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| ▲ The cast and director of "Wall to Wall" pose for photos at a press conference in Seoul on July 14, 2025, in this photo provided by All Round Company. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 14 (Yonhap) -- In South Korea, where more than half of its 51 million population lives in apartment buildings, interfloor noise is a common and serious source of conflict.
Director Kim Tae-joon of the upcoming home-grown thriller "Wall to Wall," knows this stress firsthand. He recalled having very bad interfloor noise while working on his debut feature film, "Unlocked" (2023).
"I was trying to overcome the stressful situation by trying to look at it positively, like, 'At least I can write something from this experience,'" Kim said during a press conference promoting the upcoming Netflix original thriller in Seoul on Monday.
"While working on the scenario for 'Wall to Wall,' I learned that there were so many other social issues I could also touch upon in relation to this form of living," he said.
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| ▲ A still from "Wall to Wall" is seen in this image provided by Netflix. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
"Wall to Wall" revolves around Woo-sung, played by Kang Ha-neul, who moves into an apartment unit he's bought using all the resources available to him, from a bank loan to the proceeds from selling his mother's garlic farm.
His brief happiness, unfortunately, does not last long, as he soon finds himself suffering from constant noise from other floors, turning his life into misery.
Teaming up with a man living upstairs, Woo-sung sets out to find the origin of the unbearable sounds. In the process, he encounters the apartment complex's resident leader Eun-hwa (Yeom Hye-ran), who outwardly tries to help him but seems to be harboring secrets of her own.
The director described the protagonist as the face of today's young generation, which is facing economic difficulties while at the same time having a strong desire to climb the social ladder.
He specifically wanted to cast actor Kang, who most recently starred in the second and third seasons of "Squid Game," in the role. The director said Kang could portray the otherwise dark and desperate character in a somewhat upbeat manner.
"Kang Ha-neul had to do this job. His innate bright nature was necessary to fill what is missing in Woo-sung," he said.
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| ▲ A poster for "Wall to Wall" is seen in this image provided by Netflix. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
The director also paid extra attention to creating a different atmosphere in each apartment unit by using lighting and other elements to make the space feel like a third character in the film.
"I didn't want a space to feel static but to change according to each tenant's emotions," he said, adding the space shouldn't feel boring. For Woo-sung's unit, for example, lighting was used to create bar-patterned shadows, making his home feel like a prison as the story unfolds.
Actor Kang said he focused on portraying the psychological shift his character goes through as he grapples with the extreme noises and tension.
"Woo-sung becomes extremely sensitive over time," Kang said. "I wanted to show how a person is driven to extremes under an intensely stressful situation.
"Wall to Wall" is set for release this Friday on Netflix.
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