[Interview] Director Byun Young-joo of 'Queen Mantis' Says, “This Drama is a Story of Two Conflicting Worldviews”

A new type of female psychopath has emerged. The upcoming SBS 8-episode Friday-Saturday drama 〈Queen Mantis〉 is a mystery drama centered around a unique psychological game between a ‘killer and a detective’ and a ‘mother and son’.

〈Queen Mantis〉 takes place 20 years after the capture of the brutal serial killer ‘Mantis’, when copycat crimes occur, and a detective who has hated the ‘Mantis’ mother all his life unexpectedly teams up with her to solve the case, creating a high-density crime thriller. It is set to premiere on September 5 (Friday) at 9:50 PM.

Directed by Byun Young-joo, known for the film 〈The Drug King〉 and the MBC drama 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉, the script for 〈Queen Mantis〉 is the first drama script written by writer Lee Young-jong, who also worked on the film 〈Spring in Seoul〉 and 〈Flu〉. In the drama, actress Ko Hyun-jung plays the role of the serial killer ‘Mantis’, Jung Yi-shin, while Jang Dong-yoon plays her son and detective, Cha Soo-yeol.

Director Byun Young-joo, who has shown sharp and deep insights into character building in works like 〈The Drug King〉 and 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉, has once again created unique details and tenacity in the characters, including Ko Hyun-jung's Jung Yi-shin and Jang Dong-yoon's Cha Soo-yeol. After previewing episodes 1 and 2 of 〈Queen Mantis〉, the reporter met with director Byun Young-joo on the afternoon of the 20th at a location in Gyeonggi Province to discuss the drama. Here is the full transcript of the interview conducted by Cineplay and director Byun Young-joo.

〈Queen Mantis〉 is an 8-episode drama. The original French drama 〈La Mante〉 is also 6 episodes long, and it was previously revealed that the original script by writer Lee Young-jong was 6 episodes. I’m curious about the reason for modifying 〈Queen Mantis〉 into an 8-episode drama. Also, what aspects were emphasized in the original script during the modifications?

During the process of deciding on the channel, I received a proposal for an 8-episode format. In fact, the original script was a very condensed story, so I thought it was possible. With the change to 8 episodes, we added past scenes. There are events from 23 years ago that are not in the original drama. As you saw in episodes 1 and 2, there will be continuous past events in the prologue. Also, I didn’t watch the original drama, and the actors didn’t either. When I met writer Lee Young-jong, I asked, “Should I watch the original drama?” He said, “No, you don’t have to. Just think of my script as the original scenario.” I especially told the actors not to watch it. There are characters that don’t appear in the original drama, and even if they do, if the faces are different, the actions change, and if the personalities are different, the story ultimately changes, so there’s no need to watch it.

Perhaps because of that, the protagonist in the original and the one interpreted by actress Ko Hyun-jung feel different. After reading the script for the first time, how did you approach the characters and narrative in the work?

I thought it was absolutely not a drama about motherhood. If I were to explain 〈Queen Mantis〉 in one line, I would say it’s a confrontation between a woman who thinks she must kill bad people to survive and a man who believes he must save at least one person to survive. It’s a story of two conflicting worldviews.

Then, I’m curious why you didn’t want to approach 〈Queen Mantis〉 as a story about ‘motherhood’.

The moment you approach it as motherhood, you end up siding with Jung Yi-shin. I really disliked that.

As you mentioned, 〈Queen Mantis〉 seems to intentionally twist the private justice or vigilante genre. Jung Yi-shin is a character who has only killed another perpetrator of violence. Just like Seo Gu-wan (Lee Tae-goo) follows Jung Yi-shin, was there any concern that Jung Yi-shin might appear as a ‘hero’ to the viewers?

There was a lot of concern about that. So I worked hard to ensure it didn’t feel that way. I was cautious about vigilante justice in 〈The Drug King〉, in 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉, and in this 〈Queen Mantis〉. I believe that at the end of vigilante justice lies fascism. The moment you stop trying to solve things within the system and step outside the system, it becomes ‘I alone am justified.’ So, perhaps that’s why it might not be satisfying or refreshing, but I believe that we must enter the system, so I thought from the beginning that I wouldn’t side with her (Jung Yi-shin). No matter what work I create in the future, there will never be a vigilante group. I’m not talking about that genre; I’m saying it’s not tolerated in my worldview.

