Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife, also known as Surviving as the Wife of a Serial Killer, is a Korean horror-romance fantasy novel and webtoon. Written by Jeong Maesil (정매실), the story follows a woman who becomes trapped inside a horror game and pretends to be the wife of Silas, a dangerous serial killer who has lost his memory. The original Korean novel was completed in 2025, while the webtoon adaptation continued into 2026.

Introduction

Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife has attracted attention among readers looking for dark romance, psychological suspense and survival-focused fantasy stories in 2026.

The title refers to the Korean work 연쇄 살인마의 아내로 살아남기, written by Jeong Maesil. It is a fictional story rather than a true-crime account. The premise centers on a woman who suddenly finds herself inside a horror game called The Devil's House. Instead of becoming simply another victim, she makes a desperate decision: she pretends to be the wife of the game's psychopathic serial killer.

The story combines horror, romance, psychological tension and survival elements. Its unusual premise has also helped it move from a Korean web novel into a webtoon adaptation.

What Happened?

The story begins when the female protagonist falls into a sinkhole while returning home from work.

She then discovers that she has been transported into the world of a horror game she knows. The situation becomes even more dangerous when she realizes that she has become the first victim of the game's serial killer.

That killer is Silas.

Rather than confronting him directly, the protagonist tries to use the information she has about the game's world to stay alive. When she realizes that Silas has lost his memories, she takes an extraordinary risk.

She claims to be his wife.

This deception becomes the central premise of Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife. She must convince a potentially deadly man that they already have a relationship while simultaneously trying to understand the rules of the world around her.

The story therefore asks a simple but dangerous question: How long can someone survive while pretending to be married to a serial killer?

Key Details

Several facts about the series are particularly important for readers searching for information in 2026:

• Korean title: 연쇄 살인마의 아내로 살아남기
• English title: Surviving as the Wife of a Serial Killer
• Author: Jeong Maesil (정매실)
• Genre: Horror, romance, fantasy and psychological suspense
• Main male character: Silas
• Main premise: A woman trapped inside a horror game pretends to be a serial killer's wife.
• Original novel: Completed.
• Publisher of the Korean ebook: Layered (레이어드).
• Webtoon adaptation: Based on the original work by Jeong Maesil, with adaptation/art credited to nanabi in promotional information.
• 2026 development: The webtoon continued receiving attention and releases in 2026.

Background

Who Wrote Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife?

The original story was written by Korean genre-fiction author Jeong Maesil.

YES24's author listing identifies Jeong Maesil as a Korean genre-fiction writer and lists 연쇄 살인마의 아내로 살아남기 among her works. The ebook edition was published by Layered.

The original novel was released in multiple parts. Korean bookseller Aladin lists the third part as a three-volume series, with the final volume titled “가족” (Family). The listed publication date for the final volume was July 2025.

That means readers searching for the novel's status should distinguish between the completed original novel and the webtoon adaptation, which has its own release schedule.

Who Is Silas?

Silas is the central male character and the dangerous figure around whom the survival story revolves.

He is presented as a psychopathic serial killer within the fictional horror-game setting. However, one unusual factor changes the protagonist's chances of survival: Silas has lost his memory.

That creates the opening for her deception.

Rather than telling him that she is his intended victim, she attempts to convince him that she is his wife.

The relationship between the two characters consequently becomes a mixture of danger, deception and emotional tension.

Who Is the Female Protagonist?

The heroine is transported into the game and initially faces the prospect of becoming its first victim.

Available descriptions identify her as Eileen in the story's character information, while some databases and fan listings also associate her with other names resulting from the story's identity changes.

Her most important characteristic is not physical strength but her ability to adapt quickly to an extremely dangerous situation.

She understands enough about the game's setting to know that ordinary behavior could get her killed. Her decision to impersonate Silas's wife becomes her primary survival strategy.

What Officials / Organizations Said

Because Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife is a fictional entertainment property, there is no police investigation or real-world criminal case associated with the story.

The most reliable information comes from Korean publishing and bookselling records.

Kyobo Book Centre lists the Korean ebook under Jeong Maesil's name and Layered as the publisher. YES24 similarly identifies the work as a completed ebook by Jeong Maesil, published in 2025.

