I was told it was great.
And surprise, it turned out to be great.It's hard to say what this drama is about without spoiling the plot. So instead of talking in detail about a spectacular, might-blowing story that made me cry on several occasions(I don't usually get emotionally invested in fiction), I'll talk a bit about the form, without spoiling the content like I usually do in reviews.
And the form is, of course, amazingly done too. This drama has some of the best cinematography I've seen in Korean dramas so far. The music, acting and pacing all combine to deliver an outstanding series.
Though speaking of acting....I'll be frank, I don't like Kim Hye Soo. I know she has many fans, but I seriously dislike her plastic face that can only play with overly large eyes and slight tilts of mouth. This made it somewhat annoying to watch the series at certain moments, considering how much screentime her character has. The fact that her character wasn't particularly likable(though she was written like that on purpose, so it's not a fault of the drama) adds the fuel to the fire.
But I digress. Both male leads were great, and the villains were actually hateable. Yes, I usually sympathize with villains in dramas. Usually, they do something bad, then get severely punished by protags, and if they happen to have some sad backstory, it usually makes me empathize with them even further. The only thing that usually makes me root for protags, and not sympathize with the antagonists, is when the antagonists are shallow/overly black/saturday morning cartoon caricatures. But then that means what I really hate is bad writing, not the characters.
But in Signal, we have some villains that are psychologically deep, complexly written, with multilayered motivations behind their actions, yet....at no point does the show make me sympathize with most of them or stop rooting for the main characters.
I also liked how the ending sequences showed the previews for the next episode....by showing scenes that would only happen many episodes later, or not happen exactly as they were shown at all. This added to the entire time travel and chronology confusion feel of the show, by playing with the viewer on meta-level. Well done!
In the end, some things weren't explained. But perhaps they weren't meant to be explained. Thematically, the show is about not giving up hope when fighting for justice, and putting down those who feel beyond law and punishment and making a mockery of police and innocents. It's also about cause-and-effect, and how we might not always get what we want. These themes are executed to a satisfying conclusion, and that's what matters the most.
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One of the Most Innovative Thrillers I've Ever Seen!
“Signal” is one of the most innovative and original thrillers I’ve ever had the privilege to watch. It captivates you right from the beginning and never lets up. The writing is crisp and taut, leaving the viewer to sit in wonder as to where the next leg of the story is going to go, while at the same time, wondering what the fate of our three protagonists is.Park Hae Young is a brilliant criminal profiler with a tragic past, one in which he seems to be the center. While he’s a lieutenant with the police department, he does not like the police, nor does he have any faith in their ability to do their job—and with good reason as we find out as the story unfolds.
Detective Cha Soo Hyun is one of the few female violent crimes detectives who seems cold and a bit aloof, but she’s dedicated to her job, and she also comes with a tragic past: the only person to treat her with respect as well as the love of her life in Detective Lee Jae Han who mysteriously disappeared 15 years ago from when this story is set.
Finally, we have Detective Lee Jae Han who leads a one-man crusade to fight against police and political corruption within the police department. He has absolutely no compunction about acting alone, as he’s determined to always do the right thing and bring justice for those who are incapable of getting it otherwise. In many ways, Lee Jae Han is the glue of the trio, and demonstrates that you can never give up no matter what happens. He is the one person Park Hae Young respects within the police department, and soon Cha Soo Hyun as well.
The main focus of this series is a radio that sends its transmissions into the future, and always at the same time, although not every day. Park Hae Young is soon amazed that he’s speaking to Detective Lee Jae Han in the past, using a radio without batteries! How can this be? The series does not ask nor require an explanation, but simply for the viewer to go with it. Perhaps it is the spirit of Lee Jae Han and his fierce determination that causes this phenomenon to occur. In the end, it doesn’t really matter.
Soon placed on a Cold Case Squad under Cha Soo Hyun, Park Hae Young and Detective Lee Jae Han begin to tackle cold cases of the past, and together, hope to solve them and catch criminals who are uncaught—that is until the mysterious radio transmission begins to occur. Park Hae Young has access to evidence that Detective Lee Jae Han doesn’t in the past, including the future location of crimes at future points in time.
However, we soon learn that not everything is resolved because of this advantage, and Park Hae Young quickly discovers that certain things that have been corrected are not always for the best, as others are forced to pay a price for the interference.
There are plenty of plot twists as the story continues with the three of them trying to uncover the central plot to the story that has caused the death of Detective Lee in the past as well as the death of Park Hae Young’s brother. This, of course, raises certain questions, whether they be moral or ethical: can Detective Lee be saved from his fate? Should he be? And can anything be done to save Park Hae Young’s brother?
The series raises a glaring philosophical question: if you could go back and change something from the past, would you? Most people, without really thinking things through, might quickly say, “Yes!” But then, how would things change? This is something that our three characters must ask and answer within the scope of the story. Kobe Bryant was once asked if he had a time machine, would he not want to go back and change things? He very quickly said, “No. I’d never use it. Because that undermines everything that I ever learn from my mistakes.”
