[Drama 2016] Signal 시그널

[kaqueski]

Wonderful posts and thank you to all who contributed to this wonderful thread  I'm proud of us!

I'm not gonna comment a lot about the injoo case, because a lot of things are still in the dark (but if this case mirrored that terrible real rape case... then the girl has been voluntarily followed those guys for such things due to threatening and feeling helpless...gulp...) 

But one thing I'm more worried or more focus on is the characterization of our main characters. Certain things that happen in the past help to shape our PHY to who he is today, and looking at the young PHY with that bruise face smirking face in the preview.. make me feel like PHY's character can be similar to the murder guy in Hongwon dong. There is a thin line between good and evil, PHY also had a troublesome past and with his intelligent he can do either exceptionally good or powerfully evil. 

I believe some thing in the past triggers his participation to become a police despite hating them (the girl in preview was mocking him: Do you think going to police academy is like going to a cafe?). So if we messed up with whatever trigger PHY to become a good policeman, the PHY who fights for justice nowaday won't exist. And for this I think his hyung's death may has a such impact, it's a tragedy but it may positively help PHY in someway, and maybe LJH's appearance in this case will also help him to believe in the police and positively move him somehow?

Of course I believe PHY's hyung is innocent in this case, but I'm debating whether SunWoo's death is one of those that has an important factor for PHY's characterization. And I also wonder if it's a good thing to save his hyung. 

I really hope there will be no clift hanger in episode 12 (which I seriously doubt it). I'm gonna feel hanging for another 1 week T____T 

[bebebisous33]

54 minutes ago, ross27 said:

This drama is just too too riveting and thanks to friends here for all the keen observed information to make my watching even more interesting and meaningful!

How could CSH not be smitten with LJH? He might scold her and told her not to show her big beautiful eyes with a smile (violent crime department, so your eyes must be steely! LOL) but he became the `tea lady' to spare her! The whole unit noticed the dropped pink box of chocolates she had intended to give to him on valentine's day! (haha).

I am glad for these light moments as my heart ached for the hongwon dong case; and I am horrified by the school girl gang rape case (especially now knowing that there was a similar case in the past where the victim's alcoholic father received compensation from the perpetrators to close the case!)

Congressman Jang's cold look was just scary! 

I agree with you. But not just his gaze, also his words were really painful. While he was saying these words ("not loyalty to me but be a real cop"), he actually meant the opposite. So if he had been monitored, police couldn't have proved his corruption as he is the one who reminds KBJ to be a real cop, whereas he means the opposite.

[drmjs]

@liddi Awesome, awesome post. Your dissection of the episode was so thorough, I feel like I couldn't add more.

I agree with you, there is no question, KJW evolved into who he was because of the environment he grew up in, I wonder where his father was when all of these things were happening? His parents divorced right? And he ended up with his mother, who was suffering from severe depression. Obviously, the mother wasn't fit to care for her kid, so why was she granted sole custody? Maybe their case was one of the few who unfortunately, fell through the cracks? The implications of this case are surprisingly well founded and chilling, our society has gone increasingly dismissive and tolerant, persons like KJW can readily thrive because most people just do not care anymore.

So we now progressed into the Injoo gang rape case. Where LJH deliberately got involved due to PHY's curious request. Chief ACS is also the one now on center stage, we got a glimpse of his story. Did he do everything for the money? So that his daughter would survive? The cliffhanger left us with a dying ACS who slumped down due to a massive stab/bullet wound in the abdomen. Why did he call PHY, apologized and asked him to go to the hospital? To show him his daughter? He kept all of the incriminating evidences against Congressman Jang, the real rapist and Captain KJB, he gathered in his daughter's room? He tendered his resignation and threatened KJB that it will soon be over for them all, obviously KJB had him killed. Did KJB order ACS's take down? Well have to wait and see. 

[bebebisous33]

The title of this drama "signal" could be seen as a message (signal) sent by the director and writer to the audience:

Corruption is the worst crime in the end. We saw different crimes and different types of criminals, yet due to the corruption between officials (congressman aso), highers-up from police and wealthy CEOs, many people suffered from corruption directly or indirectly:

- OTK and his daughter suffered twice: the collapse of the bridge (corruption), due to his past and the witness coming from the higher society he is the best scapegoat.

