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This review may contain spoilers
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!
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!
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