it’s been building toward: Who’s actually behind the copycat killings?
SBS’s Friday-Saturday thriller is down to its final two episodes, with serial-killer mom Jung Yi-shin (Ko Hyun-jung) and her detective son Cha Su-yeol (Jang Dong-yoon) locked in a tense, unlikely partnership. As the copycat’s profile sharpens, anticipation for the endgame is spiking.
Two early prime suspects have already been taken off the board: Seo Gu-wan (Lee Tae-gu) died in a mysterious hit-and-run, and Park Min-jae (Lee Chang-min) was murdered while trying to lure the enigmatic “Joy” to help Cha Su-yeol. Police now believe “Joy” may be Kang Yeon-joong, who survived childhood abuse by someone Jung Yi-shin later killed ― a past that could tie directly into the copycat case. Whether “Joy” is the real culprit ― and who they truly are ― is set to be revealed in the final stretch.
Die-hard viewers have their own shortlist of likely culprits still in play. Keep these names in mind as the series barrels toward the finish ― the show has thrived on left-field twists, and it’s not done yet.
First up: Cha Su-yeol’s wife, Lee Jung-yeon (Kim Bo-ra). The killer seems to know Su-yeol ― and his mother ― almost too well. Investigators even uncovered that Kang Yeon-joong later underwent gender-affirming surgery, raising new questions about who’s been hiding in plain sight. Given how closely Jung-yeon watches Su-yeol, could she be the one orchestrating the copycat crimes?
Another theory points straight at Jung Yi-shin herself. After reuniting with her son for the first time in 23 years, she’s kept everyone guessing ― is she guiding him, or using him? Could she have engineered a series of “Mantis”-style killings from the shadows to pull the strings and step back into the world?
Then there’s Choi Jung-ho (Jo Sung-ha), the veteran cop who arrested Jung Yi-shin 23 years ago and quietly looked after Su-yeol’s upbringing, even steering him into the force. No one understands the mother-son dynamic better. Back then, Choi wrestled with his own helplessness ― and the uncomfortable truth that the “Mantis” was eliminating men he believed deserved it. Is Choi the unlikeliest suspect of all ― the mastermind behind the copycat case?
After six twist-heavy episodes, ‘Queen Mantis’ is promising to go bigger in its final two, with shocks and emotional payoffs to match. Buckle up ― the ending is coming in hot.
Episode 7 airs Friday, Sept. 26 at 9:50 p.m. KST.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)