{
  "id": 17078983,
  "title": "No rich heirs, no fantasy: Ahn Pan-seok keeps romance real in 'Between Steps'",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/no-rich-heirs-no-fantasy-ahn-pan-seok-keeps-romance-real-in-between",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-29T15:27:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/20261030/no-rich-heirs-no-fantasy-ahn-pan-seok-keeps-romance-real-in-between-steps"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Korean drama \"Between Steps\" has been receiving praise for its portrayal of young romance and personal growth. It has topped the charts in South Korea and holds the fifth position globally on Disney+ TV shows, as reported by FlixPatrol. This is the concluding work of director Ahn Pan-seok, who passed away in August this year. His style of depicting romance through subtle everyday interactions, without the use of wealthy characters or fantastical elements, has remained consistent until his final project.\n\nMin-jae, portrayed by Choo Young-woo, is a doctoral student in robotics who is initially reserved and has never experienced a romantic relationship. He lost a leg to bone cancer more than ten years ago and has had to abandon his aspiration to become a swimmer. Despite his guarded nature, Min-jae harbors deep thoughts and is afraid of getting hurt. In contrast, Yu-jin, played by Kim So-hyun, is a junior researcher in Min-jae's lab who takes a bold approach to win him over. Initially, Min-jae rebuffs her advances by stating, \"You're too hot, like the sun,\" but ultimately decides to engage with her. He reflects, \"Once I commit to something, I never back down. I have to experience it.\"",
  "summary": "ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama “Between Steps,” which portrays the awkward romance and growth of young people, is quietly gaining critical acclaim. It has ranked No. 1 in Korea and No. 5 globally in the Disney+ TV show category, according to FlixPatrol. The series is the final work of director Ahn Pan-seok, who died in August this year. His signature approach to romance of moving viewers through…",
  "key_points": [
    "\"Between Steps\" is Ahn Pan-seok's final work, released posthumously in August 2023.",
    "Yu-jin, portrayed by Kim So-hyun, uses bold tactics to win Min-jae's affection in their lab setting."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}