SaraswathiK

While Between Steps attempts to present a grounded, realistic look at healing, the central relationship quickly becomes exhausting due to a massive imbalance in emotional maturity.
Park Min-jae (Choo Young-woo) is a character who has stared death in the face and spent a long time battling severe illness. A person carrying that kind of profound trauma needs a partner who offers a safe harbor, genuine support, and deep empathy. Instead, he is paired with Im Yu-jin (Kim So-hyun)—a sheltered, incredibly spoiled, and self-centered individual who demands that he constantly put her first.
Yu-jin consistently centers herself in every situation, making every single event and conflict about her own feelings rather than showing sensitivity to what Min-jae has endured. Watching her add to his emotional exhaustion and sadness is genuinely painful. A slow-burn romance is only rewarding if the partnership is worth rooting for, but here, the dynamic feels entirely toxic for Min-jae.
I sincerely hope the writers choose realism over traditional K-drama tropes and separate them by the final episode. Min-jae deserves peace, care, and someone who actually knows how to look past themselves to support a partner who has suffered.