Late Director Ahn Pan-seoks Final Series Between Steps Debuts on Disney

The late director Ahn Pan-seok's final series, Between Steps, is set to premiere on Disney+ as a slow-burn Korean melodrama. The show, which Ahn both shot and edited before his passing, stars Kim So-hyun and Choo Young-woo as graduate students navigating love and loss in a university robotics lab. Ahn, known for his adult romances, died at 65, just weeks before the series' launch. The production team honored him with a memorial video at the press conference, highlighting his unique approach to capturing the emotions of his characters.

The series follows Park Min-jae, a former swimmer who lost a leg to illness, and Lim Yu-jin, a fashion student transitioning to engineering. Their romance unfolds in the lab, where the dynamics of graduate school serve as the backdrop. Ahn's filmography often featured workplace settings, and Between Steps continues this theme with a younger cast. The show's writer, Min Hyo-jung, collaborated with Ahn for the first time in 25 years, bringing a fresh perspective to his signature slow-paced storytelling.

Kim So-hyun, known for her roles in Love Alarm and Good Boy, mentioned that working with Ahn felt like rebuilding her acting skills from the ground up. Choo Young-woo, who gained prominence in The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call and Head over Heels, praised Kim's mentorship on and off camera. The series explores themes of disability and reinvention, with Choo's character wearing a prosthetic leg.

Between Steps premieres on October 5, 2026, on ENA in South Korea and Disney+ internationally, with new episodes every Monday and Tuesday through November 10. The 12-episode series is a poignant farewell to Ahn's directorial work, offering viewers a final glimpse into his distinctive style.