Is that why you directed Jung Yi-shin to have a more bizarre feel? Jung Yi-shin is a unique character who listens to classical music in solitary confinement, paints, and enjoys espresso. How did you develop these settings and details?

That’s right. Let’s start from the fact that she is a psychopathic serial killer. But (Ko) Hyun-jung also came with that thought, and if she were playing a graceful mother role, she would have thought I was a very strange director.

The design of the house where Jung Yi-shin is confined is also impressive. There’s no lighting, and the wallpaper is dark, giving a desolate feeling. I’m curious about the focus of the production design.

We thought a lot about the space. The confinement house was created meticulously with the art director and the cinematographer. Important scenes all take place in the confinement house. It’s a very bizarre 20th-century building with many blocked areas, and our camera is everywhere. So our concept was to make it unclear whether the person trapped in the cage is Jung Yi-shin or Cha Soo-yeol. Also, we wanted to use natural light as much as possible to create contrast inside the house. Sometimes the idea of creating a lot of contrast is misunderstood as needing to be dark. But creating a lot of contrast is about where to illuminate, so we thought a lot about where the brighter areas should be. It was about making only the window bright or illuminating just one part of the face.

The scene where Cha Soo-yeol and Jung Yi-shin first meet in the house was also impressive. Jung Yi-shin delivers a symbolic line, “Why is the smell of blood bad?” I’m curious about how that scene was created.

I posed the question of whether the ‘smell of blood’ is only about ‘acetic acid’. For women, the smell of blood is a very familiar scent. The moment you think the smell of blood is dirty, it becomes an attack on your identity, so let’s imagine that. Soo-yeol doesn’t know much about a woman’s life, nor does he know much about my (Jung Yi-shin’s) life. I thought it would be interesting to provoke such a child. Cha Soo-yeol uses a name he didn’t even give himself as if it were his own, so I thought it would be interesting to provoke him by asking what he knows.

Jung Yi-shin is deliberately provoking Cha Soo-yeol.

What Hyun-jung and I discussed was that Jung Yi-shin’s feelings towards Cha Soo-yeol are ‘curiosity’. I want to see how this child grew up, what kind of person he became. I’m not sure if a psychopath can feel that kind of longing. So, I thought that she is clearly curious about Cha Soo-yeol, and because she is curious, she provokes him.

The rhythm of the lines delivered by actress Ko Hyun-jung was also impressive. She uses onomatopoeia like “druruk” and “daerongdaerong” to describe the murders. How did you establish the tone of the dialogue with actress Ko Hyun-jung?

I told her to explain (the murders) earnestly. It’s not about showing off or trying to scare people. It’s like saying, “When I wake up in the morning, I brew coffee. I keep the beans in the freezer, take a handful, and put them in the machine. I like the sound of the machine.” I wanted her to explain the murders as if it were just an everyday occurrence. Saying, “I killed someone…” in a casual manner.

Unlike other female psychopath characters depicted in the media, who are extremely strong or completely insane, Jung Yi-shin is not like that. What is the difference between a typical psychopath and Jung Yi-shin?

(Female psychopaths in the media) all speak like they are fierce. But Jung Yi-shin has been locked up alone for 23 years, and if she still had that venom, she would have committed suicide. But Jung Yi-shin has tasted enough and is suddenly curious because a copycat has emerged. She is curious about how her son has grown up. That’s her psychology.

The collaboration is thoroughly driven by curiosity. Jang Dong-yoon, who plays Cha Soo-yeol, has a solid appearance but also possesses a face that resembles a child, son, or boy. I’m curious about the reason for casting actor Jang Dong-yoon.

I watched the ENA drama 〈The Sand Also Rises〉 in which actor Jang Dong-yoon appeared. In that drama, the role he played had a lot of pain. I thought it would be great if he turned 30 in that state. Because Jang Dong-yoon has a face that lacks malice, is clear, and gives a feeling of innocence, I wanted him to play a role that ages in that state, but inside, there is a child crying in his heart. I hoped he would express that feeling painfully. As I summarized 〈Queen Mantis〉 as a ‘confrontation of worlds’, I wanted people to be captivated by Ko Hyun-jung and feel pain because of Jang Dong-yoon. So I was happy to work with him.

