'Copycat Killer,' a Mandarin-language Taiwanese series, focuses on Prosecutor Kuo Hsiao-chi, who discovers a serial murderer is killing young girls in the city of Songyan. The serial murderer then approaches the victims' families, claiming that the person he is trying to track is a narcissist. Kuo eventually discovers that Chen He-ping, a well-known television personality, has committed suicide
Is Chen He-ping/Noh a Real Copycat Serial Killer?
Chen He-ping AKA Noh is not based on a true copycat serial killer. 'Copycat Killer' is a television adaptation of 'Mohhan' AKA 'The Copycat,' a mystery novel by Japanese genre fiction writer Miyuki Miyabe. Miyabe lived in Tokyo's Koto Ward, where the remains of the serial killer's fourth victim were discovered.
Tsutomu Miyazaki isn't even a fictionalized version of Chen He-ping, except for a few unignorable similarities. In the series, He-ping taunts Yi-jyun's family as he sends her body remains to her grandparents. He-ping also defies Lin Shang-yong by kidnapping his daughter.
The characterization of He-ping by Chang Jung-chi and Henri Chang reminds us of the Zodiac Killer, one of the most famous serial murderers of all time. Both killers assumed an identity to perpetrate the killings, while He-ping chooses the identity of Noh.
'Copycat Killer' isn't just a serial killer saga; it's also a commentary on news culture, illustrating how one can control the narrative even if he or she is a murderer of several young girls. Jung-chi and Chang illustrate how news and information can become the tools of a murderer if used appropriately.
He-ping is a fictional serial killer who is grounded in reality, drawing on the experiences of several of the famous murderers. His narcissistic traits remind us of famous real-life murderers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, etc.
