Ha Jung-woo goes 'all the way' with steamy R-rated film 'The People Upstairs'

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Ha Jung-woo goes 'all the way' with steamy R-rated film 'The People Upstairs'

Published: 03 Dec. 2025, 13:44 Updated: 03 Dec. 2025, 16:59

JIN EUN-SOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Ha Jung-woo [BY4M]

Actor and director Ha Jung-woo says he was prepared to "go all the way" for his first R-rated film, "The People Upstairs," in which the subject of sex is tackled in a witty and provocative manner.

"The thing I heard the most about my previous works was that some of the lines were inaudible and also that I should've gone further in terms of the storyline — and those two things stressed me out a lot," said Ha in an interview with local media. Ha starred in and directed "The People Upstairs," a remake of the 2020 Spanish flick "Sentimental."

Still from "The People Upstairs" [BY4M]

"So this time, I decided to go all the way in the level of expression, not caring if it would receive an R rating or not."

In regard to the "inaudible lines," he said he has added Korean captions to all the scenes.

The film centers on two couples living in the same apartment building but whose level of romance stands in stark contrast from one another. The downstairs couple, played by Gong Hyo-jin and Kim Dong-wook, has long lost their spark, sleeping in separate rooms and talking through mobile messages out of necessasity. The upstairs couple, on the other hand, played by Ha himself and Lee Ha-nee, takes part in extremely steamy activity every single night, causing serious noise issues. The downstairs couple, one day, invites the upstairs couple to their apartment where some of the most candid, provocative dialogue ensues.

It is Ha's fourth work as a director after "Rollercoaster" (2013), "Chronicle of a Blood Merchant" (2015) and "Lobby."

Ha is widely known for his sense of humor, as shown on multiple talk shows, and he has consistently tried to reflect that side of himself in his films. Sometimes, it has been well-received, and at other times, less so.

This time, he decided to take a humbler approach, acknowledging that his brand of humor may not be universally funny. To create comedy that resonates with a broader audience, he got help from some of Korea’s mainstream comedians.

"I always check and monitor my sense of humor," he said. "Sometimes, it doesn’t land with everyone, so this time, I held many script reading sessions with professional reading actors and comedians like Eom Ji-yoon, Kwak Beom and Lee Chang-ho. I used to think my comedy was the funniest, but this time, I wanted to communicate more with the audience. I decided to open my mind a bit more and focused on telling fewer stories."

Research also played a key role.

"There are lines that go 'skrr' or 'holy moly guacamole,' which are teen slang," he said. "It came from extensive — and expensive — research our team conducted into language commonly used by teenagers. There are also references to lines from Woody Allen's works and others. I wanted the dialogue to be crafted with enough care that it might even appear in literary works."

Still from "The People Upstairs" [BY4M]

And Ha's efforts appear to have paid off.

Though the film takes place entirely within the confines of an apartment and unfolds solely through dinnertime conversation, its 107-minute running time is said to be as dynamic as any action blockbuster or fantasy epic.

While largely lighthearted and filled with laughs, the film also delves into the complexities and emotional struggles of modern-day relationships.

"The latter part of the film is like our hidden weapon, whereas the front part is mostly comedy," the director said.

"I'm fascinated by those unexpected moments when happiness, enlightenment or love are resolved and reconciled by some of the most unexpected moments. In the film, that moment comes at the end, when the upstairs couple visits and, in their own way, help revitalize the couple downstairs."

Ha's next directorial project remains undecided. Jokingly, he said he's looking for European hidden gems to potentially remake.

In the meantime, he is filming a tvN black comedy series set to air next March.

"The People Upstairs" opened in theaters nationwide on Wednesday.

BY JIN EUN-SOO [[email protected]]