Having written a review for this drama, I further wanted to share some of my thoughts on the characters and actors/actresses who played this drama. Not to make the review long and digress from it, I decided to add the character analysis here. These are my thoughts and opinions - therefore a degree of biasness will be there. If you're reading this, I would love to know your thoughts and perspectives. I'd not like to get into arguments - I think social media is enough for it. I am just here cause this drama and its characters were so impactful and hence needs a discussion! I have tried to keep it spoiler free, but there might be mild hints.

[1] Choi Jeong Yo | Lee Jun Young

I love him. There is simply no other way to put it. And if you have seen his previous works, you will understand why he is so loved. If not then do have a look at my profile and this ever-growing list: https://kisskh.at/list/LlPJd6jL

Even setting aside any bias I may have for this incredibly talented man, I would still say that he was the soul of this drama. I have seen Lee Jun Young play lovable, wholesome characters, and I have seen him play completely unhinged villains. I think this is the first time I have seen him portray such a deeply conflicted character, someone who is inherently good yet slowly contemplates walks down a path of revenge, constantly battling himself along the way.

The way he switches between these emotional states throughout the drama is nothing short of extraordinary. Sometimes it happens within mere seconds, and every transition feels natural and believable. This is undoubtedly one of his finest performances to date, and I find myself surprised - given in every drama and movie that I have seen of his - I always feel he's done the best. I guess I keep falling in love with his craft over and over again.

What impressed me the most was that this drama is filled with legendary actors and actresses, many of whom have decades more experience than Lee Jun Young. Yet he never once feels overshadowed by them. If anything, he stands shoulder to shoulder with them and, at times, even surpasses them.

He was the driving force of the narrative, the catalyst behind so many events, the emotional core of the story. He was the heartbeat that kept this drama alive and ultimately elevated it into something truly special. While the drama was airing, I left countless comments about him because I was genuinely amazed and pleasantly shaken by what he delivered. He somehow always manages to leave me awestruck. His expression range is simply art - with minimum changes, he's able to go from carefree to someone hellbent on revenge in split seconds. And those eyes - they had everything - love, respect, happiness, care, passion, anguish, revenge, feeling betrayed. Simply phenomenol!

I have shared some of those comments below for anyone curious about the specific scenes I am referring to, though my biggest recommendation would simply be to watch the drama and experience it for yourself.

Comments:

1. Ep 3: https://kisskh.at/795728-four-hands#comment-27511250

2. Ep 9: https://kisskh.at/795728-four-hands#comment-27642448

3. Ep 10: https://kisskh.at/795728-four-hands#comment-27655398

[2] Kang Pio | Song Kang

I am not a fan of Song Kang. I know he is immensely popular, but having only seen him in My Demon and never feeling compelled to explore more of his work, I had always placed him in the category of actors who are decent performers but are primarily elevated by their popularity and visual appeal.

Did he do well in this drama? Yes, he did. Was he outstanding? Not for me.

However, I think this because I am comparing him with Lee Jun Young, whom I genuinely believe is one of the finest actors working today. That is not a criticism of Song Kang as much as it is a reflection of just how exceptional Lee Jun Young was in this drama.

Viewed independently, Song Kang gave a solid performance. Kang Pio is a character who is meant to evoke sympathy: a young man trapped within a web of expectations, constant comparisons, and an unrelenting need to prove himself worthy of love, recognition, and validation. The pain, frustration, insecurity, and loneliness that define Pio are emotions Song Kang portrays effectively. I cried with his character. I smiled with his character. But emotionally, I never felt drawn to him in the same way I was drawn to Jeong Yo.

While he was doing the expressions and acting - the look of longing, intrigue, care, respect, smile, cry, feel mad at himself for not being the best, feeling small, the smiles when he was genuinely happy with his friend and playing piano, his sadness etc - it was all there. But just like his character Pio plays the piano initially - Song Kang seemed like he was calculating in his acting. It did not feel natural or magnetic, as it felt for Lee Jun Young and others. Like the others - made me forget who they were in real life and made see them as the characters they were. But Pio was always Song Kang playing Pio - he did not live the character for me.

Part of that comes down to range. Pio's emotional spectrum often revolved around sadness, pain, anger, and occasional moments of happiness. Song Kang handled those emotions well, but the role itself never demanded the same complexity that Lee Jun Young's did.

