Honestly, I only started watching this for Jung Kyung Ho. He is an excellent actor and he did not fail to achieve as Song Soo Hyuk. He was funny with out being goofy, he was corny and sincere. I enjoyed his character the most.
What I liked most about Jang Na Ra's character, Han Mi Mo is that she was honest with herself about her feelings. Even if it wasn't comfortable for her, she still tried her best to face reality. Some people don't even try. Some people hide from their feelings and bury everything until a situation has gone from bad to worse.
The other women actors were good also. Yoo In Na is so cute. It really is hard to believe that she is 33. She looks so young. She is a good actress too, because I totally forgot the other dramas that I had seen her in up to this point.
Kwon Yool is the equivalent of Shin Se Kyung and I didn't enjoy his acting at all. I haven't seen him in anything else that I know of so maybe it is his character. I didn't really like his character that much either. So,,,
I really like the music.
If I ever rewatch this, then it will be to get a JKH fix.
If you like romantic comedies, then this is definitely one to watch.
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I don't know what else I can add about this drama. It is a perfect 10 in all categories. Heck, even the soundtrack is the best I've ever heard - perfect atmospheric music for every scene.
This drama has no flaws. It is nearly as good as the best American TV I've seen. So, what else can I say?
I guess this. I'm about to take the 205 other Kdramas I've completed and change their ratings down 1/2 point so that Signal can stand alone at 10. No other drama, not even White Christmas, deserves to stand at 10 with Signal.
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First this is my 3-4 korean drama that I watched so I was blown away to say the least! The cases were real cases the script was made with the bereaved families in mind that is something that all the people that watch this drama should have present because this is what makes this drama great!
Acting- The acting was surreal for me. I could relate to the main characters meaning when they were angry,happy,sad I had the same feelings that in itself is something an actor should aspire to make the audience feel like a part of the story only then they will never forget that story! They did that and then some!
Script- The script as I said above was made on real cases of course that doesn't mean that the drama is real but that the scriptwriter wanted people not to forget the past and to learn something from that. I have no words in my vocabulary to describe the script for all of them will fall short!! I can only encourage you to watch the drama yourself!
Directing- The directing kept the scriptwriter's wishes to make the drama bearing in mind the families of those that died and it was an incredible ride of emotions! Again no words can describe it!
Music- I will be very honest I was so engrossed in the drama that I could barely hear any music at all only when the episode ended I could hear it! So I rated it 9,5 because of that!
Overall- UNBELIEVABLE!! But even that is not a good enough word!
I truly hope you watch this drama!!!
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And it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.
It starts tugging at your heart within the first five minutes of episode one. I was hooked. It had a really nice, strong start, and it just kept getting stronger.
The whole drama was like a movie.
The feelings it gave. I was on the edge of my seat in literally every episode, and every episode messes with your emotions. Seriously, this drama likes to give you pain.
It’s kind of episodic. Police dramas usually are because of all the different cases being investigated. I don’t have a problem with it because I find cases interesting, but I know some people have a problem when dramas are episodic. Please don’t let it turn you off, it’s necessary to the story. The different cases are all so important to building the main plot.
Honestly, the whole drama is just genius. The story itself, how everything connected, and how well plotted the cases were (really the entire drama was well plotted out) just blew me away. Oh my God there was so much attention to detail. And the characters were all so smart, it was a relief to not be screaming at the characters for missing the blatantly obvious. The writing was fantastic There were times I actually got chills. For those who know what I’m talking about: the ending of episode 9. Chills.
What made it even better was that it wasn’t all serious and shocking and heartbreaking, but there was a lot of comedy too.
The acting was amazing. I know some people had a problem with Lee Je Hoon, but I thought he was fine. The cast portrayed their expressions and emotions really well. I was really impressed with Kim Hye Soo for being able to switch from the timid Cha Soo Hyun in the past to the strong Cha Soo Hyun in the present.
I also need to take a moment to applaud the stylists for doing a good job of making Lee Je Hoon look like a high schooler.
Overall, I am just so impressed with the drama. The cinematography, the writing, the acting, everything was just incredible. I was really attached to the characters and the story. The feeling I got when the story started to come full circle, I can’t even describe it. I am in awe.
And God I hate open endings but this one was just so well put-together and beautiful, I can’t dislike it.
They’re totally leading up to a season two. There has to be a season two.
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Han Ye Seul as Go Hye Rim is great. She is a good actress and the character was strong and smart. Sung Joon was also good as smart and slightly cold Choi Soo Hyun. I think they had good chemistry with each other. The other actors were good too.
The music is good.
I might rewatch this in the future.
If you like light romantic comedy, then this is for you.
