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It's one of the most expected in October : « Between Steps » premieres on October 5 on ENA in Korea and on Disney+. However, Not all subscribers to the platform will be able to discover the new romance by Kim So-hyun and Choo Young-woo. Here's why.
Once again, Disney+ does not appear to have acquired the streaming rights to the K-drama in several European markets, including France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, or Germany. The drama is therefore not available in the catalog in those countries at the time of its release, while subscribers in other regions—such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Japan—can access it as usual.
This difference in treatment is particularly frustrating for European audiences: while the subscription is obviously still a paid service, the available catalog varies considerably by region, and some K-dramas marketed as Disney+ releases are simply unavailable in parts of Europe.
Behind this highly uneven availability, however, lies one of this fall’s major new romances.
Two young adults who must chart a new course after the one they thought they were on
Consisting of 12 episodes, «Between Steps» tells the story of Park Min-jae (Choo Young-woo) and Im Yoo-jin (Kim So-hyun), two young adults whose plans have suddenly gone off the rails.
Min-jae dreamed of a career in swimming before an illness caused him to lose his right leg. Forced to give up competitive sports, he rebuilt his life and is now pursuing a Ph.D. in robotics.
Yoo-jin, too, seemed to have her future all mapped out.
A brilliant student in apparel and textiles, she ranks among the best in her department and is nearing the end of her studies. But an unexpected incident tarnishes her reputation and jeopardizes her academic prospects. As she loses sight of the path she thought she would follow, she, too, ends up turning to robotics.
«Between Steps» shouldn't, therefore, be just about their love story. The series will focus on two people forced to give up the life they had imagined before building a new one, while posing a question at the heart of her romance: Is there really a right answer when it comes to love?
Alongside them, Kim Min-seok plays Im Yoo-sung, Yoo-jin’s older brother, while Park Hyuk-kwon and Seo Jeong-yeon portray their parents, Im Yong-seok and Seo Mi-young, who work at the Jeil Car Center.
The drama also has a special significance, as it is one of the late director’s final projects Ahn Pan-seok, known to fans of Korean romances for «Something in the Rain,» «One Spring Night,» and «The Midnight Romance in Hagwon.».
A first date that ends up at a police station
And «Between Steps» clearly doesn’t plan to wait long before bringing its two heroes together. New stills from the first episode, released today, show Yoo-jin falling in the street as Min-jae watches. Worried, he rushes over to her, kneels down in front of her, and seems to be trying to explain something to her.
An initial exchange that could almost be mistaken for the classic beginning of a romance. Except that the mood changes drastically a few frames later.
This time, Yoo-jin shoots Min-jae an icy glare outside a police station. What happened between those two moments remains intentionally mysterious and is likely to be one of the drama's first surprises.
The production team promises that, starting with the very first episode, the show will feature stories of young adults grappling with aspirations that viewers can relate to, while inviting them to follow «the beginning of Park Min-jae and Im Yoo-jin’s journey as they start to feel drawn to one another.».
«Between Steps» therefore has several selling points to appeal to fans of more down-to-earth romances: Kim So-hyun and Choo Young-woo in the lead roles, two characters in the midst of rebuilding their lives, and direction by Ahn Pan-seok.
The drama premieres on October 5 at 10 p.m. in South Korea on ENA and consists of 12 episodes. It is also distributed by Disney+ in certain territories, but not in France or several other European countries at the time of its launch.
And for the subscribers affected, this situation has unfortunately become all too familiar: Just because a K-drama is announced on Disney+ doesn't necessarily mean it will be available on Disney+. This is a practice we deplore, as it encourages illegal viewing.
This is the second drama this month that isn't available internationally, following « Your Personal Taxi »which had been announced on Netflix but appears to be available on the platform only in Korea.".