Moreover, 〈Queen Mantis〉 features a total gathering of actors from the so-called Byun Young-joo faction. You reunited with actor Jo Sung-ha after the film 〈The Drug King〉. The character Choi Joong-hoo, played by Jo Sung-ha, is a humane detective with a bond with Cha Soo-yeol.

In 〈The Drug King〉, he was a former detective. In this 〈Queen Mantis〉, I wanted to create a police character who, as he ages, would feel like someone who would have been in our neighborhood, like a civil servant. And for the past scenes from 23 years ago, I wanted Ko Hyun-jung and Sung-ha to play the same roles, so we kept testing for de-aging, and it worked well.

Lee Tae-goo, who plays Seo Gu-wan, also appeared in 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉. Seo Gu-wan is a character that needs to leave a strong impact, so I’m curious about the reason for casting actor Lee Tae-goo in the role of Seo Gu-wan.

He worked very hard, was diligent, and listened very well to directions. So I thought, ‘I want to work with him again someday,’ and then I gave him the script. Actor Tae-goo was very unsure of himself, but when he thought about why the director would give him this role, he wanted to try it. So he sent me videos of him acting every other day. I also thought Seo Gu-wan could be a muscular, skinny man. But he came with that body made.

You mentioned that Seo Gu-wan is muscular and skinny, but I felt that the character of Seo Gu-wan resembles an otaku character from a Japanese drama. I’m curious about why you sketched the Seo Gu-wan character that way.

Seo Gu-wan is an otaku of Jung Yi-shin. For him, studying Jung Yi-shin is more enjoyable than eating and playing in this world, and he wants to become Jung Yi-shin himself.

You mentioned that you enjoyed watching the actors’ performances on set this time as well. Among the scenes in episodes 1 and 2, which scene was the most enjoyable for you to watch the actors’ performances?

The scene where Jung Yi-shin and Cha Soo-yeol meet in the house, as well as the scene where they interrogate Seo Gu-wan, were both very good. No matter what criminal he meets, the tragic situation where it connects to his mother is reflected in his face, and I thought that was very good. In the scene where Seo Gu-wan and Jung Yi-shin clash in the house, actor Lee Tae-goo prepared a lot and did well.

Your representative works 〈The Drug King〉 and last year’s 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉, as well as 〈Queen Mantis〉, are all works in the mystery genre. Is there a reason you consistently direct in the mystery genre?

I think I feel the most excited when I do this genre. This genre resonates with me a lot. Melodramas that don’t involve death don’t resonate with me well.

Coincidentally, all three works are adaptations. Are you particularly drawn to works that have original sources?

Literarily, I have always been a fan of the thriller genre. 〈The Drug King〉 and 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉 were enjoyable to write reviews about. Ultimately, what I create is not the original work, but my review of the original work being adapted into a film or drama. However, for 〈Queen Mantis〉, while there is an original drama, I didn’t watch it, and for me, the original is writer Lee Young-jong’s script. So I didn’t think of 〈Queen Mantis〉 as a work with an original source like before.

On the other hand, writer Lee Young-jong, who wrote the films 〈Spring in Seoul〉 and 〈Flu〉, is also working on a drama for the first time and is also making his first attempt in the mystery genre. How was the collaboration with writer Lee Young-jong?

The structure was very good, and he wrote it interestingly, so it was easy for me to play around within it. The map of the script was clearly drawn, so no matter which subway I took, I would eventually end up in that direction. It was like this: I would mark the parts I wanted to modify in red and send them, and the writer would correct them and send them back in green. It was like exchanging letters with a pen pal to find a consensus. Thanks to that, we were able to draw the same picture completely. It was a very enjoyable process.

Then, in that process, what direction did you want to explore?

I made slight modifications to Jung Yi-shin’s lines. Lines like “Why is the smell of blood bad?” were originally there, but I gradually changed the tone or added nuances to the following ones. I think I transformed Jung Yi-shin into a more unique female psychopath character. I believe the language of women is very important. But it suited Jung Yi-shin well because the Jung Yi-shin played by Hyun-jung acts very tough. It matched well that such words come from such actions.

