Lee Ha-nee opens up about her preparation for the adult comedy 'The Neighbors Upstairs'.
Recently, at a café in Seoul's Sogyeok-dong, actress Lee Ha-nee, who stars in the film 'The Neighbors Upstairs', shared insights into her role.
'The Neighbors Upstairs' is a story about a couple living upstairs (played by Ha Jung-woo and Lee Ha-nee) who are known for their loud nocturnal activities, and a couple living downstairs (played by Gong Hyo-jin and Kim Dong-wook) who are stuck in a mundane marriage. The plot unfolds as they share a dinner together. Ha Jung-woo not only stars in the film but also directs it. Lee Ha-nee plays Choi Soo-kyung, a psychiatrist who enjoys a passionate marriage with her husband.
Filled with daring and explicit dialogues, 'The Neighbors Upstairs' is an adult comedy. Lee Ha-nee commented, "I consider myself a conservative 'Confucian girl'. There were words I couldn't understand and some I encountered for the first time. It's beyond adult-rated, it's 39-rated," she laughed. She added, "When I didn't know a word, I would look it up on Google," drawing laughter. She also mentioned, "The assistant director did a lot of research and even met with people who enjoy a liberal sex life to gather insights and shared them with us during preparation."
Why did Lee Ha-nee decide to take on this role? She explained, "I was drawn to the charm of the character Choi Soo-kyung. Some characters I want to play because I can relate to them or feel I can portray them well. But Choi Soo-kyung had a quirky charm that was opposite to her appearance. She is a character who says bizarre things without hesitation. She's someone who speaks nonsense with a straight face," she said. She continued, "I wanted to see how far I could go with a character who says things I've never dared to say. It was a challenge for me."
By Kim Ji-won, TenAsia Reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr