Director Ahn Pan-seok’s Final Work ‘Between Steps’ Ends on High Note, With Kim So-hyun and Choo Young-woo’s Tears; Series Hits Personal Best of 3.5%

A hard-won love story…late director Ahn Pan-seok’s final work leaves a lasting impression

The 12-episode coming-of-age romance ‘Between Steps’, led by Choo Young-woo and Kim So-hyun and driven by its deeply emotional storyline, wrapped up its run on a high note, setting a series-best rating.

According to ratings tracker Nielsen Korea on the 11th, the finale (Episode 12) of ENA’s Monday-Tuesday drama ‘Between Steps’, which aired the previous day, drew a 3.5% rating among households nationwide. The series premiered at 1.8% and remained stuck in the 2% range through the middle of its run, but its story gathered emotional momentum in the latter half, ending on a high with a series-best rating.

In the final episode, Park Min-jae (played by Choo Young-woo) and Im Yu-jin (played by Kim So-hyun), who had been wavering on the brink between love and a cruel reality, promised to spend their lives together, ending the story on a happy note. Park, who had lost one leg after battling osteosarcoma in the past, was hit with the devastating news that his cancer had returned. Overcome with despair, he tearfully broke up with Yu-jin, saying, “I think this is as far as we can go,” for the sake of her future. But Yu-jin helped him get back on his feet with her unwavering devotion, vowing to stay by his side through every hardship.

Even in the face of the formidable challenge of illness, the two refused to let go of each other. They eventually met each other’s families and formally pledged their future together. Yu-jin’s mother (played by Seo Jung-yeon), who had fiercely opposed their relationship, also let go of her resentment and opened her heart to their sincere love as they faced life and death together, adding a moving note to the finale.

The series also drew special attention as the final work of the late director Ahn Pan-seok, a master who left his mark on Korean television with dramas including ‘The White Tower’ (2007), ‘Secret Love Affair’ (2014), ‘Something in the Rain’ (2018) and ‘One Spring Night’ (2019). Ahn died suddenly in August this year while being treated for a brain hemorrhage. His distinctive realist style, which gazed at his characters’ inner lives with persistence and restraint, lingered through the finale, leaving drama fans with much to reflect on.