Do You Like Brahms? (2020)

Title: Do You Like Brahms?
Hangul: 브람스를 좋아하세요?
Writer: Ryu Bo-ri
Director: Jo Young-min
Network: SBS
Episodes: 16

Do You Like Brahms Cast and Characters

Park Eun-bin as Chae Song-ah
Kim Min-jae as Park Joon-young
Park Ji-hyun as Lee Jung-kyun
Kim Sung-cheol Han Hyun-ho
Lee Yoo-jin as Yoon Dong-yoon

Do You Like Brahms Ending Explained

Does Do You Like Brahms have a happy ending?

Do You Like Brahms ends with Song-ah and Joon-young back together. It’s not an entirely happy ending though with Song-ah giving up playing the violin completely. Second lead couple Hyung-ho and Jung-kyung also don’t end up together.

What Happened to Song-ah?

Song-ah is accepted into graduate school but decides not to enroll. She no longer wants to play the violin and pursue music as a career.

Song-ah is offered a part-time position at the Kyunghoo Foundation and accepts despite her initial doubts about her abilities in the role.

She gives up playing the violin and sells her instrument to Dong-yoon’s store.

At the end of Do You Like Brahms, Song-ah works at Kyunghoo putting her business and music education to good use as a concert organizer. She organizes a concert featuring Joon-young, Jung-kyung, and Hyun-ho.

What happened to Joon-young?

Joon-young initially decides to give up playing the piano mirroring Song-ah’s decision to give up the violin.

But he quickly changes his mind about quitting entirely. Because of Song-ah, Joon-young rediscovered his love of piano and wants to keep playing the piano…on his terms. He is no longer interested in playing competitively and quits the Tchaikovsky competition.

Joon-young performs at his graduation recital including pieces by Brahms. His performance is brilliant and he receives multiple standing ovations.

Joon-young’s relationship with his mother continues to improve with Joon-young even telling her that he wants her to divorce his dad during dinner. He wants his mother to be happy and start living for herself.

Do You Like Brahms ends with Joon-young traveling as a musician and playing the music that he loves.

Do Song-ah and Joon-young End Up Together?

The Do You Like Brahms finale begins with the two still broken up. Joon-young confesses his feelings to Song-ah but she responds by asking him for more time.

But at the end of Do You Like Brahms, Song-ah and Joon-young are happily together with Joon-young presenting Song-ah with couple rings. I interpreted this scene as a proposal but the drama didn’t really make it clear.

What Happened to Hyun-ho?

Hyun-ho leaves Korea to join a symphony orchestra in New York.

He returns to perform at Director Na’s memorial concert with Joon-young and Jung-kyung before leaving again.

The trio reunites again at the end of the drama for a concert organized by Song-ah.

What Happened to Jung-kyung?

After the death of her Director grandmother, Jung-kyung makes several changes in her life. She withdraws her application for the professor position at Seoryeong University. She is approached by the mother of the promising young violinist, Ji-won, to teach Ji-won the violin which Jung-kyung agrees to.

Do Hyun-ho and Jung-kyung End Up Together?

Hyun-ho and Jung-kyung remain broken up.

What Happened to Min-sung?

Song-ah’s best friend, Min-sung, graduates from her chemistry program and is leaving for the US for further studies.

What Happened to Dong-yoon?

Song-ah’s other best friend, Dong-yoon, announces that he needs to move because the building with his workshop is going to be torn down.

Do Dong-yoon and Min-sung End Up Together?

Dong-yoon and Min-sung (and Song-ah) end the drama as friends. Dong-yoon offers to look over Min-sung’s cello and make sure it’s alright before she leaves for the US.

Do You Like Brahms Ending Review

I’m really happy Song-ah and Joon-young got back together in the end but other than that, the ending to Do You Like Brahms really disappointed me.

I was really invested in the individual journeys of Song-ah and Joon-young and I found the ending dissatisfying for both.

Song-ah Giving Up Her Dream

Watching Song-ah pursue her passion for music despite everyone discouraging her and not being the most talented was inspiring. The odds were stacked against her but she did it anyway.

It was obvious from the start that a career in playing the violin was probably not in the cards for Song-ah. So her giving it up professionally wasn’t a shock.

But I was disappointed that she decided to let go of it completely even selling her beloved violin. Why not continue playing as a hobby? For the pure joy of it?

Between Song-ah and Joon-young, I always felt that she was the one who had more passion and love for playing music. So her decision was incredibly heartbreaking to me.

I also found her reasons for giving up the violin puzzling.

I never viewed Song-ah as a character striving to be the best at violin but as someone who pursued music out of deep passion.

I get that some people won’t play unless they’re the best, but Song-ah? I never viewed her as one of those people. I thought she loved playing the violin for the sake of the violin.

I viewed Song-ah’s relationship as one that mirrors her relationship with Joon-young.

If Song-ah can persevere and keep loving Joon-young despite the pain because love is worth it, then why isn’t the same rule applied to the violin?

So many people were incredibly condescending and cruel to Song-ah when it came to her playing the violin. Watching her give up makes me feel like the villains won in the end.

It makes me really sad!

Joon-young Rediscovers His Love of Piano

Unlike Song-ah, Joon-young changes his mind about quitting his instrument and decides to keep playing the piano.

Do You Like Brahms tells us that Song-ah helped Joon-young rediscover joy in his music. But honestly, I don’t think Do You Like Brahms portrayed that very well. When did she inspire Joon-young to play purely for himself?

I saw Joon-young happy with Song-ah, not when he was playing the piano.

Narratively speaking, I thought it would’ve made more sense to have Joon-young be the one to give up his instrument.

Despite his talent and success, Joon-young always appeared to lack true passion and joy when it came to the piano. Not that I blame him.

He grew up playing piano to help his family with their debt. It’s hard to muster passion for something he was basically obligated to do.

Why not have him let it go and find his happiness elsewhere?

I wish the drama spent time on Joon-young rediscovering his love for the piano so his happy ending didn’t feel so out of place to me.

What did you think of Do You Like Brahms?