Four Hands, Two Sonatas

Four Hands, Two Sonatas
Promotional poster
Hangul
포핸즈
Lit.Four Hands
RRPohaenjeu
MRP'ohaenjŭ
Genre
Written byShin Yi-won
Directed byPark Hyun-seok
Starring
Music byKim Joon-seok
Country of originSouth Korea
Original languageKorean
No. of episodes2
Production
Running time70 minutes
Production companies
Original release
NetworktvN
ReleaseAugust 29, 2026 (2026-08-29) –
present

Four Hands, Two Sonatas (Korean: 포핸즈) is an ongoing South Korean television series written by Shin Yi-won and directed by Park Hyun-seok. Set in an arts high school, the series follows the lives of three young people named Kang Bi-o, Choi Jeong-yo, and Hong Jae-in, who meet at an arts high school and explore their friendships, romances, rivalries, and personal growth as they navigate their school days and evolve into accomplished adult classical musicians. It premiered on tvN on August 29, 2026, and airs every Saturday and Sunday at 21:10 (KST). It is also available for streaming on TVING in South Korea and Netflix globally.

Synopsis

High school piano prodigy Kang Bi-o is consistently ranked first place in both academics and piano proficiency. Usually hailed as a future classical music icon who is ready to lead the world's top piano competitions, his career path begins to falter when he encounters an unexpected rival, Choi Jeong-yo. Jeong-yo is a naturally gifted pianist who abandoned his exceptional talent due to a difficult childhood, but his sudden enrollment at Korea Arts High School makes him face Bi-o, the very pianist who helped rekindle his passion for playing the piano. Jeong-yo is forced to confront the gift he once threw away, forming a friendship with Bi-o in the process.

Completing the trio is Hong Jae-in, a viola major at Korea Arts High School with remarkably sensitive hearing that skillfully recognizes melodies. She is Bi-o's close friend, whose piano playing has captivated her since their childhood, and finds her heart yearning for him. She also befriends Jeong-yo after guiding him to join their school, acknowledging his natural talent for playing the piano.

In a world depicting the friendship, love, competition, and growth of young people who meet at an arts high school surrounded by musical geniuses, the three create a powerful harmony fueled by their shared passion that follows them well into adulthood.

Cast and characters

Main

The number one student at Korea Arts High School. Other than being a childhood piano prodigy who continually achieves first place in both academics and piano proficiency, Pi-o also carries a deep-rooted complex within himself. He is the illegitimate child of a wealthy family longing to be recognized by his grandfather, who despises him. He practices the piano for ten hours a day, secretly panicking about losing his top spot to Choi Jeong-yo, a piano genius who once outranked him when they were children.
A piano genius who was born into a tough family, Choi Jeong-yo neglected his talents. One day, his teacher forced him to attend a piano concert, where pianist Kang Pi-o was playing. Jeong-yo was overtaken by a wave of old memories from when he first met Pi-o at a piano competition during their childhood. He then transfers to Korea Arts High School, pursuing piano again and forming a blossoming friendship with the pianist he has admired for years.
A viola major at Korea Arts High School who possesses a keen musical sensibility and an exceptional ability to recognize melodies. She has loved Pi-o since they were children, and she admires his abilities as a pianist. One day, she hears Jeong-yo playing the piano and acknowledges his natural talent, guiding him to join Korea Arts High School as a student.

Supporting

People around Pi-o

Pi-o's mother, who gave birth to him out of wedlock. Coming from a wealthy family of musicians, she is a former ballerina who graduated from Korea Arts High School. She joined a renowned ballet company in Germany, but then returned to Korea as a single mother, shocking everyone. She chose to live her life as a single mother and she became fiercely devoted in supporting her son after discovering his extraordinary talent, pushing him to beat Jeong-yo in piano.
Ji-hye's father and Pi-o's grandfather. Born during the Korean War, he is a musical genius who was deemed a child prodigy by the age of seven. As a conductor, he is authoritative and controlling, standing at the top with his perfect approach to music. He views his only daughter and grandson as the largest blemishes on his life, looking down on them and despising them all throughout their lives, and believing his grandson lacks real talent.
  • Seo Jae-hee as Yoon Sun-ju[4]
Seung-woon's second wife and Ji-hye's stepmother. She was a violin major and Ji-hye's senior at Korea Arts High School. After joining Seung-woon's orchestra, she grew to admire him and fell in love with him. She persistently pursued him before finally marrying him after the death of his first wife. She works as a director of the Korea Group Cultural Foundation and simultaneously serves as chairwoman of Korea Arts High School, recognizing Jeong-yo's exceptional talent and granting him admission to the school.