- The serial killer killed because KBJ wasn't interested in the first two victims since they came from the lower society

- the Ponzi scheme by KBS in Jinyang

- The blackmail through the sons in order to stop the investigation in the three families: because of that, they pushed HSK to murder HSD, since he was forced to give back the blue diamond necklace

- The Injoo gang rape is another example: people from a lower social status will be harsher punished than from the higher society, even they can escape to get punished and arrested.

Each time KBJ is investigating, he can't help commenting that these criminals are trash, but he only uses these words against people who comes from poor families (OTK, the student in KWJ's kidnapping, KJW the serial killer). As soon as KBJ is confronted with a criminal from the higher society (HSK), he is willing to help and won't say such words. On the other hand, we see that HSK wasn't really different from KJW in the sense that he threatened to kill everybody... he would have done that as he considers himself as superior and if someone is a thread, he has no remorse to kill. Although KJW killed more than HSK, he showed more humanity (especially when we saw that he suffered from his last killing), while HSK  had no remorse at all. Please don't misunderstand me: I am not saying that KJW is a good person, but I am rather pointing out that like PHY said, if someone had noticed something before and stopped the abuse, KBJ wouldn't have become a monster. HSK has a good life but he decided to abuse his position to do anything he wanted.

As conclusion, the director and the writer are not only pointing out the corruption as the worst crime, but also criticising the double standards in the police and justice system as well.

[kaqueski]

Spoiler

PHY becomes a suspect for ACS's murder. 

CSH wants to know the truth so she can help him. PHY told CSH everything about the talkie walkie and what he knew/investigated about LJH's death
It was hard for CSH to digest this information.

Sorry guys, I keep capture these two's side profile. I really like their side profile a lot hehehehe.

 

[bebebisous33]

@kaqueski Has the episode 13 already started?

Actually, I am wondering if ACS had even planned to get killed in order to help PHY and his team to uncover the truth about the corruption cases and LJH's missing case. KBJ had told him, if the past is revealed, ACS will be the one with the worst fate as he had been the minion and he will take the whole blame. But since he is dead, this means that his death can be connected to KBJ and KBJ is now the lower in the ranking!

What do you think about it?

@40somethingahjumma @kaqueski @liddi @drmjs I would like to have your opinion...  

[kaqueski]

4 minutes ago, bebebisous33 said:

@kaqueski Has the episode 13 already started?

 

Yesss it's on air right now! I only recap some parts that I am certain of. I don't wanna give misinformation because my korean is very very limited :))) 

[kaqueski]

Spoiler

We were shown the investigation in the past. LJH always got the lead, which interrupted by KBJ and his minions (of course....) 

CSH and PHY together at PHY's place. CSH looked around and notice many books and how PHY has been living by himself. Here PHY told her everything about what he knows of Injoo case and how it affects him.

We were shown PHY's memories of his high school days, struggle with his hyung's unfairness death. He got to know those bad guys that framed his hyung and still living well, and go there and fight and got beaten up.

 

Doesn't PHY remind you of the Hangwon dong murder? :)))) 

P.S i have to go now. No more recapping catching up with you guys later!

[Mico Ricco]

Preview episode 13 - next Friday

credit : youtube - tvn drama

 

[flybabyfly]

Decomposing bodies rot and smell. How did he hide that?!

Serial killer who doesn’t track down new victims. He only kills those who come to him “to be saved”. 

December 17, 2015 finally a date. Seung Yeon already skeletons by then??

That mountain hiker must have eagle eyes to see those human hand bones from their walking path.

Lee Jae Han was not supposed to be in the Hongwondong case nor the Inju rape case. 

Will the writer let Sun Woo live this time around or not? 

