Signal (South Korean TV series)


Signal is a 2016 South Korean fantasy police procedural television series starring Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo and Cho Jin-woong. It premiered on tvN on January 22, 2016. A total of 16 episodes aired on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:30 KST, with the final episode airing on March 12, 2016. The series was inspired by real-life criminal incidents in Korea, including the Hwaseong serial murders.
The series received widespread acclaim from audience and critics alike for its story and performances. Also, it is the tenth highest-rated Korean drama in cable television history with a peak audience viewership of 12.54%.
A Japanese remake starring Kentaro Sakaguchi aired from April 10 to June 12, 2018 on Fuji TV.
It has been reported that a second season of the Korean drama was in the works.

Synopsis

A mysterious walkie talkie allows a detective in the year 1989 to communicate with a cold case profiler from 2015; with the power of fore and hindsight the two not only solve crimes but prevent them from ever taking place.
A criminal profiler Park Hae Young, solves a kidnapping case that ended up with a falsely accused who apparently disappeared after the crime, with a mysterious walkie-talkie he picks up. The success of this case triggers the formation of a long-term cold case team, led by Detective Cha Soo-Hyun, who has been searching her long-lost mentor Lee Jae-Han, for the past 15 years. With the help of Detective Lee Jae-Han, the person at the other end of the walkie-talkie, Park Hae-young solves many other cold cases that have remained unsolved for years, while helping Lee Jae-Han help solve some cases in the past. However, grave unintended sequences follow. Within the limited capabilities of the supernatural element, the three detectives put up a fight against time to solve crimes and save themselves from the unprecedented events that occur due to their actions.

Cast

Main

Police officers

Reception

Upon its premiere, the series attracted attention for weaving actual cases into its plot and attained high ratings. With its finale rating of 12.54%, it is one of the highest rated Korean dramas in cable television history. It received praise for its solid acting, tightly-constructed plot and detailed and sophisticated direction; and enjoyed success internationally in China and Japan.
The drama went on to win several awards from different award-giving bodies, including Best Drama, Best Screenplay for Kim Eun-hee, and Best Actress for Kim Hye-soo at the 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards, as well as another Best Actress award for Kim and the Daesang for Cho Jin-woong at the tvN10 Awards. Cho also won the Daesang at the 1st Asia Artist Awards for his performance.

Ratings

In this table, represent the lowest ratings and represent the highest ratings.

Remakes