People around Jeong-yo

  • Seong No-jin as Choi Gi-taek[5]
Jeong-yo's father, an alcoholic who resents his own son. He used to work as a diligent piano tuner before quitting for reasons unknown.
  • Lee Myeong-ro as Jo Hyun-cheol[5]
Jeong-yo's older friend who became close to him when they were residing on the streets. He was aware of Jeong-yo's difficult circumstances better than anyone, treating him like a younger brother. Despite being constantly berated by Director Kim, he always lends Jeong-yo part of the money he earns as a loan shark runner, showing his deep care for Jeong-yo as an older brother figure in his life.
  • Kim Min as Director Kim[5]
A ruthless loan shark who makes a living by using troubled teenagers and runaways on the streets. Using the money he once lent to Jeong-yo's father as leverage, he openly exploits Jeong-yo.

People around Jae-in

  • Kim Hye-hwa as Han Hyun-jeong[6]
Jae-in's mother and the CEO of a management agency for classical musicians. She founded the agency following a divorce from her wealthy husband, who habitually cheated on her. She harbors hope for her daughter's success, but she does not like her daughter's childish declarations to marry Pi-o. She acknowledges the both of them as exceptional artists instead of as people. After meeting Jeong-yo, she realizes that his natural talent is the key to making her daughter a success as her accompanist.

Korea Arts High School

A graduate of Korea Arts High School, Hyeon-soo studied in the United States and taught there before returning to Korea, where he was appointed as a university professor. He occasionally offers guidance to Pi-o, reminding him that music is about sincerity and telling a story rather than just perfecting a technique, and advises him to pour his emotions into his performances. He later becomes a supportive mentor to Jeong-yo, recognizing him as an unpolished gem after hearing him play, and offers his practice room and free piano lessons to him.
A piano major at Korea Arts High School and Pi-o's classmate. He repeatedly teams up with Jang Seok-hwan to bully Pi-o, viewing himself as Pi-o's rival due to an inferiority complex born out of never being able to surpass him. As a result, he incites the other students to isolate Pi-o in their classroom.
  • Yoo Tae-joo as Jang Seok-hwan[7]
A cello major at Korea Arts High School who bullies Pi-o with his friend, Han-rim. He is an enforcer, usually fighting with his fists instead of his words.

Production

Development

Produced by Studio Dragon, Studio N and Namoo Actors, Park Hyun-seok, who helmed Song of the Bandits (2023) and Knock-Off, was attached to direct, and Shin Yi-won was in charge of the screenplay.[8] Four Hands, Two Sonatas is an original work by Studio N. The series' title refers to a piano term for a four-handed performance.[9][10]

Casting

On June 30, 2025, Song Kang was considering the drama as his comeback project following his discharge from the military, and Lee Jun-young was considering it on September 2.[11][12] In November 2025, Jang Gyu-ri, Kim Joo-hun, Yoon Se-ah, and Jung Jin-young were reportedly cast.[13][14][15][16]

By January 2026, Song, Lee, and Jang were officially confirmed to lead the series.[17]

Filming

Principal photography began in the second half of 2025 and concluded in July 2026.[18][19]

Release

Four Hands, Two Sonatas is scheduled to premiere on tvN on August 29, 2026, and will air every Saturday and Sunday at 21:10 (KST). It will also be available for streaming on TVING in South Korea and Netflix globally.[20][21]