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Story: Unique plot, the storyline is amazing. The writer and the director did a great job. Its hard to watch it every week waiting for new episodes. You cant predict what will happen next. They always surpassed my expectations every week. Mixed emotions. 10 out of 10 for the story.
Actors: How I loved the cast soooooooo much! They are awesome portraying the characters! Jo Jin Woong can make you fall in love with him!A very charismatic actor. He's amazing! Kim Hye Soo, its my first time watching her and oh gosh she's amazing! She did well on portraying her character from the past and present. Lee Jae Hoon, it is also my first time watching him on a drama. He did great also. I am actually fine on his acting. The other cast are also great! The villains are awesome, the Cold Case Squad Team and also Haeyoung's younger version. 10 out of 10 for the acting.
Music: The OST's are awesome. They are all suit to the drama. Its tempting to buy OST Album kkkk~
Rewatch: Of course I'll be watching it again! Signal makes my drama standards even more higher! Hahahaha
P.S. For those who are worried about the ending, you'll never dissapoint about it. Believe me :)
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Mindblowing performances by the three lead actors - Kazuya Kamenashi(Shuji),Tomohisa Yamashita(Akira) and Maki Horikita(Nobuko/Nobuta). The young actors have so much understanding of their characters.Can't think,at their age,I was so intelligent and understanding. Kudos to them.Out of the three my favorite is Kazuya Kamenashi. He looks so handsome. He shows his three dimensional side too well.
Kazuya Kamenashi plays the role of Shuji who is the most popular guy in the school. He wants to make everyone happy and keep up his popularity.
Tomohisa Yamashita plays a eccentric guy Akira who wants to be friends with Shuji. Though he is rich,he likes to live like dime on street.
One fine day he meets a shy and introvert girl Nubiko who gets contantly bullied in school.Though Shuji acts cool in front of his classmates,he and his friend Akira try to build Nobuko's confidence and make her a popular girl so that no one bullies her. After several persuasion and inspiration from these two guys,she starts putting effort in changing herself.
A deep friendship starts building between these three and they do lots of activities to promote her popularity.
This drama is about friendship between three people.There is no melodrama or over the top scenes. Everything seems natural. The girl Nobuko(named as Nobuta) doesn't undergo any dramatic change. The change seems gradual and realistic. There is no heavy-duty romance and love triangle as such. The school premises are set realistically and change that happens in the three people's life is gradual. You can understand and feel all the three characters.
Its a rare gem. Very few stories are written so well.Acting is top notch. Though the support cast is good,the lead three actors shine in their roles.
Also,it needs to be mentioned that the theme song "Seishun Amigo" is sung by the two male leads who are also pop idols. The song is great and it is picturised with two cute pigs(anime).
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STORY
The show revolves around a cold case police team. One of the members finds an old school walkie talkie and somehow, through it, he contacts the detective that was originally involved with them, but failed to solve. However (plot twist), this detective lives in the past, in a different timeline thus the show’s main premise is the what-is-know-as-the Butterfly Effect (= when you change the past, the future changes as a result). I know it sounds messy, and fake, and possibly stupid for people not fan of this genre, but trust me when I say, it is flawlessly executed! Together the two of them start solving several cold cases.
Every 2-3 episodes we get a new case to solve, but, this isn’t your average police procedural show. All the cases were somehow connected to the 3 main characters, and all of them were somehow linked to each other. All the cases are amazing and shocking, and they will keep you at the edge of your seat! There really wasn't a dull moment throughout all the (quite huge) episodes, while the suspence levels were always kept to high rate, making you grind your teeth about what's next and also giving you an ominus feelings about whats to happen.
The main message this show wanted to express, apparently, is the corruption of the task police force, and generally the corruption of people in high places. The drama constantly talks about corrupted cops, and what people would do to climb that society ladder as fast as possible. It generally felt like a huge *Screw You* to every person using unethical means to achieve a goal,and passes the message that they need to be punished. At the same time, it gives wonderful and meaningful life advice, about the significance of being a decent and lawful person and also the notion that you will achieve whatever goal you have set if you try hard enough!
Romance is present here, but it is kept in a minor level, don't come in this expecting to watch romance. Still I thoroughly enjoyed the vague chemistry between the characters.
ACTING
The acting was unbealievably good, possibly the most well-deserved 10/10 i have never given to a kdrama.
Lee Je Hoon. An amazing an emotional performance by this wonderful actor. His acting was tip-top by the first moment of the first episode and stays up there throughout the show! He expressed a diverse range of feelings perfectly, he was strong, he was emotional, he was interesting, he was smart, he was everything you need your main lead to be without being unrealistic or fake.
Jo Jin Woong. Words aren't enough, luscious and exquisite performance. A very strong character, kinda rough on the edges, but with a wonderful, lawful soul, a true, true hero, you will love! The actor did total justice to the character expressing every single emotion of frustration, anger, hope and everything that came along with them!