Most people have events of the past that they wish they could have done differently. These may even include tragic moments where accidents or events have led to the death of a loved one. Therefore, it may be far more challenging to refrain from using a time machine ability to change the past with the hope of changing the future.
Time stories are very, very difficult to do well. They tend to fall under one of two results: those done very well, and those that are done very badly. There really isn’t an in-between. This is not only one of the few that does it well, but it’s among the very best that I’ve seen. Perhaps only time stories in the Star Trek universe have been done better.
While all three actors are absolutely fantastic in this series, it’s Jo Jin Woong who is the standout for me. He carries himself beautifully as a dedicated detective who is very uncomfortable with personal advances, such as those we see from Cha Soo Hyun toward him, leading to some absolutely hilarious exchanges between the two of them. He plays a hard-nosed detective who refuses to take guff from anyone, no matter their rank. He’s definitely a very idealistic police officer who still believes in the system and that his job is to bring justice. In many ways, Detective Lee is a true hero.
This is a series that will hold your interest all the way to the end. I had only a slight reservation at the very end, and I thought it was because they might have been leaving the door open for another season, but that wasn’t the case. How did Detective Lee survive/escape his last attack? And are Park Hae Young and Cha Soo Hyun successful in, not only getting to him in time but also able to bring down the corrupt congressman? The answers to the last two questions, we can assume that they do, but the first question is left much more obscure that, frankly, needed an answer. But, neither of these prevented me from being grateful for being able to watch such a fantastic series!
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Beautifully crafted crime drama
Most of the times, I have a hard time watching Korean crime dramas. Though they are exciting to watch, sometimes there are just too many names to remember (hard to remember foreign names vs english ones).I am currently watching the Queen's Umbrella and saw someone comment in his review how much he liked Kim Hye Soo in Signal. I loved her in Juvenile Justice so I decided to watch Signal and see her in a different role.
After finishing this series in record time, I agree with loving Kim Hye Soo. Not only is she a great actress, she totally suits the role of a tough detective. I also loved Jo Jin Woong. His acting is so natural and he is so in character as Detective Lee Jae Han. I looked around for his other dramas but sad to say that he doesn't have any current ones.
The storyline is also well written. It captures the viewers interest and there are some heart pounding moments when you wonder if this or that is about to happen.
While the radio transmissions give you Frequency vibes, it is still different in certain ways. Definitely a must watch
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A mente fredda ne vedi i difetti
Signal è un k-drama del 2016 di stampo poliziesco/fantascientifico, in cui un profiler dal passato doloroso trova nel presente il walkie talkie di un poliziotto scomparso molti anni prima e, incredibilmente, parla con costui di casi irrisolti nel passato, cercando di risolverli, con risvolti anche pesanti nel presente.E’ un drama con tanti punti positivi, ma anche diversi negativi.
Positivi:
- La tensione.
Ci sono pochi momenti di stanca, di solito perché stanno facendo un flash back. Le indagini sono serrate, e concatenate tra di loro. I colpi di scena abbondano. La storia in sé è molto appassionante.
- La cinematografia.
L’azione si svolge in un continuo ping pong tra il passato e il presente. Sarebbe difficile seguire le linee temporali, ma il passato ha un filtro molto più giallo e le figure leggermente allungate, là dove il presente vira al blu. Le transizioni sono spesso improvvise, magistrali.
- Gli attori.
Lee Je Hoon, che interpreta Park Hae Young, il poliziotto profiler nel presente, è un attore coi controfiocchi. La sua interpretazione è stata fenomenale. Jo Jin Woong, cui hanno affidato la parte di Lee Jae Han, il poliziotto del passato, ha saputo dar vita a un personaggio dolente, ma deciso. Kim Hye Soo, che interpreta Cha Soo Hyun, una poliziotta innamorata di Lee Jae Han, ha avuto molti alti e alcuni bassi, alternando momenti da oscar a scene poco convincenti, forse a causa degli occhioni perennemente spalancati che, alla lunga, diventano poco espressivi. Ma le scene in cui viene rapita sono qualcosa di veramente sublime. Non oso pensare come possa essersi immedesimata per recitare così: da brivido. Jang Hyun Sung riesce a farsi detestare nella sua interpretazione del cattivo di turno, talmente odioso da rasentare il disgusto. Ottimo lavoro! Ma anche tutti i vari comprimari e secondari hanno fatto un lavoro coi fiocchi, bisogna veramente applaudire il cast in toto.
- La colonna sonora.
Molto belle e dolenti opening e ending, nonché le musiche di background, non invadenti ma ben correlate alle scene.
Negativi:
- I poliziotti.
Diciamo che in una specifica stazione di polizia ci sono solo un paio di poliziotti onesti e lavoratori, tutti gli altri sono pigri o incapaci, disonesti, venduti, addirittura criminali. Sembra che tutte le indagini siano pilotate in modo da dare all’immagine della polizia (e agli affari di un certo politico) il minor fastidio possibile. Alla lunga la situazione genera fastidio, è poco credibile, suvvia.
