Four Hands, Two Sonatas

They Conveyed literally everything through their Eyes. It's all selfless love till the ending.

Believe I'm damn frustrated, that I needa write, honestly it's frustrating but I still love it so much I don't know what's wrong with me yet, I don't hate it at all, and I love it so much, but a lot of things frustrates me I don't what I'm saying.

• The ending was so meaningful, I did a bit of research, I didn't expect it to have such a deep meaning ;

The song the choir was singing when Pi o walked in was a traditional Chorus played when the bride enters during a Catholic wearing ceremony, and they literally chose to play it as Pi o entered the Church, in Czech Republic, a country generally considered as the most LGBTQ-friendly in the whole Europe.


The writers tried way too hard to make it straight by tossing in mad unnecessary kissing scenes. 💀 It just felt forced as hell. Like the one in which even after knowing pi o's emotional state, she kissed him. The one with pi o's mother and the teacher, these two were too unwanted.

A recent Netflix interview truly highlighted the profound significance of Four Hands, Two Sonatas for its leading actors.
For Song Kang, the series represents a major milestone—his first project following his military discharge, driven by a visible determination to convey deep, complex emotions.
For Lee Jun Young, the project carries an entirely different weight as his final piece of work before his mandatory service begins. Witnessing their mutual dedication and emotional investment only amplifies my desire to support their incredible hard work.

So, as from the very beginning, jae in has been flirting with Kang pi o, talks about getting married and all, and since childhood pi o has been ignoring her, and was never interested in her, giving her instant dry replies, well I'm not saying she cannot like him, but the main thing is she should know how to love herself, he has been humiliating her in every way, but why is she tolerating, that's the main thing about her that frustrates me.

Pi o smiled for the very first time after meeting Choi jeong yo, he looked extremely serious and pitiful, I loved it when he finally got someone with he can be genuinely close with. Seeing Lee jung young playing such a cute and playful role, that's totally different, but was pretty nice.. Choi jeong yo making those cute faces aww, and his English, I'm addicted to itt. “Bery hard, difficult” Ohh my..

They actually became eachother's safe place, even I felt so safe seeing them, they warm bonding they shared can't ever be recreated.
Pi o got jeong yo out of his trauma, and believe me it's not easy to get out of a trauma until and unless the other person understands you well.
Pi o throughout the whole series looked the happiest everytime it was about choi jeong yo, just imagine how strong their relationship could be, I already know.
Even though they were away all they cared about is seeing eachother, those eyes made me feel the pain they were going through. At the end they became eachother's light, when they were stuck in despair.

How comfortable they became, became eachother's strength, sheild, hardest onee.
When Pi o's grandfather started overlooking pi o's talent, saying the four hands concert's win was all because of jeong yo, pi o was definitely in piece but jeong yo tried his best to make his grandfather see his worth, they way they won all because of pi o.

The relationship never had any kind jealousy in it, not even a little bit, no attachment to fame, that's the most beautiful thing, so pure. They went all way for eachother, trying the best to keep the other going.

"Do you trust me ? I trust you" the line felt so warm.
They way got so emotionally attached to eachother, but honestly life is variable it changes anytime, life turned so hard on them.
I never expected that part to happen, that the story had to take a jump of 10 years.
The way Pi o got impulsive, only Jeong yo could stop him, already explained their relationship. Jeong yo literally gave pi o his piece, pi o decided to give up but jeong yo never let me do that, he always made pi o move forward, every time he lost himself somewhere.

The story took the biggest turn in the morning of international piano competition in the Czech Republic, the finals. Last night he helped pi o overcome everything he was going through, he lost his piece and so jeong yo gave his one to pi o, no sense of jealousy or arrogance right.

Read More

one of the most unique dramas I’ve ever watched

after watching ~250 dramas, I’ve never seen such a unique plot line in a drama. The chemistry between jeongyo and pio is unmatched, with beautiful acting every episode. it’s full of misunderstandings and jealousy but it’s all brought together by their relationship. while it’s advertised to be a brotherhood drama, it’s most definitely a bl in disguise, the fl was just tossed aside midway with little to no explanation which was expected but executed poorly. the drama explores a bunch of different genres from jealousy, perfection, wanting to be accepted and so on. Definitely the most unique drama I’ve watched this year, definitely worth a watch.

