Sometimes you can’t tell if a mango is rotten unless you cut it open. They could just sit there in your basket with the rest of the mangoes, looking perfect, fresh, unproblematic, but once you get to cut it, they turn out to be rotten right to the core… just like the rotten people in all those true crime stories. Maybe this is exactly why Stephanie Soo named her famous true crime podcast ‘Rotten Mango’.
It’s a weekly podcast that usually captivates listeners with its emotionally intelligent storytelling and chilling global cases. Rotten Mango approaches the darkest corners of human behavior with an empathetic, suspenseful, and conversational tone, making even the most horrifying stories feel personal and eerily relatable.
This said, there are countless true crime podcasts out there, so what makes Rotten Mango so special, with millions of people all over the world not missing a single episode?
Let’s uncover the deepest, maybe darkest secrets of the Rotten Mango podcast and see what’s so unique about it.
Table of Contents
– What’s Rotten Mango About
– Why Listen to Rotten Mango
– Best Rotten Mango Episodes
– Overall Reception
– Where can I listen to Rotten Mango?
What’s Rotten Mango About?
Rotten Mango is a true crime podcast that combines chilling narratives with emotions, offering listeners a unique experience into some of the world's most horrifying criminal cases. Hosted by Stephanie Soo, a YouTuber and digital storyteller, the podcast delves deep into the psychology of killers, strange cold cases, and unsettling mysteries from around the globe.
While the subjects are mostly dark and disturbing, Stephanie's empathetic narration and occasional humor provide moments of amusement, making the content more digestible without undermining the importance of the cases discussed.
Stephanie's storytelling is complemented by her co-host and husband, "Mr. Mangobutt," who often adds reactions and questions that sometimes mirror the listener's thoughts. Even though the listeners and viewers know how he sounds, after so many years, no one still knows the face behind the voice. Mr. Mangobutt remains a mystery himself.
Unlike many true crime podcasts that mostly focus on Western cases, Rotten Mango spotlights lesser-known international stories too, ensuring a diverse and inclusive narrative.
Most episodes of Rotten Mango are around 45–75 minutes long, and each is meticulously researched, often based on court documents, news reports, and firsthand accounts to provide as much information about the case at hand as possible. Stephanie has mentioned countless times that she is working with a team of researchers and translators to deliver the stories with as many details as possible and to always present high-quality episodes.
Why Listen to Rotten Mango?
There’s something about true crime that draws us in like moths to a flame. Maybe it’s the mystery, the psychology, or the chilling reminder that danger can hide in plain sight and sometimes go unnoticed. In the ever-growing world of true crime podcasts, listeners aren’t just tuning in for facts, they’re looking for stories that haunt, provoke, and linger. And Rotten Mango is one of the podcasts that perfectly delivers all of this.
The first episode of the Rotten Mango podcast was released on July 1, 2020. Since then, there have been around 450 episodes, many of them with millions of listens and YouTube views.
Based on the recent statistics of Rotten Mango, there are now approximately 3 million U.S. monthly downloads, 14 million global monthly YouTube views, 5 million YouTube subscribers, and 9.8M total social media followers.
With all these numbers, it’s not much of a surprise that Rotten Mango constantly appears in the Top 10 Podcasts lists in the U.S., both on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
The podcast's unique blend of true crime storytelling appeals to a demographic that values both informative content and engaging presentation, particularly to Gen Z and millennial listeners.
What makes the podcast more engaging is probably the feeling of being a part of it. There are several ways to do it, such as by suggesting a case or becoming a part of the team as an in-person researcher or translator. The podcast website constantly updates the positions you can apply for, and even chooses some cases offered by its listeners. They also encourage their followers to share any misinformation they find in any of their episodes, so the team can make the appropriate corrections as quickly as possible.