Marketing

On August 7, 2026, tvN announced a special preview event for Four Hands, Two Sonatas in collaboration with the Seoul International Music Festival, inviting fans to focus on the classical music works that depict the journey of the three main characters in the series. The event was held on August 22, 2026, at the Music Square outside of Seoul Arts Center. Eight piano students from Kyung Hee University, Seoul National University, Hanyang University, and the Berklee College of Music paired up and performed four-handed pieces at the venue, followed by solo and four-handed performances from professional pianists Lee Min-sung and Park Ju-young, who gave piano lessons to actors Song Kang and Lee Jun-young prior to filming the series. In addition, Korean singer Jaeyeon performed his original soundtrack for the series titled "Where the Light Stays" live for the first time.[22][23][24]

Original soundtrack

Part 1

Released on August 30, 2026
No.TitleLyricsMusicArtistLength
1."Through the moon"
  • Heon
  • Jinsol
  • Leeseon
  • Heon
  • Jinsol
  • Leeseon
Jung Seung-hwan3:21
2."Through the moon" (Inst.) 
  • Heon
  • Jinsol
  • Leeseon
 3:21
Total length:6:42

Viewership

Four Hands, Two Sonatas : South Korea viewers per episode (thousands)
SeasonEpisode numberAverage
123456789101112
18421485TBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBDTBD
Source: Audience measurement performed nationwide by Nielsen Korea.[25]
Average TV viewership ratings
Ep. Original broadcast date Average audience share
(Nielsen Korea)[25]
Nationwide Seoul
1 August 29, 2026 3.391% (1st) 3.466% (1st)
2 August 30, 2026 5.936% (1st) 6.120% (1st)
3 September 5, 2026
4 September 6, 2026
5 September 12, 2026
6 September 13, 2026
7 September 19, 2026
8 September 20, 2026
9 September 26, 2026
10 September 27, 2026
11 October 3, 2026
12 October 4, 2026
Average — —
  • In the table above, the blue numbers represent the lowest ratings and the red numbers represent the highest ratings.
  • This drama airs on a cable channel/pay TV which normally has a relatively smaller audience compared to free-to-air TV/public broadcasters (KBS, SBS, MBC, and EBS).

