Han Seok-gyu Plays a Notorious Terror Suspect in Drama 'Speaking Dead'; New Stills Released

The new drama 〈Speaking Dead〉 (Speaking Dead), set to premiere in the second half of this year, has unveiled six press stills that capture the series' chilling tension. The suspense thriller follows a long-buried incident colliding with the present.

〈Speaking Dead〉 opens with a confession from Jang Jae-wook (Han Seok-gyu), a former National Forensic Service forensic pathologist who appears at the scene of a major terror threat in central Seoul dragging a mysterious bag. Jang's confession brings to the surface the truth behind a military-unit cover-up from more than a decade ago, entangling the prosecution, police, military and the media, and bringing the characters into sharp conflict.

The new stills highlight the sharp standoff among the characters tied to the case. One image shows Jang Jae-wook holding a hostage in the middle of an intersection surrounded by police cars, staring straight ahead—an image that conveys the urgency of a terror scene. Facing him, profiler Yeo Soo-jung (Jung Yu-mi) appears resolute, and investigation chief Go Kyung-hee (Yeom Hye-ran) looks strained and tense, heightening the drama's immersion. Also shown are prosecutor Kang Young-il (Lee Hee-jun) and military legal officer Heo Kyung-pil (Kim Jun-han), who hold the key to an incident from more than a decade ago, pointing to a story that connects that case to the present crisis.

Even before its official release, 〈Speaking Dead〉 has drawn interest from critics and audiences at home and abroad. It was officially invited to the Fantascape section of the 30th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN) and sold out within five minutes of ticket sales opening. After the official screening on Saturday, July 11, a post-screening audience Q&A (GV) will feature creator Lee Kyung-sik and writer Park Shin-gyu, along with actors Lee Hee-jun, Yeom Hye-ran, and Kim Jun-han, who will discuss the work in depth.

Invited to the competition section of the 2nd Italian Global Series Festival (IGSF 2026), 〈Speaking Dead〉 is set to premiere in the second half of this year.