The Mantis: Original Sin (2025)

Overview

The Mantis: Original Sin is an upcoming South Korean mystery-thriller series set to premiere in late 2025. Loosely inspired by the French series La Mante, this 8-episode drama delves into the chilling psychological warfare between a notorious serial killer and her estranged son—who now serves as a detective. With gripping tension, familial trauma, and a copycat killer on the loose, this promises to be one of the year’s most intense crime dramas.

Main Cast

• Go Hyun-jung as Jung Yi-shin — A brilliant and remorseless serial killer known as "The Mantis"

• Jang Dong-yoon as Cha Soo-yeol — Her son, now a homicide detective, battling both criminals and his past

• Jo Sung-ha, Lee El, and Kim Bo-ra in pivotal supporting roles

Storyline

Twenty years after Jung Yi-shin was imprisoned for a string of calculated murders, a new killer emerges—recreating her crimes with terrifying precision. The police turn to the original Mantis for insight, but she agrees to help only on one condition: she will speak exclusively with her son, Cha Soo-yeol.

Haunted by his mother's legacy and desperate to stop the new killings, Soo-yeol must confront painful memories and unearth secrets buried long ago. As the case unfolds, the lines between hunter and hunted, justice and vengeance, begin to blur.

Themes & Tone

• Psychological Tension — Focuses on inner conflict, identity, and manipulation

• Crime & Justice — Explores moral ambiguity within law enforcement and criminal minds

• Mother-Son Dynamic — The emotional and ethical core of the series, full of betrayal and reluctant connection

• Atmospheric Storytelling — Dark, brooding, and cinematic in tone

Production Details

• Director: Byun Young-joo

• Writer: Lee Young-jong

• Episodes: 8 (approx. 70 minutes each)

• Genre: Psychological thriller / Crime drama

• Network: SBS TV (Korea)

• Airing Schedule: Expected Fridays and Saturdays at 10 PM KST, beginning in the second half of 2025

Why You Should Watch

• Go Hyun-jung’s chilling performance as a calculated killer marks a powerful return to the screen

• Blends gripping crime storytelling with emotional depth and character-driven drama

• If you're a fan of Mindhunter, La Mante, or Stranger, this series will scratch the same itch

Final Verdict:
The Mantis: Original Sin is shaping up to be a must-watch K-drama thriller of 2025—where family trauma meets criminal genius in a relentless pursuit of truth, justice, and reckoning.