‘The Neighbors Upstairs’ turns intimacy into relationship revelations

“Every night, loud sexual noises echo through the building. One evening, the married couple upstairs, played by Ha Jung-woo and Lee Ha-nee, and the married couple downstairs, played by Gong Hyo-jin and Kim Dong-wook, gather for dinner, setting the stage for an unpredictable story."

This provocative line serves as the logline for "The Neighbors Upstairs," directed by actor Ha Jung-woo, 47, who also appears in the promotional photo. As expected, the film is a 19+ adult comedy. Since its release on December 3, audiences have commented that even a 19+ rating “does not go far enough,” as the movie explores unusually bold topics, including the sexual lives of married couples. During an interview at a café in Seoul’s Jongno District on December 2, the day before the premiere, Ha said he approached the project with a determination to push boundaries right to the end.

This marks Ha’s fourth directorial effort. He made his debut with "Fasten Your Seatbelt" in 2013, followed by "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant" in 2015 and "Lobby" in 2025. None of these earlier films, however, achieved notable box office success. Reflecting on his previous work, Ha said he had attempted to tell too many stories at once. With that in mind, he aimed to simplify this project as much as possible, both in terms of cast and setting.

The story unfolds almost entirely through conversations among four characters in a single confined space. As a result, sharp and engaging dialogue was essential. To refine the script, Ha asked comedians Kwak Beom, Lee Chang-ho and Um Ji-yoon to review the lines. He also researched online communities that explore diverse sexual preferences to ensure the themes were treated authentically rather than superficially.

"From beginning to end, I wanted every line of dialogue to feel purposeful," Ha said. "I collected expressions ranging from slang used by today’s teenagers to iconic quotes from classic films such as ‘The Godfather’ and ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’"

Because of the dense dialogue, the actors rarely had moments to laugh on set. The sheer number of lines they had to memorize was overwhelming. Actress Lee Ha-nee reportedly realized the film was a comedy only after seeing the finished version. Reflecting on the production, Ha said, “There were scenes where the actors had to perform almost without breathing or blinking, so they had to focus all their concentration into very short stretches of time.”

Although the film deals with provocative material, its core message focuses on restoring relationships. This is why the emotional journey of Jeong-ah, the downstairs wife played by Gong Hyo-jin, serves as the narrative anchor. Jeong-ah, long burdened by loneliness, begins to reflect on her emotionally distant marriage during the dinner with the couple upstairs. Ha said, “I thought of Gong Hyo-jin for the role of Jeong-ah without hesitation,” adding, “Hyo-jin has a raw, instinctive way of speaking that gives her performance a hyper-realistic quality.”

“It is a drama about a couple that hits rock bottom, nearly falls apart, and then comes back together as they learn to understand and accept each other. I believe that is the hidden takeaway of ‘The Neighbors Upstairs.’ If viewers leave with slightly watery or reddened eyes, I would consider that more than enough.”


김태언 beborn@donga.com