01x05 - Episode 5

[bunniefuu]

[passionately arranged
"Danse Macabre" playing]

FOUR HANDS, TWO SONATAS

[tense music plays]

Grandfather.

Why?

Why do you hate me so much?

You're just not talented enough to do it.

It's time you finally gave it up.

You just aren't talented, Pi-o.

Grandfather…

[breathing shakily]

I-I love music

like you do…

with my whole heart,

more than anything.

Why would you say…

that I'll never make it?

[gasping]

[ticking]

Why can't I…

[monitor beeping]

FOUR HANDS, TWO SONATAS

[breathing shakily]

W-Why not me?

EPISODE 5

Why?

-Why? [gasps]
-Pi-o.

[Pi-o breathing shakily]

Pi-o, what is it?

Did you have another nightmare?

No.

You can talk to me.

What else would keep you waking up
every 30 minutes?

[sighs]

You don't need to worry about it.

[Pi-o sighs]

[phone buzzing]

INCOMING CALL
CHOI JEONG-YO

[buzzing continues]

Why do you keep calling all the time?

[Jeong-yo] Oh, I'm so sorry, ma'am. I…

I'm truly sorry.

I'm in front of the hospital right now.

Would it be all right
if I came up to see him for a sec?

Really? How many times
do I have to say this?

Pi-o does not want to see you.

Do you understand?

-I just--
-[call ends]

[solemn music plays]

[breathes deeply]

What are you doing up, Pi-o?

You should rest.

Was that Jeong-yo?

It wasn't.

Would you call him for me?

We need to talk.

About what?

You can see him
after you've been discharged.

I asked you to call him.

Please, Mom.

KANG PI-O

Thank you, ma'am.

You, uh, feeling better?

[Pi-o] Yeah.

Good.

Why were you irresponsible?
You had a serious case of pneumonia.

That's why I've been telling you
all the time to eat and sleep better.

You gotta take better care of yourself.

When do you get to leave?

-Soon.
-Really?

Hey! Hurry up, okay?

At school, I… I miss having
a friend to hang out with, so…

Yoon Han-rim and Jang Seok-hwan
are unbearable.

They just walk around
like they own the place.

It's impossible to deal with, dude.
They suck.

It totally sucks.

Huh?

Listen, I have something to tell you.

Uh, to tell me?

[stammers] Just say it.

Go ahead.

Once I get out of the hospital…

I'm gonna start prepping for Harmonie.

[Jeong-yo] The Harmonie competition?

I thought you didn't want
to compete anymore.

How can I prove myself if I don't compete?

But you… [sighs]

You wanted to fall in love
with music again.

You were sick of competing,
and you wanted out. So what changed now?

I'm not a genius.

If I can't prove myself
in competitions, why bother?

That's why I asked you to come over.

I'm asking you to do it too.

Enter the Harmonie competition.

What?

You have to agree to it.

If you really do think of me
as your friend,

you have to do this for me.
No questions asked.

I… [sighs]

-That's just--
-What?

You think you'll just beat me so easily?

No. This time,
things are gonna be different.

I told you.

I'm going to prove myself,
no matter what I do.

Don't you dare hold back because of me.

If I find that you're doing that
on purpose…

I'll k*ll you myself.

Okay.

Okay, but you better practice
harder than ever.

Far more than you think you should.

You can't k*ll me.

[chuckles]

[chattering]

[Ji-hye] You made the right call.

I agree, if you want
to keep pursuing the piano,

you have to place at a competition.

-Let's do our best to be ready--
-Don't get your hopes up.

Because if I don't win the competition…

I'm going to quit for good.

I'd rather not play piano at all…

than just be mediocre.

[sighs]

Do you really want
to enter the competition?

No, I don't.

Then why?

So that I, uh…

I can be certain that Pi-o can
get back on his feet again, you know?

If I can help reignite
the fire inside him,

then I'd be more than happy to do it.

Okay.

Let's do it.

-Yeah.
-But there's a catch.

