The Netflix original film Praying Mantis is generating starkly divided opinions both in South Korea and abroad. According to Netflix’s official Tudum platform, the film—which premiered on September 26—rose to second place in the global Top 10 non-English category for the week of September 29 to October 5, up one spot from the previous week, while ranking in the Top 10 of 57 countries and recording 7 million views. A spin-off of Kill Bok Soon, Praying Mantis follows elite assassin Han Wool, played by Im Si Wan, who returns from a long hiatus to confront his former training rival Jae I, portrayed by Park Gyu Young, and retired legendary hitman Dok Go, played by Jo Woo Jin, in a brutal power struggle within the contract-killer underworld. Sharing its cinematic universe with Kill Bok Soon, the film continues the franchise’s exploration of morally complex assassins and their shifting alliances, while drawing debate over its tone, pacing, and character development.
Kill Bok Soon scored 6.96 out of 10, facing criticism for distracting casting, awkward pacing, wasted talent, and inconsistent character and story development. However, some viewers praised it, saying they fell for Jeon Do Yeon all over again, that it was a great movie to kill time, and that Jeon Do Yeon’s timeless beauty was a bonus they enjoyed so much they lost track of time. These fans expressed confusion over the low ratings. Given the polarized reception of Kill Bok Soon, anticipation for its sequel Praying Mantis was high even before release. Fans shared their excitement, commenting that Im Si-wan looks amazing and they cannot wait for the action, that Choi Hyun Wook’s character is incredible, and that Jo Woo-jin in action scenes is unbelievable.
However, upon release, Praying Mantis was criticized as being more absurd than expected, lacking in depth and coherence, and ending disappointingly. In contrast to domestic reviews, international audiences praised the film, noting that the emotional range of Korean actors is impressive and that while the story is conventional, the action and performances stand out. Responding to the mixed reception, Im Si Wan said he has not fully assessed the reactions yet but acknowledged that since the film inherits the Kill Bok Soon universe, its genre was unlikely to appeal to everyone, adding that he anticipated divided opinions even before filming began. He cautiously admitted that there is room for improvement in the film’s overall quality. Regarding the action-focused direction of Praying Mantis, he explained that although he trained extensively before filming, he was not entirely satisfied with the results, admitting that if he were an action specialist, he might have been able to convey the emotional arcs and narrative more effectively through the fight sequences, expressing disappointment at not fully meeting his own standards.
Lead actress Park Gyu Young expressed gratitude to viewers for their time but admitted that given the action-heavy genre, there was not enough time to fully develop the dialogue and narrative, adding that she takes full responsibility for any shortcomings. Many viewers criticized the romantic subplot between Im Si Wan and Park Gyu Young, arguing that it disrupted the film’s pacing and that Han Wool’s feelings for Jae I were not convincing enough to justify major plot developments. Director Lee Tae Sung explained that the Kill Bok Soon universe is vast and required selectivity, stating that he intended to portray the relationship between Mantis and Jae I as one of close friends and rivals, similar to Mozart and Salieri. He added that he aimed to depict a cool and straightforward form of romance reflecting how younger generations view relationships today, noting that among the various narrative options he considered, this approach felt the most compelling.
Ultimately, the filmmakers chose a challenging direction to distinguish this film from the original. Cultural critic Jeong Deok Hyun analyzed that a successful spin-off should organically connect to the original content through a specific plot point or setting. He explained that since both the original and the spin-off cater to the same fan base, if viewers perceive the story as forced, it will appear purely commercial, emphasizing that the narrative must maintain thematic consistency to feel authentic.
