Director: Byun Young-joo
Cast: Ko Hyun-jung, Jang Dong-yoon, Cho Seong-ha, Lee El, Kim Bo-ra
The Mantis: Original Sin is a 2025 South Korean crime thriller series directed by Byun Young-joo, built around a detective forced into the most uncomfortable partnership imaginable — hunting a copycat killer alongside his own imprisoned mother, a convicted serial killer known as the Mantis.
What is The Mantis: Original Sin about?
Decades ago, a woman the press dubbed the Mantis was convicted of killing five men in a string of cold-blooded murders that shocked South Korea. Now those crimes are being replicated, almost scene for scene, by someone operating in the present. A police investigator is pulled into the case — except the only person who truly understands the original killer's mind is the killer herself, who also happens to be his mother. He has spent his entire adult life keeping his distance from her and the shadow she cast over his identity. The investigation forces a reckoning: he must confront both the copycat threatening more victims and the woman he has refused to know.
Cast & crew
Director Byun Young-joo brings a focused psychological tension to the series. Ko Hyun-jung leads as the Mantis, delivering a controlled and unsettling performance as a woman who is simultaneously monster and mother. Jang Dong-yoon plays the conflicted detective son, with Cho Seong-ha, Lee El, and Kim Bo-ra rounding out the ensemble in supporting roles that deepen the investigative layer.
Context & significance
South Korean crime dramas have found a substantial and loyal audience among Persian-speaking viewers worldwide over the last several years, and The Mantis: Original Sin fits squarely into that tradition of tightly plotted, psychologically rich storytelling. The series explores mother-son estrangement and the weight of inherited shame — themes that carry particular resonance for diaspora audiences navigating questions of family, identity, and the past. The title is available with Persian dubbing and Persian subtitles on K-Time, making it fully accessible for all preferences.
Where & how to watch
The Mantis: Original Sin is available on K-Time with both Persian dubbing and Persian subtitles. Watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, cancel anytime.