You have to promise

that if you're entering
just to stand in his shadow,

it stops right here.

Both you and Pi-o are my students,

and you should know
that I care about you just the same.

If I catch you going down
that slippery slope,

I will call you out on it on the spot.

[Bach's "Prelude in C minor,
BWV 847" playing]

[Seok-hwan] Why is he wearing
headphones during lunch?

[Han-rim] Come on, seriously?

[sighs]

[Bach's "Prelude in C minor,
BWV 847" playing]

-[music stops]
-[groans]

[sighs]

[breathes shakily]

[Bach's "Prelude in C minor,
BWV 847" playing]

-Great job. [chuckles]
-[sighs]

[lively music plays]

Good afternoon, contestants.

Congratulations on advancing
to the main round

of the Prague Harmonie
International Competition.

[chuckles]

First, allow me to outline
the competition schedule.

This week, 24 contestants will be selected

from approximately 60
main round participants

to advance to the semifinals.

Those 24 semifinalists
will be competing next week.

From there, 12 finalists will be chosen,

and they will move from
their homestays to the chapel,

where all mobile phones
and electronic devices

will be confiscated.

And they will reside together
for one week.

24 SELECTED SEMIFINALISTS

[announcer] Contestant number 15,

Jeong-yo Choi, please come to the stage.

[contestants murmuring]

[applause]

[Liszt's "Transcendental Étude No. 1,
Preludio" playing]

You've got to be kidding me.

-Where'd this guy come from?
-[sighs] I have no idea.

But damn it, he's ridiculously good.

[Bach's "Prelude in C-sharp major,
BWV 848" playing]

Fine.

His technique, yeah. [scoffs]

Genuinely… untouchable.

[sighs] No one even comes close to that.

[breathing shakily]

[door opens, closes]

Since when has your pinky been like this?

If you don't take care of it,
it can get really bad.

Stop practicing for a second
and go check it out.

You have no idea
what you're even talking about.

Just worry about yourself
and leave me alone.

[chattering]

[sighs]

Son, are you okay?

Are you…

taking all your meds, Pi-o?

[sighs] Yeah.

Great.

Just hang in there
for a little while longer. Three weeks.

I'll go to the hospital and get you
stronger meds, so just hang in there.

Look at how far you've come already.

You can't give up now.

It'd be such a shame, don't you think?

[Rachmaninoff's
"Piano Concerto No. 2" playing]

[groans]

[winces]

-[groans, breathes shakily]
-[ticking]

[suspenseful music plays]

[door opens, closes]

-Where have you been?
-[gasps]

What are you still doing up?

You've been practicing this whole time?

If you keep this up,
you'll wear yourself out.

Is practicing until morning
something you'd consider abnormal?

Or is it even more abnormal

to come home this late?

I'm still jet-lagged, that's all.

I just went for a drive.

Go to bed.

Things are only gonna get tougher.
Make sure you're in good shape.

TOP 12 FINALIST ANNOUNCEMENT

The first finalist is

Pi-o Kang.

The second finalist is

Jeong-yo Choi.

The third finalist is

Tom Harrison.

[elegant music plays]

Welcome to the chapel.

From this point on,
no outsiders are permitted.

You may say your goodbyes
to your mother here.

Honey, you can do this, can't you?

Yeah.

As you already know,

I'm sure you've chosen a free piece
that you're confident in,

but the assigned piece is
far more difficult than you can imagine.

Since it's a contemporary piece,
interpreting it won't be easy either.

So…

you must not lose
the set piece sheet music

under any circumstances.

If it's lost due to your own negligence,

it will not be reissued.

Now, your phone, please.

Oh, uh…

Here it is.

Good luck.

Thank you.

[set piece playing]

[chattering]

Hey.

As of today, all 12 finalists
officially moved into the chapel.

Tomorrow, reporters from
around the world will be arriving.

After that, performances
will take place in order,

two contestants at a time.

This will be the first
and last banquet with everyone,

so please enjoy the meal.

