CJ E&M: Signal and Another Miss Oh, among the best series in Korea in 2016

Out of numerous programs, tvN’s Signal and Another Miss Oh were the two most talked about shows among critics. Four out of eight recommended these shows. They praised Signal in particular for its gripping story and spectacular performance by Hye-soo Kim, Jin-woong Cho, Jae-hoon Lee and other cast members. The show, which aired from January to March, is about a group of police officers committed to solving a long standing murder case. The show’s fantastical elements, such as the mysterious walkie-talkie that connects the past and present, drew viewers closer to the screen. The walkie-talkie allows the cold case profiler in the present to communicate with a detective from the past and uncover the truth.

Signal was a huge success with the final episode remaining in the top spot with a 13.4% rating. The success is remarkable considering that the genre is criminal thriller, which has a narrow audience, and the drama broadcasted on a cable channel (tvN) not a terrestrial channel. TV critic Deok-Hyeon Jung stated: ‘Based on the high maturity level of the drama, Signal was able to overcome the limits of a series drama’, and Kyo-Seok Kim commented 'Signal proved that series can also succeed commercially’.

‘The show delivers a hopeful message that even during times of weak government rule, the truth can make a difference. It conveys a convincing message of hope’, aded TV critic Seok-Jin Yoon.

By the other hand, Another Miss Oh is a romantic comedy about a young man who can foresee the future getting his life entangled between two women with identical names. Despite the show airing late night on weekdays (Monday & Tuesday 11pm), the final episode reached high ratings of 10.6%. Hyun-Jin Seo and Eric, the leading actress and actor, respectively, became rising stars after the success of the show. ‘Another Miss Oh is a masterpiece which describes the story of ordinary and warm people in a vivid perspective’, remarked TV critic Suk-Hee Jung.

Besides Signal and Another Miss Oh several other tvN dramas were selected as the best series among the critics. Dear My Friends, Drinking Solo, and Goblin each received one vote.