Cho Jinwoong, at center of 'juvenile offender' controversy, plays a detective... tvN presses ahead with 'Signal,' saying, "This isn't an endorsement"

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Poster for the drama "Signal." From left: Lee Jehoon, Kim Hyesoo, and Cho Jinwoong. tvN

The drama "The Second Signal," whose broadcast was indefinitely postponed amid controversy over actor Cho Jinwoong's juvenile criminal record, will premiere on December 7. tvN has decided to air the series with Cho's scenes intact.

In a statement released on November 6, tvN said, "The misconduct in a cast member's past is an issue that the channel cannot take lightly." However, it added, "'The Second Signal' is not the work of one cast member alone." It continued, "The cast member's personal conduct should be considered separately from the value of the work itself and the efforts of the creators involved."

"The Second Signal" will air every Monday and Tuesday at 10 p.m. starting December 7. The eight-episode series will air three episodes in its first week. On December 7, its premiere day, the first episode will be shortened, followed by the second episode. The third episode will air the next day, December 8. After that, one episode will air each Monday and Tuesday.

tvN said it moved the airtime later than that of its previous Monday-Tuesday dramas, taking the show's genre and viewing environment into consideration. For the premiere, it decided to adjust the length of the first episode while preserving the flow of the story.

tvN also considered editing Cho's scenes. "We explored ways to make changes using video technology and conducted tests to replace a character using artificial intelligence (AI)," the channel said. "However, there are limits to naturally conveying the acting and the flow of the narrative, making it difficult to apply the technology in the final version."

"The Second Signal" is a follow-up to the 2016 drama "Signal." The crime procedural follows detectives in the past and present who communicate by walkie-talkie as they investigate long-unsolved cases. The original series' finale recorded an average rating of 13.4% and a peak minute-by-minute rating of 15%. For the follow-up, writer Kim Eun-hee and key cast members Kim Hyesoo, Lee Jehoon and Cho Jinwoong have reunited, with director Ahn Tae-jin at the helm.

A scene from the drama "Signal." tvN

tvN produced the series as a special project to mark its 20th anniversary. Filming wrapped in August 2025, and the show was scheduled to air in June 2026. However, its broadcast schedule was put on hold after controversy erupted in December of that year over Cho Jinwoong's past criminal record.

At the time, Cho faced allegations that he had been involved in a crime during high school and had received juvenile protection measures. His agency acknowledged that he had engaged in misconduct as a minor, while denying allegations related to sexual assault. On December 6, 2025, Cho announced his retirement from the entertainment industry, saying, "I humbly accept all criticism and will cease all activities as of today."

In "The Second Signal," Cho reprises his role as detective Lee Jae-han, whom he played in the original series. As a major character with a significant role in the story, how to handle his scenes was seen as a key issue in resuming the broadcast.

tvN said, "While this decision may not fully address all the concerns you have raised, we must also take into consideration the efforts of the many actors, staff members and production crew who did their best in their respective roles to complete the series."

Although tvN will air the series with the person at the center of the controversy still in it, the channel said, "Airing the series does not mean endorsing or justifying the issue. We will not forget our responsibility as a channel."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.