SBS’s Friday-Saturday drama ‘Queen Mantis’ (directed by Byun Young-joo, written by Lee Young-jong) has viewers hooked with meticulous, shocking storytelling, powerhouse performances, and sleek, propulsive direction. Critics and audiences are raving, and despite its dense crime-thriller DNA, the show has broken its own ratings record two weeks in a row.
Its secret sauce? Those final five minutes. After 55 minutes of slow-burn tension, each episode detonates an ending you never see coming―making it nearly impossible not to hit “next episode.”
Here’s how Episodes 1 through 4 cemented ‘Queen Mantis’ as a bona fide cliffhanger machine.
# Episode 1 Ending ― Serial-Killer Mom & Detective Son Join Forces; Ko Hyun-jung’s Eerie Smile
Twenty-three years ago, Jung Yi-shin (Ko Hyun-jung) murdered five men and became known as “Mantis.” Her son, Cha Su-yeol (Jang Dong-yoon), grew up with crushing guilt and became a cop determined to save lives. When a copycat case erupts after 23 years, their worlds twist again: a son who needs the help of the mother he’s spent a lifetime resenting, and a mother whose intentions―helping or using him―are impossible to read. As the uneasy teamwork begins, Jung Yi-shin’s unsettling grin closes out the premiere with chills.
# Episode 2 Ending ― Chills vs. Desperation: Ko Hyun-jung and Jang Dong-yoon in Stark Contrast
Following a clue Jung Yi-shin tossed his way, Cha Su-yeol tracks down a person who could be the third victim of the copycat. He throws himself into a desperate fight to save a life. Meanwhile, Jung Yi-shin pries open a vent and feeds leaves―hidden in her mouth―to mysterious insects, cranking up the dread. The sharp contrast between her icy calm and his raw urgency delivers a brutal, unforgettable final beat.
# Episode 3 Ending ― The Truth About Her First Kill: A 15-Minute Masterclass
Cha Su-yeol learns the truth about Jung Yi-shin’s first, long-concealed murder: her victim was her husband―his father―killed in a moment of fury after repeated abuse against both mother and son. In front of Su-yeol, Jung Yi-shin shrugs off the killing, then locks eyes with him and snarls, “Do you hate me? Am I vile? Kill me!” The shock of the reveal and a flawless 15-minute acting duel from Ko Hyun-jung and Jang Dong-yoon turned living rooms into theaters.
# Episode 4 Ending ― Post-Escape, The Killer Drops By Her Daughter-in-Law’s: A Bone-Chilling “Hi”
After slipping out of the house where she was confined, Jung Yi-shin disappears. In the meantime, prime copycat suspect Seo Gu-wan (Lee Tae-gu) dies in a hit-and-run. Earlier, Jung Yi-shin wanted him dead―he knew she was Su-yeol’s mother and that Su-yeol had a wife. Then she turns up at the home of Cha Su-yeol and his wife, Lee Jung-yeon (Kim Bo-ra). Facing an unsuspecting Jung-yeon, the serial killer smiles and casually says, “Hi?”―an ending that sent hearts plummeting across living rooms.
With four of eight episodes aired, ‘Queen Mantis’ has hit its midpoint. The only question now: how much bigger―and bolder―will those shock endings get?
‘Queen Mantis’ airs Fridays at 9:50 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 p.m. KST on SBS.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kang Sun-ae)