tvN will air The Second Signal, the long-delayed Signal Season 2, on Dec. 7 with eight episodes. The network says it tested replacing Cho Jin Woong with AI but couldn’t make it work.
“Signal” fans, the radio is finally crackling again.
South Korean cable channel tvN says “The Second Signal,” the second season of its 2016 hit “Signal,” will premiere on Monday, Dec. 7, at 10 p.m. Korea time, Soompi reported. That’s 8 a.m. Monday on the U.S. East Coast.
The Korean title is “Dubeonjjae Signal,” and the season runs eight episodes.
What is the Signal Season 2 release schedule?
tvN is opening big. Episodes 1 and 2 air back to back on Dec. 7, per Soompi. Episode 3 follows on Tuesday, Dec. 8.
After that, one episode airs each Monday and Tuesday. With eight episodes and no breaks, the finale would land on Monday, Dec. 28.
The network also moved the show later than planned. tvN said it picked 10 p.m. “taking into account the drama’s genre and viewing experience,” rather than its original time slot.
Why was Signal Season 2 delayed?
“The Second Signal” was supposed to air in June for tvN’s 20th anniversary, Soompi reported. Then one of its three leads, Cho Jin Woong, was hit with a scandal.
Korean outlet Dispatch reported on Dec. 5, 2025, that Cho committed multiple offenses as a minor, including theft and sexual assault, Korea JoongAng Daily reported. His agency confirmed past wrongdoing the next day but denied the sexual assault allegations, per the paper.
Soompi also reported on incidents from his adult years, including an assault-related dispute and a drunk driving record. Cho acknowledged responsibility and announced his retirement from acting in December 2025.
That left tvN holding a finished show with a retired star in a lead role.
Is Cho Jin Woong still in Signal Season 2?
Yes. tvN said it looked at ways around it, including AI.
“We considered making adjustments using video technology and even conducted tests to replace a character using AI,” tvN said in its statement, as translated by Soompi. “However, we found that these methods had limitations in naturally reproducing acting performances and maintaining the flow of the narrative, making their final implementation difficult.”
The only change tvN mentioned is to the premiere. Episode 1 will be “slightly shortened and adjusted only to the extent necessary to still preserve the story’s flow and viewer immersion,” the network said.
What did tvN say about airing Signal Season 2?
The network didn’t pretend this was an easy call.
“The past misconduct of a particular cast member is certainly not something we, as a broadcasting network, can take lightly,” tvN said. “However, ‘The Second Signal’ is not the work of one individual cast member alone.”
tvN said it’s important “to distinguish between judgments about an individual cast member, the value of the work itself, and the efforts of the creators who contributed to it.”
It also added this line: “We would like to make it clear that releasing the drama does not mean endorsing or justifying the issues surrounding the individual involved.”
When reports of a Dec. 7 date popped up in late October, the network told The Korea Herald, “Nothing has been decided.” Now it has.
Who is in the cast of The Second Signal?
Kim Hye Soo and Lee Je Hoon are back, along with Cho Jin Woong, Soompi reported when the season was announced in March 2025. Lee Je Hoon returns as profiler Park Hae Young, and Cho as detective Lee Jae Han.
Writer Kim Eun Hee is back, too, per Korea JoongAng Daily. American viewers might know her other big hit, Netflix’s zombie period drama “Kingdom.”
What was the original Signal about?
The 2016 drama is a crime thriller with a twist. Detectives in two different decades talk to each other through an old walkie-talkie that somehow reaches across time, The Korea Herald summed up. Cold cases get reopened, and the past starts changing.
It was a big deal. “Signal” won best drama at the 2016 Baeksang Arts Awards, Korea’s version of a combined Emmys and Golden Globes, per The Korea Herald.
The first teaser for Season 2 dropped back in March 2025 with one simple line: “The transmissions will start again,” as Soompi translated it.
Where can I watch Signal Season 2?
In Korea, it airs on tvN and streams on TVING, based on tvN’s own promo hashtag. tvN hasn’t announced an international streaming partner yet, and Soompi’s report didn’t mention one.
If Netflix, Viki or Prime Video picks it up for the U.S., we’ll update you. For now, the radio comes back on Dec. 7.
Article compiled and written by Kambrea Pratt (editor-in-chief), Derek Gibbs (beat editor) and the Pirates & Princesses newsroom. Pirates & Princesses is part of WebReef Media.
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Hat Tips:
Soompi (Nov. 6), tvN’s statement, schedule, episode count and background
Soompi (March 12, 2025), the first teaser, the returning cast and characters
Korea JoongAng Daily (Dec. 19, 2025), the Dispatch report, the agency response and writer Kim Eun Hee
The Korea Herald (Oct. 26), the Baeksang win, premise and “Nothing has been decided”
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