Fabric sofas, lush green plants, and expensive-looking dishware add life to an ordinary high-rise apartment. Yet the relationship between the young couple living there has grown as cold as their colorful interior is warm. Jung-ah, an art instructor played by Gong Hyo-jin, and Hyun-soo, a struggling film director portrayed by Kim Dong-wook, once married for their shared sense of humor. Now they constantly tell each other "not funny" and have slept in separate rooms for years, according to Yonhap News.
When upstairs neighbors shake everything up
The stylish interior actually reflects Jung-ah's desperate attempt to overcome marital boredom through design. Meanwhile, Hyun-soo responds to uncomfortable conversations with jokes or retreats to his room-a classic "avoidance-type" personality. Their stagnant lives face seismic change when they invite their upstairs neighbors for dinner to thank them for tolerating renovation noise. Mr. Kim, played by director Ha Jung-woo himself, and Su-kyung, portrayed by Lee Ha-nee, are the couple whose nightly "lively sounds" through the walls inspire envy in Jung-ah and irritation in Hyun-soo.
Conversations that strip away pretense
'The People Upstairs', Ha Jung-woo's fourth directorial work based on Spanish film 'Sentimental', is a comedy that follows how the upstairs couple's unpredictable freedom and boldness mesmerize the downstairs pair. The film premiered at the 30th Busan International Film Festival and was invited to the 10th London Asian Film Festival. Conversations between the two couples overflow with variety-topics, tones, content, and context all deliver either hilarity or meaning, triggering explosive laughter. When Hyun-soo tells polite white lies, Mr. Kim bluntly points out, "You're embarrassed now, right? You just lied," pushing Hyun-soo past his breaking point.
Bold proposals and honest revelations
As they become increasingly honest about their feelings and unleash thoughts previously buried beneath social propriety, conversations turn progressively absurd. Daring proposals about sexual preferences and marital arrangements become central. This marks the only one of Ha Jung-woo's four directorial works to receive an adults-only rating-his previous films 'Lobby' and 'Rollercoaster' were rated 15+, while 'Chronicle of a Blood Merchant' was 12+. The masterful dialogue chemistry and naturalistic performances from Ha Jung-woo, Gong Hyo-jin, Lee Ha-nee, and Kim Dong-wook make even the most outrageous conversations feel grounded in reality.
The film opens December 3, promising audiences a refreshingly honest examination of marriage, desire, and the masks couples wear.
Korean Desk covers news and stories from South Korea’s entertainm...
Read MoreKorean Desk covers news and stories from South Korea’s entertainment scene. This includes films, web series, music trends, and cultural topics shaping what audiences are watching and listening to- both locally and around the world.
The desk works as part of the Main Desk and focuses on developments that reflect Korea’s creative influence.
Writers and editors on the desk bring regional knowledge and global context. The goal is to follow what’s moving in Korean entertainment.
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