Receiving so much attention from the true crime lovers doesn’t go unnoticed by the Rotten Mango podcast team, so they try to give back by making a positive impact. A portion of the podcast's revenue is always donated to various charities worldwide, including organizations like “Sanctuary for Families” and the “Joyful Heart Foundation”. This philanthropic approach resonates with the podcast's audience, many of whom value social responsibility and advocacy.
Best Rotten Mango Episodes
Each episode of Rotten Mango stands out in the crowded true crime podcast landscape by offering deeply researched, globally inclusive stories presented with empathy and a touch of humor.
Here are some of the most famous and shocking episodes of the Rotten Mango podcast that can become your favorites too:
#148: The Mysterious Vidocq Society
The FBI agent walked into the warehouse. It was exactly what he expected… A concrete fortress, barely any natural light, and then he saw it. The walls. The walls were filled with rows and rows of decapitated heads, skulls, and bones. He came face to face with the man. He was shirtless, barefoot, and stirring a giant pot with a head inside. “I wasn’t expecting you today,” the man said…
#262: Killer Breaks Down Crying After 8-Year-Old Victim is Found ALIVE (Case of Jennifer Schuett)
For two decades, Dennis Bradford concealed a haunting secret, a secret so sinister that it remained hidden from every soul on this planet—his ex-wife, his current wife, his own children. The only person who knew died with his secret 20 years ago. Except she’s alive, and she’s been hunting him down every single day for the past 20 years.
#313: The Beast Of Colombia That Literally Sold His Soul To The Devil & Sacrificed 221 Children
He had sold his soul, and now, to keep the devil happy, he needed to make sacrifices with dead bodies and his Ouija board. 200+ bodies were found in Colombia, brutally assaulted, tortured, and dismembered. This is about the world’s deadliest serial killer…
#332: What Really Happened On Jeffrey Epstein’s Private Island? Secret Sex Parties & Rituals of Ultra Rich
What do rich men desire when they know they can buy almost everything in the world? They want what they can’t have. For Epstein that was young girls, illegally young girls, inexperienced young girls, his desires weren’t uncommon by any means either. Epstein was a multi-millionaire rubbing shoulders with princes, socialites, tycoons, magnates, all over the world who had exactly the same desires. How far would the rich go to get something they couldn’t buy?
#366: The Korean “Junko Furuta” Case - 26 Days Of Torture, SA, Then Sealed In Concrete
Standing in the middle of an orchard is a group of high schoolers and young 20-something year olds just huddled in a circle. They kick their shovels aside, start pouring the concrete into the hole, and watch as it covers first the hand, then the torso, and now the face. The face of the 15-year-old girl that they held captive for a month and tortured. This episode is about a case that everyone in South Korea has been calling: The Korean Junko Furuta case.
Overall Reception
Rotten Mango has a 4.8‑star average rating across major platforms, such as Spotify and Apple Podcasts, praised for its in-depth international case coverage, empathetic narration, and host chemistry. Not all the reviews are positive, of course, many complaining about the voice of the host. But, well, everyone has a preference when it comes to voices.
Here are some reviews that can give you an idea about what people actually think about the podcast:
I love love love! this podcast, she is fantastic at explaining these cases and I can create a perfect picture in my head! I always look forward to new episodes! - Ms. Loving
I really like the stories they are so so good but i don’t like how redundant you are. Half of the podcast is you repeating what you already said. “and she would leave the table dripped in jewels and jewelry. OK dripped in fur in jewelry, yes indeed.” I love the podcasts and the story but it’s hard and frustrating to follow along when you keep repeating yourself. Like just say something once and get to the next part of the story. - Maggie1816
They can be a bit insensitive at times, but the amount of research done + the order of telling(?) makes it one of my fave podcasts. Also, I don't really mind her voice. - saraxsadiq
Where Can I Listen to Rotten Mango?
You can listen to Rotten Mango episodes on all major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and through SiriusXM Podcasts+ (where new episodes can be heard ad‑free).
And if you are more into watching than listening, most of the episodes are also available on YouTube in a video format with real-life footage included.
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