Knowing these cases are based on real life crimes hurts my heart. Watching KBJ kneel in front of the Congressman makes my blood pressure rise  but then he always does that and make me wish horrible endings for him. What’s more horrible is that it is sure real people like that exists in this world 

 

[Mico Ricco]

Both CSH/PHY dig up LJH remains?

news source credit : ajunews.com

Spoiler

 

[시그널]김혜수ㆍ이제훈,정해균 집 마당서 조진웅 백골사체 발견

 

 

[liddi]

@drmjs It is a very bleak commentary on the increasingly callous, self-centred nature of society in general... and one that is unfortunately all too real, with news of people reaching out to help becoming far less common than ever. I think more often than not, we are afraid to get involved, in light of the possible repercussions that would rock our individual lives. I must wonder too, whether it has to do with the fact that they were in such a poor neighbourhood where everyone is trying to eke out an existence, that their neighbours could / would not allow themselves to be involved in other people's problems, much less that of a chronically depressed single parent.

And good call too, @bebebisous33 on the observation of the disparity in treatment of cases, depending on their social status. On the one hand, the cries of the poor and downtrodden are often drowned out while the rich and powerful are given priority and prominence. I think that apart from corruption, it speaks to the general mindset where duty and conscience are set aside in favour of those who could have a greater material influence, as opposed to the weak who oftentimes only have their gratitude (and perhaps a box of dried persimmons) to show for it. Yet, in the midst of the darkness, there is hope that the LJHs, PHYs, CSHs of the world are still there, somewhere, to give voice to those who could not do so themselves.

Both of you have raised very interesting points about Chief Ahn. It never occurred to me, @drmjs that perhaps the evidence is hidden in his daughter's room, but the fact that he asked PHY to meet him there, seems to suggest that the evidence is perhaps nearby. The other scenario I could think of is that he was saying goodbye to his daughter... possibly taking her off life support, before turning himself in? I don't know... and hopefully tonight's episode will clarify that. @bebebisous33 I am not sure whether Chief Ahn intended for himself to be killed, and have his death tied to KBJ and the shadowy puppetmasters behind them, unless of course, his trail of evidence is able to link back to KBJ conclusively. Whatever it is, our heroes still have a chance to undo the future and hopefully we will get to see Chief Ahn's redemption in the past, before everything is too late.

[bebebisous33]

17 minutes ago, liddi said:

@drmjs It is a very bleak commentary on the increasingly callous, self-centred nature of society in general... and one that is unfortunately all too real, with news of people reaching out to help becoming far less common than ever. I think more often than not, we are afraid to get involved, in light of the possible repercussions that would rock our individual lives. I must wonder too, whether it has to do with the fact that they were in such a poor neighbourhood where everyone is trying to eke out an existence, that their neighbours could / would not allow themselves to be involved in other people's problems, much less a chronically depressed single parent.

And good call too, @bebebisous33 on the observation of the disparity in treatment of cases, depending on their social status. On the one hand, the cries of the poor and downtrodden are often drowned out while the rich and powerful are given priority and prominence. I think that apart from corruption, it speaks to the general mindset where duty and conscience are set aside in favour of those who could have a greater material influence, as opposed to the weak who oftentimes only have their gratitude (and perhaps a box of dried persimmons) to show for it. Yet, in the midst of the darkness, there is hope that the LJHs, PHYs, CSHs of the world are still there, somewhere, to give voice to those who could not do so themselves.

Both of you have raised very interesting points about Chief Ahn. It never occurred to me, @drmjs that perhaps the evidence is hidden in his daughter's room, but the fact that he asked PHY to meet him there, seems to suggest that the evidence is perhaps nearby. The other scenario I could think of is that he was saying goodbye to his daughter... possibly taking her off life support, before turning himself in? I don't know... and hopefully tonight's episode will clarify that. @bebebisous33 I am not sure whether Chief Ahn intended for himself to be killed, and have his death tied to KBJ and the shadowy puppetmasters behind them, unless of course, his trail of evidence is able to link back to KBJ conclusively. Whatever it is, our heroes still have a chance to undo the future and hopefully we will get to see Chief Ahn's redemption in the past, before everything is too late.

To me, if Ahn Chi Soo's fate can't be changed, then he has enough evidences to bring down more than KBJ. The fact that KBJ threatened to kill him and the other replied, he knew about it implies that he was expecting to be dead. 

