''Signal'' () is a 2016 South Korean fantasy

police procedural television series The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and th ...

starring

Lee Je-hoon Lee Je-hoon (born July 4, 1984) is a South Korean actor. He started his career in indie films, then went on to appear in commercial films like '' The Front Line'' (2011), '' Architecture 101'' (2012) and ''My Paparotti'' (2013), and television ...

Kim Hye-soo Kim Hye-soo (; born September 5, 1970) is a South Korean actress. Kim was one of the most popular teen stars in the 1980s and 1990s. She is known for her headstrong independence and regularly playing strong-willed, sophisticated women. Kim bega ...

, and

Cho Jin-woong Cho Jin-woong (born Jo Won-jun; March 3, 1976) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for his roles as Sejong's loyal bodyguard in ''Deep Rooted Tree'' (2011), a mobster in '' Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time'' (2012), and a mysterious vil ...

. Based on the 2000 film ''Frequency'' in premise and inspired by real-life criminal incidents in Korea, including the

Hwaseong serial murders Lee Chun-jae (; RR: I Chun-jae; born January 31, 1963) is a South Korean serial killer known for committing the Hwaseong serial murders. Between 1986 and 1994, Lee murdered 15 women and young girls in addition to numerous sexual assaults predo ...

, the series aired on tvN from January 22 to March 12, 2016 on Fridays and Saturdays at 20:30 KST for 16 episodes. The series received widespread acclaim from audience and critics alike for its story and performances. It is also one of the highest-rated Korean dramas in cable television history with a peak audience viewership of 12.544%.

Storyline

Criminal profiler Offender profiling, also known as criminal profiling, is an investigative strategy used by law enforcement agencies to identify likely suspects and has been used by investigators to link cases that may have been committed by the same perpetrato ...

Park Hae-young (

) solves a kidnapping case involving a culprit 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 Det. Cha Soo-hyun (

), who has searched for her long-lost mentor, Det. Lee Jae-han (

), over the past 15 years. With the help of Jae-han, the person at the other end of the walkie-talkie, Hae-young solves other cold cases that had remained unsolved for years while also helping Jae-han help solve other cases. Unintended consequences due to the changes in the past follow.

Cast

Main

as Park Hae-young : The criminal profiler who finds the walkie-talkie by chance, and uses it to solve cold cases. *

as Cha Soo-hyun : The first woman police officer in the Special Task Force, she becomes the leader of the Seoul cold case squad. *

as Lee Jae-han : The somewhat clumsy and socially inept but incorruptible police officer from the past who establishes a rapport with Park.

Supporting

;Police officers *

Jang Hyun-sung Jang Hyun-sung (born July 17, 1970) is a South Korean actor. He started his acting career as a member of the ''Hakjeon'' Theatre Company, before transitioning to film and television. Jang is best known for starring in director Song Il-gon's art ...

as Kim Bum-joo : Police superintendent. * Jung Hae-kyun as Ahn Chi-soo : A senior detective who later becomes section chief of the Seoul cold case squad. *

Kim Won-hae Kim Won-hae (born April 6, 1969) is a South Korean actor. He is best known as a former cast member of '' SNL Korea'' (season 1–4). Personal life In August 2020, it was reported that Kim tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatme ...

as Kim Gye-chul : Another officer from the violent crimes department who joins the Seoul cold case squad. * as Oh Yoon-seo : A colonel. * as Jung Han-ki : A forensic scientist and member of the Seoul cold case squad. * Kim Min-kyu as Hwang Eui-kyung : A junior officer that cleans up the Seoul cold case squad's work area. ;Extended * Kim Hyun-bin as young Park Hae-young *

Kang Chan-hee Kang Chan-hee (강찬희; born January 17, 2000), also known by his stage name Chani, is a South Korean singer and actor. He began his career as a child actor, in the television dramas '' Listen to My Heart'' (2011), '' The Innocent Man'' (2012 ...

as Park Sun-woo : Hae-young's older brother. *

Yang Dae-hyuk Yang Dae-hyuk is a South Korean actor. He is known for his roles in dramas such as '' The Third Charm'', ''My Holo Love'', ''18 Again'', ''Sweet Munchies'' and ''Three Bold Siblings ''Three Bold Siblings'' () is a 2023 South Korean televisio ...

as Hong Won-seo : A detective. * Lee Moon-soo as Lee Jae-han's father * Seo Ju-hee as Cha Soo-hyun's mother *

Lim Hwa-young Lim Hwa-young (, born October 6, 1984) is a South Korean actress. Filmography Film Television series References

1984 births Living people 21st-century South Korean actresses People from Seoul South Korean film actresses South Kor ...

as Cha Soo-hyun's younger sister *

Lee Do-yeop Lee Do-yeop (; born on April 11, 1972) is a South Korean theater actor and director. As an actor he also does various supporting roles in television and film. He’s known as scene stealer in dramas such as ''The Uncanny Counter ''The Uncann ...

as Kim Jung-jae

Special appearances

Oh Yeon-ah Oh Yeon-ah (born Kim Mi-ae on December 1, 1981) is a South Korean actress. She has played many supporting roles in both films and television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a televi ...

as Yoon Soo-ah (ep. 1-2) *

Lee Young-eun Lee Young-eun (born August 9, 1982) is a South Korean actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as ...

as Kim Yoon-jung (ep. 1-2) *

Lee Si-a Lee Si-a (born Lee Ji-a on July 10, 1990) is a South Korean actress and singer. She made her entertainment debut in 2011 as a member of the K-pop girl group . When Chi Chi disbanded in 2013, Lee turned to acting, and has appeared in television ...