The setup of a serial killer and a detective collaborating reminds one of the film 〈The Silence of the Lambs〉. When directing 〈Queen Mantis〉, did you reference numerous psychopathic genre works? Or did you consider whether to reference psychopathic genre works or completely twist them?

Yes. So the most challenging part was Jung Yi-shin’s first murder. I told Hyun-jung that Jung Yi-shin’s first murder was a ‘trigger’. Until then, Jung Yi-shin was someone who suppressed some unknown malice. That’s how the reason for her having a child is explained. If she had unleashed her malice before, would Jung Yi-shin have gotten married and had a child? I don’t think so. So, I decided that Jung Yi-shin’s first murder would be the day her psychopathic traits manifested, and we would act that out. It’s not about the feeling of ‘I killed someone,’ but rather ‘I killed someone, and it’s not bad? I think I’m really good at this.’ So, unlike works where a psychopath has already triggered long ago, we decided to start from the birth of Jung Yi-shin. We thought about how to trigger this person.

You have used the expression ‘heavenly creature’ to describe actress Ko Hyun-jung. I’m curious about your first meeting with actress Ko Hyun-jung.

I’ve used that expression exactly twice. After reading the script, I immediately said I wanted Ko Hyun-jung to play Jung Yi-shin. She was the first actress that came to mind, and I received a call just two weeks later. The channel hadn’t been decided yet, and we hadn’t changed it to 8 episodes. Her schedule was a bit tangled, and she was going to do 〈Namib〉 first. When I first met her, I suggested just having a cup of coffee, but we ended up chatting until 11 PM. I was so excited that day that I exchanged numbers, and from then on, I bothered her every day. I would say things like, “I think Jung Yi-shin would feel like this. Let’s get along. Stay healthy.” (laughs)

It seems that actress Ko Hyun-jung has made many attempts in terms of her appearance in 〈Queen Mantis〉.

Actress Ko underwent a very major surgery in December. I couldn’t even send her a text. I was worried it might seem like I was rushing her to come back. But thankfully, she contacted me first and sent me photos. She said she took pictures to prove that no one would believe her. I felt very sad that she had to leave evidence of her illness as a celebrity. After being discharged, she came to shoot just two weeks later, and we prepared a lot. We had stand-ins for ‘Il-shin’, ‘Sam-shin’, and ‘Sa-shin’. But (actress Ko Hyun-jung) did almost all the action herself.

I heard that 〈Queen Mantis: The Killer's Outing〉 is a work where the actors voluntarily reduced their fees.

I asked for their help (laughs). I basically did something I shouldn’t have done. Thanks to that, we were able to acquire equipment and shoot big scenes. After episode 5, there will be spectacular moments.

This is your second drama project after 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉. You mentioned that it felt like a release every week during 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉. Do you feel similarly this time?

It feels similar. Since series aired on TV have ratings released weekly, it really feels like a release. With OTT, you can’t know. Only promotional phrases or figures like ‘Asia No. 1’ come out, and it doesn’t feel real. But terrestrial broadcasting releases ratings at 8 AM every week, twice a week. Meeting the audience is definitely tangible. Ultimately, everything we create gains life the moment it is seen, so whether it’s good or bad, I like that feedback comes in.

As it is a mystery genre, there will surely be many real-time reactions from viewers trying to guess the culprit this time as well.

I’m always grateful for that. However, I hope you don’t say, ‘I watched the original, and the culprit is this person.’ I’m known for twisting the original well, so I think viewers will watch it well.

Finally, please say a few words to the viewers ahead of the premiere of 〈Queen Mantis〉.

This drama is not scary. There are no ghosts, and there isn’t much blood. There are people who are worried it might be scary, but it’s not at all. The fun of mystery, the enjoyment of watching the actors’ performances, and if you empathize with actor Jang Dong-yoon, it could be a very sad drama. Ultimately, being with a psychopathic mother only brings wounds to the child. But at the same time, it’s entertaining. You can fully enjoy the fun, and it’s a drama that strictly adheres to SBS’s review regulations. (laughs) Since I’ve done 〈Death to Snow White - Black Out〉, I know that most things will be blurred, so we aimed to reduce the number of blurs, and our drama has a non-smoking worldview. It’s a clean, no-smoking drama that doesn’t smoke at all. (laughs) Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as a fun drama that is not scary.