- Il walkie-talkie.
Non ci viene minimamente spiegato il funzionamento dell’apparecchio, che sarebbe rotto ma funziona senza pile e mette in contatto due persone separate da 15 anni. E lo stesso uso che se ne fa a volte è poco determinante, lo spettatore freme sulla sedia esclamando: ‘ma digli questo, ma fai quest’altro, ma perché non gli dici…’ e così via. Un oggetto con potenzialità così enormi sembra essere sottoutilizzato.
- I comportamenti poco logici.
Vabbeh, siamo in dramaland, non sarebbe nemmeno da dire. Citatemene uno che proceda con logica perfetta da parte di tutti i personaggi dall’inizio alla fine, che vado a vederlo subito.
- Il finale.
Senza fare spoiler, l’ultimo episodio è piuttosto confuso e il finale è aperto. Sono passati diversi anni, quindi difficilmente ci sarà un sequel, e l’impressione che ho avuto è che comunque non fosse previsto.
Il fatto è che un drama non è quantificabile in termini di punteggi positivi e negativi. Puoi ripensarci a mente più fredda, e trovarci a posteriori tanti difetti che, mentre lo guardavi, stavano in secondo piano o proprio non percepivi, perché eri troppo impegnata a goderti l’ottima interpretazione degli attori. Mentre lo guardavi eri completamente assorta nella concatenazione degli eventi, presa dall’azione, assorbita dalle indagini, arrabbiata coi corrotti, e così via. Questo è il valore dell’intrattenimento. D’altro canto, il fatto che si insista così tanto sulla corruzione della polizia e sulla denuncia dell’ingiustizia che vede ricchi e potenti cavarsela sempre qualsiasi nefandezza compiano, ha un valore intrinseco. Anzi, ci dicono chiaramente che non solo i potenti se la cavano, ma che incastrano al loro posto qualche poveraccio che non ha soldi, amicizie e potere. E la cosa ci da tanto fastidio, sì. Forse perché magari è la verità?
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For summary sake this is about a police officer who finds a walkie talkie of a missing officer from the 80s and he can communicate with him from the past at a certain time. together they solve crimes in the past and present.
It has so many twists and turns I couldn't predict what happened next up to the last minute.
1. If soppy love storys are your type of dramas this isn't for you. YES there is a female lead who had a past spark with the missing officer (I never remember names) but is all very subtle and never really brought to the service although their bond is amazing.
2. The acting and emotions are great, I was really drawn into every episode by the incredible acting and storyline.
Minor SPOLIER - The ending can be frustrating as it is a cliffhanger and you have to kind guess what happens but It doesn't bring down the story at all just think of the ending you want as it leaves it up to you anyway.
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This is an epic drama. At first i thought this is just another boring crime solving drama. After watching it, i realized how wrong i was. This drama takes you to a journey of two different people connected by a signal from different times. It's not like you just starts solving cases and won medals and all that. If you change the past present changes too.
Signal is a crime thriller that will keep you on the edge throughout most of the show.
The main leads were really good at what they were doing. they were amazing at their roles. I loved this show.
If you want to enjoy an epic crime thriller with a time traveling twist. This is for you, Don't think twice just go and watch it. You can thank me later.
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Must watch
I loved the series, why i didn't score it higher? because oce the mister is gone, is difficult to re-watch and get the same emotions. I would like a season 2 to complete to blank spots.The character of Jo Jin Woong brought a baggage of emotions, while I was expecting more from the other 2 main characters, especially Kim Hye Soo, I truly love her works.
The story is great, don't want to spoil the mistery and the OST perfect, I have it on my YouTube private library :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe5J2l2scl8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpyPPEr-9DM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bZYSjUADrw&list=PL1LdzvvpQJSAQT_ZSmkVAB8jaRFQjvjWJ&index=2
Is a must see series.
Enjoy !
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Amei como as cenas do presente tem um tom frio azulado e as do passado quente amarelado, isso ajuda muito a diferenciação. Outra coisa que adorei foi como a líder é bem diferente no passado, desastrada, animada, inocente, para do presente séria, controlada e porque não dizer um pouco fria, foi um bom trabalho a criação dessa personagem. No começo me perguntava o que a fez mudar.
Se fosse para escolher o caso mais impactante escolheria o do episódio nove e dez, o ator que fez o assassino deu tudo de si, foi um show de atuação.
Sobre o walkie talkie, particularmente não ligo para uma explicação, é uma ficção científica sobrenatural, nem sempre se tem todas as respostas para todas as perguntas. Viver é uma eterna busca de conhecimento.
Não vi pontas soltas, mas sobre pontos negativos, às vezes não senti profundidade na atuação de Lee Je Hoon, mas como estou acompanhando ele em Taxi Driver, vejo que evoluiu muito. O final poderia ter sido mais completo, não precisava desse gancho para uma segunda temporada que nunca aconteceu. Vi em algum lugar que talvez aconteça, espero que sim, não consigo me conformar com este final.
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