Although Song Kang's name appears first in the casting list, likely due to his seniority and popularity, I personally felt that this was Lee Jun Young's drama. Song Kang's role was important, and he complemented the story well, as required - cause both the main leads were supposed to bring out the best in each other - but in my eyes, Lee Jun Young was the one carrying its emotional weight.

[3] Ji Hye (Kang Pio's Mother) | Yoon Se Ah

She was the kind of character you cannot help but hate, yet somehow still feel sorry for.

Half the time I wanted someone to give her a reality check, and the other half I felt she genuinely needed professional help. That contradiction is precisely what made the character so compelling.

Yoon Se Ah was fantastic in the role. If an actress can make the audience feel such intense frustration, anger, and resentment towards a character, then she is clearly doing something right. The constant screaming and emotional outbursts throughout the drama honestly made me wonder how hoarse her throat became after filming certain scenes.

I have seen her play similar controlling and overbearing maternal figures in 2-3 other dramas, and I feel she's made for these roles, almost being a typecast. Here, she delivered one of the stronger female characters in the series, as an antagonist.

Ji Hye was manipulative, calculating, selfish, and often incredibly difficult to watch. Personally, I even felt her punishment at the end was too lenient. She is simply one of those characters that audiences are destined to hate, and Yoon Se Ah played her brilliantly.

[4] Yun Seon Ju (Pio's Step-Grandmother) | Seo Jae Hee

She was one of the few genuinely good-hearted people in this drama.

During the early episodes, I briefly suspected there might be some hidden malice behind her preference for Jeong Yo over Pio. Thankfully, I was completely wrong.

Instead, she became one of the story's emotional anchors. She acted as a mother figure not only to Jeong Yo but to Pio as well, offering support, compassion, and understanding when both needed it most. More than that, she embodied what the drama believed music should stand for: passion, sincerity, and connection.

The only previous role I had seen Seo Jae Hee in was Reborn Rich, where her screen time was limited. Here, despite still not having an enormous role, she made a memorable impact. Her warmth and kindness served as a much-needed contrast to the suffocating presence of Pio's mother.

[5] Hong Jae In | Jang Gyu Ri

I was extremely disappointed by this character.

Despite being billed as one of the main leads, she often felt less important than some of the supporting characters. The story repeatedly tells us that she is an important part of Pio's life and remains by his side through his struggles, yet it rarely allows us to truly feel that connection.

Throughout the drama, she felt more like a narrative cue than an actual character. She would appear when the story required a reaction, emotional support, or encouragement, and then disappear again without much development of her own. Even if this was a deliberate choice because the drama primarily wanted to focus on the relationship between the two male leads, I still think she could have been written far better.

Too often she seemed limited to defending Pio, being angry on his behalf, or continuing to care for him despite being repeatedly pushed away. There was very little exploration of who she was outside those functions.

Honestly, her writing reminded me of how female characters are sometimes treated in shonen anime: present because the story needs a female lead, but lacking the depth, agency, and complexity afforded to the male characters. For a character with so much narrative importance, she deserved much better.

[6] Do Hyeon Su (Professor Do) | Kim Joo Heon

We needed more of him. As the story progressed, he gradually faded into the background, which felt like a missed opportunity.

Professor Do was one of the genuinely good people in the drama. He cared deeply for both boys and looked after them as if they were his own. At the same time, his complicated relationship with Pio's mother hinted at layers that were never fully explored. There was so much potential in both the character and the performance. Unfortunately, I felt the drama sidelined him during the second half.

This does not hurt the story overall, but from a character perspective, it left me wanting more. He was the kind of presence that added warmth, stability, and maturity whenever he appeared on screen, and I wish the drama had made fuller use of him.

[7] Professor Kang (Pio's Grandfather) | Jung Jin Young

I have seen him in other dramas and he's always brought his characters to life - his experience speaks for itself. Here he was a strict character - whose pride for music and the name he had build, ended up fracturing his family and relationships - leading to a cycle of greed, comparison in the younger generation and our leading men. While he did not mean it, or directly impact it - he was the reason, and he realizes it too late. Again a character who needed to do better and while he does seek forgiveness in the end, we know the damage is done. He was excellent in being a figure of authority - who realizes his mistakes and acknowledges it - making his journey tragic and beautiful.