Following his previous work, 'Unlocked,' Director Kim Tae-joon is raising expectations with his second thriller, 'Wall to Wall.'
'Wall to Wall' is an unpredictable thriller about Woo-sung (played by Kang Ha-neul), a young man who has just achieved his dream of owning an apartment, only to find himself tormented by mysterious noises from the apartment above.
Director Kim Tae-joon received critical acclaim for his Netflix film 'Unlocked,' which explored the realistic horror and thrill of smartphone hacking. This time, he turns to the universally relatable issue of noise between apartment floors, depicting the sharp conflicts between neighbors in another thrilling narrative.
Director Kim said, "I was struck by the thought that apartments are a gathering place for various desires. I believed that colliding these desires in the vertical space of an apartment would make for an interesting story," revealing the inspiration behind the film.
The film, grounded in the most realistic and familiar setting, presents a story where various characters clash in pursuit of their desires, offering both empathy and high engagement. The mystery of the unidentified noise and the unpredictable developments keep the suspense high, enhancing the thriller's appeal.
The title 'Wall to Wall' (Korean title: 84 Square Meters) refers to the most popular apartment size in South Korea, known as the "national average size." This term not only signifies a standard size but has also become a symbol of the realities of South Korea's real estate market. Director Kim aimed to reflect on how the concept of home has been distorted by societal standards, infusing the film with various intentions.
To ensure realism, the production of 'Wall to Wall' prioritized authenticity. Director Kim mentioned, "We visited various apartments for research, striving to create spaces that viewers could relate to as either resembling their own apartments or ones they have visited." The production team made efforts to differentiate each apartment unit by placing unique props in front of each home, considering the uniform structure of apartment buildings.
Furthermore, each character's home was designed with a specific keyword in mind, allowing the interior to reflect the character's personality. Woo-sung's home, themed as a 'prison,' was designed to cast shadows resembling bars when light shines through the living room curtains, creating a sense of entrapment.
With many scenes shot inside the homes, lighting was adjusted scene by scene to reflect Woo-sung's changing emotions. Eun-hwa's home, not being the standard Wall to Wall, was emphasized as a distinct entity. Its lack of warmth, high ceilings, and twisted corridors were designed to mirror the enigmatic character of Eun-hwa. Lastly, Jin-ho's home used dark and heavy materials to convey his imposing presence.
Set against the backdrop of a typical 32-pyeong (approximately 84 square meters) apartment, the film explores the unpredictable mystery of noise conflicts through the lens of relatable characters like Woo-sung, combined with the intense performances of Kang Ha-neul, Yeom Hye-ran, and Seo Hyun-woo. Director Kim Tae-joon's second thriller, 'Wall to Wall,' is set to captivate audiences when it premieres on Netflix on July 18th (Friday).
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)