After that cliffhanger in the finale, will Queen Mantis have a second season? Speculations explored

The first season of Queen Mantis closed with a shot built to keep viewers talking long after the credits. Yi-shin sits behind bars, stripped of her parental rights, sketching an imagined future where Su-yeol lives a normal life with her partner, children and little Eun-ae based on a picture of them.

On television, the news breaks that the section chief who once protected her has been murdered. Moments later, Su-yeol arrives at the prison with detective Na-hee, apparently to speak with the very woman the system fought so hard to cage.

The story of Queen Mantis stops there, opening a door to an unknown future and sparking immediate speculation about whether the drama will return.

No official renewal yet

Right now, SBS hasn’t announced a renewal for Queen Mantis. Press releases and broadcast guides still list the drama as a single-season project. Industry outlets describe the show’s status as “to be decided.”

There’s been no scheduling news, production announcement or second-season press event. For fans hoping for a quick confirmation, the silence feels frustrating but it’s not unusual. Many Korean thrillers finish their run and sit in this limbo while networks study ratings, international buzz and actor availability.

Ratings and the miniseries format

Viewership for Queen Mantis stayed steady but never broke into runaway hit numbers. That matters because SBS usually renews shows that either achieve exceptional domestic ratings or spark strong global distribution deals.

Queen Mantis arrived as a self-contained adaptation of the French thriller La Mante, which originally told its story in one season. K-dramas based on closed European thrillers rarely guarantee follow-ups unless audience response pushes them into new territory.

The cliffhanger as a narrative hook

Even though no renewal exists, the finale clearly leaves room for more. The death of the section chief reopens questions about corruption and justice. Su-yeol and Na-hee turning to Yi-shin suggests the police may depend on the very vigilante they once condemned.

This narrative move gives the network flexibility. If SBS orders more episodes, the show can build on that hook. If not, the ending still works as a dark full stop, implying that the cycle of failure and reluctant dependence will continue off-screen.

Cast and creative signals

One of the strongest sparks for speculation came from Ko Hyun-jung, who plays Yi-shin. In clips widely shared on social media, she said she’d love to return for a second season. Her words quickly started to spread on X (formerly Twitter), with viewers celebrating and taking it as a sign of hope.

However, it’s important to stress that this was Ko Hyun-jung expressing personal enthusiasm, not an official announcement. Neither SBS nor director Byun Young-joo has made any statement about new episodes.

The creative team promoted Queen Mantis as a complete story and focused on closing the arc we just watched, rather than promising an ongoing franchise. The actress’s wish shows openness and excitement, but the decision is still fully in the network’s hands.

International buzz and streaming influence

One factor that could help is global interest. Queen Mantis found an active audience on international platforms and among fans who value dark thrillers with complex women at the center. Streaming partners often weigh in when a show travels well. If viewership abroad stays strong and platforms want more exclusive content, SBS could decide to fund another season despite moderate domestic ratings.

This pattern has surfaced before with other Korean thrillers originally planned as stand-alone stories. A clear example is A Shop for Killers, which has already been confirmed for a second season, now in pre-production, with a release expected in 2026. Strong overseas streaming numbers and fan campaigns can tilt the economics enough to greenlight an unexpected sequel.

How other dramas broke the one-season rule

Although most Korean thrillers finish in a single run, a few recent hits prove that expansion is possible. All of Us Are Dead began as a closed zombie survival story but exploded globally on Netflix, topping charts for weeks and driving demand for more. Its second season happened because of huge international viewership and the platform’s push to own long-tail franchises.

Yumi’s Cells started as a webtoon adaptation planned for one run but returned after building a loyal domestic and streaming audience that wanted to follow its lead character’s evolving relationships. Strong character-driven fandom and a clear source roadmap helped make another season viable. Season 3 is said to be coming in 2026.

Other titles like D.P. and Sweet Home also began as self-contained arcs but earned renewals once streaming platforms saw long-term potential. These examples show that even when a drama feels final, strong global metrics, passionate fandoms and flexible source material can convince producers to invest again.

If Queen Mantis sustains buzz and proves valuable to streamers, it could follow a similar path despite its original miniseries structure.

Why a second season of Queen Mantis would matter

Thematically, Queen Mantis leaves rich ground to explore. Season 1 frames Yi-shin as a product of systemic failure and ends with a city forced to rely on her mind again. A follow-up could show whether she helps agains without losing herself to the darkness she built.

A second season could also deepen Na-hee’s role and investigate who killed the section chief and why. The cliffhanger hints at rot inside the system and at an enemy powerful enough to force the police to break their own rules.

The reality check

Still, it’s crucial to remember that Queen Mantis was designed as a complete narrative. Korean broadcast dramas often market themselves as “limited series”. Renewal would require new scripts, cast contracts and a business case strong enough to convince SBS to invest in a property originally framed as closed.

Right now, there’s no confirmation and no insider reporting suggesting pre-production for a second season. What exists is an enthusiastic fandom, an open-ended story and a lead actress publicly willing to return. That combination keeps speculation alive but doesn’t guarantee anything.

Bottom line: Will there be a second season of Queen Mantis after all?

Queen Mantis ended in a way that makes a second season possible, but the network hasn’t renewed it, at least not yet as of this writing. Ratings were steady and high, but not explosive, the original French source was a one-and-done, and the production team hasn’t promised continuation.

The finale’s cliffhanger and Ko Hyun-jung’s on-camera wish to return fuel conversation, yet the show remains officially a single-season drama. Until SBS or its partners make a formal announcement, Season 2 of Queen Mantis lives only in hope and discussion, not in production schedules.

Fans have already begun tagging SBS and streaming platforms to demand more in the social networks. International viewers often drive unexpected renewals, and if the conversation around Queen Mantis keeps growing, the network could see potential beyond its domestic numbers.

For now, the story is in the audience’s hands: the more noise and viewership it generates, the higher the chances that Yi-shin will step out of her cell for another dark chapter.