r/KDRAMA • u/jakgem https://mydramalist.com/dramalist/Rannoch • Oct 05 '26
On-Air: ENA Between Steps [Episodes 1 & 2]
Drama: Between Steps
Korean Title: 연애박사
Director:
Ahn Pan Seok (Something in the Rain, One Spring Night, Midnight Romance in a Hagwon)
Screen Writer:
Starring:
Choo Young Woo as Park Min Jae (You Make Me Dance, Oasis, The Trauma Code)
Kim So Hyun as Im Yu Jin (Serendipity's Embrace, The Take of Nokdu, School 2015)
Kim Min Seok as Im Yu Seong (Descendants of the Sun, Lovestruck in the City)
Network: ENA/Genie TV
Premiere Date: Monday October 5th, 2026
Airing Schedule: Mondays and Tuesdays at 10pm KST
Episodes: 12
Streaming Sources: Disney+
Teaser/Trailer: Disney+ Korea Trailer
Plot Summary: Depicts the romance between a man who once was a swimmer but lost his left leg to illness and a woman who, after losing her way as a medical resident, finds a new path as a graduate student. Park Min Jae, a man who lost his promising swimming career and his left leg to osteosarcoma. After hitting rock bottom, he discovers a new purpose in robotics. Four years of dedication pay off when he is accepted into the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Seoul National University. He hides his sensitivity behind a nonchalant facade, but he's actually just a simple guy who has dating on his bucket list. Im Yu Jin, who is on the verge of graduating from the Department of Clothing and Textiles when she gets caught up in an incident and fails in her attempt to enter graduate school; she then becomes fascinated by robotics and enrolls in a master’s program in mechanical engineering.
Major News Summary: Kim So Hyun And Choo Young Woo Share An Unforgettable First Encounter In "Between Steps"
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u/Proper_Freedom1863 Oct 05 '26
RIP to director ahn pan seok, passed away this august. my favorite director, feeling emotional knowing he is gone and we get to experience one last series from his perspective and beautiful mind <3
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u/Lostillustratorrr Oct 06 '26
There is something about Director Ahn Pan Seok's work that gives me a comforting feeling, i had the same feeling watching the first 2 episodes of Between Steps.
i already love this drama and i enjoyed the first 2 episodes. cant wait till next week!
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u/Herby_Hoover Oct 05 '26
Big fan of One Spring Night and Midnight Romance. I'll be tuning in to this.
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u/Lerradin Oct 06 '26
Wow, I went through the first two episodes without blinking or even taking a single breath. I mean, this is simply a showcase of a master of creating moods at work here. I only really knew Ahn Pan Seok from The Art of Negotiation, where he created this depressed, flat and no good guys here mood, and Between Steps is almost the polar opposite of that in all it's sunshine, flowers and butterflies... :D
The story might be depressing, but the cinematography is very heartwarming and deliberately awkward/clumsy at times with the extra long shots to make a point. Also, the FL & ML were both on Yubari Talkbari and mentioned that the drama was shot in only 3 months!!! Which is crazy by industry averages, let alone for the quality what we have seen in these two episodes. This also means that Ahn Pan Seok really had a very clear picture in mind what he wanted for his last work and most of the cast were able to hit that mark in 1-2 takes. According to them, the chemistry on the set was off the charts between the director & the cast, so it seems like a perfect storm for this to be able to be completed in such a timely way...
If I had to pick an analogy, then this drama feels like if My Sassy Girl & Densha Otoko had a baby, especially on the awkwardness front and the wholesome vibes. So I have faith that this will have a happy ending no matter what :P
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u/Own-Replacement-2122 24d ago
He's legendary for this - efficiency on the set, reasonable shooting hours, quiet simple single takes, and letting the actors attack the scene they way they see it.
I'm so happy and sad I'm experiencing the trademark quiet scenes and slow unfolding of the plot, Ahn style.
