With all the good K-dramas premiering almost week after week, itās definitely hard to keep up with the new ones, as well as the already-completed ones that are sitting in your binge lists for the longest time. However, just like every binge-watcher out there, youāre probably still on the lookout for more dramas to add to your never-ending lists. If thatās the case, then weāve got your back!
For this weekās K-drama files, we put the spotlight on Signal and why you should watch it!
The Story
Signal is a 16-episode drama that follows a young boy named Park Hae Young who witnesses a kidnapping incident back when he was a child. Because of the police force’s inability to solve the crime then, Hae Young becomes distrusting of the cops.
Fifteen years later, Hae Young is now a police officer and a criminal profile. The cold case from the past is opened again after Hae Young encounters a walkie-talkie that allows him to communicate with another detective named Lee Jae Han. The only catch is that the detective is from fifteen years ago, who is also working on the same crimes that Hae Young is.
Together with Cha Soo Hyun, Hae Young and Lee Jae Han go on a journey to solve cases both in the past and in the present.
The Cast
At the center of the story is Park Hae Young, a young man who becomes part of a cold case task force as a criminal profiler. Lee Je Hoon, whose other works include Time to Hunt and Tomorrow With You, plays this character.
Jo Jin Woong plays Lee Jae Han, a detective from the past who was also part of the group investigating murder and rape cases. The actor’s previous projects include The Handmaiden, Jesters: The Game Changers, and Tree With Deep Roots.
Kim Hye Soo plays Cha Soo Hyun, also a detective from the cold case task force. She was Lee Jae Han’s junior and is now Park Hae Young’s senior. Kim Hye Soo also starred in Hyena, The Thieves, and Tazza: The High Rollers.
Other members of the cast include Kim Won Hae, Lee Yoo Joon, Jang Hyung Sung, and Jung Hae Kyun.
Watch it if you…
…are into crime-thriller K-dramas or you want to get into this particular genre! The drama keeps you on the edge of your seat for all of its 16 episodes, especially since every episode feels like you’re solving the crimes with the main characters. Events that took place in the drama also take inspiration from real crimes that happened in South Korea, one of which has not been solved until last year.
Signal is also a must-watch for those who are into stories that involve time. Although the drama takes place in two different timelines, every character and story arc connects so well with the main plot, and it’s not as confusing as you’d expect it to be. It explores the idea of how even one small change from the past can affect the present, and how there are some things that just don’t change over time (*cough* corruption *cough*).
Another aspect that carried the show is its cast. You can’t help but root for the main characters, especially Lee Jae Han, who all stand out in an institution led by dirty and corrupt officials. Its minor characters also stand out. It makes you root for the good ones and sympathize with the victims and it also makes you seethe in anger for the corrupt officials and the suspects.
All in all, Signal is a must-watch drama if you’ve always been one who loves crime dramas that are based on real-life events and stories that involve time. It gets you hooked from start to end, and going through all of its 16 episodes is a breeze.
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Signal is now streaming on Netflix.
Homestream image is from Signal‘s official website.
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