Signal is a very good drama, the kind of drama you feel compelled to recommend to a non drama viewer. Not because it's seems American, but because its "goodness" it's beyond nationality or language.
In short:
What I liked:
-Most of the acting and their script is great, you feel the characters, and they feel like real human beings; with real human reactions.
-The plot; and how all the sub-plots connect into one big story which slowly unfolds.
-How the fantastic element is inserted, the "rules" they come up to (you'll understand this when you see it), but it doesn't feel "cheap" and it could've been.
-The direction and production is very good for a TV product.
What I didn't like:
-Sometimes the editor/director feels like he has to over-explain some things that are pretty clear, so you'll find yourself re-watching some scenes from time to time (it's not a big problem, but it's something to mention).
-The acting overall is very good but, OMG Kim Hye Soo "surprised face" is... well, very bad =P
If you're looking for romance, there's almost none, so this is not the drama for you. But, if you're looking for a good story, with good and unexpected twists, good characters and acting with high production values, this drama is for you.
Also, the violence is there, but it's not excessive, and for those who complain about the ending; let me tell you that it's consistent with the rest of series, you'll not feel disappointed.
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I strongly recommend this series to all.
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No really. I savored this thing. I started watching May 19, 2016 and dragged it out until November 10, 2016. Yes, Signal was so good that I did find myself binge watching episodes numerous times, but it was so fabulously wonderful that I would gain control of myself control so that I could savor.
The writing. Oh, my gosh the writing! Never have I given (especially now that I've got my rating scale down) a first episode a 10. Ever. Not even my favorite shows like Healer, Faith, I Hear Your voice, and etcetera. They've always had to work to lead up to that 10 rating. Signal nailed it on the first episode and I still have no words to describe that absolute bliss that accompanied such heights of writing. I don't think I'll ever be able to explain it. Though here is what I titled my episode one review: "One of the best first episodes I've ever seen."
The writer perfectly balanced the small arcs of crime cases to the larger arcs. We're introduced to the concept of these walkie-talkies (aka radios) connecting two cops through time. Using a seemingly inconsequential kidnapping case to pull them together and start them working together. There are some real life events pulled in and given their own twists. Most known is the famous Hwaseong serial murders, which I had heard would be the focus way back when word of the initial concept had dropped. So I was a bit baffled as to where the show would go, and stay strong, without the case. The writer is so confidant and amazing that the arc of the Hwaseong serial murders is epic! Holly cow amazing, but the other cases and the bigger arcs never falter after. In fact, the big arcs—sorry guys I'm trying not to spoil a thing especially if you haven't seen Frequency—are never far away. They're constantly being hinted and developed. So by the time its the forefront and focus of the show I was practically foaming at the mouth.
Even better is that the actions of the characters have consequences. Big ones. Even if they're willing and strong enough to try and change the past, lives are altered in the present and past. People who lived before die, others who died lived. Would that have happened if they hadn't intervened? There are many scary moments when you don't know if things will actually be changed, and moments of hope when you pray that they will be.
The actors did a wonderful job. Hands down some of the best acting I have seen in a drama and the proof of their abilities is in how many dramas these actors have landed since Signal. Performances by the leads and supporting characters never faltered. Their interactions are so real. Even the guest roles to play the victims and criminals did flawless work. If you asked me about any of the characters I'd probably have nothing but praise for them, even if it was the old lady collecting card board and garbage in one scene. All three leads did such an amazing job that I don't have words for them. They're just awesome.
The set designer and wardrobe/makeup people hit it on point. You didn't need the years flashed across the screen to know whether you were in the present day or the past. It was so consistent that I hope Signal wins tons of awards for that alone.
The music is well done and I really love the opening OST for the drama—even if it smacks heavily of another shows OST from America. Hey, it fit Signal perfectly. I thought the OST was well done and fit the show well. A nice balance for a show that spanned two time periods.
Signal's biggest ambition is that addresses the corruption of not just cops, but society. Addressing that those with power and money do get away with things, but if the people stay true and never give up justice can be served. There's many other topic addressed here as well. The blaming of rape victims, the emotions of the criminal and the victim. The consequences of actions and many more ideas.
The emotional impact and cleverness of the Signal still astounds me looking back and I made sure before I even finished it that I owned it for future rewatching. Director Kim Won-Suk truly surprised me, and I look forward to future dramas. Writer Kim Eun-Hee is officially on my stalk list! Future dramas will be a must and I've already started looking into the older ones. Overall I would say that Signal is a drama everyone should see. Especially if you've been starved for something that isn't just another stereotypical K-drama. Even if you are one who only likes the stereotypical drama fodder, try this! Because Signal is not only one of the best dramas I've seen, it's one of the best TV shows I've seen.
My review/words will never be adequate enough to describe or praise Signal. But I had to try.
