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Netflix drops first look at new psychological thriller — and it just became one of my most anticipated movies of summer 2025
Netflix seems to be steering its thrillers in a more claustrophobic direction lately. I recently wrote about 'Brick,' a German mystery thriller where an entire apartment building is sealed off by an impenetrable brick wall.
Now, the streaming service has dropped a teaser trailer and first-look images for 'Wall to Wall,' another gripping thriller set within an apartment complex.
This time, however, there's no brick barrier driving the tension. Instead, it's the strange neighbors and creeping psychological torment that make this Korean thriller sound just as suffocating.
'Wall to Wall' lands on Netflix on July 18, 2025, and based on the details and teaser we've been given so far, it's already earned a spot on my must-watch list this summer.
The teaser opens with a cheerful voice announcing, 'Congratulations on your new home,' as a bright, upbeat tune about life in Seoul plays in the background.
Woo-sung (played by 'Squid Game' star Kang Ha-neul) has finally secured his own apartment after pulling together severance pay, a small loan, a one-room deposit, and even selling off his mother's garlic farm to make it happen.
At first, he's thrilled. But that joy quickly unravels when unsettling noises from above begin to invade his nights, sending him spiraling into paranoia.
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We also meet some unsettling neighbors, including Eun-hwa (Yeom Hye-ran), the building's sharp-tongued resident rep who hides something behind her smile, and Jin-ho (Seo Hyun-woo), the wary man upstairs who seems just as disturbed by the strange sounds echoing through the walls.
Along with the teaser trailer and first-look images, Netflix revealed the logline: 'A man who finally saves up enough to buy an apartment, only to have it turn into a nightmare with financial ruin and mysterious noises from neighboring floors.'
The streamer also dropped more details about the characters. Woo-sung is a financially burdened homeowner who struggles to find sleep and peace in what should be his dream home. When all his neighbors accuse him of being the source of the noise, he sets out to find the source himself and prove his innocence.
Eun-hwa is the resident representative dedicated to maintaining peace within the apartment complex. And then Jin-ho, the mysterious upstairs neighbor, initially suspects Woo-sung but decides to help him in his search.
The movie's original Korean title actually translates to '84 Square Meters,' a nod to the standard apartment size in South Korea. It's essentially a symbol of the country's brutally competitive housing market, where privacy is scarce, and peace is even scarcer.
In this thriller, Woo-sung is surrounded by neighbors he doesn't know, haunted by strange noises through the walls, and trapped in routines that offer no escape. It's isolation with just enough proximity to make anyone feel watched, which is the perfect setup for paranoia and tension to take root.
After the success of 'Unlocked,' director Kim Tae-joon is back with his second thriller 'Wall to Wall,' and once again, he's tapping into the unsettling side of ordinary life.
Centered around a deeply relatable protagonist and set in a compact, 84-square-meter apartment, the movie aims to explore how the 'mystery of untraceable noises between floors sets the stage for suspense filled with unpredictable twists.'
Kang Ha-neul is shaping up to be one of 2025's standout stars. With memorable performances in 'Squid Game' season 2, the acclaimed drama 'When the Camellia Blooms,' and the recent series 'Tastefully Yours,' he's built a reputation for bringing emotion and charisma to every role. I'm confident he'll deliver something fresh and compelling in this upcoming thriller.
Beyond the horror-thriller elements, the movie seems to offer a sharp and relevant critique of South Korea's cutthroat housing market and the intense emotional strain involved in both obtaining and holding onto a home.
So, yes, this is definitely a claustrophobic thriller. Anyone with a fear of enclosed spaces is in for a head-spinning ride, since single-location stories excel at ratcheting up unbearable tension. I'm confident 'Wall to Wall' will keep most of us guessing right up to the very end.
Thankfully we don't have long to wait, because 'Wall to Wall' starts streaming on Netflix from July 18. In the meantime, see what new movies and shows got added to Netflix in June 2025.