Kim Hye Soo. As someone who loves female actresses, i love shows that have a lot of them. KHS, in a show about the police which obviously was filled with males, managed to have the strongest character i have ever seen, i never felt the need to watch another actress perform. She was more than exquisite, she enhanced the drama with her acting, she was sensuous, she was sweet when she needed to, she was tough when she had to, she was emotional, and great doing everything! She exceeded my expectations. I loved the way she portrayed her younger and older self, very realistic!
At this point, i do feel the need to applaud every supporting and guest actor that appeared on this, because everyone was amazing and kept up the excitement of the show, and lived up to the main cast's brilliant acting. Congratulations!
RECOMMEND/REWATCH
Signal is one of those shows that HAS to be watched by everyone. It is a show that has no real flaws, it is a show that can be enjoyed by everyone no matter their preferences. In my list of the must watch kdramas this is #1. Even if you don't like this genre, or the fantasy concept sets you off, don't turn a blind eye to this drama, no, this is a VERY well spent 16 hours. Signal is one of the most memorable tv shows i have ever watched! Definately recommended to everyone!
Even if i am not a fan of rewatching tv series, signal definately earns the rewatch ticket for me. It is my personal belief that a 2nd rewatch would help understanding and digesting what it depicted even better. Definately worth watching!
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Story: [9.5/10] One thing that this drama does well is it takes very common story elements and turn it into something special. Have you ever seen a crime-solving drama? I have seen many myself. None has impressed me as much as this one. This show stands out from other crime-solving shows because it involves two people from different times attempting to work together to solve the same crime. There where a lot of flashbacks and events from the past that were used to help the characters in the present solve the different crimes. I must admit that initially I thought that this was not something that would have worked well with this type of show. However, in the end, the director and writers manage to mesh all of these elements together to create a great show such as Signal.
Although there were several things that kept me from giving the show a 10. One of the reasons that I didn't give the show a 10 has to do with the walkie-talkie. I wanted to know more about the walkie-talkie. I was a little disappointed by the end because I had some questions about the walkie-talkie that were never answered. I don't want to bring up the actual question because it may spoil a little of the show for you if you haven't already seen it. Just know that the walkie-talkie plays a very big part in the show and that I'm annoyed because they didn't answer my question haha.
Perhaps another weakness of the show is that it can be confusing at times. As I mentioned, there are a lot of flashbacks, and moments where we see events from the past. It often got confusing because the show would sometimes jump back and forth between past and present. On the flip side of all this, the show also had its' own strengths when jumping back and forth between the past and present. The writers of Signal did a very good job in setting up the different time jumps. As I would often find myself only confused for about 5-10 seconds before saying oh this is what is going on and I see why there was this flashback/time jump etc. In a way, I was never really confused at all because my confusion went away since the show itself answered most if not all of the questions I may have had about what was going on. This is a good thing because most shows don't do this. Other shows will often just leave you to wonder what the heck is going on the whole time.
Overall this show also kept a very good pace. It never felt like it went to fast or that it was dragging on.for too long. I applaud the director and writers for coming up with such a great story. They did a very great job in turning simple plot elements into a very sophisticated story. They didn't exactly invent a new genre or anything (or did they?). One thing is for sure though. They sure know how to tell a darn good story!
Acting: [10/10] All of the actors and actresses did a very commendable job during this whole drama. There were times where I was completely drawn in by the acting. In fact I cried at least two times during this whole drama. Let me just tell you now. I don't cry very often when watching shows. I rarely ever cry while watching sad dramas, let alone a crime thriller! This can mean one of several things. The first possible meaning is that the actors did a very good job acting. The second is that the story was very well told and that we were meant to cry at that part. I'm inclined to believe that it was a mixture of both. There where also several child actors and actresses in this show as well. Although they were all mostly pretty young, their acting only helped to improve this drama.
Music: [9/10] The music was very well made. If there was a suspenseful moment, suspenseful music that fit the scene came with at the right moment. All in all, the music helped enhance certain moments of the show depending on where it was needed. The OST to this show was nothing to scoff at either. Was it a ground-breaking OST that I will listen to for years to come? No, not really. However, it's definitely something that I will put into my playlist in the future.
Overall I definitely suggest you watch the show if you already haven't. You won't regret it! Objectively I can't give this show all 10s because it definitely wasn't completely perfect. However, subjectively it was one of the most well written Korean drama that I've ever seen.
Thank you for reading my first ever review on MDL! I hope you enjoyed it!
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It was beautifully executed from the filming to the script to the attention to details. It never left you leaving an episode without wanting to come back.
The cast my god the entire cast was brilliant. The leads the good and the bad were exceptional in their roles.
The side characters were never just written in as fillers they made the story what is was.