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You hardly see dramas that keep you going from episode to episode to the end before you know it. This drama does just that! I think this drama is a gem in the hidden mine, waiting for those to discover it, to know it's true beauty.
I rarely watch psychological and suspense crime dramas that are not top-rated. I am always afraid to be disappointed by the time the end episode is released. This is where I normally drop the dramas and cannot go back after a long period of time, if lucky. However, this series left me on a note wanting more. I have to tell you all, you will not be bored with any of these episodes and you will feel like each episode in this drama feeds your craving "just right". Not the Got7 way.
If you find the first episode not intriguing, do not let go of this drama. I guarantee you that by the next try, you will be forever hooked and on-edge.
BEST KOREAN SUSPENSE CRIME DRAMA OF 2016!
Nothing more, nothing less.
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Signal is a detective/suspense drama that focuses on a newly created police department “the cold cases unit” and how its profiler suddenly finds an old seeming less useless radio (walkie talkie) but starts getting these weird transmissions from that radio. Then he discovers the transmissions come from a detective of the past, who strangely has a connection to the cold cases the unit is investigating. The profiler keeps the transmissions of the radio a secret but uses them to solve the cold cases. But soon he’ll discover there is more than meets the eye. These transmissions are only the beginning of uncovering a big conspiracy and all the secrets involved in it.
It really is a well made suspense drama, the cases are well planned and they interconnect very well with the scenes form the past. Overall the stories from the past and the present are well connected, at first you get a little confused because they change from past to present from one scene to another. But all the old scenes are filmed with this sepia color that helps you identify which is which.
The main 3 actors of this drama are all new to me this is the first time I’ve seen them act. They did an amazing job, their characters were well developed and all the emotions portrayed were believable. I only had a little problem with the female detective’s acting on the past, she was the exact opposite of the strong and reliable detective from the present.
The only bad point for me is the paradox of changing the past and the repercussions it could have in the present, I was ok with the explanations and the way they handled it until the final episodes where I think they kind of contradict the premise they were using in the previous episodes.
As many others had done I’m also recommending this drama, watch it and write your own conclusions on the cases and the time paradox. And by watching you will also wonder how can a boy eating omurice can make you cry so much!
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Mind-blowing crime thriller with a twist of time warp
This is one of the most outstanding crime, detective series I have watched. I love how there different stories told within the story itself. The cases actually has more depth than usual and actually stirs emotions. Unlike, most crime dramas, Signal didn't revolved around corruption only but more on the story of its characters so very good job on that.Most of the times I find shows which has vintage feels to it confusing or boring but here I really appreciate how it takes us back to 1989 when I wasn't even born. The cinematography added that vintage feels that it won't be hard to tell which is the past and the present. The OST also complements the overall mood of the show. The song has 90's feel to it which I surprisingly get addicted into.
My mind is still blown on how the story went and I admit although the ending is a bit confusing for me, I really enjoyed the journey of watching each drama. All characters are really interesting and their chemistry on screen is superb. My time is definitely worth it. Thumbs up to the Kingdom screenwriter who wrote such an amazing story. The elements of the story like the time warp, the cases, the slight humor, the emotions, it was risky to be put together because it can end up a disaster but this one stayed consistent from start to finish.
I don't really re-watch heavy dramas and crime thriller because the excitement is no longer there 2nd time around as I know what happened already. But if there's one thing I can assure, the story is really worth it. If you're a crime thriller seeker and loves emotional dramas, this a very good recommendation. Heads up to those who doesn't like vague ending though as this drama has an open-ended finale.
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This review may contain spoilers
Being a mystery thriller genre fan, I went in with really high expectations seeing the 9+ ratings here and needless to say I am thoroughly disappointed! This drama had a great potential with an unique story line if it been had developed properly but somehow lost its way from the initial brilliant idea of communication from the past...Actually there is no mystery or suspense for the viewers as from the 1st episode you are shown who the villains are and within first 2-3 episodes it only left me with frustration seeing how the characters are being so clueless even though people around them are so suspicious! It was a long wait till episode 16 for characters to actually figure out who was behind everything even though they knew how bad that particular person was! Seriously seriously frusrating, I must say!
This show is for the fans of drama that deals with social justice where everyone knows the villian, who is as usual highly powerful and corrupt individual but the hero who is a sincere underdog who preserves to fight against the evil and win the war the end. If you are a fan of this genre, then this drama is for you but if you are a mystery fan like me, then be prepared to be disappointed...
Even in the weekly cases there is no suspense as such, just police slowly, I mean really slowly trying to figure out the culprit who is again revealed to us right in the beginning of the episode! :(
Now coming to acting, everyone was ok ok even though I really didn't like the actor who played ML in the Past in certain scenes where I felt his acting was a bit odd even though I am not able to pinpoint the exact scenes...