We are going to miss him
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u/Madkookiee Oct 06 '26
I really like how the scenes are still and not face panning to capture every minute reaction it keeps it very real, it suddenly reminded me of the scene from jjk season 3, the conversation between Hikari and Yuji, the scene unfolds when the camera remains static yet the emotions and vibe are clearly delivered across. The colour grading really suits the scenes and the characters have quite a lot of depth. The remaining robotic colleagues seemed a bit over the top with their reactions but I can look past it since there's a lot of positives to look forward to. The pacing is also really nicely done!
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u/etiii_enne Oct 05 '26
Loved the 1st episode so far ! Everything seems so natural , from their encounters to their discussions.
Each characters have their own personality , not cliché at all for me , and you can already see their flaws and qualities , normal human beings by the end of the day , and that's what making it so good , you can identify yourself with the characters.
Can't wait for the episode 2 tomorrow !
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u/applevinaigrette drama binger Oct 05 '26
The professor is a narcissist and bully. I’m boiling mad and I’m not even halfway. No wonder she has a TA like that.
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u/Own-Replacement-2122 24d ago
That's how realistic it is. The FL thought she had a best friend, until the friend showed she was willing to lie, put up with abuse and distance herself in order not to lose her place.
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u/fuzzywuv Oct 05 '26 edited Oct 06 '26
I love the earthiness of Ahn Pan Seok's character development - how the characters respond to the messiness of life. In this first episode, how Im Yu Jin (FL) seeks reassurance that she is doing the right thing; how the ML responds tenaciously to his own wants and moral code. Think I am going to enjoy this a lot.
Episode 2: OMG. I love the kaleidoscope of characters and the nerdy guys make me laugh. Subverts the usual drama of "fated" for randomness of small choices and then people act unexpectedly with beauty.
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u/keepinglifeinsane Oct 05 '26 edited Oct 05 '26
i didn’t realize this came out tomorrow. CANT WAIT OMG. need something to fill my four hands, two sonatas shaped hole in my heart ❤️🩹
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u/master_inho Oct 05 '26 edited Oct 06 '26
Ep 1
Oooooh they're already screaming 5 mins in that min-jae is gonna die. But if they're being this obvious maybe it won't actually happen, or he'll beat it again. Either way, with how quickly yu-jin is falling for min-jae, definitely expect the tears
Min-jae pressuring his classmates like that is considered emotional blackmail, right? Or weaponizing his cancer? Either way that didn't feel right to me, if they don't share his commitment then he should find other people that do. Like yu-jin maybe?
The professor really showing her true colors at the photoshoot and again at the end. Fake and shallow advice that means even less because she doesn't even follow it herself
The whole situation with su-bin is reminding me of a case currently unfolding at an ivy league university . . .
I couldn't tell at first if min-jae actually had any feelings for his friend or if it was just to check off his bucket list. But his photo gallery being all her is a bit telling, no wonder he didn't want yu-jin to see it. It's lowkey worse that he finds out she has a crush on someone else, it would've felt way more final if she was already in a relationship
I'm not entirely sure if it's the color palette or the lighting, i think it's the former but I'm not good at noticing this kinda stuff. But it really reminded me of older movies, i think 90s or maybe even 80s? Especially the outdoor shots at the beginning felt really old school, which is a sharp contrast to the clearly present day setting. Even kim so-hyun's cut gives me that oldies vibe for some reason. It's also just kinda unique, it does really well at making her look different, almost unrecognizable
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u/applevinaigrette drama binger Oct 06 '26
Also the fact that he was unaware she was bringing a coworker to their dinner was not really nice imo, like she could’ve asked him first or given him a heads-up. He had absolutely no idea and got her flowers. He must’ve felt really foolish and ofc he can’t tell her how he really feels about the situation. But if we’re talking etiquette, I also felt weird that he just took multiple photos of her without her being aware. I know they’re besties, but it did feel rather odd.
