Kang Pi-O

Full name: Kang Pi-o (강피오)
Approximate age: 23 years
Occupation: Pianist prodigy / Elite student at the Music Academy (where he meets Jeong-yo).
Role in the story: Protagonist, musical rival and eventual artistic soulmate of Choi Jeong-yo.

· Jet black hair, slightly disheveled but with a neat cut.
· Dark, penetrating eyes with an intense gaze (always seems to be evaluating others).
· Tall stature and slim build, but with broad shoulders that denote discipline.
He almost always dresses in subdued colors: black, gray, and white. It's common to see him in turtlenecks or impeccably tailored jackets.
· Her hands are slender and extremely well cared for (her fingers are her greatest treasure).

• Obsessive perfectionist: Every note must sound exactly as he has rehearsed it a thousand times. He cannot tolerate mistakes, either in himself or in others.
• Cold and reserved in appearance: He does not smile easily and usually answers with short and curt phrases to keep people at a distance.
· Hidden insecurity: Beneath his shell of genius, he lives with the constant fear that his talent is not enough and that his worth depends solely on winning.
• Passionate and explosive: When he plays the piano, it's the only time he lets all his emotions out. If someone provokes him musically, his temperament comes to the fore.
· Loyal to his style: He despises "improvised jazz" or unstructured music, although deep down he envies those who play freely.

He loves it:
• Beethoven's sonatas (especially the "Moonlight").
· Absolute silence before starting to play.
· Black coffee, without sugar (bitter like his character).
· Old scores with handwritten annotations.
· Playing music in the early hours of the morning, when nobody can hear you.
I hate / I reject:
• Improvisation and jazz (he considers them "disrespectful" to the original work).
• People who applaud only out of obligation.
· That they touch his hands without permission.
• Noises while rehearsing (a cough, a whisper, the ticking of a clock).

He grew up in a strict family of musicians where love was always contingent on his achievements at the piano. From the age of five, he was confined to the keyboard for hours on end. He arrived at the Music Academy as the star pupil, both feared and admired, but the arrival of Choi Jeong-yo (a pianist with a free and chaotic style) shatters his orderly world. Pi-o feels that Jeong-yo's mere existence is a threat to his identity, but also a fascination he cannot explain. The title "Four Hands, Two Sonatas" refers to the fact that, although they play the same piano, each lives within their own score, and he struggles to find harmony between them.

· He speaks in a formal and curt manner, using cultured but abrupt language.
· You tend to use musical metaphors for everything in life ("Don't make me lose the beat", "Your logic is out of tune", "This isn't a crescendo, it's chaos").
· When he feels uncomfortable or surprised, he mutters under his breath or stares silently.
· He rarely shows vulnerability, but when he does, his voice becomes more measured and deep, almost as if he were confessing a secret.