‘Signal’ premiered in 2016, is a Korean drama that stands out as a unique amalgamation of procedural fantasy, crime, and human drama with elements of mystery and time travel.  The series is widely regarded as one of the best Korean dramas in the thriller genre, captivating audiences with its intriguing premise and compelling execution. Centered around a unique communication link that transcends decades, this series narrates about four or five murder cases that happened in the past and how the newly formed cold case investigation team revisits and investigates the case with few resources, which makes it a pioneer in the crime investigation genre.

Directed by: Kim Won -seok

Genres: Crime fiction, suspense, mystery

Starring:

• Lee Je-hoon (Park Hae-yeong)
• Kim Hye –soo (Cha Soo-hyun)
• Cho Jin –woong (Lee Jin-woong )
• Lee Sang –yeob(Jin -woo)
• Kim Won- hae (Kim Gye-cheol)

No. of episodes: 16

No. of season: 1

First episode date: 22 Jan 2016

Signal: Unsolved whispers through a walkie-talkie…..

Storyline and Plot:

The storyline begins in the year 2015 with Park Hae-young, a criminal profiler who discovers a scarred walkie–talkie that allows him to communicate with detective Lee Jae-han from 1989. This mysterious walkie-talkie enables them to solve cold cases that have remained unresolved for years. Through this mysterious connection, Hae-young and Jae-han collaborate on cold cases, which lead to the formation of a cold case team headed by Detective Cha-Soo-hyun, who has already been in search of Jae-han for 15 years.

As the story moves, they uncover the suspense behind the disappearance in 2000. However, the temporal connection comes with a twist: how altering the past can have unforeseen and catastrophic consequences in the present.

Signal: Acting and Performance

Both Kim Hye–soo and Lee Je–hoon perfectly played their respective roles as Cho-Hyun and Park Hae-Young so well. The acting of all three main leads is top-notch notch especially Choi Jin-woong woong who portrayed the innocence of the first love and stubbornness to be righteous, remarkably well. They both simply comfort both the antagonist and the protagonists.

The drama boasts strong and captivating performances from all its casts: Lee JE-hoon as the sagacious profiler, Kim Hye–Soo as the unshakable female detective, and Cho Jin–woong as the righteous detective, with their emotionally resonant depiction of individual struggles and intertwined destinies. 

Signal: Rudimentary themes and their strengths

Taking inspiration from real cold cases (the Hwaseong serial murders), the series through light on themes of real-life crimes, moral dilemmas, corruption, and justice. One fictional touch is that both the male leads from the past, that is, during different periods of the serial murder, and present, that is, from the cold case team, are randomly connected with a radio transmission for a few minutes on some days and share information, which eventually gives them an advantage in solving the cases.

The show’s core strength lies in its ability to weave an intriguing, complex plot and multi-layered narrative with the inclusion of time travel elements, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats with suspense and twists.

Though it seems the series left open-ended with intentions of a second season, but of it becoming a reality is looking very bleak at some point. Critics also complain a bit about its slow pacing. Despite flaws, the story is definitely interesting to keep the viewers on their toes, and it’s still an enjoyable watch.

There’s a lot to contemplate and learn from the drama as it emphasizes never losing hope, fighting for what is right, and savoring our time. If you are looking for a crime thriller that goes beyond the usual tropes,” Signal” is highly recommended. It will be a breath-taking, magnificent, compelling, and suspenseful watch………

FAQ

Where can I watch the K-drama Signal?

The Signal is now streaming on Netflix.