Kong Hyo-jin opened up about the moment she learned Lee Hanee was expecting―right in the middle of filming.
At a press conference for the film "The People Upstairs" held at Megabox COEX in Seoul on the 25th, Kong reflected on reuniting with Lee Hanee for the first time in 15 years since "Pasta" (2010), sharing the deep trust and affection she has for her co-star.
“I was blown away by her work ethic even back on 'Pasta,'” Kong said. “She’s the whole package―heart, beauty, warmth, and a giving spirit. The closer you get, the more you want her as your actual next-door neighbor.”
She also shared an on-set moment that summed up Lee’s dedication. “About three days into filming, Hanee made a big announcement: she was pregnant,” Kong recalled. “She asked us to keep it quiet, and we did. We had multiple scenes with a lavish spread on the table, and she had to act right in front of it. Watching her power through morning sickness without a single grimace was incredible.”
“She always says the first trimester is the toughest, and I kept wondering how she pulled it off,” Kong added. “Her boundless positivity stunned me―again.”
"The People Upstairs" follows an upstairs couple (Ha Jung-woo and Lee Hanee) and the pair downstairs (Kong Hyo-jin and Kim Dong-wook), who wind up sharing an awkward dinner after nights of very personal noise from above. It’s Ha Jung-woo’s fourth film as a director and opens Dec. 3.
(SBS Entertainment News | Kim Ji-hye)