On September 19, an open talk event for the film The People Upstairs was held at the Busan Cinema Center outdoor stage during the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF). Director-actor Ha Jung Woo, along with cast members Gong Hyo Jin and Kim Dong Wook, attended the session.
The People Upstairs tells the unpredictable story of two couples—Ha Jung Woo and Honey Lee as the upstairs neighbors, and Gong Hyo Jin and Kim Dong Wook as the downstairs neighbors—who end up having dinner together after repeated nighttime noise complaints.
Speaking about reuniting with Ha Jung Woo, Gong Hyo Jin recalled their time working together on Love Fiction. She noted how one line in The People Upstairs humorously referenced Love Tension, in which the actress was described as acting “too seriously.” Gong interpreted this as Ha Jung Woo’s trademark confidence and wit.
“Ha Jung Woo’s confidence in humor has really grown, and the film is filled with it,” she said. Reflecting on their past, she added, “Love Fiction was 13 years ago—we were both so young back then. At the time, filming that story about men and women in love made me think a lot about the different ways each side approaches relationships. Now, meeting him again as a director after all this time, I wanted to show him how much I’ve grown and deliver a performance he’d truly appreciate.”
Gong revealed that it was her personal goal to impress him as a director with her improved acting skills. She recalled, “Yesterday, Ha Jung Woo honestly opened up and said he was really impressed with my performance. He complimented me so much—though he might have been a little tipsy—and it felt amazing to hear.”
The 30th Busan International Film Festival runs until September 26, featuring 328 films.
Sources: nate
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