The drama, once suspended due to controversy over the alleged glorification of the Chinese Communist Party, finally returns after five years with a new title. Dead man talking.
Dead man talking 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 photos of Dead man talking 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 photos show profiler Yeo Soo-jung (Jung Yu Mi) walking purposefully through rows of police cars to confront Jang Jae-wook, while Investigation Division Chief Go Kyung-hee (Yeom Hye Ran) stands between police vehicles with a tense expression, underscoring the high-stakes standoff unfolding at the scene.
The photos also introduce key figures linked to the mysterious case from more than a decade 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.
Dead man talking has already attracted a lot of 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 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 premiere is expected later this year.
Originally, the project was developed as a 16-episode drama titled Until the morning. However, production was halted in 2021 after controversy erupted over the original novel, which was accused of glorifying the Chinese Communist Party. Filming had already completed up to episode 8 before the project was put on hold indefinitely.
Until the morning was based on The Long Night, a mystery novel by Chinese author Zi Jinchen. The novel became controversial after it was accused of serving as pro-government propaganda to promote 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, the Pidu District Procuratorate, and several other organizations affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party. Zi Jinchen himself has also been criticized 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 stopped, the drama was retitled Dead man talking and is finally ready to meet the public.
Sources: Naver