Read More

Four Hands, Mixed Feelings

Honestly, Four Hands, Two Sonatas was a good watch for me. I liked how music was connected to competition, family expectations and the characters' personal struggles. It wasn't just about playing the piano.

Kang Pi-o (Song Kang) and Choi Jeong-yo (Lee Jun-young) were the main highlights for me. Their rivalry and different struggles made their relationship interesting. Hong Jae-in (Jang Gyu-ri) also added something to the story.

Kang Seung-woon (Jung Jin-young), Pi-o's grandfather, stood out because of his strict attitude and high expectations. Do Hyeon-soo (Kim Joo-hun), their piano teacher, added depth to their musical journey. I also appreciated Yoon Seon-ju (Seo Jae-hee) for giving Jeong-yo an opportunity, while Kang Ji-hye (Yoon Se-ah) added more complexity to Pi-o's family life.

However, I wouldn't call this drama perfect. Some character relationships and storylines could have been explored better, and certain moments could have had a stronger emotional impact.

Still, I enjoyed the music, the performances and the contrast between Pi-o and Jeong-yo. It has its flaws, but overall, I'm glad I watched it.

Honestly, the drama was good, but I feel like it was missing that little spark. Maybe it's just my personal feeling, and it's definitely not hate towards anyone. It just didn't hit me the way I expected it to.

Read More

When Passion Exists In Absolutes

Excellent script.
The progression remained above standard and remarkable in many areas. Each scene added more.

Direction.
Great but leaned to a bit of melodrama.

Beautiful performances.
Every major character sprang off the screen and held you by the throat until the very end. This could only be achieved by the actors digging deep into themselves to bring out such stellar performances.

Ji Hye- A tortured daughter becoming a psychotic monster.
Pi O- An emotionally abused grandson desperate for recognition and acceptance.
JY- A virtuoso who had more heart and compassion for everyone but himself. He was the soul of the entire series.
Seung Un - A selfish conductor, feeling he alone had the ability to judge greatness, unleashing his bitterness for his daughter onto his grandson.
Jae In- A friend to them both, she allowed her love to control her future, forgetting her self respect.

What happens when the meeting of complete opposites are drawn to each other in their love for music, saving and destroying each other, time and time again? Pi O and JY did everything in absolutes and it made beautiful complete music.

There were moments when the script felt more about Ji Hye's life and actions than that of the love and rivalry between Pi O and JY.

Though some of the performances were repetitive and a little monotonous, Ji Hye's collapses and Pi O's petpetual look of depression but it was saved by her brilliant attack on her father causing him to finally face the destruction he did to his family and Pi O finally becoming at peace within himself. JY looked more comfortable in the adult version of himself than the teenager. The grandfather asking to be forgiven was too much. He had a lifetime to see the reality of his actions and chose not to. The ending a bit too sweet but still perfect for their relationship.

Relaying the full plot here will only detract from the viewer's experience. This deserves all the praise it receives.

Read More

Good watch

I really enjoyed the show. I think it was an entertaining watch. Like how international it was and how personal it was also.

I gave it an 8 because it turned away from what it really should have been. Not a romance but a bromance between the two. Even though I could still feel how intense they were with one another and the unspoken love that they did have for each other.

Personally I'm not a big fan of when Lee Jun Young plays serious roles. When he does the angry smoulder and the deep voice it gives me the ick, it's not convincing enough for me. I can tell that he's acting rather than him being the character. He's much better suited to comedic roles, in my eyes. Like the first half of the show I enjoyed him but when it turned into his revenge arc... I lost his character.

Also there was too much self-pity from Kang Pio.

But apart from that I did enjoy the show.

Read More

Vengeance, Punishment and Salvation: The Ultimate Language of Music

The first thing that grabbed my attention was the stills of Song Kang and Lee Jun Young together, which were so intriguing and irresistible—making it impossible not to feel curious and attracted to their story.

The comments section was also a part of the encouragement to watch it, as many people praized the story and acting of characters, so couldn't ignore all the positive vibes that was glowing from there so it was like watching the drama through reading them before starting it,

​Diving into episodes 1 to 3, the show gave me what many Korean dramas have been lacking: such promising and strong plots! Song Kang and Lee Jun-young presented a phenomenal and fiery chemistry that most couples in other K-dramas didn't excel to reach—this level of two male leads was much more interesting than any other romantic story! Just the way the drama started makes you captivated in the story already with no dull moments.

