[Movie 2013] Cold Eyes/ Stakeout/ The Watchers 감시자들

[Wendy]

Hi, my 2 fancams at MBS gala premiere red carpet

http://youtu.be/9Q46jmL3xTo

http://youtu.be/lMCwWDBJQwA

 

 

 

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“I’d rather exercise than get plastic surgery”'Cold Eyes' actress and Acuvue DEFINE ambassador Han Hyo-Joo’s secret to natural beauty is simpler than you think.

By Denise Ngo | Xinmsn

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

Korean actress Han Hyo-Joo, who visited Singapore last week to promote the film “Cold Eyes,” looks nothing like her photo on Google Images. For one thing, her hair’s a lot shorter now, just barely skimming her perfect jawline. For another, she’s got a perfectly dewy complexion – the type that no camera can capture judiciously. But more striking, perhaps, were Hyo-Joo’s eyes, which sparkled with laughter when we asked whether she could confirm reports that she can dilate her pupils on command (alas, it appears those claims were exaggerated).

As if being the female lead in a Korean blockbuster weren’t enough responsibility, Hyo-Joo has also been appointed as the newest brand ambassador for 1 • DAY ACUVUE® DEFINE™, a line of contact lenses designed to make Asian eyes look  more vibrant and expressive.

Granted, Hyo-Joo‘s the last person who needs enhancers of any kind. The lights in the Marina Bay Sands hotel room where XINMSN met Han Hyo-Joo last week might have been dim, but cliché as it sounds, Hyo-Joo lit up the room with her unusual beauty.

Unusual, albeit unnatural? Korean stars are notoriously associated with cosmetic surgery, but Hyo-Joo quickly dismissed the subject.  

“I always feel that natural beauty is most important,” she said. “You have to convince yourself that being more natural is the most beautiful. I don’t want people to keep changing for their appearance.”

And when it comes to going plastic….

“Hmmm, I’d rather just exercise,” she said. 

No plastic surgery, then. Glad we got that awkwardness out of the way. So if not the knife, then what’s her secret to being pretty? Despite her good looks, Hyo-Joo seemed hesitant to talk about what it takes to maintain them.

“I try to be very free, easy-going, and natural. Actually, I am that type of person,” she said. “But people’s opinions can create pressure. Being how I am might not align with the type of actress they are expecting.”

We took that to mean the reputation actresses have for being high-maintenance. If you were born with good looks, you have the responsibility to maintain them. Apply sheet masks several times a week, massage your face before sleeping, get expensive facials, and so forth. But not Hyo-Joo.

 “I don’t use many products,” she said, when asked if she partakes in the infamously long Korean skincare routine. “I don’t think it even matters. You need to find the right regimen for yourself.”

Hers is pretty simple: as an actress, she prioritises her skin as she’s subjected to a lot of close-ups. But she’s content to stop at BB Cream, which she called her “must-have” beauty item.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

She went on to relay that the most important beauty tip she’d picked up since becoming an actress came from a makeup stylist, who told her to not go overboard.

“I’m a firm believer for being very natural,” she said again. “It’s the best type of beauty. Don’t let makeup overpower you.”

Okay, so clearly she’s not a fan of endless skincare routines. We’d covered plastic surgery, exercise, and makeup. There was only one thing left to inquire about: her usage of circle lenses, popular among youths craving an anime-inspired look.

Wrong.

“Actually, I never really wore contact lenses before becoming a brand ambassador for Acuvue,” Hyo-Joo admitted. “I’ve been blessed with pretty good eyesight. But I was surprised to find that the contacts I wear now are comfortable and provide UV protection, which is useful.”

Nor does she think her eyes are her best feature (“I don’t’ think any of my features are beautiful in particular”), although she did admit later that eyes and attitude are the most important components of one’s physical appearance.  

“As an actress, having large, attractive and expressive eyes is critical. My eyes constantly need to express what my characters feel,” she said.

We’re not sure what expression Hyo-Joo could read in our eyes as the interview concluded, but we can assure you that it was one of incredulous envy. Like some natural landscapes, Han Hyo-Joo possesses the type of face best left untouched. Foundation would dull her complexion, while anything more dramatic than a “Define” lens would dim her iris’ natural sparkle. We’d walked into the room hoping she could reveal some kind of secret to being beautiful, when the truth is – there is no secret. She’s au naturel.

[adeleyam]

Jung Woo Sung wants to spy on girlfriend

Find out why Korean hunk Jung Woo Sung want to put a survelliance camera outside his girlfriend's house.

http://www.razor.tv/video/520220/jung-woo-sung-wants-to-spy-on-girlfriend

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Han Hyo Joo's bad habit on set

What bad habit did Korean actress Han Hyo Joo pick up when she filmed crime action thriller Cold Eyes? Find out in this exclusive interview conducted with The Straits Life! And RazorTV.

http://www.razor.tv/video/520249/han-hyo-joos-bad-habit-on-set

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class="entry-title" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 2.4em; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.375; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"[PHOTO] Jung Woo-sung, Han Hyo-joo Pair Up in SingaporeBy Lee Hye Ji | TENASIA

