The drama 'Speaking Dead,' which was embroiled in controversy over allegedly glorifying the Chinese Communist Party, unveils itself five years after production was halted.
On the 7th, SLL released still cuts of the new drama 'Speaking Dead.' 'Speaking Dead' is a drama that begins with the confession of forensic scientist Jang Jae-wook (Han Suk-kyu), who drew the world's attention as an infamous terror suspect, and follows the search for truths frozen by darkness more than a decade ago.
Originally titled 'Until morning comes' and planned as a 16-episode drama, 'Speaking Dead' was halted in 2021 after the Chinese novel that inspired it, Long Night Unending (長夜難明), became embroiled in controversy over allegedly glorifying the Chinese Communist Party and allegations that it was a Xi Jinping propaganda novel. At the time, the production crew and cast had already finished filming up to episode 8. Based on the existing footage, it was reedited into a new eight-episode drama.
Before the controversy surrounding the original novel arose, 'Speaking Dead' had been regarded as a highly anticipated project featuring veteran actors including Han Suk-kyu, Jung Yu-mi, Yeom Hye-ran, Lee Heejun and Kim Jun Han. The transformation into 'Speaking Dead' after five years of halted production has further piqued curiosity.
Among the released still cuts of 'Speaking Dead' are intense emotional lines of the characters surrounding the incidents that drew attention. First, the protagonist Jang Jae-wook, played by Han Suk-kyu, is shown holding a hostage in the middle of an intersection surrounded by police cars, creating a suffocating sense of tension.
In the same scene, profiler Yeo Soo-jung (Jung Yu-mi) appears crossing between police cars, and investigation chief Go Kyung-hee (Yeom Hye-ran) watches tensely. The standoff between Jang Jae-wook and the main characters in the middle of the intersection evokes a sense of excitement.
Also drawing attention are Lee Heejun's Kang Young-il, who appears again as a prosecutor following his well-made ENA drama The Scarecrow, and Kim Jun Han as military judicial officer Heo Kyung-pil, who harbors secrets of the past. They are characters at the center of the events from more than a decade ago, and the drama is expected to depict the clash between a hidden past and the present.
While concerns about the original work and anticipation for a showdown among veteran actors coexist, 'Speaking Dead' met audiences first through a film festival. It was officially invited to the FantasKeskape section at the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival.
According to the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, 'Speaking Dead' sold out within five minutes of tickets going on sale, proving interest in the work. At the festival's official screening, creator Lee Kyung-sik and writer Park Shin-gyu, as well as actors Lee Heejun, Yeom Hye-ran and Kim Jun Han, are scheduled to attend the post-screening GV to discuss the work more deeply, and fans of film and drama appear to be focusing their attention on what the actors will say.
In addition, 'Speaking Dead' was invited to the competition section of the 2nd Italy Global Series Festival (IGSF 2026), further proving its artistic merit. However, a broadcaster and a specific air date have not yet been decided. With the lingering burden of controversies surrounding the original work, whether 'Speaking Dead' can overcome them to reach viewers remains to be seen. <
[Photo] Provided by SLL.
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