​The overall vibes of the story after episode 1 gave me a mix of similarities to two dramas, Weak Hero and At a Distance, Spring Is Green, especially for the short bullying part, the poor background of Jeong-yo, and the rich one of Pi-o. These three shows also look almost alike on the bromance side and in how characters started the story on the wrong foot, before developing a much deeper bond as male leads.

​Postponing watching it until the final week and binge-watching in 3 days was the best thing to do to avoid the tiring and tormenting Korean airing schedule!

​An unusual friendship turned the four hands of two rivals into a surprising and unmatched work of art in the musical notes of pianos, where you can feel the passion and thrill spoken through their story together. There is something so incredibly mind-blowing about how every one of them is performing with such deep emotions that no other Korean dramas of this genre showed such an interesting side of the story!

​The piano itself was a character of the story that bound both Pi-o and Jeong-yo together and strengthened their relationship to be more than friends, but soulmates and companions in playing, complementing each other.



●The complicated world of adults that shattered the leads away from each others

​The world of adults in this drama was merciless, turning the two male characters into shattered souls and tearing them apart. Starting with the harsh mother who—instead of making music an art meant to bring joy that her son Pi-o was supposed to perform—treated it as a competition where it was forbidden for him to lose to anybody. This stemmed from the psychological complex of her father, who never acknowledged the talent of his grandson born to an unknown father, blaming his daughter for giving birth to such a child when she followed her dream of being a ballerina and came back pregnant, while she herself considered Pi-o a gift from God.

I couldn't believe a mother could be so controlling and suffocating, acting as the first and main reason for his frustration and melancholia, showing deep pain when playing as others were always dissatisfied with his performance. This even made Pi-o moody with Jeong-yo whenever using him to appease adults and whenever rejecting him like they were never friends. Though I understand the deep psychological complex behind such behavior, it was disheartening to see them in that status.

That hateful mother is just a disaster to the plot! No matter how much the grandpa sounds so harsh and cold towards his grandson but still she is the worst in this drama! Seriously at everytime I see her I feel something is making my blood boiling and wanting to choke her! She is only bringing misery to her poor son! She urgently needs a big slap to her face, just to make her shaking and waking up that getting rid of someone else in order to make her precious son reach the first place and winning a competition, by cheating and being "criminal" is just a web of illusions that she knitted with her dirty hands and making Pi O sinking more and more in the unhappy path of popularity that never was a fortune for him cause deep inside he was missing an important part of his life all these nine years!

She is only enjoying by herself the euphoria of delusional victory by eradicating "his competitor"! She is utterly selfish and not realizing how her son is actually feeling all these years in this absence of Jeong Yo, his companion in music that was the only reason to see Pi O smiling genuinely when they were playing four hands!

It is was so saddening to see their friendship shattered away just because of her obsession to see her son winning the first place, while I think absolutely if Pi O wasn't surrounded with all this pressure from this cruel world of adults and he was just left to play piano because it is supposed to bring joy not frustration to him under an unbearable pressure to be always "the top 1", Pi O wouldn't have a suffocating life under the leadership of his evil mother!

The grandpa was so unforgivable for how hating his grandson just because of his unknown father and always disparaging his talents in music, was so repulsive to see, making also the "competition" between Jeong Yo and Pi O, that once was started with the greedy ambition of the mother, to tear that friendship of male leads apart and making Pi O no longer the same one who was happy and grateful to have his companion in music who changed his life and freed him from the cuffs of his ruthless mother and grandpa...

It was for real so frustrating to see how the pressure over Pi O, making him moving far away from his best friend Jeong Yo and not anymore treating him with the same way when he was feeling so comfortable around him when they were drowned in their four hands music world, making them to be two frenemies stuck in this storm of pull and push vibes!

Once Pi O said that he is having "unrequited love" with music while he was at his lowest point in his life, when he was feeling that nobody is acknowledging his talent in music, that part was so heartbreaking!



●The psychological dynamic of leads with music
Piano is incredibly a sword with double-edge in this drama, either a way to enjoy what you play, either to turn up against you to be just a way to feel inferior to others with endless fatigue just to prove yourself to others who are despicable and not appreciating the efforts you are doing!

