The drama takes a sharp U-turn and crashes in this episode. Everything becomes dark as Pi-o’s obsession with impressing his grandfather turns him into pure evil. The tragedy hits the shore, and the episode is no longer about friendship but about obsession and pressure. With Pi-o and Jeong-yo heading to the Harmonie competition in Prague, both of them are forced to test their bond.
Four Hands, Two Sonatas Episode 5 has a runtime of 60 minutes. The series (포핸즈) stars Song Kang, Lee Jun-young, Jang Gyu-ri, Kim Joo-heon, Yoon Se-ah and Jung Jin-young and is directed by Park Hyeon-seok.
Four Hands, Two Sonatas Episode 5 Review
Pi-O Wants to Prove Himself
At the hospital, after his collapse, we learn that Pi-O has pneumonia. He, however, doesn’t bother about his health but thinks of music and the Harmonie competition. He wants Jeong-yo beside him to work on the music piece and somehow impress his grandfather.
Jeong-yo, however, is worried about Pi-o’s health but understands his desire and agrees to work on the music. They both decide to participate and compete against each other at the festival so that only one can win, and Pi-o desires that it be him.
Prague Turns Into Another Pressure Cooker
The Harmonie competition starts off as a huge opportunity for the boys, but it soon turns problematic. Over 24 musicians participate, and after the first round, only 12 are picked. The 12 are sent to an isolated dorm where their phones are taken away, and they’re given extremely hard music papers to prepare with. Even a single wrong note is calculated and might lead to eviction. This burdens Pi-o all the more.
He practises day and night as he wants to win this competition to prove who he truly is. But his body is tired, and he pushes it to its limit. Jeong-yo notices Pi-o’s injured pinky finger, which bleeds as he plays. Despite advising him to take care of his health, Pi-o doesn’t listen as he wants to prove his grandfather through this contest.
Friendship Starts Turning Into Competition
The competition becomes the cornerstone of their friendship’s end. The teacher gives Pi-o and Jeong-yo the same piece, making it tougher for them. Now both the boys are going to play the same sheet, but in their own style. Pi-o is definitely insecure about it, while Jeong-yo feels just fine.
Pi-o is accused by the other competitors of being a spy, as his grandfather is a huge deal, and this increases his frustration. Moreover, his music sheet disappears. And this is where it all fades. Pi-o runs into the forest in the rain, yelling at Jeong-yo for causing all these problems. He even picks a rock and pretends to hit Jeong-yo. As the two best friends brawl, it eventually makes Pi-o realise that the pressure is turning him evil, and he decides to leave the competition.
Jeong-Yo Gives Him One Last Push
However, Jeong-yo gives him the motivation to continue, but with ease and stability. He gives Pi-o his music sheet as he has already memorised the whole piece. It shows that Jeong-yo is not only selfless, but for him, this contest isn’t going to make him feel better.
This is where we might believe the friendship has survived, but another shocking incident happens. The competition begins, and Pi-O gives his heart and soul while performing. He plays with a new interpretation with so much raw emotion. But the episode’s ending destroys it all.
Jeong-Yo Disappears
While Pi-O is giving what may be the best performance of his life, Jeong-Yo is seen being kidnapped and shot inside a car. He never comes to the competition to perform, and he is no longer seen. The police are informed that he is missing, and two days later, there is still no sign of him. The episode suggests that he might have fallen into the lake after being shot.
Pi-o is finally finding himself and his raw style of music, but his closest friend is now gone, and there are no signs of him. Pi-o cries the whole night at the hotel, and his mother overhears him. He even thinks that his mother could be the reason behind Jeong-yo’s disappearance.
Ten Years Pass…
The episode moves to 2026, and Pi-o is a successful pianist. Despite the fame, his heart still feels numb and lost. He returns to Prague at the end of the episode, and in the episode 6 preview, we can see that he has started to search for Jeong-yo and learn what happened to him.
The question now is whether Jeong-Yo really died. Yes, he was seemingly shot, and it’s almost 10 years after his disappearance, but killing the main role this soon might collapse the plot. So hopefully some twist awaits, or a tragedy as it is.
To Wrap-up
Honestly, never did I think that this series would be this good, especially when it is a musical one. Seeing both the leads battle between friendship and obsession felt too real to be a reel. This episode is by far the most heart-wrenching and intense one, as it is no longer about music but about how far people can go when insecurities hit.
The episode ends by taking away the one person who made Pi-O genuinely enjoy playing the piano. However, if Jeong-yo is alive, it would be better, as we can see the boys finally making things right. But since it has already been 10 years since Jeong-yo’s disappearance, something more tragic could also be found.
Four Hands, Two Sonatas Episode 4 Review: When Friendship Becomes a Battle to Win
Four Hands, Two Sonatas Episode 6 Review (Coming Soon)