‘Forehands’ Stars Song Kang and Lee Joon-young Reunite Through Music, Capping Off Series with Peak Rating of 10.6% [Summary]

*This content was translated by AI.

For Song Kang and Lee Joon-young, both the beginning and the end ultimately came down to music.

According to Nielsen Korea, a ratings research firm, the final episode of tvN’s weekend drama “Forehands” (screenplay by Shin Yi-won / directed by Park Hyun-seok), which aired on the 4th, recorded a nationwide average rating of 9.4% and a peak of 10.6%, as well as a metropolitan area average of 10% and a peak of 11.4%. The episode set a new series record for viewership and secured first place in its time slot across all channels, including terrestrial broadcasters, both nationwide and in the metropolitan area, bringing the drama to a successful close. On a nationwide basis, it maintained the top spot among cable and pay-TV channels in its time slot for 12 consecutive episodes. It also ranked first in its time slot across all channels, including terrestrial broadcasters, in the 2049 demographic ratings for both men and women, both nationwide and in the metropolitan area (based on paid platforms integrating cable, IPTV, and satellite).

On this day, pianist Kang Bi-oh (played by Song Kang) and conductor Choi Jung-yo (played by Lee Joon-young), who had overcome numerous trials, finally found the music each of them desired, leaving a warm aftertaste.

After the passing of Kang Seung-un (played by Jeong Jin-young), a master of the music world and Bi-oh’s grandfather, Kang Bi-oh was consumed by intense guilt. He believed that the series of events—his mother’s wariness toward Choi Jung-yo leading her to instigate his kidnapping, and the resulting distress suffered by his grandfather—were all caused by his insistence on pursuing a path as a pianist. This was compounded by his remorse toward Choi Jung-yo, who had been a victim of his mother’s misconduct, prompting Kang Bi-oh to decide to give up music.

Choi Jung-yo, who had been watching over such Kang Bi-oh, took him to their hideout in Nakwon Shopping Center and stated that thanks to consistent treatment there, he was now able to play the piano again. He urged Bi-oh to set aside his feelings of guilt toward him and resume playing. After a heartfelt conversation, the two sat side by side at a piano and created a harmonious duet for the first time in nine years, evoking a deeply moving emotion.

However, the melody of the two came to an unexpected halt. This was because Choi Jung-yo suddenly disappeared after resigning from his position as conductor of the Korea Symphony Orchestra, leaving behind only a letter expressing his desire to create music that sincerely comforts others. Kang Bi-oh, who had looked forward to a future of making music happily with Choi Jung-yo, could do nothing but swallow his regret and longing.

Three years later, Kang Bi-oh remained devoted to music as a pianist who went wherever music was needed, performing beyond predetermined stages, while his childhood friend Hong Jae-in (played by Jang Gyu-ri) continued her involvement in the arts as the head of a management company that supports talented musicians. During this time, Kang Bi-oh coincidentally met Choi Jung-yo’s primary care physician and learned that Choi’s past performances had been made possible only through temporary recovery achieved via injections that carried side effects.

Having belatedly come to understand Choi Jung-yo’s hidden sacrifice, Kang Bi-oh uploaded a video of his performance of “Nemesis,” composed by Choi, to the internet, hoping it would reach him wherever he was. As if responding to his earnest wish, a postcard from Choi Jung-yo finally arrived from overseas. Immediately setting out on a search, Kang Bi-oh reunited with Choi in an unfamiliar foreign cathedral, where Choi was writing new harmonies alongside a choir. The bright smiles of the two, who faced each other once again within music after a long wait, conveyed a deeply moving emotion.

Throughout its run, “Forehands” delicately unfolded the story of three young people who navigated friendship, competition, and growth, injecting change into each other’s lives. In particular, the immersive experience that kept viewers captivated was completed by the interplay between Director Park Hyun-seok’s direction, which meticulously captured deepening emotional lines from their fresh moments at age 17 to their encounter at age 27 carrying scars, and Writer Shin Yi-won’s solid structure, which tightly wove together constantly evolving relationships, unpredictable events, and plot twists.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.