The sequel to "Signal", titled "Signal 2", will not air this summer.
On the 17th, tvN announced it will schedule Apple TV+’s "Pachinko" Season 1. One outlet reported that "Pachinko" was slotted in to replace "Signal 2". However, the network said, “'Pachinko' is confirmed for scheduling, but the timing is undecided,” declining to elaborate further.
"Signal 2" follows the 2016 hit drama "Signal". The sequel―arriving a decade later―drew major anticipation. tvN had planned to premiere it in June as part of the network’s 20th anniversary slate.
The eight-episode "Signal 2" wrapped filming last August. But in December, reports surfaced that lead actor Cho Jin-woong committed a serious crime in high school and received juvenile protective disposition, being sent to a juvenile facility. The revelation sparked intense controversy.
Cho later announced his retirement through his agency, saying, “I bow my head in apology to everyone who believed in and supported me. I will humbly accept all criticism and, as of today, halt all activities and put a period on my acting career. I believe this is the responsibility I must bear for my past wrongdoing.”
Cho’s criminal past and swift retirement stunned the public―and sent shockwaves through the "Signal 2" production. With hundreds of billions of won invested, the show’s fate was suddenly in jeopardy. Time alone wouldn’t fix it. Cho played righteous detective Lee Jae-han, and the news created a level of backlash that could break the audience’s immersion.
Reshoots are not feasible. It would mean massive financial losses, and realigning the schedules of key cast members like Kim Hye-soo and Lee Je-hoon is virtually impossible.
The production team previously marked the 2026 broadcast as “TBD” and began searching for solutions. They later said they would “find the best path for the project and viewers,” but four months on, no plan has materialized. As a result, "Signal 2" has been pulled not only from its planned June window but from the entire summer lineup, opting for an indefinite delay.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)
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