Chasing Freedom Through Music: Song Kang Opens Up About His Post-Military Comeback in Four Hands Two Sonatas

Following his military discharge in October last year, Song Kang is officially returning to the screen in tvN’s upcoming weekend drama Four Hands Two Sonatas.

Premiere-bound for August 29, the 12-episode youth series is set in an elite arts high school, capturing the intense friendships, loves, rivalries, and growth of musical geniuses. For Song Kang, choosing this project was an effortless decision—it was the one script that never left his head.

“It Kept Circling My Mind”: Choosing Four Hands Two Sonatas

Recalling his very first encounter with the script, Song Kang revealed that even while reading other candidate scripts, Four Hands Two Sonatas constantly lingered in his thoughts.

What drew him in was the raw narrative of youth wrestling with self-doubt and personal evolution. “I’m naturally drawn to stories about people who agonize deeply and push themselves to grow,” Song Kang shared. “Through my character Kang Bi o, I really wanted to express that painful yet beautiful process of maturing.”

Meet Kang Bi o: A Perfectionist Chasing Ultimate Freedom

In the series, Song Kang plays Kang Bi o, a next-generation star pianist who relentlessly drives himself toward perfection. While blessed with formidable talent, Bi o treats the piano as both his greatest blessing and heaviest burden.

“To Bi o, the piano is his language for communicating with the world and a heavy burden to prove his worth,” Song Kang explained. “At the same time, it’s the very thing that drives him and brings the biggest emotional storms into his life.”

Surprisingly, Song Kang chose “Freedom” as the single keyword defining Bi o’s complex personality:

“Bi o constantly locks himself in a cage and whips himself to achieve perfection, so he might seem far removed from freedom. But the reason he pushes past his limits so fiercely is because he only feels complete freedom and liberation when he finally breaks through his own boundaries.”

Taming the Piano: The Pressure Behind the Performance

Playing a lifelong musical prodigy was no small task. Though Song Kang has long been a casual fan of piano pieces and jazz piano, stepping into the shoes of a seasoned classical musician brought massive weight and pressure.

“Realizing how hard it is to portray artists who have spent their entire lives perfecting one craft in a short period was a humbling experience,” Song Kang admitted. “There were moments during preparation where I felt lacking and overwhelmed by the pressure, but being able to face the piano—an instrument I love—and contemplate the true depth of an artist made it an incredibly special journey.”

Co-produced by Studio Dragon and Studio N, Four Hands Two Sonatas promises to showcase a far more mature, introspective side of Song Kang as he explores the fine line between perfectionism and liberation.