Key takeaways
- Lee Jun Young stars as Choi Jeong Yo, a tragic pianist who gave up music after losing his mother, in his final drama before military enlistment.
- The actor chose 'Four Hands, Two Sonatas' both for its music-focused narrative and the opportunity to work alongside peer actors before his service.
- Lee Jun Young discovered the emotional depth of classical music while preparing for his pianist character, gaining new appreciation for the genre.
- The drama premieres August 29 and follows young musicians pursuing professional dreams at an arts high school, exploring friendship, love, and rivalry.
Lee Jun Young has revealed his perspective on his upcoming drama “Four Hands, Two Sonatas,” discussing both his character and the creative reasons that drew him to the project at a significant moment in his career.
The Role: A Tragic Genius Pianist Before Military Service
“Four Hands, Two Sonatas” marks Lee Jun Young’s final drama role before enlisting in the military. The series centers on young musicians pursuing professional careers, meeting at an arts high school where they navigate friendship, competition, romance, and personal growth. The title itself references a classical piano technique—two performers playing a single instrument together—which becomes both literal and metaphorical within the narrative.
Lee Jun Young portrays Choi Jeong Yo, a pianist with exceptional musical gifts who abandoned the instrument after confronting harsh realities. His character carries a burden few actors get to explore at this depth: he lost his mother young and became the sole financial supporter of his father, who struggles with alcoholism. Despite loving music more than anything, Choi Jeong Yo was forced to set his passion aside, holding onto a dream that remained perpetually out of reach.
A Character Shaped by Loss and Sacrifice
The Weight of Family Responsibility
Choi Jeong Yo’s tragic arc stems from circumstances that robbed him of childhood. Becoming a breadwinner while still young meant choosing survival over passion, a reality that fundamentally shaped his relationship with the piano. The character represents anyone forced to abandon their deepest aspirations due to family crisis—a theme that resonates across cultures and generations.
The Complicated Bond With the Piano
Lee Jun Young explained the emotional complexity of his character’s relationship with music, noting that “for Choi Jeong Yo, the piano is something he wants to face but cannot bring himself to face.” After distancing himself from the instrument following a series of difficult events, Choi Jeong Yo remained psychologically stuck in that painful period. However, his trajectory begins to shift when he meets Kang Pio (played by Song Kang), whose presence catalyzes his gradual healing.
Catalyst for Change
Song Kang’s character serves as the emotional pivot point in Choi Jeong Yo’s journey. Their meeting becomes transformative, allowing Lee Jun Young’s character to begin processing trauma and reconnecting with the passion that was stolen from him. This dynamic drives the central relationship of the drama and provides the emotional anchor for both characters’ development.
Why Lee Jun Young Selected This Project
Lee Jun Young’s decision to take on this role during his final pre-enlistment period reflects deliberate career choices. He explained that while he has primarily worked with veteran actors throughout his career, learning substantially from them, he felt a specific need before his military service: “I really wanted to act alongside actors my own age as well.”
“Four Hands, Two Sonatas” provided precisely that opportunity. The ensemble cast of young performers pursuing parallel dreams offered the peer dynamic he sought. Beyond the casting appeal, however, music itself became a decisive factor. Lee Jun Young has long been drawn to music as an art form, and the drama’s focus on classical performance as both subject matter and thematic device resonated strongly with him.
He elaborated on this attraction, explaining that the combination of acting with musicians his own age and exploring a music-centered narrative “gave me a strong desire to challenge myself and explore it more deeply as an actor,” leading him to commit to the project without hesitation.
A Journey Into Classical Music
One unexpected dimension of Lee Jun Young’s preparation involved a genuine education. He revealed that he came to the role with minimal familiarity regarding classical music, a landscape his character inhabits professionally and emotionally. Yet the process of embodying Choi Jeong Yo transformed this gap into discovery.
During his preparation, as he worked to understand his character’s emotional state and motivations, Lee Jun Young naturally found himself exploring classical compositions. This wasn’t mechanical research but organic engagement: “While playing Choi Jeong Yo and figuring out the character’s emotions, I naturally found myself listening to classical music.”
What emerged from this exposure was a profound realization about the form itself. He shared, “I came to realize that the power of classical music is incredibly strong.” Through this learning process, he gained appreciation for “the unique resonance and emotional depth that classical music can offer”—insights that directly informed his portrayal of a character whose life centers on these very qualities.
“Freedom” as the Character’s Essential Keyword
When asked to identify a single word capturing Choi Jeong Yo’s essence, Lee Jun Young selected “freedom.” He explained the selection by noting that the concept “seems to suit Choi Jeong Yo’s everyday life best, as he is someone who is reluctant to live within a set mold.”
This choice reflects the character’s psychological profile: someone shaped by forced responsibilities who now resists constraint and expectation. His wariness of predetermined paths connects directly to his childhood experience—having had his own path dictated by circumstance, Choi Jeong Yo values autonomy above convention. Understanding this keyword provides insight into his motivations and conflicts throughout the narrative.
Lee Jun Young’s Hopes for Recognition
As this drama represents his farewell to the screen before military service, Lee Jun Young carries specific aspirations for how audiences will perceive his work. He expressed his hope plainly: “Through the character of Choi Jeong Yo, I want to hear people say, ‘So this actor can pull off a role like this, too.'”
His ultimate goal extends beyond a single character or performance. He seeks recognition as an actor “who doesn’t limit himself and can portray a wide range of roles.” This ambition speaks to an artist committed to growth and versatility—someone unwilling to be confined by previous successes or typecasting.
August 29 Premiere and Beyond
“Four Hands, Two Sonatas” premieres on August 29 at 9:10 p.m. KST, marking Lee Jun Young’s final appearance before his enlistment. The drama promises to deliver the music-centered character study, emotional depth, and peer ensemble dynamics that attracted him to the project in the first place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Four Hands, Two Sonatas' about?
The drama depicts the friendship, love, rivalry, and growth of young people who meet at an arts high school while pursuing their dreams of becoming professional pianists.
Who does Lee Jun Young play in the drama?
Lee Jun Young plays Choi Jeong Yo, a tragic genius pianist who gave up music after losing his mother at a young age and becoming the sole caretaker of his alcoholic father.
When does 'Four Hands, Two Sonatas' premiere?
The drama premieres on August 29 at 9:10 p.m. KST.