Aladin's series listing also confirms the multi-part structure and shows the final third-part volume, Family, published in July 2025.

For the adaptation, promotional information published in September 2026 identifies the work as a webtoon based on Jeong Maesil's original story, with nanabi associated with the art/adaptation.

Why This Matters

The popularity of Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife comes largely from the way it combines several popular genres rather than relying on a conventional romance setup.

At its core, the heroine is not trying to win over an ordinary romantic partner. She is attempting to survive someone who, within the fictional story, is supposed to be one of the most dangerous characters in the game.

That immediately creates a different kind of relationship dynamic.

The heroine's marriage is initially a survival strategy. Her knowledge of the game's world gives her an advantage, but her knowledge is incomplete because she never reached the ending before being transported into it.

This creates ongoing uncertainty: she knows enough to be afraid, but not enough to predict everything that will happen.

The story also uses the memory-loss premise to complicate the relationship between the two leads. Silas does not simply know the truth about her identity, leaving her to maintain the deception while trying to understand what he remembers and what he does not.

For readers who enjoy dark romance, horror-game settings, psychological suspense and morally complicated relationships, that combination is a major part of the title's appeal.

What Happens Next?

For the original novel, there is no unresolved ending in terms of publication status. Korean bookseller records identify the work as a completed series, with its final volumes published in 2025.

The more relevant development for readers in 2026 is the webtoon adaptation.

The adaptation has continued to appear in 2026, and promotional information dated September 4, 2026 indicates a new release/launch associated with the Korean title.

However, readers should be careful with chapter numbers and release schedules found on unofficial manga aggregation websites. Those sites can contain incomplete, delayed or unauthorized information.

For the most reliable publication information, Korean publisher and bookseller listings are preferable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife?

Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife is the English name commonly used for the Korean fictional work 연쇄 살인마의 아내로 살아남기. It is a dark romance and horror-fantasy story about a woman trapped inside a horror game who pretends to be a serial killer's wife in order to survive.

Is Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife based on a true story?

No. The work is fictional. Its story takes place in a horror-game setting and features fictional characters including Silas and the female protagonist.

Who is the author of Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife?

The author is Jeong Maesil (정매실), a Korean genre-fiction writer. Korean publishing listings identify her as the author of the work.

Is the Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife novel finished?

Yes. The Korean original is listed as completed. YES24 identifies the ebook as a completed work, while Aladin lists the final third-part volume as Family, published in July 2025.

Is Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife a webtoon?

Yes. The story has been adapted into a webtoon. 2026 promotional information identifies the webtoon as an adaptation of Jeong Maesil's original story, with nanabi associated with the adaptation/art.

Who is Silas in Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife?

Silas is the story's central male character and a fictional psychopathic serial killer. He has lost his memories when the protagonist encounters him, which allows her to claim that she is his wife.

What is the main plot of Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife?

The protagonist falls into a sinkhole and becomes trapped inside the horror game The Devil's House. She discovers that she is destined to become a serial killer's victim, so she pretends to be the killer's wife after discovering that he has lost his memory.

Is Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife still ongoing in 2026?

The original novel is completed, but the webtoon adaptation has continued to receive releases and promotional activity in 2026. Therefore, readers should distinguish the status of the original novel from that of the adaptation.

Sources

The article was researched using publicly available publishing, bookselling and series-information sources, with preference given to Korean publishing records where available:

1. Kyobo Book Centre — Korean ebook listing identifying Jeong Maesil and Layered.
2. YES24 — Author and completed-series information for 연쇄 살인마의 아내로 살아남기.
3. Aladin — Series and publication information, including the final third-part volumes.
4. Novel Updates — English title, premise, characters and release-status information.
5. 2026 promotional information — Webtoon adaptation details and September 4, 2026 release announcement.

Accuracy note: Some English-language websites use the shortened title Surviving as a Serial Killer's Wife, while Korean publishing records use 연쇄 살인마의 아내로 살아남기. The title Surviving as the Wife of a Serial Killer is also used in English listings. These refer to the same work.