The drama once suspended amid controversy over allegedly glorifying the Chinese Communist Party is finally returning after five years under its new title, Speaking Dead.

Speaking Dead follows the story of forensic scientist Jang Jae-wook, whose confession as one of history’s most notorious terrorism suspects becomes the starting point for uncovering a truth that was buried in darkness more than a decade ago.

On July 7, six official stills from Speaking Dead were released, highlighting the intense emotional conflicts surrounding the central mystery. One image shows Jang Jae-wook (Han Suk Kyu) standing in the middle of an intersection surrounded by police vehicles while holding a hostage, illustrating the dramatic moment that turns him into the center of a major urban terrorism investigation.

Other newly released stills feature profiler Yeo Soo-jung (Jung Yu Mi) walking decisively through rows of police cars to confront Jang Jae-wook, while Detective Division Chief Go Kyung-hee (Yeom Hye Ran) stands among the police vehicles with a tense expression, emphasizing the high-stakes standoff unfolding at the scene.

The stills also introduce key figures tied to the mysterious case from more than ten years earlier, including prosecutor Kang Young-il (Lee Hee Joon) and legal officer Heo Kyung-pil (Kim Joon Han), whose roles will gradually be revealed as the story progresses.

Speaking Dead has already drawn significant attention after being officially invited to the Fantascape section of the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN). Tickets sold out within five minutes of opening. The drama will receive its official screening on July 11, followed by a special guest event featuring creator Lee Kyung-sik, writer Park Shin-gyu, and cast members Lee Hee Joon, Yeom Hye Ran, and Kim Joon Han. The series is scheduled to premiere later this year.

Originally, the project was developed as a 16-episode drama titled Until Morning Comes. However, production was halted in 2021 after controversy erupted over the source novel, which was accused of glorifying the Chinese Communist Party. Filming had already been completed through Episode 8 before the project was suspended indefinitely.

Until Morning Comes was based on The Long Night, a mystery novel by Chinese author Zi Jinchen. The novel became controversial after being accused of functioning as pro-government propaganda promoting the administration of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Promotional posts celebrating the book’s publication appeared on official Weibo accounts operated by the People’s Procuratorate Daily, Pidu District Procuratorate, and several other Chinese Communist Party-affiliated organizations. Zi Jinchen himself has also faced criticism for repeatedly mocking and criticizing supporters of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement.

Following the controversy, the production team re-edited the project into an eight-episode series. Five years after production was halted, the drama has now been renamed Speaking Dead and is finally set to meet audiences.

Sources: Naver