Most Korean dramas run 60 to 70 minutes at the top end and often less. Four Hands Two Sonatas runs 70 minutes across twelve episodes, which puts it closer to fourteen hours of viewing — roughly seven feature films.
That runtime is a choice, not an accident. A music romance built on long episodes is telling you something about how it wants to be watched.
Four Hands Two Sonatas premiered on Netflix on 29 August 2026.
It runs twelve episodes at 70 minutes each and stars Song Kang.
The genre is music romance — the long runtime gives performance scenes room.
What is confirmed
| Detail | Confirmed |
|---|---|
| Premiere | 29 August 2026 |
| Platform | Netflix |
| Episodes | 12 |
| Runtime | 70 minutes per episode |
| Genre | Music romance |
| Lead | Song Kang |
Twelve episodes at 70 minutes is unusual. Most Netflix Korean originals sit at 16 episodes of 50 to 60 minutes, or 8 episodes for tighter stories. This format trades episode count for episode length.
Why runtime matters in a music drama
Performance scenes are expensive in screen time. A piece of music takes as long as it takes, and cutting it short breaks the effect the scene is trying to create.
Short episodes force a choice: either compress the performance or lose plot. Seventy minutes lets both exist in the same episode.
The title itself points at this. Four hands is a piano term — two players at one instrument. That format only works if the audience gets to sit with the playing rather than see it in fragments.
Song Kang returning to Netflix
Song Kang has built his following largely through Netflix work, which makes this a return to the platform where international audiences know him.
A music romance is a different register from what he is best known for. Playing a musician requires either genuine skill or convincing physical work — hand shots are unforgiving, and audiences who play notice immediately.
How to watch it
It premiered on 29 August 2026, so the release is already underway. Whether Netflix dropped all twelve episodes at once or is releasing weekly determines how much is available now.
If it is weekly, twelve episodes means the run extends into November. At 70 minutes per episode that is a long-term commitment rather than a weekend watch.
Who this is for
- Viewers who like slow-building romance — long episodes favour development over incident
- Anyone who plays or listens seriously — music dramas live or die on whether performance feels real
- Song Kang’s existing audience — this is his return to the platform they found him on
Who it is probably not for: viewers who prefer plot-dense thrillers. A 70-minute romance episode is not spending that time on twists.
In short
Four Hands Two Sonatas premiered on Netflix on 29 August 2026 with twelve episodes at 70 minutes each, starring Song Kang in a music romance.
The runtime is the defining feature. Long episodes give performance scenes the space a music drama needs, but they also mean roughly fourteen hours of total viewing. Worth knowing before you start.
Frequently asked questions
When did Four Hands Two Sonatas release?
29 August 2026 on Netflix. It runs twelve episodes with 70-minute runtimes.
How long is each episode?
Seventy minutes, which is long for a Korean drama. Most Netflix Korean originals run 50 to 60 minutes. Total viewing time is roughly fourteen hours.
Who stars in it?
Song Kang leads. This marks a return to Netflix, the platform through which most of his international audience found his earlier work.
What does the title mean?
Four hands is a piano term for two players at a single instrument. The title points at the drama’s format, where performance scenes are given significant screen time.
Is it released weekly or all at once?
That has not been confirmed in available coverage. Netflix has used both patterns for recent Korean titles. If weekly, twelve episodes extends the run into November.
Is this a good pick if I prefer thrillers?
Probably not. A 70-minute romance episode uses that time on character development rather than plot twists. Viewers who prefer plot-dense storytelling may find the pacing slow.
