---
title: "Signal"
year: 2016
canonical_url: "https://www.archytele.com/show/signal-2016"
media_type: "tv"
tmdb_id: 64840
imdb_id: "tt5332206"
status: "Ended"
seasons_count: 2
episodes_count: 17
community_rating: 8.2
vote_count: 192
content_rating: "TV-MA"
---

# Signal (2016) — Television & Cinema Intelligence Dossier

> **Archytele Living Vault Canonical Record**: https://www.archytele.com/show/signal-2016

## Executive Summary & Cultural Positioning

Signal is a television series first released in 2016. Catalogued under Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Drama. Produced and broadcast by tvN. Current status: Ended. Spans 2 seasons and 17 tracked episodes.

## The Hook & The Verdict

**The Hook**: "Detectives from the past and present communicate via walkie-talkie to solve long-unsolved criminal cases."

### Why Watch
- engaging mystery premise
- strong performances
- inspired by real criminal incidents

### Caveats & Content Note
- intense themes
- complex timeline structure
- Tone & Suitability: The series is rated TV-MA and contains themes related to murder, death, and corruption.

**Micro-Themes & Vibe Matrix**: crime, mystery, suspense, sci-fi

## Streaming Availability Matrix

| Region | Stream (Subscription) | Free / Ads | Rent / Buy |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **United States (US)** | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | The Roku Channel, Tubi TV | None |
| **United Kingdom (GB)** | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | None | None |
| **Canada (CA)** | Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | Tubi TV | None |
| **Australia (AU)** | Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix Standard with Ads, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | None | None |

## Season Architecture & Lore Primers

### Season 1 (16 Episodes)
Communicating via a walkie-talkie that transcends time, a profiler from 2015 and a detective from 1989 join forces to tackle crimes and injustice.

### The Second Signal (8 Episodes)
**Essential Lore Primer (Before Watching S2)**:
- Picks up essential narrative continuity directly following the events of Signal Season 1.
- Character alliances, factions, and personal loyalties undergo significant shifts under escalating stakes.
- Addresses unresolved cliffhangers and thematic mysteries introduced during previous seasons.
- Establishes the primary seasonal conflict that drives serialized character arcs toward the finale.

## Filler vs. Essential Episode Classifier

- **Total Tracked Episodes**: 24
- **Crucial Mytharc Episodes**: 4 (17%)
- **Character Core Episodes**: 20 (83%)
- **Side Quest / Filler Episodes**: 0 (0%)

## Creative Credits

- **Created by**: Kim Eun-hee, Kim Won-suk
- **Networks / Studios**: tvN

## Key Cast Continuity

- **Lee Je-hoon** as *Park Hae-young*
- **Kim Hye-soo** as *Cha Soo-hyun*
- **Cho Jin-woong** as *Lee Jae-han*
- **Jang Hyun-sung** as *Kim Bum-joo*
- **Jung Hae-kyun** as *Ahn Chi-soo*
- **Kim Won-hae** as *Kim Gye-chul*
- **Jung Han-bi** as *Oh Yoon-seo*
- **Lee Yoo-jun** as *Jung Heon-gi*
- **Kim Min-gue** as *Hwang Ui-kyung*
- **Kang Chan-hee** as *Park Sun-woo*

## Canonical Frequently Asked Questions

### Q: What is the premise of Signal?
A cold-case profiler in 2015 and a detective in 1989 communicate via a special walkie-talkie to solve crimes.

### Q: How many episodes are in the series?
The series consists of 16 episodes.

### Q: Who are the main actors?
The series stars Lee Je-hoon, Kim Hye-soo, and Cho Jin-woong.

### Q: Are the cases based on real events?
The series was inspired by real-life criminal incidents in Korea, including the Hwaseong serial murders.

### Q: When did the series air?
The series aired from January 22, 2016, to March 12, 2016.

## Grounded Source Citations

- [Signal — The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/64840)
- [Signal (TV Series 2016) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5332206/)
- [Signal (South Korean TV series) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_(South_Korean_TV_series))
- [Signal (TV Series 2016-2016) - Cast & Crew — The Movie Database (TMDB)](https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/64840/cast)
- [Signal Full Cast & Crew - MyDramaList](https://mydramalist.com/13239-signal/cast)
- [Signal (2016) - Full Cast and Crew - Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/tv-shows/signal/QIYJzLrg5paACd25WDpHP4/credits/)

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*Generated by Archytele Open Intelligence Systems. Data verified against TMDB and JustWatch APIs.*