How's your, uh, finger doing today?

I told you, it's none of your business.

Then I'll never ask you again,
as*h*le, okay?

[contestant sighs]

We don't even have time to eat right now,
and they're talking about a banquet?

Honestly, I'd much rather
just have one more day to practice.

[scoffs] Like, how exactly are we supposed
to master two pieces in seven days?

That's crazy, right?

I mean, that's exactly what I'm saying.

Like, the pressure's so intense,
I can't even sleep.

[sighs] How is everyone doing
with the set piece?

Isn't this the hardest song
we've ever gotten?

I have been analyzing the score for days,

and I still have no clue.

[sighs]

Hey, how about you guys, huh?

-How's the set piece for you?
-[chuckles]

Pretty easy?

Must've been easy. [chuckles]

There's apparently no such thing
as a difficult piece for the Koreans.

Absolute practice addicts.

Hey, is that some kind of insult?
You gonna say anything?

It's about our set piece.
You wanna tell them?

Oh…

Difficult, difficult.

The set piece, that required,
uh, really hard training.

It's all good.

Then what did you pick
for your free piece?

A piss?

-Free piece.
-[contestant chuckles]

It's your call if you wanna talk about it.

Hmm…

I chose Rachmaninoff. Concerto No. 2.

[pensive music plays]

[Pi-o] Rach 2?

I was hoping to do Rach 3.

You shouldn't.

In my honest opinion,

if you perform Rach 2,
you will see a big improvement.

I think it'll make you a better pianist.

But I find Rach 3 to be

a lot easier than Rach 2.

Listen to me.

Showing off your technique
isn't the goal here.

You'll be better off with a piece
that conveys depth and emotion.

You have to push past your limits

if you want to have a chance to win.

Pi-o.

I believe in you.

[Pi-o] Of all pieces,
why did he have us play the same one?

[Rachmaninoff's
"Piano Concerto No. 2" playing]

[pounding on door]

[pounding continues]

[piano continues]

[pounding on door]

[huffs]

Do you have any idea what time it is?

Why should I?

How am I supposed to sleep

when all I can hear is
the sound of that damn piano?

Take it to the administration.

It's not my fault
the rooms aren't soundproof.

Hey. Hey, hey!

Open the damn door!

-Pi-o!
-[piano continues]

[pounding on door]

You b*stard, open the door!
I said right now! Come on!

Open the door!

[Jeong-yo] It's not easy.

It's a little bit, uh, difficult.

-Just a little? Okay. [chuckles]
-Yeah, a little bit.

So, despite your young age, you've amazed
the world with, uh, flawless technique.

How did you start to play the piano?

I was told that my family noticed me

playing songs from TV
when I was around three years old.

Three years old?

So you are a genius.

I heard that you're the grandson
of Maestro Seung-woon Kang.

His fans are eagerly wondering
whether we might see a collaboration

-between a grandfather as a conductor…
-Music makes me a powerful human.

…and his grandson as a pianist.

Do you hear that?

I'd like that.

[sighs]

Just begin.

Start from the coda in movement two.

CODA: ITALIAN FOR "TAIL,"
THE MEMORABLE CLOSING SECTION OF A PIECE

[coda of Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto
No. 2, 2nd Movement" playing]

Just stop now.

You'd be better off…

asking someone like Baryshnikov
to help you instead.

[tense music plays]

Why do you say that?

He'd be better suited
for the way you play piano.

Could you please tell me why?

You would help anyone else.

You'd certainly do it for Jeong-yo.

Is the thought of helping me so hard?

I've just told you, haven't I?

He'd be better suited
for the way you play piano.

We're both conductors
for this competition,

so what's the problem?

[breathing shakily]

[Rachmaninoff's
"Piano Concerto No. 2" playing]

What are you doing?

Why are you lurking like that?

[Hyun-soo] Listen to me.

Showing off your technique
isn't the goal here.

You'll be better off with a piece
that conveys depth and emotion.