His onscreen character too was not in sync like the character was fluctuating between moments of brilliance and moments of stupidity repeatedly. Because of this I skipped through many Past scenes and what I found was because the past had many filler scenes, I didn't miss anything even after skipping 20-30 mins at a time! Guess the show would have been better if it was for 10 episodes, then everything would have been more crisper.
The only thing I really liked about the whole show other than the overall idea of getting a radio transmission from the past that could change the present, was that the FL is realistically badass in the Present (2015 in the show) time. She may get hurt but she never failed to bounce back like a spring to kick some criminal's ass! It was totally commendable!
Also the fact the the Past ML encouraged her not be just a coffee serving girl to her seniors but to make her own stand against them like the actual detective she was, was a really good scene!
Overall a 5.5/10 for me.
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Same Crime, Different Times.
Signal is a drama that is never missed in a list of thriller recs. Although the MDL synopsis seemed a bit boring to me, I decided to give it a try.Park Hae Young, a detective, has an open disdain for the police force in spite of working for them. He had witnessed cases being handled for the sake of it's completion and his very own brother framed for a crime he never committed.
Chae Soo Young, his senior and team leader is unforgiving to this attitude, but she realizes that he had more spunk in him. Her sunbae, Lee Jae Han had disappeared 15 years ago.
Fate intertwines the three of their lives after his walkie-talkie that was about to be disposed off is found by Hae Young… leading to a chain of events that create waves in the past and it's ripples in the future. As Hae Young and Jae Han solve the past and the present, Hae Young seeks the answer to Jae Han's disappearance.
Hold onto your seats, because Signal is a mixture of thrill, mystery, suspense, despire, melancholy and various other heart wrenching emotions. The first few episodes deal with regular gory and disgusting cases, both in the past and future timelines (connected by the radio transmissions between Hae Young and Jae Han). It is during the later episodes that the ultimate dark side of the plot is revealed: Jae Han's disappearance.
I did not care for any of the characters initially. We don't see the inner workings of several of them, including Detective Cha. All the events seen through Hae Young's eyes, and his hatred for the police, made him one of my favorite characters. I have never seen the leading actor's performance before, but I'll definitely be checking them out in the future. Jae Han was a typical tsundere puppy whom I grew to slowly adore over the course of time. I loved his bravery and tenacity when it came to solving crimes.
I enjoyed seeing the two sides of Soo Young —- the inexperienced rookie cop and battle hardened detective.
Particular praise for the actor who played Kim Bum Joo, an utterly despicable and corrupted Chief of their Precinct. I wanted him dead until the very end.
The rest of the cast delivered stellar performances, even the minor culprits who popped up.
I loved how every case was solved and handled. As usual, the cops got on my nerves more than the killers. The stress was 100% real and my blood boiled whenever the cases were overturned. I feared for the life of the characters. I hated the villains. I adored the glimpses of family, loyalty and affection that were strong backbones of this drama. The music, especially the BGMs were spot on - I can recall several scenes because of it.
Definitely a must-watch (or must try) for fans of crime and thrillers.
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The music matched a drama very well, it created anticipation throughout the story and didn't overshadow the entire scene.
I think they couldn't cast better actors/actress to make the drama better.
I would totally re-watch the drama and would definitely recommend it to other people, but only to people who enjoy dramas with thriller and very little romance.
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Both writer and director did a wonderful job creating a suspenseful and brain-twisting drama! A story with multiple time lines isn't easy to portray without everything ending up being too paradoxical. This drama was deep and interesting on so many levels!
COMPLEX AND ENGAGING STORY: As a viewer you feel emotionally engaged and connected with the story. You wonder, think and feel together with the protagonists. Often I was left at the tip of my sofa/chair/bed anticipating what will happen next and how the detectives will solve a case. Clues are not given immediately and there are enough twists here and there to keep the story suspenseful and interesting. As a viewer we live and think together with the protagonists on screen. Heartbreaking scenes alert!
EYE FOR DETAIL: There are so many subtle clues and details given in every episode that it feels like I need to re-watch the whole series again in order to fully grasp what was actually going on at certain moments. There are also a lot of references to aspects of contemporary Korean society: such as the fascination with celebrities who are dating or not, (unsolved) rape cases, corruption related to hierarchical relationships, etc. which added to the level of realism of this drama. For people who understand Korean, some references are really subtle and make you giggle. (I particularly remember the scene when one of the protagonists asks scoffingly whether the other likes keobchang (pork intestines) or not, however the subtitles just translated it as 'grilled meat'. Some things do get lost in translation. ;))
SUPERB ACTING: Not once I had the feeling that a character wasn't believable. Still now I believe there is still a badass detective such as Soo-Hyun and a moral hero like Jae Han somewhere out there in the real world fighting for what's right! The protagonists can make you laugh, cry and feel utterly frustrated!
I would strongly recommend Signal to everyone who's looking for great story-telling with a high sense of realism embedded in a ever-so gripping and intense drama!!! Why are you still reading this?! Go, Go! ;)
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