Go Hyun-jung is making her highly anticipated return to television in a role no one saw coming — as a notorious killer in SBS’s upcoming Friday-Saturday drama The Mantis: Original Sin (directed by Byun Young-joo, written by Lee Young-jong, produced by Studio S, Merry Christmas, Mega Monster, and Boim Film Production). Set to premiere on September 5, the drama is already generating “Grand Prize contender” buzz before a single episode has aired.

The Story: Decades After the Killings

The plot picks up years after the infamous “Mantis” serial killings that once shocked the nation. The original killer — Jung Yi-shin (Go Hyun-jung) — was caught and sentenced to death. Now, copycat murders emerge, forcing Detective Cha Soo-yeol (Jang Dong-yoon) into an uneasy alliance with the person he despises most: his own mother.

The role’s deep emotional complexity demanded extraordinary talent, and the production team declared, “No one else could embody Jung Yi-shin so perfectly.”

A Powerhouse Cast & Director

Early stills showed Go Hyun-jung with a pale, bloodless face, exuding quiet menace. New images released on August 11 revealed her outside a prison uniform, sitting alone behind bars, staring blankly out the window — her gaze both vacant and sharp, as if hiding a dangerous truth. One close-up, capturing her whispering with a chilling glint in her eye, has already gone viral.

Joining Go Hyun-jung are Jang Dong-yoon as the conflicted detective son, Lee El as sharp and charismatic Detective Kim Na-hee, and Jo Sung-ha as Chief Choi Joong-ho of the South Jeolla Police Major Crimes Unit. Director Byun Young-joo (Ardor, Helpless) brings her trademark psychological precision to this adaptation of a French series, adding new characters and culturally resonant emotional beats.

Why Viewers Can’t Wait

Trailers and stills have sparked an avalanche of comments:

  • “Byun Young-joo and Go Hyun-jung? No reason not to watch.”
  • “That laugh in the trailer gave me chills.”
  • “She’s born for this genre.”

While the show delivers gripping murder-mystery thrills, it also dives into complex questions of family, justice, and redemption:

  • Are killers born or made?
  • Can hatred ever turn to forgiveness?

Go Hyun-jung’s performance as Jung Yi-shin promises to push viewers to confront these dilemmas. The Mantis: Original Sin airs Friday, September 5 at 9:50 PM KST on SBS, set to be one of 2025’s most intense and anticipated mystery thrillers.

Sources: wikitree