Here’s a collection of quotes from the Korean drama, Queen Mantis (2025):
Episodes 1-2
“A woman who tries to kill her own child is not a mother.” – Cha Su Yeol
“We are not here to punish criminals. We are here to stop crime.” –
“Turning your back on someone you can save is no different from killing them.” – Detective Choi
“Don’t do something you’ll regret later.” – Cha Su Yeol
“You should become a cop. Since five people have died, you can save five people.” – Detective Choi
“Does blood smell blood?” – Jeong Ishin
“That woman is not helping us. She’s using us.” – Cha Su Yeol
“Turn the lights off on your way out.” – Jeong Ishin
Episode 3
“In a world void of law and order, women and children suffered abuse. We were inundated with reports of crime, but we sang the same old refrain, and offered no real progress.” – Detective Choi
“Everyone in the prison has the same dream.” – Jeong Ishin
“You get to just show up unannounced whenever you wish. While I’m required to welcome you, regardless of my discomfort.” – Jeong Ishin
“You are a butcher who relishes the scent of blood. The Mantis. Nothing but a monster.” – Cha Su Yeol
“Do you hate me? Do you find me despicable? Do you want to kill me? Your life would be so much easier if I just disappeared.” – Jeong Ishin
Episodes 4-6
“No matter how heinous, it doesn’t mean you can just kill people like that. We have laws for a reason.” – Cha Su Yeol
“You live in the light and know so little about what happens in the dark.” – Park Min Jae
“When cheaters are caught, do you think they get embarrassed and hide under the covers? They do not. They glare right back and charge at you without any clothes on.” – Park Min Jae
“Do I take after her? That woman.” – Cha Su Yeol
“I’ll think like you. I’ll act as if I were you. I will think like Jeong I-shin and act like Jeong I-shin. Please help us catch him.” – Cha Su Yeol
“We can’t let emotions get in the way in our line of work. If you do, it just gets ridiculously complicated.” – Detective Choi’s wife
“Only a fool would expect to catch him without bloodshed.” – Jeong Ishin
“Some bloodshed will be inevitable if we want to catch the culprit.” – Cha Su Yeol
“The trauma was so hellish, that rebirth as a whole new person became his only means of survival?” – Detective Kim
“Do I enjoy the scent of blood? Maybe I don’t care about catching criminals. Maybe I just want to be able to shoot someone dead legally.” – Cha Su Yeol
Episode 7
“Who cares about blood? What they meant for each other is what matters.” – Lee Jung Nyeon
“Carrying out an investigation is a bit like looking after a child. The more you obsess over it, the more things go awry.” – Cha Su Yeol
“What we couldn’t do back then. Now, I would like to see it through myself.” – Detective Choi
“Jeong I-shin remains a dark chapter in the history of the police. They wouldn’t mind if she just disappeared.” – Detective Choi
“You tried to save me once. Thank you. But can you tell me how it feels when you go out of your way to save a person?” – Jeong Ishin
“A lot of people want me dead. Kang isn’t the only one.” – Jeong Ishin
Episode 8
“I am the only one who hasn’t forgotten about you. I am also the only one who finds you commendable.” – Kang Yeon Joong / Ahra
“I am you. You made me. So please, take some responsibility.” – Kang Yeon Joong / Ahra
“Doesn’t it get so lonely? Living as a monster. You can never go back home.” – Kang Yeon Joong / Ahra
“We are creatures who can never return to society.” – Kang Yeon Joong / Ahra
“Just like you, I have nowhere to go. So let’s make sure we don’t betray each other.” – Kang Yeon Joong / Ahra
“Did you drag me all the way here just to profess your love for me? You’re running out of time.” – Jeong Ishin
“Whether it’s one person or five, it is the police’s job to save lives. At times, we may fail and fall into cowardice, but in the end, it’s up to us. It’s up to the police.” – Cha Su Yeol
“Don’t let those hands see more blood.” – Cha Su Yeol
“Don’t become like me.” – Jeong Ishin
“Bloodlines are meaningless. How you lived your life is what matters.” – Jeong Ishin
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Mystery
Also known as: The Mantis: Original Sin
Synopsis: An imprisoned serial killer is approached by the police for assistance when a new serial killer emerges imitating her style.
Based on: the French series, La Mante (2017) by Alice Chegaray-Breugnot, Nicolas Jean, Grégoire Demaison, and Laurent Vivier
No of episodes: 8
Cast: Go Hyun-jung, Jang Dong-yoon
Screenwriter: Lee Young-jong
Director: Byun Young-joo
Network: SBS
Streaming platform: Netflix
Date: September 5, 2025
Netflix English subtitle translation:
Justin S. Kim
Images: SBS
KORB 