Netflix Movie 〈84 Square Meters〉, A Realistic Thriller About Inter-floor Noise Starring Kang Ha-neul and Yeom Hye-ran

Actor Kang Ha-neul stated on the 14th at the production report for the Netflix movie 〈84 Square Meters〉 held at the Ambassador Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, that he was deeply impressed by Director Kim Tae-jun's meticulous direction. He mentioned that he closely coordinated with the director on makeup and expression while playing a character who does not leave the house for six days.

〈84 Square Meters〉 deals with the story of a worker, Woo-sung (Kang Ha-neul), who successfully buys his own home by gathering all his assets, only to suffer from mysterious inter-floor noise. Director Kim Tae-jun presents another life-closely related thriller based on realistic horror, following his previous work 〈I Just Dropped My Smartphone〉 (2023).

The film vividly depicts social issues such as the 'young-gul' (those who exhaust all their resources to buy a house) and inter-floor noise, as well as the coin investment craze, through the perspective of an ordinary office worker, Woo-sung. Kang Ha-neul explained, "Woo-sung mobilized everything, including mortgage loans, retirement funds, deposits, and even his mother's land, to secure an apartment, but he suffers extreme stress due to inter-floor noise and gradually weakens."

Director Kim Tae-jun stated, "About 80% of the people in our country live in environments where they can experience inter-floor noise," and added, "I wanted to seriously address the various perspectives and underlying stories surrounding inter-floor noise." In fact, the starting point for this film's production was when Director Kim personally experienced the damage caused by inter-floor noise during the scriptwriting process.

The film stands out for its meticulous attention to detail, from sound effects to every prop, including plates and chairs. The inter-floor noise scenes were implemented as realistically as possible while being adjusted so that they would not be uncomfortable for the audience to hear. Director Kim mentioned, "The sound of inter-floor noise is an unwanted 'noise,' and I considered that excessive expression could disrupt immersion."

Seo Hyun-woo, who plays Woo-sung's neighbor Jin-ho, recalled, "The director requested a body that resembles a practical fighter rather than a fashionable muscular one." Additionally, Yeom Hye-ran's acting transformation, who received praise for her role as Aesoon's mother in the popular Netflix series 〈I Was Totally Deceived〉, also draws attention.

Yeom Hye-ran appears as Eun-hwa, the representative of penthouse residents who possess both money and power. Eun-hwa's home is furnished with high-end brand 'Hermès' plates and furniture worth millions, making the actors cautious during filming. Director Kim explained the casting background, saying, "Yeom Hye-ran is excellent at conveying warm or passionate emotions, but Eun-hwa is a cold and sometimes inhumane character."

Director Kim expressed his anticipation for how Yeom Hye-ran would portray a character completely different from her existing image, and he evaluated the acting skills of the lead actors as "beyond an acting 'magic show' to a 'soaking show.'" He added, "I hope the audience can empathize with and enjoy the film."