Combining the suspense of a thriller with the intrigue of a mystery might seem unlikely, but the South Korean drama Signal successfully blended these genres a decade ago, becoming one of the most beloved K-dramas ever made. It remains incredibly popular, and a second season has been announced for 2024.
Signal, a South Korean crime drama with a touch of fantasy, first aired in 2016 and featured Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, and Cho Jin-woong. The show ran from January to March that year, and fans can look forward to a second season expected in early 2026, celebrating the show’s tenth anniversary. Now is a great time to watch or rediscover this thrilling K-drama, and there are plenty of reasons why!
What Was Signal About?
Okay, so this movie really hooked me with its clever structure – it jumps between two different time periods, and slowly reveals how they’re connected. We mainly follow a detective named Park Hae-young, played brilliantly by Lee Je-hoon, in 2015. He’s a profiler, really good at getting inside the minds of criminals, but he’s haunted by a childhood trauma. When he was a kid, he saw a classmate, Yoon-jung, get taken, and he knew the police were focusing on the wrong person. It’s a mystery that’s stayed with him for years, and it drives a lot of what he does in the present day.
As a child, Hae-young was often overlooked. Now, fifteen years later, he’s a detective who unexpectedly discovers a walkie-talkie. This device connects him to Detective Lee Jae-han (played by Cho Jin-woong), who is working on the Yoon-jung abduction case in the year 2000.
The show follows Hae-young, who in 2015 communicates with Jae-han in 2000. He uses information from these conversations to investigate a current kidnapping case. Throughout the series, Hae-young and Jae-han work together across time, sharing clues to solve crimes. However, they soon discover that altering the past can be risky.
The show explores the question: if you had the power to alter the past, would you? Hae-young can communicate with Jae-han, a man who lived from 1989 to 2000, and uses this connection to help solve current crimes. However, any information Hae-young shares with Jae-han impacts the past, leading to unforeseen and unexpected consequences for both of them.
Signal Also Explored Themes That Still Feel Relevant Today
A major focus in the early episodes of Signal is the frustration caused by time limits on prosecuting crimes, and how this disadvantages victims. Detective Hae-young is under intense pressure to solve the kidnapping of Yoon-jung before the legal deadline passes, adding even more stress for him and his team.
The concept of statutes of limitations remains a relevant issue globally. The TV series Signal powerfully illustrates how these laws can sometimes protect criminals at the expense of victims and their families. The series highlights this impact early on through the character of Yoon-jung’s mother.
The drama Signal draws inspiration from actual criminal cases and a South Korean law passed in 2015 that removed time limits on prosecuting first-degree murder. This law is central to the show’s beginning, leading detective Hae-young to join a new cold case unit. This unit is headed by Detective Cha Soo-hyun, portrayed by Kim Hye-soo, who previously worked alongside Detective Lee Jae-han in the 1990s.
The series Signal weaves together the stories of Hae-young and Jae-han as they communicate through a walkie-talkie to crack various cases. Alongside these investigations, a larger mystery unfolds: viewers, along with Hae-young, try to figure out how their connection began and what became of Jae-han after the year 2000.
Signal Remains One of the Most Popular K-Dramas of All Time
When it first came out in 2016, the Korean drama Signal was a huge hit on cable TV, earning some of the highest ratings ever seen. Even ten years later, it remains incredibly popular, consistently ranking among the top 30 most-watched cable series in South Korea. Critics also loved it, with a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.5/10 score on IMDb.
Given how beloved and influential Signal has been for over a decade, it’s no surprise the show is returning for new episodes. But even if it hadn’t been renewed, Signal would still stand out as a compelling drama, particularly for those who enjoy stories with a touch of the fantastical. The way the show weaves together two different time periods and explores the consequences of their connection is both fascinating and emotionally powerful.
Hae-young and Jae-han are dedicated to solving crimes, but they don’t understand how their efforts to change the past can have serious consequences for others. With just 16 episodes, Signal masterfully combines suspense, emotion, and compelling storytelling, making it a perfect watch, especially before the second season arrives.
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2026-02-08 17:07