In an ordinary high-rise apartment, fabric sofas and lush green plants create a warm, inviting atmosphere. Expensive-looking dishware completes the picture of domestic bliss. Yet the relationship between the young couple living there has grown as cold as their colorful interior is warm.
Jung-ah, portrayed by Gong Hyo-jin as an art instructor, and Hyun-soo, played by Kim Dong-wook as a struggling film director, initially married because they shared the same sense of humor. Now they constantly tell each other "not funny" and have slept in separate rooms for years, according to Yonhap News.
The Upstairs Neighbors Who Change Everything
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 by retreating to his room, displaying what experts would call 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.
Honest Conversations Break Social Barriers
'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 deep meaning, triggering explosive laughter from audiences. 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 Revelations and Adult Themes
As the couples become increasingly honest about their feelings and unleash thoughts previously buried beneath social propriety, their conversations turn progressively absurd. Daring proposals about sexual preferences and marital arrangements become central to the plot.
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 in modern society.
