Actress Go Hyun-jung's power remains strong. 'Mantis: The Murderer's Outing' has shown an unusual trajectory.
According to Nielsen Korea, on the 7th, the second episode of the SBS Friday-Saturday drama 'Mantis: The Murderer's Outing' (written by Lee Young-jong, directed by Byun Young-joo), which aired on the 6th, recorded a nationwide rating of 6.9%. Although it slightly decreased from the first episode's 7.1%, it still showed a high figure, proving its popularity.
In the metropolitan area, the viewership rating recorded 7.3%, an increase from the previous episode. The peak viewership reached 10%, breaking into double digits, and the 2049 viewership rating, a key indicator of channel competitiveness, also surged vertically to 2.5% - peaking at 3.29%.
As SBS's Friday-Saturday drama 'Mantis: The Murderer's Outing' captivates the home audience with an intriguing story, both episodes 1 and 2 provided overwhelming immersion, once again making headlines. In particular, the praise for Go Hyun-jung, who flawlessly portrayed the unprecedented serial killer Jeong Yi-shin, known as 'Mantis', has been fervent.
With hints from Jeong Yi-shin and the investigation by Cha Soo-yeol (played by Jang Dong-yoon), the prime suspect in the Mantis imitation case, Seo Gu-wan (played by Lee Tae-goo), was apprehended. After being abandoned by his mother in the past, Seo Gu-wan, driven by a desire for revenge against his half-brother, threatened him and his family. He was a follower who admired Jeong Yi-shin. After discovering a letter that seemed to have been sent by Jeong Yi-shin at Seo Gu-wan's house, Cha Soo-yeol confronted him, but Jeong Yi-shin mocked him, saying, "Is that all you can do as a police officer?"
To find the missing Kim Tae-seok, Cha Soo-yeol had no choice but to confront Jeong Yi-shin and Seo Gu-wan. Jeong Yi-shin, facing Seo Gu-wan, casually continued to ask questions like, "Why did you do that?" and "How did you feel?" and soon realized that Seo Gu-wan was lying when he couldn't answer his detailed questions.
Under Jeong Yi-shin's continued provocation and stimulation, Seo Gu-wan, desperate, threatened to reveal that Cha Soo-yeol was Jeong Yi-shin's son, as well as his wife to the world, but was attacked by Jeong Yi-shin in an instant, who couldn't hide his excitement while choking him. Particularly, at the end of the broadcast, Jeong Yi-shin was depicted taking out a leaf hidden in his mouth, wearing a meaningful smile, raising curiosity to its peak.
Go Hyun-jung showcased a breathtaking confrontation with the fake imitator Lee Tae-goo, exploding viewers' dopamine levels. The moment she handled Seo Gu-wan with a sly and relaxed demeanor was exhilarating. Critics noted that Go Hyun-jung's momentum and experience shone brighter than ever.
Additionally, she expressed the inexplicable tension of the ending with her unparalleled acting skills, making it impossible to escape from 'Mantis: The Murderer's Outing'. Expectations are pouring in for what kind of shock the veteran actress Go Hyun-jung's unrestrained run will bring next.
Meanwhile, 'Mantis: The Murderer's Outing', starring Go Hyun-jung, airs every Friday and Saturday at 9:50 PM.
[Ji Seung-hoon, Star Today Reporter]
