“Finally it's official and legit”— Fans celebrate as tvN confirms ‘Signal’ season 2 release after 10 years, renamed ‘The Second Signal’

On March 5, tvN confirmed the return of Signal with season 2, The Second Signal, set to premiere in early 2026 for tvN’s 20th anniversary. The 2016 crime thriller follows detectives from different time periods solving cold cases through a mysterious radio transmission. The series was highly acclaimed for its time-travel concept and emotional depth.

Kim Eun-hee, the writer behind the first season, is returning to write the sequel, while Ahn Tae-jin, known for The Night Owl, will take on directing duties. Since season 1 ended with an open-ended hint about the survival of the long-missing Lee Jae-han, fans are eagerly awaiting how the story will unfold in the second season.

The drama, scheduled for an early next-year release, will bring back the original cast. Kim Hye-soo will portray the cold case squad detective Cha Soo-hyun. Cho Jin-woong plays the veteran detective Lee Jae-han, and Lee Je-hoon will come back as profiler Park Hae-young.

Fans rejoiced as the news about the same reached the online audience.

"Finally it's official and legit" said one fan.

"official announcement LETS GOOOOOOOOO WE'VE MADE IT GUYS" noted another.

"tvN have i told you that I love you?" responded another fan.

Fans are excited after waiting for ten years.

"Even though i'm ok with Signal open ending l, i really anticipate this season 2," another fan said.

"I'm really really really waiting!" reacted another.

"SIGNALLLLL SIGNALLLLLL I’m gonna be sooooo normal about it" another fan said.

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More about the Signal plot and cast

Released in 2016, the drama tells us the story of Hae-Young, a police lieutenant and criminal profiler who harbors deep distrust toward law enforcement due to a childhood trauma. In 2000, his classmate Yoon-Jung was kidnapped and later found dead.

Despite witnessing a woman taking Yoon-Jung, the police dismissed his statement, insisting the suspect was a man. The case remained unsolved.

Years later, while meeting a reporter to expose a celebrity scandal, Hae-Young is mistakenly arrested by veteran detective Soo-Hyun, who assumes he is a stalker.

At the police station—the same one from his childhood—he hears a voice through a mysterious walkie-talkie. The voice belongs to Detective Jae-Han, who is investigating Yoon-Jung’s case, but from the year 2000. The two begin communicating across time, working together to uncover long-buried truths

About the cast, in brief

Kim Hye-soo first gained fame as a teen star and began her career in a Nestlé Milo advertisement before making her film debut in Kambo, earning Best New Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards. Beyond films, Kim has starred in numerous successful television dramas, including Partner, Did We Really Love?, Royal Story: Jang Hui-bin, The Queen of Office, Signal, Hyena, Juvenile Justice, and Under the Queen's Umbrella.

Cho Jin-woong has starred in notable films such as Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time, The Admiral: Roaring Currents, Assassination, The Handmaiden, The Sheriff in Town, The Spy Gone North, Believer, Intimate Strangers, and Black Money. On television, he gained recognition for his roles in Deep Rooted Tree and Signal.

Lee Je-hoon gained early recognition with Bleak Night and The Front Line, earning critical acclaim and multiple awards, including Best New Actor for his role in Bleak Night.

His mainstream breakthrough came with the hit film Architecture 101, followed by widespread recognition for his performances in the crime thriller Signal and the action series Taxi Driver. Lee has also starred in notable films such as Anarchist from Colony, I Can Speak, and Escape, as well as the dramas Move to Heaven and Chief Detective 1958.

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Stay tuned for more updates.