“Signal,” a 2016 Korean drama, begins with a criminal profiler, Hae-Young Park, surprised and confused as he receives a signal through an old radio in 2015 from a policeman, Jae-Han Lee, who lives in 2000. Together, they cooperate to solve cold cases and change the past, bravely fixing the injustice present in society.
Cold cases are considered a troublesome issue in the police department in Korea. South Korea has a reputation for having a very low crime rate, but many people don’t know that a high percentage of cold cases go unsolved because Korea still doesn’t have a strong detective force.
In the early 2000s, the digital Closed-Circuit-Television (CCTV) system began to be spread widely for public safety in Korea. CCTV concurrently prevents crimes and assists the police in monitoring and tracking criminals effectively by providing visual evidence. With the increased use of surveillance camera analysis, the arrest rate of murder cases in Korea tripled in the recent four years, while in contrast, the murder case arrest rate in the U.S. stayed around 50%.
However, statistics for cold cases are entirely the opposite. The number of unsolved crimes is rapidly increasing in Korea due to a lack of police workforce and an unorganized system. At the same time, the United States has cold case units specialized in addressing long-term homicides.
“Signal” draws attention to this cold case issue in Korea through an impactful concept, where two policemen mysteriously communicate with each other through a police radio even though they are living in different years. It is a thrilling, twisty take on a detective show, using this unique concept to pull on the heartstrings of viewers and keep them riveted.
The profiler, Hae-Young Park, alongside homicide detective, Jae-Han Lee, have one-to-two minutes to talk to each other on the radio. Together, they fill each other in with clues on the cold cases they work with one another on. The two, additionally, are unsure about the pattern of when the radio works, which increases the suspense in each episode.
As Hae-Young Park and Jae-Han Lee collaborate across different time periods to solve cases, they discover clues of a secret bribery taking place between their police agency and a Congressman. Hae-Young soon finds that this bribery is in connection with his older brother’s rape and suicidal case in 2000. This complex entanglement of events encourages the audience to be even more immersed in the show’s nerve-wracking plot-line.
In Korea, “Signal” has been watched by 12.5% of the population. The success of this drama is based on the work of skilled and prolific actors: Jin-Woong Cho, Jae-Hoon Lee, and Hye-Soo Kim. Directed by seasoned filmmakers and renowned Korean screenwriter Eun-Hee Kim, who penned the hit Netflix series “Kingdom.” Together, the cast and crew put forth an incredible show.
In particular, Jin-Woong Cho won the Grand Prize at the television network’s award ceremony for playing Jae-Han Lee. Cho earned the title of “go-to actor,” implying that the quality of any show he participates in is guaranteed.
This show has a critical repeating line that motivates characters to continue investigating: “Cold cases are created because someone gives up on it.” Hae-Young, bereaved of the framing of his brother and the corrupt member of Congress, profoundly understands the misery of remaining unsolved cold cases. This is why he became a policeman, discovering the truth of his brother’s case and curing his resentment.
The show effectively delivered its message of perseverance to audiences by portraying the courage of its characters as they continuously stood against political oppression.
In all, “Signal” inspired me to feel I can take on my problems, like my worries about preparing for the future and my college journey. The program ultimately gave me the hope to push myself beyond my comfort zone like the characters.
Worldwide, countless people hesitate to make decisions about issues in their lives. “Signal” is a show I would strongly recommend to those who feel stagnant. This drama will guide them in handling their agony or at least the confidence to move forward.
“Signal” ends with an indication of yet more stories as the futures of the protagonists and antagonists remain uncertain. The writer, Eun-Hee Kim, recently announced that she has begun working on the show’s second season, making thousands of fans’ hearts beat in excitement and anticipation.
