Review notes were previously posted on Letterboxd, on a private list with watched K-dramas. I deleted the list so will publish the notes here.
Signal (2016)
Watched 22 May - 8 June 2022 — 16 episodes (YOUTUBE)
*First drama series that I watched simultaneously with another show (My Liberation Notes). After watching My Mister and loving it, I was a bit at a loss what next to watch. I felt like watching something similar but couldn’t find anything, so opted for this highly rated sci-fi/csi thriller. I immediately liked it but couldn’t see myself binging the show in one go. Then I read that the new series My Liberation Notes was written by the same author of My Mister, so decided to watch that at the same time. I basically binged and finished My Liberation Notes and paused Signal after episode 6 (to pick it up again in June).
*After my break from Signal and finishing My Liberation Notes, upon my return to this show I got totally immersed in the story and characters and couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
*The intricate plot with time travel is at times a bit confusing, especially the ending. I had hoped for another ending where at least Kim Hye-soo and Cho Jin-woong would have connected with each other one more time, but they left things open and I read that there might come a second season. This ending would make perfectly sense then.
*I love the different cases and how they connected them, making them feel less episodic.
*The main cast is great. But my least favourite person was Lee Je-hoon as the young profiler. Though he performs well and is believable in his role, at times he overacts, especially when he’s playing intense and contorts his face in weird expressions. It seems a bit unnatural. I love Kim Hye-soo as the female lead, she appears in both timelines. In the past she plays a rookie cop, rather naive, and in the present she’s tough and determined. But the heart and soul of this series is Cho Jin-woong as the detective from the past.
*Great supporting cast, I especially loved the other two detectives being part of the cold case team.
*Good photography, I loved the colour palette they used for the scenes from the past. Also, the OST is very nice and suitable for the show’s genre.
*This show also has some heartfelt moments and they made me cry.
*I really hope they do a second season.