References

  1. ↑ 강비오 [Kang Pi-o]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  2. ↑ 최정요 [Choi Jeong-yo]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  3. ↑ 홍재인 [Hong Jae-in]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 비오의 주변인물 [Pi-o's Acquaintances]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  5. 1 2 3 정요의 주변인물 [Jeong-yo's Acquanitances]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  6. ↑ 재인의 주변인물 [Jae-in's Acquaintances]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 한국예고 [Korea Arts High School]. CJ ENM (in Korean). Retrieved August 25, 2026.
  8. ↑ Ha, Su-jeong (January 26, 2026). "Song Kang, Lee Jun-young, Jang Gyu-ri Star in 'Four Hands' Drama, Musical Prodigies Tale to Premiere Late 2026 on tvN". OSEN. Retrieved March 2, 2026 – via The Chosun Daily.
  9. ↑ Chae, Seong-oh (October 9, 2025). 단독: "웹툰 IP 아냐"...네웹 자회사 스튜디오N, '포핸즈' 제작 [Exclusive: "Not a webtoon IP"... Neweb subsidiary Studio N to produce Four Hands]. Digital Daily (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  10. ↑ Lee, Ho-young (November 22, 2025). [단독] 윤세아X김주헌, 송강→이준영 대세 다 모인 '포핸즈' (종합) [Exclusive: Yoon Se-ah and Kim Joo-heon join Four Hands, a show that brings together the best of Song Kang and Lee Jun-young]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  11. ↑ Kang, Hyo-jin (June 30, 2025). [단독]송강, 전역 후 피아니스트로 컴백...드라마 '포핸즈' 주인공(종합) [Exclusive: Song Kang to Return as Pianist After Military Service... Starring in Drama Four Hands (Comprehensive)]. SPOTV (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  12. ↑ Park, A-reum (September 2, 2025). 이준영, 송강 만나나? '포핸즈' 제안받고 검토중[공식] [Official: Lee Jun-young to meet Song Kang? Considering offer for Four Hands]. Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  13. ↑ Moon, Ji-yeon (November 13, 2025). [단독] 장규리, 송강 만난다..'포핸즈' 주인공 [Exclusive: Jang Gyu-ri meets Song Kang in Four Hands as the female lead]. Sports Chosun (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  14. ↑ Lee, Ho-young (November 21, 2025). [단독] 송강X이준영 '포핸즈', 김주헌 출격 [Exclusive: Song Kang and Lee Jun-young's Four Hands, Kim Joo-hun's appearance]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  15. ↑ Lee, Ho-young (November 21, 2025). [단독] 윤세아, 이준영·송강과 '포핸즈'로 연기호흡 [Exclusive: Yoon Se-ah to Act with Lee Jun-young and Song Kang in Four Hands]. iMBC (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  16. ↑ Kim, Ye-eun (November 25, 2025). 단독: 정진영, 송강 할아버지 된다...'포핸즈' 합류 [Exclusive: Jung Jin-young becomes Song Kang's grandfather... joins Four Hands]. Xports News (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  17. ↑ Jeong, Hee-yeon (January 26, 2026). '전역' 송강 다시 고등학생…'포핸즈’ 이준영-장규리 음악 천재 된다 [공식] [Official: Song Kang returns to high school after military discharge… Lee Jun-young and Jang Gyu-ri from Four Hands become musical geniuses]. Sports Donga (in Korean). Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  18. ↑ Han, Ju-yeon (June 30, 2025). 송강, 제대하자마자 심장 저격?...청춘 멜로 '포핸즈'로 복귀하나 [Song Kang, ready to steal hearts immediately after his military discharge? Will he return with the youth melodrama Four Hands]. Sports Worldi (in Korean). Retrieved January 4, 2026.
  19. ↑ Park, Jin-young (July 18, 2026). [단독] '포핸즈' 마친 이준영, '차쥐뿔' 녹화 완료⋯입대 전까지 열일 [[Exclusive] Lee Jun-young finishes Four Hands, completes 'Chajippul' recording... Working hard until enlistment]. Joy News 24 (in Korean). Retrieved July 21, 2026.
  20. ↑ Kang, Joo-hee (July 2, 2026). 송강·이준영, 청춘 브로맨스…'포핸즈' 내달 29일 첫 방송 [Song Kang and Lee Jun Young, Youth Romance... 'Four Hands' will be broadcast for the first time on the 29th of next month]. Newsis. Retrieved July 2, 2026 – via Naver.
  21. ↑ Robinson, Jacob (July 16, 2026). "'Son of Netflix' Song Kang To Return in New K-Drama 'Four Hands, Two Sonatas' in August 2026". What’s on Netflix. Retrieved July 16, 2026.
  22. ↑ Heo, Se-min (August 23, 2026). 드라마였다…예술의전당에 울려퍼진 '포핸즈' 선율 [It was a drama... The melody of Four Hands that echoed in the Seoul Arts Center]. Naver (in Korean). Retrieved August 28, 2026.
  23. ↑ Park, Ah-reum (August 26, 2026). 송강 “헬스할 때보다 피아노 연주할 때 전완근 더 불타”(포핸즈) [Song Kang “My forearms burn more when playing the piano than when working out” (Four Hands)]. Naver (in Korean). Retrieved August 28, 2026.
  24. ↑ Jeong, Hye-jin (August 26, 2026). 송강X이준영 ‘포핸즈’, 프리뷰데이 성료 [Song Kang X Lee Jun-young Four Hands, Preview Day Successfully Concluded]. bntnews (in Korean). Retrieved August 28, 2026.
  25. 1 2 Nielsen Korea ratings:
    • "Ep. 1". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). August 29, 2026. Retrieved August 30, 2026.
    • "Ep. 2". Nielsen Korea (in Korean). August 30, 2026. Retrieved August 31, 2026.
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