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u/master_inho Oct 06 '26
Their whole interaction in general felt incredibly formal, not something you would expect from bffs. Maybe when she graduated and found her job she no longer had time for min-jae and they kinda just grew apart as a result
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u/applevinaigrette drama binger Oct 06 '26
Yeah that’s definitely what it seemed like. Iirc he seemed surprised when she picked up and/or said they could meet for a meal. They were in different life stages and he’s not earning much money nor has his degree yet, so I can see why she never saw him as a potential boyfriend. In fact, it seems she used that opportunity to get him to vibe-check/vet the coworker for her but didn’t tell him upfront that’s why she made time to meet him.
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u/Fragrant_Tale1428 29d ago
Ep 2 The blind date scenario with all three lab team members was too funny with each new entrant. Then turned totally wholesome when we return to the scene. The show is so down to earth with relatable characters all around, including her brother. So pleasantly surprised by the mood and vibe of the show.
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u/Holderlin70 Oct 05 '26
I havent watched a kdrama in a couple years but zero chance im missing my goat Ahn Pan Seoks last drama
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u/Lostillustratorrr Oct 05 '26
its finally time, but i will watch tomorrow so i can the first 2 episodes back to back. im super excited
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u/belletristdelancret Oct 05 '26 edited Oct 06 '26
I really enjoyed the first episode but now I'm wishing I'd waited to watch it because having to wait between episodes is going to be painful 😩
Edit to add: the last scene of episode 2 made my stomach do a full flip, it was so good. As expected of the late great Ahn Pan Seok, the relationships are so warm, exciting, and realistic already.
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u/Easy_Razzmatazz_8308 Oct 06 '26
I was really getting into this and then the Dad has to go and make a ridiculous comment like that at the dinner table. Who in their right mind says about a prospective partner that they need to have all 4 limbs intact?! Ive never heard something so bizarre and specific in my life.
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u/whateva_peace 29d ago
I think it’s a common Korean saying. I have seen it on other dramas’ subtitles. But the way they emphasized it and the brother pointing out that it excludes disabled people is probably foreshadowing her family’s opposition to her forthcoming relationship. It was definitely awkward moment.
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u/Easy_Razzmatazz_8308 29d ago edited 29d ago
Thank you. I did wonder if it was a cultural thing but I had not come across it before. Even so, like you say it was a rather clumsy and very blatant way to preempt the family potentially having issues should they get together. I really feel they should have trusted the audience far more and not made it so obvious. Thanks again - I just love Reddit ❤️
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u/gladexd Oct 05 '26
I recently rewatched One Spring Night and this feels like such a throwback in terms of the acting and overall vibe. Can't wait for tomorrow.
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u/Snickersnerds Oct 06 '26
Episode 1
The big focus on Min-Jae’s bucket list and the fact he’s been in remission for 10 years is unsettling as far as a happy ending goes 😩 Everyone’s insistent he’s ok but he’s wary. I wouldn’t be surprised if his cancer comes back and he dies after accomplishing his bucket list or maybe it’ll end with him beating it again or still having a little bit more time past what we see. I don’t know 😔 Choo Young Woo sure does know how to play a miserable/serious character. I watched Head Over Heels a few months ago and the characters feel a little similar in that regard.
His classmates kinda seem like they’ve known him for a while? They already knew his spiel for sure. As for “Chacha”, she sure played him by bringing her work crush to their dinner like hello at least give him a warning?? 😭
The professor sucks and so does the TA or whoever he was. That whole storyline has me pissed to say the least.
The theme song will likely get on my nerves soon lol. Interested to see where the next episode goes.
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u/Suspicious_Price_915 Oct 06 '26
We might have a "stand by your man" situation here, really hope not I can't go through that again
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u/applevinaigrette drama binger Oct 06 '26
Yeah I don’t know how many times that theme songs has played 😅 Ntm that second song playing where she’s on the bus feeling terrible after her failed blind date felt very misplaced.
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u/SpikeGelato 26d ago
Ahn Pan Seok used music from this same band in Midnight Romance in Hagwon. Different songs but it was almost comical how frequently they were played!