as Kim Won-kyung (ep. 2-4) *

Kim Jung-young Kim Jung-young ( born on 27 July 1972) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 2000 in films, since then, she has appeared in number of plays, films and television series. She got recognition for her supporting roles in ''Clean w ...

as Won-kyung's aunt (ep. 2-4) * Kim Ki-cheon as Lee Chun-goo (ep. 3-4) * Lee Dong-ha as Han Se-kyu (ep. 5-8) * Jung Suk-yong as Oh Kyung-tae (ep. 5-7) * Park Si-eun as Oh Eun-ji (ep. 5-6) * Choi Woo-ri as Shin Yeo-jin (ep. 5-6) * Yoo Ha-bok as Shin Dong-hoon (ep. 5-7) *

Son Hyun-joo Son Hyun-joo (born June 24, 1965) is a South Korean actor. Since 1991, he has starred in numerous television series and films, such as '' First Love'' (1996), ''To Be With You'' (2002), ''My Rosy Life'' (2005), '' Tazza'' (2008), ''My Too Perfec ...

as Jang Young-chul (ep. 7, 11, 14, 16) *

Lee Eun-woo Lee Na-ra (born August 22, 1980) is a South Korean actress. She has worked on films such as '' Moebius'' and ''Kabukicho Love Hotel''. In 2013, she was nominated for Best New Actress at the 34th Blue Dragon Film Awards. Filmography Feature films ...

as Shin Da-hye (ep. 7-8) *

Lee Sang-yeob Lee Sang-yeob (born May 8, 1983) is a South Korean actor. He is best known for starring in the sitcom ''Living Among the Rich'' (2011–12), the melodrama '' The Innocent Man'' (2012), the period drama ''Jang Ok-jung, Living by Love'' (2013), an ...

as Kim Jin-woo (ep. 9-11) *

Lee Chae-kyung Lee Chae-kyung ( born on 22 January 1975) is a South Korean actress. She made her acting debut in 1998 in theater, and since then, she has appeared in a number of plays, films and television series. She got recognition for her supporting roles i ...

as Jin-woo's mother (ep. 10) *

Seo Eun-ah Seo Eun-ah (born February 26, 1989) is a South Korean actress. She graduated from the Korea National University of Arts School of Drama with a major in Acting and a minor in Dance, and began her entertainment career in 2005 by appearing in Dove ...

as Yoo Seung-yeon (ep. 10-11) * Shin Yi-joon as Kang Hye-seung (young / ep. 11-14) * Kim Woo-suk as Lee Dong-jin (ep. 12-14) *

Lee Jin-kwon Lee Jin-kwon (born 22 January 1991) is a South Korean actor and singer. He is best known for his supporting roles in '' Untouchable Lawman'', '' The Magician'' and '' Gangnam Blues''. Lee also appeared in the famous and popular school drama se ...

as a bully (ep. 12) * Hwang Seung-eon as Han Do-yeon (ep. 13) *

Jeon Su-ji Jeon Su-ji (born 10 November 1983) is a South Korean actress. She is known for her roles in dramas such as '' Designated Survivor: 60 Days'', ''Signal'', ''Sin Don'' and '' Green Mothers' Club''. She also appeared in movies ''Marathon'', '' Clos ...

as Kang Hye-seung (adult / ep. 13-14) * Seo Ji-hoon as Jang Tae-jin (ep. 14)

Episodes

Original soundtrack

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 Kim Eun-hee (; born January 7, 1972) is a South Korean playwright and screenwriter. She has been working on the Netflix series ''Kingdom'' since 2011. Career On March 5, 2017, Kim was announced as the creator and screenwriter for the Netflix pol ...

, and Best Actress for

at the

52nd Baeksang Arts Awards The 52nd Baeksang Arts Awards () ceremony was held on June 3, 2016, at Grand Peace Hall, Kyung Hee University in Seoul. It was broadcast live on JTBC and was hosted by Shin Dong-yup and Bae Suzy. Organised by ''Ilgan Sports'' and JTBC Plus, it ...

, as well as another Best Actress award for Kim and the Daesang (Grand Prize for Television) for

at the tvN10 Awards. Cho also won the Daesang at the 1st

Asia Artist Awards Asia Artist Awards (; abbreviated AAA) is an awards ceremony organized by South Korea-based business newspaper ''Money Today'' and its global media brands StarNews and MTN. It honors outstanding achievements and international contributions of A ...

for his performance.

Ratings

Awards and nominations

Adaptations

* A Japanese remake starring

Kentaro Sakaguchi is a Japanese actor and model. He debuted as a model in Men's Non-no magazine in 2010, and as an actor under Tristone Entertainment in 2014. He has since starred in television series ''Tokyo Tarareba Musume'' (2017) and ''Signal'' (2018), as w ...

aired from April 10 to June 12, 2018 on

Fuji TV JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as and colloquially known as CX, is a Japanese television station based in Odaiba, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Owned and operated by the it is the key station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network S ...

. * On October 23, 2019, '' Unknown Number'', a Chinese remake of ''Signal'', started airing on

Tencent Video Tencent Video (, also called WeTV outside of China) is a Chinese video streaming website owned by Tencent. The website was launched in April 2011, and is one of China's largest online video platforms. As of March 2022, Tencent Video has over 1.2 ...

References

External links

* * {{Kim Eun-hee TVN (South Korean TV channel) television dramas 2016 South Korean television series debuts 2016 South Korean television series endings Korean-language television shows South Korean crime television series South Korean fantasy television series South Korean police procedural television series South Korean television series remade in other languages Television series about multiple time paths South Korean time travel television series Television shows written by Kim Eun-hee Television series by AStory