Reviews

Don't rule out watching this drama because it's older. Some of the best romance genre are the oldies. This has the feel of the classic, Winter Sonata, with similar music and tantalizing longings. The cast carries the show with exceptional chemistry between the main leads. Really, it's difficult not to immediately be drawn to Han Ji Hye. She has no guile nor pretentiousness here.
There are the inevitable love triangles. And the story line is not exactly realistic. But the real draw of the show is the continual warm moments between the lead couple, not just an occasional glance or hug, as in so many dramas. You so want them to be together, that you keep watching on into the night. If you enjoy the romance drama, this is a good choice.

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It's been a wonderful year for dramas. Especially Korean. There's been some ambitious shows that have truly broken barriers for the stereotypes of K-dramas and the stories they “usually” tell. K-dramas have been slowly advancing and doing unique concepts and actually (to me) trying more year by year. That's not to say there haven't been the usual stuff that makes me weep as it gains more popularity over better written works. (Examples being Doctors and Beautiful Gong Shim—which started out strong and then self destructed—to Cinderella and the Four Knights and Love in the Moonlight, there's more but these where kind of my big disappointments.) Signal quickly gained hype and popularity—normally a warning sign for me. Upon finally caving and watching it—especially after finding out it was inspired by one of my favorite movies Frequency—it quickly became apparent that this show was beyond worthy of all the hype. In fact, it was soooooo good that I feel unworthy.

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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Well-watched action-packed drama. As an ordinary viewer, I have some pros and cons about The K2.

Pros
Overall plot is well-developed. In each episodes you will understand why things happen the way they are. You just have to pay attention to details in order to appreciate it more.
Clap-clap-clap for the writers and directors. They give me a really hard time figuring out who is the real antagonist. When I find myself hating Choi Yoo Jin then I will find myself hating more Park Kwan Soo and feeling sympathetic towards Madam Choi instead. When I find myself liking Chairman Choi but I ended up hating him most. You will also hate Assemblyman Jang but you will realize what kind of father he is. This drama is a push and pull of emotions.

Thumbs-up to Choi Yoo Jin’s character. IMO, she’s the one who shines most among all the characters. You’ll get confuse if you’ll hate her or understand her. But in the end, you will want to embrace her for she is just a girl wanting to be love by people around her. Assemblyman Jang, what a horrible father and politician he is - that’s my first impression. But then, give him chance to prove himself in this drama. Chairman Choi and Assemblyman Park, beware - don’t be tricked by these two.
Anna/Kim Yuna, I’m actually expecting a lot from her and she didn’t disappoint me. She’s good but not at her best.
Kim Je Ha/Ji Chang Wook, you never fail to surprise me. You’re really at your best when it comes to fighting and acting. Je Ha and Anna do have chemistry and I like them both but I don’t ship with them.
By the way, get ready to see the hotness of Ji Chang Wook. I think, he puts extra effort to build his body more for this drama.

Cons
There’s only one thing I hate about this drama. Why writers and directors? As in why did you make Kim Je Ha a superman? Not literally but IMHO, no normal person can fight alone a load of enemies if he is badly injured and ill.
Even if it is because of his adrenalin rush, I still couldn’t see it realistic. I almost want to skip that scene but thankfully I’m not a kind of viewer who will skip an episode because I don’t want to comment onto something I didn’t watch as a whole.

I’m not an action-drama fanatic. In all honesty, I gave this drama a chance because of Ji Chang Wook and it's worth it.

Should you want to go away for the meantime in your cliché romance-comedy drama, why not give this drama a chance? I can’t say that it’s a breath of fresh air but expect something rational enough.

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I've read a few things about how disappointing Moon Lover's has turned out to be for some viewers. In fact that's why it took me a little to make up my mind and give it a try. But I think I can't see their point. Bearing in mind the high standard production values it displays, the overall result is a little underwhelming.

The biggest problem with the series is that it was too ambitious. I think I already said it in another review: that's the main problem with most dramas these days. Since the target audience is expanding every year, the pressure is bigger. Also, most idols seem to be forced to develop good acting skills in a short span, even if they've hardly had any training. There were high expectations on the cast in this one. The result was just OK, I think.
I have to say, however, that I don't agree with all the criticism that IU's acting had to face. I actually really liked her performance (I have to say that I haven't seen any of her previous works), even though it's true that her character was poorly written.

In my own humble opinion, the best developed characters were the ones played by Kang Ha Neul and Kang Ha Na. And their performances were good enough.

I really REALLY liked Woo He Jin's moving performance and her character's relation with IU's.

As for Lee Joon Gi... well, he'll be a favourite of mine always and forever, and this character suited him. But I insist: I miss him in more lighthearted roles such as the ones he played in Iljimae or Arang. I really miss this goofy side of him. He seems to be obsessed in proving his value in dramatic roles.

All in all, I liked the story and its message (I haven't seen the original Taiwanese drama), but the direction was lacking. I feel that's also a big problem in many dramas: they have a good primal source, but some directors don't seem to know what to do with it. They wanted to try innovative things, like leaps in time (some of them I felt that really worked), but as I said, the excess of ambition was a setback.
I liked the close-ups, though. Some people complained about the overuse of close-ups, but I actually liked them (and any Lee Joon Gi, Kang Ha Neul or Nam Joo Hyuk close-up is always welcome and appreciated, let's be honest).

Anyway, in spite of its flaws, I don't think you're going to regret watching this drama.