But actually, the past has already changed in the peisode 11. First of all, noone could connect PHY with LJH, but since LJH was sent to Injoo, the future changed and ACS and KBJ became aware of it.

Honestly, I am hoping that PHY can bring down Jang and KBJ... first of all, PHY isn't alone like LJH was in the past. LJH has now PHY by his side as well. Based on the preview, it seems that PHY is on the run or I am wrong.

[liddi]

@bebebisous33 Actually, in Ep9, CSH already stated that LJH was a part of the investigative team in Injoo for the gang rape case, and that was where he first met Chief Ahn. So even then. LJH was already very much a part of the current PHY's past, except he was unaware of it until now. Again, we see time paradox come into play, just like the Hongwon-dong case, because until PHY specifically asked for LJH's help in investigating the Injoo school girl gang rape case, the latter would not have had any reason to want to be part of the investigative team to an area that was not even within their jurisdiction.

I am religiously avoiding the recaps that @kaqueski and @Mico Ricco has kindly shared here of tonight's episode, wanting to watch Ep12 with fresh eyes tomorrow, armed with subs. Will ramble more about it then... though from last night's preview, PHY has definitely become a person of interest in Chief Ahn's death, with him being kept under surveillance after that. Ahh... is it tomorrow already, with subbed Ep12? 

[Mico Ricco]

credit : youtube - tvn drama

episode 12 clips

Spoiler

 

 

 

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[Mico Ricco]

1 hour ago, flybabyfly said:

That mountain hiker must have eagle eyes to see those human hand bones from their walking path.

 

If l can remember correctly the mountain hiker heard sound of dogs and the dogs seems digging at something which attracted his attention.  He and other two hikers then walked over to investigate and discovered a hand skeleton.

[bebebisous33]

27 minutes ago, Mico Ricco said:

 

If l can remember correctly the mountain hiker heard sound of dogs and the dogs seems digging at something which attracted his attention.  He and other two hikers then walked over to investigate and discovered a hand skeleton.

@flybabyfly Mico Ricco is right. The dogs discovered the bones due to the smell.

[Mico Ricco]

5 hours ago, kaqueski said:

.... one thing I'm more worried or more focus on is the characterization of our main characters. Certain things that happen in the past help to shape our PHY to who he is today, and looking at the young PHY with that bruise face smirking face in the preview.. make me feel like PHY's character can be similar to the murder guy in Hongwon dong. There is a thin line between good and evil, PHY also had a troublesome past and with his intelligent he can do either exceptionally good or powerfully evil. 

I believe some thing in the past triggers his participation to become a police despite hating them (the girl in preview was mocking him: Do you think going to police academy is like going to a cafe?). So if we messed up with whatever trigger PHY to become a good policeman, the PHY who fights for justice nowaday won't exist. And for this I think his hyung's death may has a such impact, it's a tragedy but it may positively help PHY in someway, and maybe LJH's appearance in this case will also help him to believe in the police and positively move him somehow?

Of course I believe PHY's hyung is innocent in this case, but I'm debating whether SunWoo's death is one of those that has an important factor for PHY's characterization. And I also wonder if it's a good thing to save his hyung......

 

 

You have me worry here on the probability/possibility of PHY will become an evil person. 

But PHY was never been an abused child similar to the murder guy in Hongwon-dong. 

Depending on the definition of "evil" l am certain you do not mean PHY will succumb to depression like the murder guy in Hongwon-dong; and going for a killing spree.

My worry is that will he take justice (and hence the definition of "evil" person) in his own hands to bring down KBJ after knowing a few people already fallen due to corrupt officials - his hyung, LJH, ACS.

[Mico Ricco]

14 hours ago, louisawatson said:

ep 11 tells us that Ahn already knew but just acted like he didn't, so he didn't tell KBS. but it turns out KBS figured it by himself.

 

Thank you for correcting me.

[Mico Ricco]

news source credit  : tvreport.co.kr

Spoiler

 

'시그널' 이제훈, 형 누명 썼단 사실에 포효