Actor Choo Young Woo has shared his heartfelt thoughts following the conclusion of ENA's romance drama Between Steps, expressing gratitude to viewers and reflecting on the lessons he learned while playing Park Min Jae.
The drama officially ended on November 10, bringing Choo Young Woo's emotional journey as Min Jae to a close.
In the series, he played a robotics doctoral student who lost one of his legs after battling a serious illness. Living with the fear of his illness returning, Min Jae struggles to open his heart until he meets Im Yoo Jin, played by Kim So Hyun.
Following the finale, Choo Young Woo participated in a question-and-answer interview, where he discussed his character, memorable scenes, and personal growth as an actor.
Speaking about how he felt after finishing the drama, Choo Young Woo admitted that saying goodbye to Min Jae was especially emotional.
“Whenever I start a project, I always feel excited and worried. But because I spent so much time thinking about and trying to understand Min Jae, I feel particularly sad and relieved now that it's over,” he shared.
He explained that the experience helped him grow alongside his character and gave him a new perspective on relationships.
“Just as Min Jae grew throughout the drama, it was also a time of learning and growth for me. It made me think about people's feelings and relationships in a new way,” he said.
Choo Young Woo also thanked the director, writer, cast, production staff, and viewers who supported the series until the end.
When asked how he viewed Park Min Jae, the actor described him as someone who appears strong but is actually afraid of many things.
“Min Jae has far more emotions and thoughts inside than what he shows on the outside. He may look strong, but he's actually very fearful and awkward when it comes to love and expressing his feelings,” he explained.
The actor said his main goal was to help viewers understand that even Min Jae's difficult decisions came from genuine feelings.
Rather than simply portraying his character as cold or distant, he tried to show the reasons behind Min Jae's actions and emotional struggles.
Choo Young Woo also revealed which scenes stayed with him the most.
He mentioned the bus scene at the end of the first episode and several moments when Min Jae began facing his feelings and making different choices.
One scene from Episode 9 was particularly memorable to him.
“There's a scene where Min Jae walks alone on a snowy road. I personally felt that it captured director Ahn Pan Seok's unique style very well, so it's one of my favorite scenes,” he shared.
Reflecting on his growth as an actor, Choo Young Woo said the drama taught him to be more patient when expressing emotions.
He explained that he previously focused on how to show a particular feeling, but this project encouraged him to think more deeply about how those emotions develop naturally.
“I learned that a character's emotions can be delivered even without many lines or big actions. I think that helped me expand the range of emotions I can express,” he said.
The actor added that Between Steps will remain a meaningful project because it helped him better understand the small details of love and human relationships.
He hopes that looking back on the series in the future will continue to bring him warm memories.
Finally, Choo Young Woo shared a touching message for viewers who followed Min Jae's story until the end.
“Thank you sincerely to everyone who loved Between Steps and Min Jae and stayed with us until the very end,” he said.
He continued, “I hope this drama remains a warm memory in your hearts, and I hope everyone experiences happy love, even if you're a little awkward at it.”
Choo Young Woo also promised to carry the lessons he learned from the drama into his future projects.
“I'll treasure the experiences and lessons I gained through Between Steps and work hard to show you an even better side of myself. Please stay warm, healthy, and happy this coming winter. Thank you,” he concluded.
With Between Steps now finished, Choo Young Woo leaves behind a character who helped him explore love, vulnerability, and emotional growth, while offering viewers a warm message about finding happiness in their own relationships.