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The target of the age group I think would be into 20's and above I mean it would be more relatable to that age bracket this is not a drama that filled with sweet candies. No.
24 episodes seems a lot for a romcom right? But no this drama is special. Yes a special kind of romcom. The plot is about love, relationship, choosing, complicated situation, life and the one that I appreciate the most is the career how they attack that field really strikes into me that I could totally relate. This drama is very hilarious! Believe me. Out of the dramas I've seen this is the funniest Lol...XD it would even make you confuse like am I supposed to laugh or not?lol

Acting: The characters were all played well beyond everything that is good. Jo Jung Suk is such a great actor, awesome and there's a bonus... his swag!!! so far this is the best drama of him. Gong Hyo Jin is always been awesome as usual. Supporting cast were all lovable too!

Let's talk about characters:
Lee Hwa Shin? Ofc in a dramaland it's given that male lead must be jerk. Yes he is. Out of the male lead jerk characters I've seen he's the best among them all, words are not enough to describe why. Hahanahha. XD No one can beat the overflowing confidence he have for himself. lol

Jeung Won? Yes the typical 2nd lead kind of guy that every girl would fall for.

Male lead and 2nd lead characters of it seems so typical in dramaland right? But what will happen if there's a twist? A change of situation like how it feels like for the second lead to get a taste of being male lead and vise versa. Are you curious now and interested? Now you'll get to know more of it and understand once you watch this drama.^^

Pyo Na Ri: a lovable female lead that is very persistent in everything I meant it in a positive way.
Aside from the main role I'll give shout out to Chi Yeol and Beom character they are my favorite^^

This drama is filled with triangles. Yes. With an "s" lots of triangle relationship that you have to look forward. All the characters are lovable and likeable, every kind of relationship.. wait... umm. some could be annoying at times but at the end of the day that annoyance will turn into like as always :)

Ost:
The ost perfectly suits to the situation like it could be hilarious, serious, sincere, love and sexy!!! XD

Rewatch: definitely!

Totally deserves a rating of 10.
You know what makes it special? Usually a genre that is filled with laughter or romance (yah romcom. lol) could give butterflies into our tummies, random feels but let's admit it most romcom, the foundation of the story of is kinda weak, lacking but Jealousy Incarnate manage to overcome that kind of struggle and relay a wonderful and genuine kind of message .
Best drama of 2016. Great way to watch it before the year ends^^

This is a kind of drama that you would not want to let go once you're close to the ending. I'll miss everything about it.

Ps: being jealous could not be bad you know. Wink

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J’ai fini depuis 2 semaines déjà la saison dédiée à Dekaranger. Malgré que je sois toujours autant hypé par les Sentai, j’ai trouvé cette saison pas aussi bonne que celle que j’aie au l’occasion de voir déjà. Même si les Mecha et les héros sont bons dans l’ensemble (j’ai juste eu du mal pour DekaPink), j’ai sincèrement trouvé les costumes des antagonistes très mauvais – sauf peut-être lorsqu’ils portent le Muscle Gear, et encore. D’ailleurs, l’antagoniste principal est sûrement l’un des plus mauvais (dans le sens nul) méchant des Sentai que j’aie pu voir. Franchement, il est d’une inutilité rare et est autant charismatique qu’une huître. Le fait qu’il y ait en général un chef avec ses sous-officiers peut paraitre répétitif à la longue dans les Super Sentai, mais c’est sincèrement ça qui marche. Avoir changé la donne m’a totalement déplu et ça à fait en sorte que justement ce « grand » méchant soit pas si « grand » que ça.
Sinon, au niveau des épisodes en général, certains sont bons, voire très bon, mais ce problème des costumes des méchants et de la non-présence de véritable « grand » méchant m’a déplu et entache du coup mon opinion sur cette saison.
PS : C’est très vrai car je suis en train de visionner Magiranger et les costumes des méchants sont vraiment excellents et on retrouve le groupe de méchant avec un grand méchant et des sous-officiers. C’est ce qu’on veut. Rien de plus, rien de moins. Étant au 24ème épisode de la saison Magiranger, je peux vous assurer que pour moi, cette saison est nettement meilleure que celle des Dekaranger.

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Yes this is based on a Chinese Book, but this is a remake and they sort of buy the rights, so under the hands of a good screenwriter even a bad book would turn into a marvelous drama. Most of the actors are wasted in the drama, we did not see anything much of love. Scarlet Heart Back in 2011 was my first CN drama. It was the first year I started to watch Korean CN dramas did not know much about them, I accidentally discovered them on youtube.. I can only say this this was not as brutal as the original one.

I still want a S2 if all the fans get together and push them by petitions & twitter parties we'll get it but we won't get anything by sitting and hoping..

I am still not recovered by this drama, I want to go and watch it back, I have done the same on Scarlet Heart a couple of times.

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I've tried watching this show 3 times now on Netflix, each time I'd quit after the first episode, the third try I got to episode 2 and hated it. This morning, I was on Netflix again and after watching Tiffany's other shows last night (Perfect Couple and The Princess Wei Young), I decided to give it another go. But this version on Netflix was different! It only had 4 episodes! I was so confused until I realized that it was a directors cut and was SUPER condensed. I started to watch it and found myself falling in love in the first episode. It skipped all of the boring BS in the begining! Around halfway through episode 2 though, I found myself actually wanting to see what was cut out. So I started at episode 14 of the original cut and LO AND BEHOLD, thats when the real magic begins. I couldn't stop and FELL IN LOVE WITH THE SHOW, THE COUPLE, AND THEIR LOVE.

My reccomendation for those who can't start this show or dropped it? Watch the directors cut till episode 2, the first 20 minutes, then go to the normal cut episode 14. I know the show starts off slow but IT IS WORTH EVERY SECOND!

For anyone who doesn't have Netflix, you can search for the 33 episode of You Are My Sunshine on Dramanice.to, episode 33 (they also have the directors cut as episodes 33, 34, 35, and 36) then switch to episode 14.

Happy watching! :)

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