It teaches us so many lessons the top two I learned were
- Never give up ever, you can change the future and that you can't change everyone's fate you can't save everyone.
It definitely had many other touching quotes like every handcuff is worth 2.5 liters of tears.
It showed that through corruption there are those to succumb and become dogs to the ones in power and there are those who fight back so that the innocent won't be hurt.
I highly recommend this drama for those of you who are in a drama slump or are into crime and mystery dramas.
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Crime: The 3-4 cases this series is based on are REAL COLD CASES. These kidnappers, murderers, and rapists are on the loose to this day. It sickens me but I really like how they did those cases justice. There is so much commentary on current society about police and corruption. Our society, despite its progress, is still muddled with corruption and Lee Jae Han was definitely a shining beacon in this drama, demonstrating how our justice system should really be. Anyway, the writing for these cases was spot on.
Mystery: I find the cases well paced; they were timed with enough suspense but weren't stretched out. I initially thought this series would only focus on one case but I really appreciated that it was a mix of cases that in reality were all connected. This series was really unpredictable in how the cases would be solved & who would survive or die (as the past can change and those who died could still live and vice versa). I was on my toes dying to know what would happen til the very last minute of this drama.
Time-Travel: THIS WAS EXECUTED SO WELL. I love the complexity of the time-travel and how a subtle change in the past can amplify in the future; it was realistic for an unrealistic concept. The writers handled the shifts in the past and present so well & I couldn't even follow at points (which I think is a very good quality, if a drama can outsmart me haha). Definitely made this drama stand out! One thing I'd say is that if I was Hae Young on the walkie-talkie, I'd cram so much info in that minute they talked haha. The time-travel (if you can really call it that) was also perfect because you got a balance of present day and 80's dramas (which people desire like in Reply 1984. Reply 1988, etc.). You get very two very different vibes in the same drama which really caters to different interests.
Romance: This is so subtle. Don't go into this drama expecting a romance because you really won't get anything. It's just a little heartwarming seeing scenes where the main female lead pines over Jae Han. You get to see the care they have for each other. This definitely made the drama a little lighter from its heavy subject matter but I still respect how the romance was put on the side. This drama really needed to focus on the cases and the justice needed to be served which it did!
Characters/Acting: I honestly have nothing but praise for the actors. Cha Soo Hyun in particular. This character was stunning; the complexity of the character arc and the contrast of her past self and present self were acted perfectly by Kim Hye Soo. Her acting as a victim was great as well. The main lead, Park Hae Young, I also really enjoyed. He's relatable and real, and he can act! I really appreciate how this drama wasn't about having a flower boy lead; I could really focus on the character! And Lee Jae Han stole my heart really. He's such a strong spirit with bright morals; he definitely shone in the drama and had really great, passionate monologues. Awesome acting from the main leads! And Kim Bum Joo... what a despicable character. Well done, I guess. And there's another character, Ahn Chi Soo, who has a really complex character arc throughout the series... I just appreciate the depth each character has... amazing job writers!
Plot/Writing: As I've alluded to before, this series is well paced. I find everything unpredictable and nothing dragged. Nothing was too confusing and the series had an appropriate amount of flashbacks. This drama didn't have any typical kdrama plot devices and the writers definitely aren't scared to wring your heartstrings a little... I cried 6 times in an episode! Everything in the story is so intricately woven, I can't help but wonder if they planned all of this since episode 1. No episode was subpar compared to the rest; each episode got better and better which is truly rare. I just can't get enough.
OST: Very subtle OST that fits the theme of this drama. It's very heartwarming and like one of a "family" drama I guess. It sounds like home to me.
Overall, I am so in love with this drama. The ending definitely was open-ended so I am desperate for a season 2. My only fear is that it might not live up to season 1. Give this drama a go, I promise it won't disappoint!
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The story, like I've seen many others say, was very interesting during the first 7-8 episodes. It was cute, charming, slightly-cliche, and comedic. Around episode 8 though, it was as if a switch just turned on, and the melodrama was brought in. I don't know how, but I swear throughout the series if I had a penny for every time she laid there hurt or sick I'd have like 20 cents. The same tropes are used over and over again, which was really frustrating. That said, I was still able to make it up to episode 33. But at that point I was so fed up, I skipped to the last episode.
The acting wasn't too bad, nor was it great. I've gotten used to the dubbing of the mainland dramas, but if you haven't this ones kind of very obviously dubbed.
The music was actually pretty good, but again nothing exceptional.
There are some good points to this drama though. The cinematography is really really good. The vivid colors of the ancient china set stood out, and was filmed so beautifully. The clothing was really great as well. I do think that this drama had a lot of potential, and if anything just watching the beginning few episodes is pretty good entertainment. I don't think I would rewatch though.
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