[pounding on door]

[Seung-woon] You'd be better off

asking someone like Baryshnikov
to help you instead.

I've just told you, haven't I?

He'd be better suited
for the way you play piano.

-[pounding on door]
-[contestant] Pi-o Kang!

Enough is enough!

How many days has it been, huh?

You trying to ruin my competition?

If you can't stand it,

ask them to switch your room.

Why do you keep harassing me?

No, no, no, no. I told you to switch

because the piano
in that room suits me best.

Don't be stupid.

Why would I waste my time like that?

[scoffs]

You selfish b*stard.

Spying on people, huh? Like a rat.

-[breathing heavily]
-[grunts]

Whoa, hey, hey, hey! Cut it out!

Stop, stop, stop!

Hey. Hey, cut it out.

You're gonna get yourself kicked out
before you can even compete.

He's just defending you because
you guys are from the same country.

It's pathetic.

Does he even know that you've been
eavesdropping on his performance?

-Just shut up! [grunts]
-Hey, hey! I said cut it out!

-You're a crazy b*stard, aren't you?
-Dude, cut it out!

What a psychopath!

Come on! [grunts]

[panting]

You gotta look after yourself
a bit more, okay?

You can't fight back
if you've run yourself into the ground.

[somber music plays]

You're not in a good place right now.

You need to get your anxiety
under control.

Just go out for a walk
or get some actual sleep instead.

But if you keep on practicing all night,
you'll burn yourself out.

You don't even have to practice
that hard, do you?

Don't you know practice is everything
for someone like me?

Move.

[sighs] Please! Come on!

-Move out of the way!
-[grunts]

[both panting]

[sighs]

[ticking]

[ominous music plays]

That little…

[pounding on door]

Open the door.

Open the door!

What is it now? Hey!

What are you doing?

This is my room. Get out!

What are you doing?

-sh*t.
-What are you doing?

-Where'd you hide my sheet music?
-What the hell are you talking about?

You stole it to screw me over
while I was gone.

What the hell are you doing now?
Fighting isn't gonna solve anything!

-Come on, man.
-You're insane.

Where's my sheet music?

[suspenseful music plays]

Pi-o. Kang Pi-o!

He's lost it.

Pi-o, you're clearly insane!

Kang Pi-o.

Kang Pi-o!

[panting]

Oh, no.

Kang Pi-o!

Hey, stop!

Let go!

Come on, get out of there!

Let go of me!

[grunts]

Come on! Get out!

[grunts]

Are you crazy?

This is all your fault.

It's all your fault!

[both grunting]

What does it matter?

Why do you do this to yourself over music?

You're way more important than this crap!

So why the hell are you still doing this?
It's not worth it!

[sighs]

Has this Pi-o Kang guy
just completely gone mad?

If you can't handle the pressure,
you shouldn't be competing, like, at all.

Seriously, how can one person
cause this much trouble for everyone else?

All right, let's head in.

Anna, you should
get some rest for tomorrow.

You're right.

[Jeong-yo] Wait.

Is that…

Is that really true?

You are not, uh, lying to me, are you?

What?

Are you saying one of us did it?

[sighs] Sorry.

Look.

No one went out into the garden. See?

[Pi-o] Isn't there a CCTV in the hallway?

That area is for staff only,
so there are no cameras.

Pi-o,

maybe you should try to think carefully
about where you might have left it.

If it turns up somewhere else later,

this could end bad for you.

Are you sure this isn't a panic attack
from too much pressure?

Maybe you should withdraw

and go see a doctor.

[solemn music plays]

[sighs]

DAY 4 OF FINAL ROUND

-Bye, guys.
-Good luck.

You got this.

-[chuckles] Thanks.
-[contestant] You can do it.

KANG PI-O

-[Pi-o] Let me go!
-Dude, cut it out!

What a psychopath!

You know what? Try that again,
and I'll smash your face.

[suspenseful music plays]

[door slams in distance]

Turn it off. It's too bright.

