Psychopaths—I’m sure the word instantly brings to mind horror movies, often featuring serial killer characters like Hannibal Lecter. You’ve probably also heard of real-life figures like Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, and Jeffrey Dahmer. Thanks to pop culture, especially movies and TV shows, we’ve come to believe we know a lot about them: how they can be cold, lack empathy, and be manipulative. It really feels like we’ve learned so much.
But have you ever wondered—what if we could identify psychopaths before they were even born?
What really got me thinking about this question is none other than the crime/thriller K-drama ‘Mouse’. In my opinion, it’s one of the best Korean serial killer dramas out there, with a riveting storyline and an incredible plot twist—which, of course, we’ll unpack later in the article. So beware: if you haven’t watched it yet, there are major spoilers ahead.
Premise of ‘Mouse’
Released in 2021, ‘Mouse’ revolves around two main characters: police officer Jung Ba-reum (played by Lee Seung-gi) and detective Go Moo-chi (played by Lee Hee-joon). The 20-episode drama also features Park Ju-hyun as Oh Bong-yi, a high school senior living with her grandmother, and Kyung Soo-jin as Cho Hong-ju, a television producer.
The story follows these two law enforcement officers as they hunt down a serial killer who has thrown the entire nation into fear. On one hand, there is Jung Ba-reum, a justice-seeking rookie officer known for his good deeds; and on the other, Go Moo-chi, a hardened detective determined to get revenge on the killer who murdered his family.
Each episode brings something new through its mysterious narrative, constantly making you question new concepts and suspects. It’s hard to fully explain the storyline, as there are so many nuances and interconnected plot points that make up the bigger picture. But one thing is certain, across all 20 episodes, there’s hardly a moment to feel bored. The twists, turns, and intricate situations keep you on the edge of your seat.
Every time you think you know what’s going on or who the suspect is, new chapters unfold, adding even more layers of mystery, but in the best way possible. From the very first scene of the first episode to the final moment of the finale, everything is cleverly connected.
A Gripping Opening
From the very first episode, the show had me completely hooked. It opens with a scene at a zoo, where a group of children is visiting. Among them is a young boy who stands out, emotionless and detached. He quietly slips a small rat from his school bag into a snake’s enclosure. As the snake attacks the rat, the other kids scream and run away. But this boy calmly watches, as if he’s watching a cartoon rather than a predator devouring its prey.
Years later, we see the same boy inside an empty church. He asks God, “Do I seem different to you, too? They say it’s how I was born. They say I was born different.”
If you think that’s not enough to raise alarm bells, let me tell you more. As he gets older, he kills the classroom rabbit, pours ammonia into his stepfather’s fish tank and kills the fish, then kills the family dog, leaving it floating in a pond. He even pushes his younger sibling into a hole, saying the child needs to be punished, and begins shoveling dirt in. Thankfully, their mother arrives just in time to save the younger sibling.
And in yet another flashback, still during the first episode, we see the boy standing over his stepfather’s dead body. That’s a lot of violence for someone so young, isn’t it?
Now, if he could commit such horrifying acts as a child, imagine what he might be capable of as an adult. And if you’re thinking he might have changed, he didn’t. A voiceover in the first episode tells us that he once prayed not to become a monster. But fifteen years later, Jesus had never answered his prayer, and he had become a killer.
So, you’d expect that someone like this would be isolated. Maybe people saw him as strange. Maybe they suspected something. But no. Instead, people saw him as a kind, honest, and dedicated police officer, someone who could never hurt a soul.
Shocking? Not really. Because psychopaths may lack empathy, but they’re skilled actors. They’re masters of imitation, pretending, performing, and fitting into society while concealing their true selves.
Now, maybe you’ve already guessed it, or maybe you already know if you’ve watched the show, but I’ll keep it hanging for now, just in case you’re still wondering who that young killer grew up to be.
Based on a true story
The first time I watched the series, I was completely blown away by the storytelling, phenomenal acting, and nail-biting cliffhangers. But did you know the show was actually inspired by a real-life murder case that shook South Korea in 2017?
The case involved a 17-year-old girl who lured an 8-year-old to her apartment, killed her, and dismembered the body. When the victim’s mother asked how she felt, the killer simply replied: ‘The weather is nice, but it’s going to be hard for me not to see cherry blossoms.’
That one line sparked nationwide outrage. But in some way, maybe it’s the kind of response you’d expect from a psychopath—someone who feels no guilt, no sorrow, and no empathy. And it raises a chilling question: what if these people could be identified long before they ever harmed anyone? What if we knew they were psychopaths before they were even born?
“The Psychopath Gene”
In the first episode, we meet a scientist named Daniel Lee (played by Jo Jae-yoon), who talks about the discovery of a gene found in the DNA of psychopaths. According to him, this gene could allow scientists to predict whether an unborn child might become a murderer — purely based on its presence. He claims that about one percent of people with this ‘psychopath gene’ do, in fact, become killers. But there’s a catch: while the test is 99% accurate, the remaining one percent actually identifies individuals who are geniuses. This creates a chilling ethical dilemma — eliminating potential psychopaths could also mean destroying potential geniuses. In the show, a proposal to mandate abortions in such cases is ultimately rejected.
Later in the episode, Daniel visits a friend whose wife is expecting. It’s revealed that the baby’s biological father was a serial killer known as the Head Hunter. A genetic test shows that the unborn child has inherited the psychopath gene. There’s still that slim one percent chance it could be the genius gene instead — but we all know how this story ends. The baby grows up to become a serial killer (you-know-who!).
A Reality Check
Unlike the fictional scenario, current science has not identified a definitive ‘killer gene.’ While there is a gene — MAOA-L — linked to extremely aggressive behavior, this alone doesn’t prove the existence of a singular ‘psychopath gene.’ Moreover, no prenatal tests currently exist that can accurately detect such a gene.
So, let me ask you this: with all the progress science has made, if one day we could scan for a psychopath gene in the womb through fetal genetic testing — should that child be brought into the world or not?
Written by Diksha Gangadeen
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