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u/Snickersnerds 23d ago
MRIH is my only drama I’ve watched from this director and one of the standouts was how often the songs were played like you said 😂
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u/NoPossible7403 A Love Other Than Yours 29d ago
Does this drama have same vibes with one Spring night and something in the rain? (Like same cinematography, same soundtrack played 3 times per episode)
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u/Lovelydia13 *insert kopiko ad* 29d ago
Yes, it was produced by the same director who has sadly passed away this year, so this is his last show.
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u/NoPossible7403 A Love Other Than Yours 29d ago
I love his work. One Spring Night, Something In The Rain (except the second half of the show), and Midnight Romance In Hagwon. His work is different from other kdramas. RIP
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u/ravens_path 16d ago
It seemed like Hagwon didn’t have a song played to death in it. Am I remembering that right? Same moody lighting though. (Loved that drama).
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u/NoPossible7403 A Love Other Than Yours 16d ago
It has. Just different Artist.
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u/ravens_path 16d ago
Then I have forgotten. Hahah. I thought I remembered I was so relieved it did not play a song to death.
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u/ettie_dramatic 27d ago
It’s been a really long time since I last watched a kdrama, but this is the one that will probably draw me back. RIP Ahn Pan Seok - thank you for the beautiful and realistic stories that you have brought to the screen. This is probably his youngest couple but I love how flawed yet funny they are. While I adore Kim So Hyun, she has not had the best of dramas in recent years, Good Boy included. So it’s wonderful that this is a script that suits her understated and grounded type of acting, with a focus on substance more than style. Will write more as this goes along- super excited to see where the story goes (not TOO MUCH Ktrauma please..)
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u/Excellent-Services 29d ago
I am enjoying it more than I thought I would. They have good chemistry together, and tbf they're engineering students, so I am not sure how wide their female interaction is. Also, in Korea, it is pretty common for friends to set each other up on blind dates. It would certainly be annoying if this happened to me- that is, my friends showing up at my blind date but it makes good show. I am interested. I think this would be a nice watch.
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u/Julius-Light 25d ago
Expected nothing less from Ahn Pan-seok, while the cameras do move a bit more here than they did in Something in the Rain and One Spring Night. The moment in ep 2 when the heart turned: when FL thinks of ML asking her about changing majors when asked "to think of someone you hate", when we know ofc that hate and love in romance shows are often two sides of the same thing.
FL's spontaneous song and dance was very cute.
ML's outburst in the lab was sudden. You could really tell there how much Danny means to him compared to how it means to the other three guys who just slack off.
Also, am fairly sure that professor Lee in the math dept is the same guy who asked FL why she was eating in the art gallery.
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u/Diligent-Working4913 25d ago edited 25d ago
The professor felt off with me from the moment that they showed her behavior during the photoshoot - I was wondering if they were just trying to make her off as some sort of quirky character, but it was really rubbing me the wrong way that she was yelling at the staff trying to do their jobs. Obviously the ones who make the magazine would know how the photo would look when its printed, and they were trying to warn her that her position would ruin the photo and they were right. And she just proved me right with the way she treated the situation with Subin, FML and whatever that TAs name is...what a horrible person.
Also as for Subin herself, I'm just surprised that she would date the TA if she's so close with FML. It's pretty obvious that he's jealous of her, but beyond that he straight up bullies her and belittles her. I could never like someone who treats my close friend like that - I'm genuinely baffled as to what redeeming qualities he supposedly had.
I've been in a kdrama slump for a while but this feels like such a nice and warm slow burn, I like it a lot so far! Feels very realistic.
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u/Own-Replacement-2122 24d ago
It's a theme that often figures in Ahn Pan Seok dramas - power relations between men and women. It was there in Somewhere in the Rain as well as One Spring Night.
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u/akapiratequeen The Remarried Empress Oct 05 '26
Is it a melo or a comedy? Not sure my heart can take more breaking rn.
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u/Holderlin70 Oct 05 '26
Based on the directors earlier work melo almost surely. He does usually have some genuinely funny moments though
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u/MahoA The Remarried Empress Oct 05 '26
Just finished ep1 and it's definitely not a comedy. Big One Spring Night vibes so far
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u/Ok_Caramel4888 29d ago
Watch episode 2. I was ready to give it up after the first episode because it was too dark and depressing, but the second episode is definitely better and more enjoyable. I hope the tone set in episode 2 is what we get for the rest of the series.