Why don't you eat something?
You're gonna get sick if you don't.

How long are you just gonna lie there?
Shouldn't you be practicing?

[sighs] Get out.

[sighs]

Hey, you know, I'm pretty sure
now isn't the best time to be relaxing.

I told you I'm gonna beat you
if you don't practice harder.

I'm withdrawing.

[somber music plays]

Huh?

Why?

Why would you do something like that, huh?

Why would you withdraw
over just some sheet music?

Come on, tell me
you're not serious about this.

I am, yeah.

Maybe I'm losing it.

Was I hallucinating?

Or did I really just lose my mind?

I'm not sure if it was stolen,

or if I just misplaced it.

Still, I… [sighs]

You haven't memorized
the whole piece by this point?

Why would you withdraw
just because of the--

Memorizing it isn't the issue.

I couldn't interpret it.

So I…

I got scared.

Even if I tried…

I'd totally fail.

I know it.

Maybe it's for the best.

The truth is…

I already knew

that competing at this level

was too ambitious of me.

And that wanting to be a great pianist

was like chasing a crazy,
impossible dream. I knew it.

Except…

I love the piano way too much…

to ever think about giving up.

I just

loved music so much.

That's why

I wanted to do anything

to play those beautiful pieces of music

with my own two hands.

Even though I was being ambitious,

I just couldn't give up.

[sniffles]

[sighs]

But I'm giving up now.

I can't do this anymore.

I've come this far.
I feel like I've given it everything.

-[sighs]
-And, uh…

I owe you an apology.

I took my feelings of inferiority
and insecurity out on you.

I'm gonna quit now, so…

you keep on going. You have to.

[sighs] You can go now.

I wanna sleep.

[sighs]

[insects chirping]

This is all your fault.

It's all your fault!

I owe you an apology.

I took my feelings of inferiority
and insecurity out on you.

[sighs]

But there's a catch.

You have to promise

that if you're entering
just to stand in his shadow,

it stops right here.

[Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 2,


[music stops]

[inhales deeply]

CHOI JEONG-YO

[gentle music plays]

[sighs]

[Jeong-yo] I know it by heart.

Use it if you need it.

LISTEN TO THE WIND INSTRUMENTS'
RHYTHM AND BREATHS

ADD ANOTHER TIMBRE
LIKE I'M HOLDING MY BREATH

DON'T GET TOO LOUD

[piano performance
of set piece playing in the distance]

[sighs]

Hmm?

[set piece performance continues]

[chuckles]

[lively music plays]

LAST DAY OF FINAL ROUND

Good luck.

Thank you.

[reporter] Right now, we are here

at the Prague Harmonie
International Competition finals venue.

Tonight marks the end of the competition,

featuring performances
from the two finalists.

Given the outstanding performances
they delivered in the semifinals,

all attention is now focused
on tonight's event.

This year's set piece is really hard.

Bottom line,
it's anyone's game, I suppose.

It's all right. Jeong-yo can do this.

[set piece playing]

See you again.

Thank you.

You are the final performer
of the competition.

We are all looking forward
to a wonderful performance.

Okay. Thank you.

-Bye.
-Bye.

Ah. Thank you.

[set piece performance playing gloomily]

[applause]

[cheering]

Whoa! What just happened now?

Wait, is that the Kang Pi-o we know?

[cheering continues]

Mr. Kang. That was amazing, really.

Thank you.

Your performance was so unique.

If you do just as well in the free piece,
you're bound to win.

[chuckles]

[humming]

[scatting]

Did you confirm that
all the money came through?

[driver] Of course, what do you think?

Then why didn't you pay me in advance,
like I asked you?

Do I look like a pushover to you?

When the job is done,
I'll make the payment.

What the hell is wrong with you?

[tense music plays]

[breathes deeply]

[applause]

[Rachmaninoff's
"Piano Concerto No. 2" playing]

Where are we going now?

Isn't this the opposite direction
from the… the concert hall?