You don't have to be the best in world of music and you don't have to appease everybody with the way you are playing! Two pianists may have different ways in the emotions they convey when they are playing but it is not meaning if someone having a better performance so the other should be thrown away! That was the dilemma with Pi O! Make both of them playing to make a masterpiece of unforgettable music, but don't make that feeling of Jeong Yo is better than him to tear apart this treasured friendship! Even if Jeong Yo excelled the most, but playing four hands is also a creative way to enjoy your passion for music, no matter who is the best playing! Make music for strengthening the bond of two companions, not to be a way of challenge or to turn them rivals instead of soulmates in playing!



● My favorite parts of the drama
​So, episodes 1 to 3 were the top, when you could feel their cooperation—helping Jeong-yo overcome his traumatic past of being unable to perform on stage when his mother passed away because of a hemorrhage. It was everything to see the soft side of Pi-o acting as his support, in addition to all their smiles when playing in synchronization, before everything faded away at the abduction incident that sent the story in an unpleasant direction.

Nothing compares to these golden, precious moments of friendship... they're the true heart of why this drama is so outstanding! Those unforgettable smiles and soft looks in their eyes, are permanently engraved in my memory and I can't move on! Their laughter back then felt so real, it's heartbreaking how much miss seeing them genuinely happy together, that I would be in the mood to relive this chapter a million times over!

​Episodes 10 and 11 were also the best. I liked how the plot used the musical piece "Nemesis" as a way for Jeong-yo to seek revenge on Pi-o, who just took the blame and lied to him, claiming to be the main reason for the abduction just to keep his mother out of danger. Pi-o sacrificed himself to be punished so recklessly and idiotically enough by his friend Jeong-yo and torturing himself endlessly in this turmoil of vengence that was devouring Pi O till being worn out!



●The phenomenal acting of Song Kang, Lee Jun Young and Yoon Se Ah
​The tension and heavy pain in Pi-o's eyes were something else, working hard just to please Jeong-yo, who had turned music into a tool of revenge. Though it was heartbreaking to see Jeong-yo giving Pi-o a hard time, disparaging his playing and acting authoritatively, it was executed with high-level acting performances from both of them.

​The male leads and the actress portraying Kang Ji-hye (the mother of Pi-o) should be awarded for the best performances in this drama. Even though the mother was hateful and a villain, acting-wise it was undeniably outstanding.


●Jang Gyu Ri in the story
​I think the character of Jang Gyu Ri shouldn't have been in the main cast of actors, but instead in the supporting ones, as she didn't get screen time comparable to the two male leads. That unnecessary part of the romance between her and Pi-o could really have been removed, as she was only left hurt by an unrequited love.


● The special parts of Ep 6-7
​I can't get over what I liked in episodes 6 to 7: how Pi-o was looking for Jeong-yo so genuinely, unable to live normally while searching for his best friend for nine years. It made it take so long for Jeong-yo to believe it, who had played along with amnesia to get revenge. Still, it was so surprising how Jeong-yo actually still cared about him despite all the grudges he held against Pi-o, before realizing the truth that Pi-o wasn't the one behind the abduction—while Pi-o kept denying he would ever do it, even after everything was revealed.



●Satisfying Ending though flawed in some places
I can consider that the final in general lived up to my expectations and wrapped up the story in a gorgeous way, though I found it unnecessary for Jeong Yo after reconciling with Pi O, to make him frustrated more with his sudden absence and disappearing out of the picture, like he did his duty to make sure his companion to come back in the world of music then he excused himself to be out of his life, like he is not anymore in any use for him until reuniting after three years... But why to make Jeong Yo a monk?! It was just maybe only for me so ridiculous to turn out in this
way, secluding himself from the world and leaving to another country was just a flawed idea to ending this drama like this!

At least it was so much satisfying to see though Jeong Yo's injury of right shoulder that affected his hand, he just sacrificed his medical condition just to be able go play again in front of Pi O, was just so impressive to see it from Jeong Yo, who also was the main reason for Pi O to remember him thay he shouldn't give up playing piano which was the connection to make them a soulmates and a salvation way for them to find happiness away from the merciless pressures and nasty world of adults!

