Will the unreleased works of the late Lee Sun Gyun meet the audience this year? 

Distributors are facing deep concerns as to whether they can delay the release further or even confirm a release date hastily.

Lee Sun Gyun passed away last December during a time when he was under investigation for drug use allegations. He underwent three police interrogations and had received negative results in both a preliminary drug test and subsequent detailed tests by the National Forensic Service (hair and armpit hair samples). 

With Lee's passing, the police closed the investigation citing 'lack of prosecutable evidence'.

Two unreleased works of Lee Sun-kyun are "Project Silence" (directed by Kim Tae-gon) and "The Land of Happiness" (directed by Choo Chang-min). 

Recently, there have been reports that these two films are likely to be released in the summer. 

However, CJ ENM, the distributor of "Project Silence" stated, "The release timing is still undetermined. It's under ongoing discussion." Similarly, NEW, the distributor of "The Land of Happiness" mentioned, "We are considering the second half of the year for release, possibly in August," without specifying a release date.

"Project Silence" is a story of people trapped in the collapsing Airport Bridge in thick fog, struggling to survive an unexpected threat. Lee Sun Gyun played the role of Cha Jung-won, a presidential aide who becomes stranded on the bridge while seeing off his daughter at the airport. 

The filming of "Project Silence" which concluded in 2021, was invited to the Un Certain Regard section of the 76th Cannes Film Festival in May last year. The film received mixed reviews at Cannes, criticized for lacking differentiation from other disaster films and being considered clichéd and lacking depth.

Additionally, CJ ENM, the distributor, is currently experiencing a slump in the film sector following the 'Lee Sun Gyun risk', which adds to their concerns regarding the quality of the production.

"The Land of Happiness" is another unreleased work of Lee Sun Gyun, portraying a story of a soldier entangled in a modern history-shaking event and a lawyer who fights to save him. 
Lee Sun Gyun played the role of Park Tae-joo, a soldier caught up in the incident that shook Korean modern history. 

Issues related to planning, directing, and subject matter are not only concerns for Lee Sun Gyun's unreleased works but also for other productions. Distributors, who have experienced numerous 'warehouse films' due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no longer want to stash away their productions. 

As time passes, the footage becomes outdated, and the subject matter drifts away from public interest.

The biggest concern lies in the fact that these are 'Lee Sun Gyun's unreleased works.' 

Among the public, there is a mix of pity for the deceased Lee Sun Gyun and a sense of responsibility for him to undergo thorough investigation.  

As he completed filming for "The Land of Happiness" Lee stated, "It was a challenging project in many ways. I want to present a memorable work to the audience for a long time to come. I had a joyful and grateful time working with the director, excellent actors, and staff." Whether his wish can be fulfilled this year remains to be seen.