Wall to Wall Movie Review: This gripping Korean Netflix thriller finds terror in thin walls and thick tension

The story follows Woo-sung (Kang Ha-neul), a soft-spoken man who has just bought an apartment in Seoul. He’s poured all his savings into it—sold his mother’s farm, downsized his life, and finally secured a piece of the city. But soon after moving in, the peace he expected begins to crumble. Mysterious thuds, dragging noises, and shouting from the apartment above keep him up at night. At first, it's just annoying. Then it becomes obsessive. The building management is unhelpful. Neighbours are indifferent. As the noise continues, Woo-sung begins to unravel. His grip on reality loosens, and the film plunges into a tense exploration of paranoia, isolation, and the high emotional cost of homeownership.

Tension built on real-life anxieties

There’s a lot the film does right. The first hour is a masterclass in building tension. The way it uses silence—and just enough sound—keeps you constantly uneasy. The apartment doesn’t feel like a home. It feels like a trap. The lighting is dim, the shots are tight, and everything feels just a little too close. You get the sense that Woo-sung isn’t alone, even when no one else is on screen. Thematically, the film hits hard. It’s not just about noise—it's also about the impossible pressure to succeed, to own property, to hold your life together even when the foundation is shaking. That said, the second half doesn't quite match the slow-burn brilliance of the first. It shifts gears abruptly, introducing violence and over-the-top twists that, while not bad, feel like they belong to a different film. The subtle dread gives way to spectacle. It’s a jarring move that compromises some of the psychological depth the film had been building.

Fantastic performances hit the right notes

Kang Ha-neul carries this film with quiet intensity. His performance as Woo-sung is understated and deeply affecting. He never overacts, even as his character spirals. You can see the exhaustion in his body, hear the tension in his voice. It’s a difficult role—so much of it happens internally—but he nails it. Yeom Hye-ran, playing the building's representative, Eun-hwa, brings a kind of cold competence to her role. Seo Hyun-woo as Jin-ho is memorable too, as the neighbour upstairs who may—or may not—be the source of the torment. There’s an eerie calm to his performance that adds to the tension. The supporting cast doesn’t have much to do, but they all fit seamlessly into the film’s muted, anxious world.

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Strikingly original

Despite its uneven second half, ‘Wall to Wall’ is one of Netflix’s more interesting offerings this year. It’s not perfect, but it’s bold and strikingly original in its own way. It takes something ordinary—inter-floor noise—and turns it into a full-blown mental crisis. And it does so without ever feeling too far-fetched, at least for most of its run. If you’ve ever stayed awake at night listening to footsteps above you, this film will hit close to home. It’s about noise, yes—but also about being unheard. About the silence of others when you're falling apart. And for that, it deserves to be seen.

Rating: 3.5/5