tvN's drama 'Second Signal,' which faced delays due to controversy surrounding actor Jo Jin-woong, is set to premiere on December 7. The network explored the possibility of replacing the actor with artificial intelligence (AI), but ultimately decided to air the original footage.
On November 6, tvN announced that 'Second Signal' will air as a Monday-Tuesday drama starting December 7, with a new time slot at 10 p.m. The network explained that this decision took into account the genre of the show and the viewing environment.
The eight-episode series will air three episodes in its first week. The first day will feature a condensed version of episodes one and two, followed by episode three the next day. After that, one episode will be broadcast each Monday and Tuesday.
tvN stated that it considered various alternatives before deciding to air the show. They explored methods to modify scenes using video technology and conducted tests to replace the actor with AI. However, they found it challenging to maintain the natural flow of acting and storytelling, leading to the decision not to implement these changes.
According to the statement, tvN does not take the actor's past actions lightly. However, they emphasized that this project is a collaborative effort involving many staff and crew members, and that evaluations of individual actors should be separated from the overall value of the work. They added, "The release of the show does not endorse or justify the issues at hand," and reaffirmed their commitment to their responsibilities as a channel.
'Second Signal' is a sequel to the popular 2016 tvN drama 'Signal.' According to Yonhap News, filming wrapped up in August of last year, and tvN had planned to air it in June to coincide with the 10th anniversary of 'Signal' and the 20th anniversary of the channel. However, controversy arose in December when allegations surfaced regarding Jo Jin-woong's past involvement with a youth protection facility, leading to uncertainty about the broadcast schedule after he announced his retirement from the entertainment industry.
tvN had previously stated that they would take the necessary time to find the best solution, but by April, they had not reached a conclusion, effectively canceling the June airing. Yonhap reported that there were calls to discard the filmed material, but the industry speculated that the show would likely be scheduled for later in the year, with December being mentioned as a potential air date since then.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.