Excuse me.

Stop, stop, stop!

I want to go to the… the toilet!

Hey, listen to me!

Why are you going the other way?

Don't try anything.

Or I'll put a b*llet between your eyes.
Do you understand?

[phone buzzes]

The hell, man?

Watch it before you end up k*lling us all.

Do what you gotta do.
Just don't get blood all over my car.

Who the hell do you think you are,
telling me what I should or shouldn't do?

Would you like me to k*ll you first?

Just drive up and shut up,
you piece of sh*t!

What?

[screams, grunts]

[grunting]

[driver] Where is he?

[music continues]

[grunts]

[Rachmaninoff's "Piano Concerto No. 2,


[applause]

[cheering]

[crying]

-[sighs]
-Bravo!

[tense music plays]

[cheering continues]

[ticking]

[employee] But where did he disappear?

I don't know. They said they can't
get a hold of the security team.

Excuse me.

Is something going on?

We're not sure yet,

but the last finalist
still hasn't arrived.

[announcer] We, uh, regret to inform you
of some unfortunate news.

The final contestant of the competition,

Jeong-yo Choi,

has gone missing.

Therefore, today's final performance,
has been canceled.

The decision regarding the award ceremony

will be decided as soon
as the situation has been assessed.

Thank you.

[murmuring]

What do you mean Jeong-yo is missing?

We don't know anything yet.

We reported the situation to the police.

Um, but for the time being,
please return to your accommodations

and then we'll contact you individually.

[ticking]

[door creaking]

-Where have you been?
-[gasps] Goodness!

[ominous music plays]

[siren wailing]

[sighs] Why won't you even tell us
what you've found so far?

Was he kidnapped?

Was it an accident?

Have you identified
the driver and the guard yet?

Ah, I see.

[officer] There is nothing
we can share at this time.

[Hyun-jeong] I'm his guardian,
for crying out loud.

Why can't they tell me
what's actually going on?

[Seon-ju] That's enough.

Listen to me, these people
don't know anything more than we do.

I can't believe how this even happened!
Where is he?

[Ji-hye] What happened? What's going on?

I heard that Jeong-yo is missing. Is he?

[reporter]
Police are currently investigating

whether this disappearance is related
to the recent kidnapping attacks

carried out by--

What about Jeong-yo?

They haven't located him yet.

It looks like they haven't
even found the car he was in.

We'll just have to wait.

The police are still investigating.

[breathing shakily]

Pi-o. Are you okay?

Don't worry about it, sweetheart.

I'm sure he's all right.

They'll find him soon. Trust me.

This must be a misunderstanding.

Listen…

Don't worry too much about this.

[breathing shakily] Mom…

Oh, Mom…

Mom, did you…

[intriguing music plays]

[crying]

[Pi-o sobbing]

[announcer] The winner of Prague Harmonie
International Competition is

Mr. Pi-o Kang.

[applause]

[intercom chimes]

[assistant] You look tired
from the long trip.

[Pi-o] I'm fine.

Did you secure the practice room?

It was too late to find one,

so we arranged the bar
across from the hotel.

You can use it after it closes.

Will that be all right?

That should be okay for now.

[Liszt's "Consolation No. 3"
piano performance playing]

[phone buzzing]

[breathes shakily]

["Know you, Feel you" playing]

USE IT IF YOU NEED IT!

FOUR HANDS, TWO SONATAS

[Han-rim] About that rumor
regarding Choi Jeong-yo…

Word on the street
is that it was your doing.

[Hyun-soo] It's your fault
we're like this.

[investigator] I found someone
who says he spotted Mr. Choi in Romania.

[in Romanian] This man here.

[Pi-o] I'd like to go over there
and confirm it for myself.

What did you do to Jeong-yo?

[kidnapper] What's in it for me?

-[grunts]
-Tell me!

You know the kind of person he was?

[investigator] What exactly is it
that you want to confirm?

Is it that Mr. Choi is alive?

Or is it that he is dead?