It was so touching to see Jeong Yo confessing that Pi O was always "the hope and light" for him, adding so much warm and soft vibes to the final, especially breaking that cold ice between them and coming back to play even for once four hands again though the past injury of Jeong Yo, that even caused him medical complications after that, but he didn't mind just for the sake of his best friend to not give up on music!

In addition to the tears shed by Pi O when reading the message of Jeong Yo after he left him to unknown place, you can feel the strong bond between them that should have been even more shown in this drama in my opinion!

The redemption arc of the grandpa Kang and the mother was so pleasant to see, though I just preferred if they kept him alive, seeing how his grandson is now "playing freely like that day" as Jeong Yo asked him to do... I think the mother should have learned a dear lesson after her misdeeds!

It was also so satisfying to see the grandpa acknowledging his faults to what he caused a hard time for his grandson and apologizing to Jeong Yo who was the victim of the bad bringing up of Pi O's mother, what contributed in proving the innocence of Pi O who did the extreme just to take the blame and guilt for what happened to Jeong Yo...

I just wished to have at least one hug at the end between leads, after Pi O traveled all this distance just to track where Jeong Yo was, after a post card message he received from him... But anyway even if it wasn't in the best way I was looking forward it, but still it was a good ending...

I liked too how Pi O did that live performance, just as a way for being able to search for his friend and making him watching online in case Jeong Yo would connect with him through this and for real you can feel how they still care for each other, when he sent to Pi O that post card to give him some notes about his playing...



●Final Verdict
​I consider this drama to have lived up to my expectations, and I'm so glad I gave it a try because it is the best I've ever seen among K-dramas of this year and the last, even though it dragged in some parts between episodes 6 and 9.

​I would strongly recommend it for anyone looking for a deeply emotional story about a strong bond between two musical soulmates who couldn't for once admit that their friendship was more important than anything in their life, despite all the hatred and antagonist circumstances that pulled them apart.

Through everything explored in this drama, it honestly stands as the best watch among all Korean dramas of this year so far—a four hands, two frenemies, and one unforgettable journey of pain, passion, and deep attachment to music!

Read More

Revenge is best served as a concerto

This is not your typical makjang, but it will hit you in a similar way.

Setting a drama in the classical music world is nothing new. It is a ready source of human drama after all. To reach the top usually requires total dedication and a herculean effort. It also raises the question of nature vs nurture. There is a story behind every success and, more often than not, failures.

While the A-plot is relatively straightforward, the main strength comes from the cast. In this regard, the production hit paydirt. Our two male leads are top stars. When you combine them in such a drama, we get fireworks.

I am going to keep this review spoiler free as there are not many twists. One spoiler can give the whole game away. ;)

So, what can we talk about? The music for starters and what music! It is the foundation of the show. Many pieces used are familiar and help to build a lovely musical backdrop. The production did not cheap out on us. Nice!

Then we have the music makers. Both the people involved in the business end as well as the performers filled the roster. To say some of them are temperamental is an understatement.

This brings us to the human element. There is no doubt obsession played a key role. Both in terms of the drive to performed at the highest level, but also the unhealthy winner-takes-all attitude of some parents. It is a witches brew. Song Kang's family is the source of much angst and toxicity. There is no shortage of pontificating and many feelings are hurt in the making of this drama.

Considering how these performers are put under a lot of pressure from a young age and then throw in teenage angst, bullying and stage fright. You have a pressure cooker ready to explode. There are lots of triggers. You have been warned.

This brings us to the acting of the ensemble. So many emotionally charged scenes. It is a challenging watch at times. Of course, this show is not about being subtle. There are lots of emotions on display. Sometimes it is raw and heartfelt while other times it is pure makjang.

Credit where credit is due. The production managed to make our actors look good as classical musicians. They have to undergo months of training and learn to channel that state top performers enters when they are totally immersed into the music. Much credit must go to pianists Park Joo-young and Lee Min-sung who were their "performance" doubles as well as coaches. Bravo!

They also used some serious filtering to get our leads to look 10 years younger for their schoolyard scenes. That is some serious movie magic. The overseas segments gives the series an international flavour. It is a little awkward at times, but definitely more than a token effort.

Now the elephant in the room. Is it BL? The show left it open ended. There is a strong bromance between our male leads while they were at school. It feels a little contrived at first. There is definitely a hint of BL, yet the show also has a strong religious undertone. They are not comfortable bedfellows.

