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| ▲ Actress Go Hyun-jung, the heroine of SBS’ new Friday-Saturday series "Queen Mantis: A Killer’s Outing," attends the press conference for the show held in Seoul on Sept. 4, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Sept. 4 (Yonhap) -- "Being both a mother and a serial killer is not only hard to reconcile, but also nearly impossible to imagine," said actress Go Hyun-jung at the media conference for SBS’ new Friday-Saturday series "Queen Mantis: A Killer’s Outing (hereafter 'Queen Mantis')" held in Seoul on Thursday.
"I hope viewers will focus less on ‘how cruelly she killed’ and more on ‘why she became a killer,’" she added.
In the show, Go plays Jeong I-shin, a mother devoted to her son but also a murderer who took five lives. Her character kills perpetrators of violence against women and children in the same brutal ways they inflicted harm, and was arrested 23 years ago. While serving a long prison sentence, she offers to assist police after a new murder mimicking her crimes occurs.
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| ▲ The lead cast and director (C) of SBS’ new Friday-Saturday drama "Queen Mantis: A Killer’s Outing" attend the press conference for the show held in Seoul on Sept. 4, 2025. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Go had previously portrayed a mother and killer in Netflix’s 2023 series Mask Girl, though only briefly, as one of three actresses sharing the role of Kim Mo-mi across different stages of her life.
"That project opened the door to a new image for me, but my part wasn’t large," she recalled. "When I received the script for Queen Mantis and learned that director Byun Young-joo would helm it, I had no reason to hesitate."
Despite featuring a serial killer, the drama does not glamorize murder.
Director Byun explained, "The moment we try to make a criminal protagonist appear sympathetic, the audience will feel repulsed. Like in my film Helpless, we simply show her as she is and leave judgment to the viewers." She added, "The character viewers should root for is Cha Soo-yeol (played by Jang Dong-yoon). If I had to sum up the show in one line, I’d say it’s ‘a story of a son suffering because of his mother.’"
Byun revealed she had Go in mind from the start. "I’m a drama fanatic, and I’ve loved Go Hyun-jung since her roles in Sandglass and Farewell. Offering her this project was the best decision I made last year," she said.
Jang Dong-yoon described his role as "a detective tormented by his mother, caught in conflicting emotions toward her." He added that Go’s chillingly vivid performance gave him goosebumps on set.
Production was briefly interrupted when Go faced health issues late last year, forcing her to undergo major surgery. "It’s true my health was poor, and I had to step away mid-filming before returning," she acknowledged. "But my fellow actors were wonderful and supported me throughout."
Queen Mantis also marks Go’s first SBS drama in seven years. She last appeared in "Return (2018)" but left midway due to creative differences with the production team.
Asked about returning, she alluded to the past: "Yes, that happened. But SBS has always been a place with many memories for me. I’m glad to greet viewers again through Queen Mantis."
Though centered on serial murder and strongly rooted in the mystery-thriller genre, the series avoids the extreme intensity often seen in online streaming content.
"Some worry about gruesome scenes, but we strictly adhered to the broadcasting standards," said Byun. "It’s rated 15 and up, accessible to a broad audience, and meant to spark reflection."
Queen Mantis premieres on Friday at 9:50 p.m. on SBS.
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