As director Ha Jung Woo returns with his fourth feature—one filled with his signature humor—Gong Hyo Jin expressed deep admiration for co-star Lee Ha Nee, who was secretly pregnant during the shoot.
A press conference for the film The People Upstairs was held on the 25th at Megabox COEX. Before the event began, the cast and director observed a moment of silence for the late Lee Soon Jae, whose passing had been reported earlier that morning. Ha Jung Woo, Gong Hyo Jin, Kim Dong Wook, and Lee Ha Nee attended to discuss the film.
Speaking about playing a weary married couple opposite Kim Dong Wook, Gong Hyo Jin said, “Both of us are still enjoying newlywed life, so it was hard to fully understand this bored-of-each-other couple. We listened to a lot of stories from friends who’d been married longer or were going through ups and downs.”
Gong Hyo Jin married Korean-American singer Kevin Oh, who is ten years younger, in 2022. The couple is currently enjoying their newlywed life together. Kim Dong Wook, meanwhile, tied the knot with Stella Kim—a former SM Entertainment trainee once set to debut with Girls’ Generation—in December 2023.
Reuniting with Lee Ha Nee for the first time since the 2010 drama Pasta, Gong Hyo Jin recalled being stunned by her commitment. “Around the third day of filming, Lee Ha Nee made a big announcement—she told us she was pregnant. She asked us to keep it secret, so we did,” she said. “Later on set, she was standing in front of a table full of food for the scene, fighting off morning sickness while shooting without once making a face. I was honestly amazed.”
She added, “The early stages of pregnancy are really tough, so I kept thinking, ‘How is she managing this?’ She must have had the hardest time, and her endless positivity really surprised me.” Lee Ha Nee also attended a press event for her film Aema in August while heavily pregnant, drawing admiration for her dedication.
The People Upstairs follows a couple exhausted by the loud, raunchy nighttime noises from the neighbors above—until a dinner with the upstairs couple sparks a series of unpredictable conversations. The film marks Ha Jung Woo’s fourth directorial effort and opens nationwide on December 3rd.
>> Lee Hanee, Gong Hyo Jin, Ha Jung Woo and Kim Dong Wook in Steamy New Comedy ‘The People Upstairs’
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