It seems to lean more towards a straight friendship as the show progressed. How you want to interpret the finale is up to you.

This show is good. It can be both exhilarating as well as disturbing. I would say "go watch it" if you like makjang and/or you are a classical music lover.

I gave the music bonus point. Our ML's also deserve credit. The makjang side lost mark with me. I would buy the OST without hesitation. Sadly, this show won't be on my re-watch list. Peace.

Read More

WTH was this

honestly I'm literally speechless like what was even the story? the director literally qyeerbaited this show as much as he can and as a man I can literally tell you male friendships aren't like this what they shown in the drama... take an example from weak hero there was literally nothing like this ... there was literally 0% chemistry between the so called straight couple and the forced kiss like hello?!?!?! although the actors did great job at acting but at the same time the story needs to be good... I don't know what even happened In the last 3-4 eps like what was the purpose... the director really ruined a good drama

Read More

A Drama With Great Potential Ruined by Its Writing

I started watching this drama because of the edits and the stir it caused on Twitter, so take my review with a grain of salt. It was so overhyped in my head that when I watched it, the disappointment was heavy. I gave this drama 5 stars mostly because of the acting and the Fandom. The only reason I didn't drop it was because I enjoyed the discussions the fans brought. This drama had great potential as a story but failed miserably.
The Good: Acting
Let's start with the good aspect of this drama, which is the acting. The acting was really good from almost every character. From main characters to side characters, they all rocked except those cringy foreigners that they must add in every K-drama now 🤣. But I must say, the actors surely shine brighter with the depressive side.
The Neutral: Music
The aspect I am neutral about is music. Usually, when I watch a musically themed drama, it makes me wish I learned music. In this case, I didn't. I also didn't like any of the pieces they played. I think I still don't understand or like European classical music 🤣. It's neutral because I cannot comment on something I do not understand.
The Bad: Writing
The aspect that ruined the show for me is the writing, and from here I will start ranting about my frustration.
I personally thought the story was about two boys (Pio and JY), but the story is very Pio-centric. The emotional focus is only on Pio. Every character moves in a way that serves Pio's plot line to advance, so I feel cheated.
The character writing is simply ATROCIOUS.
First, just because some characters are secondary doesn't mean you throw them around whenever. It ruins the show's plot. The grandpa is portrayed as a strict elitist, only to be changed into a tortured sad artist with no correlation at all. The grandma is portrayed as if she doesn't favor Pio, only to show very emotional toward Pio for no logical reason again. Pio is portrayed as prideful in his youth, jealous but prideful, only to easily accept a handout.
The characters in this drama don't change following the events but change to change the event itself, and to me personally, it creates a coherence issue.
JY's Writing
The second issue with the writing is JY's writing. At one point I wondered if the writer hated geniuses because of how badly he is written.
First, in his youth, he is written as a discovered genius. The plot brings up that he is a natural talent that needs refining. So I thought, oh, they'll use Pio's perfect playing technique to refine him and create a bromance.
WRONG!
It's never brought up again, and he is just treated as musically perfect naturally.
Then there was his stage fright trauma. The way it was approached made me laugh. Like, really, in 2026 we are still doing this bullshit? One minute Pio has to cover his eyes so he can play on stage, the next he is playing for the grandpa's guest. Like, come on.
Then his full disappearance era: how did he create Nemesis? Why did he choose conducting? How did he learn? And so on. So not even his creative side is explored. They just throw "he is musically perfect" in your face and hope you accept it.
The Bromance
Some events in this drama could've created some perfect bromance material. Instead, all we see is JY putting his all into helping Pio while Pio barely puts in an effort.
They could've utilized Pio's perfect technique to build more depth. They could've utilized Pio noticing JY wasn't okay to build emotional bonds. They could've utilized JY's disappearance to show longing instead of making it seem like guilt, because right after JY came back, all of Pio's efforts went out of the window.
The only decent writing they got for their bromance was the last episode.
The Useless Characters
Finally, the INFLUX of useless characters!
What was the purpose of Jaein's mom? What was the purpose of Jaein? What was the purpose of showing the gangster in the second half? What was the purpose of JY's father in the second half? What was the purpose of the teacher sticking around?
This show has an influx of useless characters, and they are given screen time for no apparent reason.
Overall
Overall, the show has potential, but the writing ruined it for me. Sadly, I am someone who is capable of watching ATROCIOUS acting for a good-written show, so this one really disappointed me.

