Seoul: In South Korea: where more than half of its 51 million population lives in apartment buildings, interfloor noise is a common and serious source of conflict. Director Kim Tae-joon of the upcoming home-grown thriller "Wall to Wall," knows this stress firsthand. He recalled having very bad interfloor noise while working on his debut feature film, "Unlocked" (2023).

According to Yonhap News Agency, Kim shared during a press conference in Seoul that he tried to view the stressful noise situation positively, using it as creative fuel for his writing. While developing the scenario for "Wall to Wall," he discovered numerous social issues related to apartment living that he could explore in the film.

"Wall to Wall" follows the story of Woo-sung, portrayed by Kang Ha-neul, who invests everything he has, from a bank loan to his mother's garlic farm proceeds, to buy an apartment. However, his joy is short-lived as he is plagued by constant noise from other floors, leading to a miserable existence. Woo-sung teams up with an upstairs neighbor to uncover the source of the disturbing sounds, encountering the apartment complex's resident leader Eun-hwa, played by Yeom Hye-ran, who appears helpful but hides her own secrets.

The director sees Woo-sung as a representation of the young generation today, facing economic challenges while striving to rise socially. Kim specifically cast Kang Ha-neul, known for his roles in "Squid Game" seasons two and three, for his ability to bring a bright, optimistic quality to the otherwise dark and desperate character of Woo-sung.

Kim also emphasized the use of lighting and other elements to give each apartment unit a unique atmosphere, aiming to make the space feel like a third character in the film. For Woo-sung's apartment, bar-patterned shadows were used to evoke a prison-like feeling as the narrative progresses.

Actor Kang concentrated on capturing the psychological transformation of his character as he endures the relentless noise and stress. He aimed to portray how an individual might be pushed to their limits under such circumstances.

"Wall to Wall" is scheduled for release this Friday on Netflix.