Two Squid Game stars may have another hit on their hands as Netflix’s latest action thriller breaks into the top 10 list. Korean content continues to be in high demand on Netflix, with the service truly enjoying a global footprint.

Debuting back in 2021, Squid Game quickly became a smash hit for the streamer. When looking at Netflix’s top 10 most popular non-English language shows of all time, the series still holds the number one position, boasting 265.2 million views and over 2.2 billion watch hours.

Lee Jung-jae leads the Squid Game cast as Gi-hun, but the series features an array of talented Korean actors. Though the series is sure to remain one of the biggest тιтles on many of these stars’ resumes, two actors from the show are now making a splash in an action-packed thriller.

Mantis Breaks Into The Netflix Top 10

Shortly after landing on Netflix, Mantis has ascended to become a daily top-10 hit for the streamer. Directed by Lee Tae-sung, the action thriller follows an ace ᴀssᴀssin named Mantis as he returns to the world of contract killing, finding himself at odds with both his former training partner and a legendary killer.

The movie, which is a spin-off of Netflix’s Kill Boksoon (2023), stars Squid Game alums Yim Si-wan and Park Gyuyoung in leading roles, with the rest of the cast including Jo Woo-jin, Choi Hyun-wook, Yoo Soo Bin, and Jeon Bae-soo, among others. Mantis released on Netflix on September 26.

Two days later, Mantis stands as the tenth most popular film on Netflix in the U.S., as of this writing. The action thriller trails Shrek 2 (2004), Ice Road: Vengeance (2025), Shrek (2001), and The Wrong Paris (2025), among other тιтles.

What This Means For Mantis

There is no obvious critical consensus for Mantis just yet, but early signs indicate a somewhat mixed response. Currently, there are only four reviews for the film on Rotten Tomatoes, and they vary considerably, with one praising the performances while another criticizes the movie’s too-broad scope. On IMDb, the film has only a 5.4 out of 10 rating.

Kill Boksoon, in comparison, was far more positively received, and compared favorably to the John Wick movies. Kill Boksoon enjoys a 79% Rotten Tomatoes critcs’ score and an 82% from audiences. At least part of the reason for Mantis‘ more mixed response seems to stem from its tone, which is considerably lighter than its predecessor’s.

Critical reception aside, Mantis already breaking into the Netflix daily top 10 is a promising sign. Kill Boksoon was evidently a viewership success for the streamer, and the spinoff could be poised to recapture at least some of this momentum.

It’s too early to say whether the Kill Boksoon universe will continue with another installment, but how Mantis performs over the coming weeks and months will determine just how much of an appeтιтe there is for this John Wick-like franchise.