Read More

Hong jea in is the most useless character

Four Hands, Two Sonatas — 7.0/10

Story — 7.5/10

For me, this drama was interesting to watch because it tells the story of two pianists who have known each other since childhood. I liked the concept of their relationship, especially the way music, competition, friendship, and family expectations were connected throughout the story. Pio’s family background was also interesting, particularly the way his grandfather seemed unable to fully accept him because he was born out of wedlock, while his mother pushed him to become the best pianist he could be.

I also enjoyed the musical competition aspect of the drama. In some ways, it reminded me of The Penthouse because of its competitive atmosphere and the importance of music, while the friendship aspect reminded me of You and Everything Else. The pacing was generally fine, and I liked Pio’s character development from someone who was cold and distant into someone who became deeply caring towards Jongyo.

However, I felt that the romantic storyline was unnecessary. I also think the writer and director struggled to balance Pio’s relationships with Jongyo and Hong Jae-in. Pio seemed to prioritize Jongyo too much, which eventually affected his relationship with Jae-in. The ending was okay, but I expected better from the way the relationships were handled.

Acting/Cast — 8.5/10

The acting was very impressive, especially from the two main actors. Their emotions felt convincing, and I could feel the intensity of their relationship. Pio and his mother also had good chemistry.

However, I had a major problem with Hong Jae-in’s character. I felt that she was almost useless and was pushed aside despite being both Pio and Jongyo’s friend. She did not contribute much to the development of the main characters, so I kept wondering what the point of her character was. I also felt sorry for her because she liked Pio, but after they broke up, she continued to remain close to him as if nothing had happened.

Interestingly, the chemistry between Pio and Jongyo was so strong that at times they looked more like a romantic couple than best friends. This made me question whether Pio was able to properly balance friendship and romantic relationships.

Music — 10/10

The music is definitely the strongest part of this drama for me. I really enjoyed the piano music, and I liked how music was not simply background music but one of the main elements of the story. In fact, this drama made me want to learn how to play the piano myself. For that reason, I have to give the music a 10/10.

Rewatch Value — 2/10

Unfortunately, I would not watch this drama again if I were given the chance. If a friend asked me whether this drama was good, I would probably say that it was not worth watching and that watching it felt like a waste of time. Even though I enjoyed the music and appreciated the acting, the overall story did not leave me wanting to experience it again.

Overall, Four Hands, Two Sonatas has good acting and excellent music, but the story and character relationships prevented me from enjoying it as much as I hoped. The music is something I will remember, but I would not recommend the drama as a whole.

Read More

should’ve been more gay

I’ll start with the obvious. With the amount of BLs out currently which are extremely popular and the general recent surge in the amount of BL. This show should’ve just been gay. I’m not saying they have to kiss or even acknowledge they’re dating properly but forcing Pio into a lavender relationship? Super unnecessary. And omg at least let them hug why are we scared of a bit of physical touch.

Jaein as a character was actually written well but they didn’t need to make her be in love with Pio. Eventually taking over her mother’s position and being an anchor between Pio and Jeongyo was more than enough to make her a worthwhile and important character! She can comfort Pio without having to be dating him!!!

On a different note I enjoyed everyone’s acting! There were some awkward points particularly when they were in Europe. I respect that acting in another language takes a lot of skill so I won’t say much but I can’t deny the awkwardness in those scenes…

Song Kang is in no way a bad actor and I’ve watched many of his dramas but I will say I was a teeenie but disappointed this time round, not enough to be upset but it was more noticeable to me. Additionally the early episodes with school uniform felt strange as I do think both lead actors are a little too old to be acting in a school uniform- nonetheless it didn’t impact my viewing experience much!

Going back to the scenes in Europe I was disappointed visually as there were some stunning scenes filmed in Korea but that same aesthetic didn’t carry over. Some parts felt like a travel vlog and I would’ve hoped they could’ve made it more consistent.

Enough negatives! It was a great show and I was at the edge of my seat!! Watching each episode week by week really added some fun to my life and I found myself itching to know what would happen next. The plot twists and suspense kept me on edge and I felt myself empathetic to many of the characters. Though the ending was bittersweet in some aspects I was glad they at least met each other again with a smile.

Read More