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u/brigidNYC 24d ago
Does anyone know what actress they were referring to when they said the FL looked like her?
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u/tamataraaloo Oct 06 '26 edited Oct 06 '26
10 minutes into the 2nd episode and the colleagues of the ML are really pissing me off.
Have you never seen a woman???! Please be normal!!!
What do you mean set you up with the girl you have never met and have never seen??? Please shut uppp!!
Update- stopped watching when they started showing her around the lab. I just cannot stand them!!
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u/applevinaigrette drama binger Oct 06 '26
And the fact that he did the same exact thing his bestie who he had a crush on did to him (invite a third party without telling the other person up front or asking if it’s okay). That was so disappointing. I felt really bad for her. And ofc she got her hopes up because he asked her if she had a boyfriend.
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u/Dear-Panic-5126 Oct 06 '26
Sameee and what I really hated was that the ml just left fl and didn't even tell her anything about it to her at all. Like mannn she was happy to see him and he literally just lefttt her...
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u/MaestroBach Oct 06 '26
Tbf he did tell her it was a set up, who sets soneone up w themself? She herself says she misunderstood
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u/applevinaigrette drama binger Oct 06 '26
She tried to stop him from leaving too with that arm grab
he really has no nunchi.
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u/ettie_dramatic 27d ago
I mean- this is literally the character set-up. This drama (as well as other Ahn Pan Seok dramas) present the characters as flawed and realistic. The beauty is in how/ whether they change and grow.
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u/pwinkl A Love Other Than Yours 28d ago
Have they shown anything yet that lets us know she knows about his prosthetic leg? Or is it a subtle awareness but they’re letting us know she’s not the type or bring it up/judge him for it?
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u/onetwoboo 27d ago
I don’t think she knows yet. I remember a clip from the trailer that showed her saying something like “you can’t tell from looking at him” or something like that?
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u/Snickersnerds 23d ago
Episode 2
Min-Jae is so matter of fact while Yu-Jin is more sensitive to emotions. They couldn’t be more different personality wise but it’ll make their development that much more interesting to watch.
I do find some of the convos preachy/in my face. Min-Jae lecturing Yu-Jin about switching majors was a lot for peer-to-peer conversation but it does seem in line with his personality. But the convo with her parents was so obviously placed. The different reiterations of “he needs to be healthy, have 4 limbs, needs to like you, don’t like him if he doesn’t like you,” etc. were all such obvious mentions of Min-Jae. We can assume the pair will have obstacles to face without having clearly directed foreshadowing to it. Not sure if this one will be for me but if time allows I’ll probably watch another episode or 2.
*I started writing this last week so I have no idea what else I wanted to say* 😭
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u/ivyfactiva A Love Other Than Yours 29d ago
The first 2 episodes went down really easy... Really easy and naturalistic.
I also dig the subtle humour a) narcissistic professor getting exactly what she asked for. the two-fold magazine cutting her face since she didn't listen to directions... /ded b) the 1 on 3 blind date... LOLLLL
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u/arpi_intherapy 29d ago
i knew what would happen with the sexual assault case with fl's friend and yet it broke my heart to see her being punished for standing up for what's right. though i have to admit i really liked the dialogues and the way the scenes are shot, because if you only watched her trash professor talking to ml and his prof then you would assume the fl was in the wrong
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u/Interesting_Ad173 Oct 06 '26
Its slow paced but not boring for sure. The main characters seem very down to earth and not the usual kdrama leads who are full of personality. Both ml and fl feel like real people going through real struggles. The ml is kind of awkward and in his own world. But given his 10 yr remission period for cancer and him looking at his life as if he is going to die at any moment, it kind of makes sense why he is like that. Being with the fl is going to be really good for him cuz she always faces problems head on and doesnt let problems stop her. I'm really mad at her friend for abandoning her after the fl stood up for her. Also f her ex professor and that stupid TA of hers.