Lee Ha-nee Returns to the Big Screen with 'The People Upstairs' Amidst Personal Challenges

"I came wearing a waist belt. Haha."

Just over three months after giving birth to her second daughter, actress Lee Ha-nee is back in action, promoting her latest film, 'The People Upstairs.' Utilizing a line from the movie, Lee humorously remarked, "Every project is a team effort, but this one even more so. We squeezed every bit of essence into it, and I hope many people will watch it."

'The People Upstairs' is a provocative comedy about a couple living upstairs (played by Ha Jung-woo and Lee Ha-nee) who make loud noises every night, and the mundane couple living downstairs (played by Kong Hyo-jin and Kim Dong-wook) who end up dining together, leading to unexpected events. This marks Ha Jung-woo's fourth directorial venture. Lee Ha-nee plays Choi Soo-kyung, a psychiatrist enjoying a passionate marriage. Describing the film as a daring 19+ sex comedy, Lee joked, "I'm a conservative 'Confucian girl.' There were words I couldn't understand and some I'd never heard before. It's beyond 19+, more like 39+."

"When I didn't know a word, I would Google it myself. Haha. Our assistant director did a lot of research and even met people who enjoy a liberated sex life to gather insights and share them with us."

How did the 'Confucian girl' Lee Ha-nee get involved in this project? Lee revealed, "Kong Hyo-jin sent me the script and suggested it." However, with a packed schedule and a yearning for family time, Lee initially hesitated, saying, "I felt sorry to my sister, but I asked for two weeks to spend with my family." Despite this, director Ha Jung-woo was persistent, leading to her eventual participation.

"The script was intriguing, and I thought it could be a groundbreaking film in Korean cinema. I kept asking Hyo-jin about the film's progress because I was curious. The more we talked, the more I wanted to do it. I felt I could do well. I asked for another chance and sought my husband's understanding. Being an actor requires a lot of family support, especially after becoming a mother. I always feel sorry for my absence."

Just a week before filming began, Lee faced an unexpected situation—she discovered she was pregnant with her second child. "It was early, around six weeks," she said. "I was training for acro yoga for a scene, and my body felt heavy. I took a pregnancy test just in case and couldn't believe the two lines I saw." She continued, "I had commitments, so it was hard to just be happy." Yet, she remained optimistic, saying, "As an experienced mom, I knew I could handle it. I thought, 'A healthier baby can come out,' and I cheered myself on."

"With the filming food in front of me, my morning sickness worsened, and I was extremely tired. I could feel all my energy going to the tiny blueberry-sized baby inside me. Haha. I left my house in Incheon at 5:30 AM for filming and returned around 9 PM, then cleaned up and went to bed by 10 or 11:30 PM. Doing this daily made me even more exhausted. To stay alert, I did everything from massages to singing and dancing on set. Haha."

Initially, Lee kept her pregnancy a secret to avoid disrupting the filming schedule. What prompted her to finally share the news?

"Midway through, I quietly told Hyo-jin. She was surprised, saying, 'What?!' Our perceptive assistant director noticed my discomfort during filming and brought me lemon candies to help. Eventually, everyone found out. Filming was tough due to the pregnancy, but I was able to do it joyfully thanks to Hyo-jin, who supported me completely."

Despite the challenges of filming while pregnant, Lee was drawn to the project and her character. "For me, taking on this role was a challenge," she said.

"I was attracted to the character Choi Soo-kyung because of her unique charm. 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, with a contrasting exterior and interior. She says bizarre things without hesitation. I wanted to see how far I could go with a character who says things I've never dared to say."

While 'The People Upstairs' is filled with explicit 39+ dialogues, Lee emphasized, "On the surface, it seems risqué, but it carries a universally valid and warm message. Viewers might wonder why it's rated 19+." She highlighted the film's themes of marital and human relationship restoration.

"I don't want to say I cried watching the 19+ 'The People Upstairs.' It's a bit embarrassing. Haha. But it's touching. The line 'Hug me' melts hearts like snow, capturing the essence of human stories in 'The People Upstairs.'"

After wrapping up her current commitments, Lee plans to spend quality time with her family. "I want to see my kids more. I need to recover my body. Like unplugging and replugging a device to reboot, I want to take a month or two off. I feel I need that time now."

Reporter Kim Ji-won, TENASIA bella@tenasia.co.kr