From left, actress Han Hyo-joo and actor Jung Woo-sung pose during the fan greeting event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Jurong Point, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

Korean actor Jung Woo-sung signs his autograph for a fan during the red carpet event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Jurong Point, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

Korean actress Han Hyo-joo signs her autograph for a fan during the red carpet event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

Courtesy of 1st Look

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class="entry-title" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 2.4em; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.375; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"[PHOTO] 2PM Junho Joins “Cold Eyes” Actors in SingaporeBy Lee Hye Ji | TENASIA

From left, director Cho Ui-seok, Junho of boy band 2PM, actress Han Hyo-joo and actor Jung Woo-sung pose during the fan greeting event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Jurong Point, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

From left, director Cho Ui-seok, Junho of boy band 2PM, actress Han Hyo-joo and actor Jung Woo-sung pose during the red carpet event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

Courtesy of 1st Look

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class="entry-title" style="margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 2.4em; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: 'Lucida Grande', 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Helvetica, Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); line-height: 1.375; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"[PHOTO] 2PM Junho Suits Up for “Cold Eyes” Promotion in SingaporeBy Lee Hye Ji | TENASIA

From left, actor Jung Woo-sung, actress Han Hyo-joo, Junho of boy band 2PM and director Cho Ui-seok pose during the red carpet event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

Junho of boy band 2PM (center) takes a picture together with fans during the red carpet event of Singapore promotion of Korean film “Cold Eyes,” held at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore on August 30, 2013. [1st Look]

Courtesy of 1st Look

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[EVENT COVERAGE] JUNG WOO-SUNG, HAN HYO-JOO AND 2PM’S LEE JUN-HO AT THE INTERNATIONAL GALA PREMIERE OF “COLD EYES”

Kourier

Cold Eyes, a remake of the 2007 Hong Kong film, Eyes in the Sky, starring Korean acting heavyweights,Seol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung and Han Hyo-joo, as well as Idol sensation, 2PM‘s Lee Jun-ho, saw the summer blockbuster dominate the local box office, selling 2.17 million on its opening weekend. Since the movie’s success in Korea, the cast (Jung, Han and Lee), together with Director Choi Ui-seok, made their way down to Singapore last Friday for the International Gala Premiere of Cold Eyes, much to the delight of the fans who have been patiently waiting for their visit to Singapore the past week.

The director, together with the cast of the movie, drew cheers and screams as they made their way to the stage in the completely filled 1600-seater theatre at the Marina Bay Sands. Choi started off the meet and greet by stating that Singapore would be the first country out of Korea to have the movie “Cold Eyes” released in, and hopes that the audiences would have fun watching the movie. After which, the cast, Jung, Han and Lee took turns to introduce themselves and their characters, and whilst Han was speaking, fans of the beautiful actress began shouting “아름답다!” – a phrase popularized by Han when she made her appearance on the hit variety series Running Man – which got acknowledged by the actress herself as she thanked the fans in English for shouting the phrase to her.

This movie marks a first in different ways for most of the lead cast; Jung, for playing a villain in the movie for the very first time; Han, for playing a cop for the very first time; and Lee, for clinching his first ever major movie role, which had him talking about his experience working with veterans, Jung and Han. He described it as fun and interesting, but most importantly, being on the set with them allowed him to learn a lot and he was grateful to have been able to be part of this film.

Han, known for her sweet and lovable image in her past dramas, takes up a totally different character in Cold Eyes. She states that this movie presented her the opportunity to show a completely different side of her, and hopes that as fans and audiences watch the movie, they would like this side and image of her that’s portrayed in the movie.

On what was the most challenging part for him in his role as a villain, Jung never had a particular challenge, but felt that it was interesting as his character, James, creates a lot of tension without meeting the other characters in the movie. Hence, the distance that is kept between James and the other characters in the movie, along with the setting that is filmed in Seoul, is what makes the movie interesting. He added on that he hopes the fans and audiences would enjoy Seoul, and the movie.

With the short meet and greet coming to an end, the director and cast left the stage, and the movie premiere began. Be sure to look out for our review on the movie, which will be coming up really soon!

We would like to thank Purple Plan for making this coverage possible.

Cold Eyes premieres in Singapore on 5th September island-wide.

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class="news_title" style="font-size: 3.6em; direction: ltr; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.1; margin: -3px 0px 0px; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif;"Jung Woo-sung pumped to play villain in “Cold Eyes”Channel News Asia
class="news_brief" style="font-size: 1.8em; direction: ltr; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif;"Korean actor Jung Woo-sung talks about playing a villain for the first time in "Cold Eyes", while his co-stars Han Hyo-joo and Lee Jun-ho share their thoughts on the fresh experiences they had while working on the crime thriller. class="news_brief" style="font-size: 1.8em; direction: ltr; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 25px; line-height: 1.25; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, Tahoma, sans-serif;""Cold Eyes" stars (from left) Lee Jun-ho, Han Hyo-joo and Jung Woo-sung during a promotional visit to Singapore. - photo courtesy of Golden Village Cinemas.

SINGAPORE: Korean actor Jung Woo-sung has played dashing romantic leads in countless Korean films over the course of his career, but plays a villain for the first time in the crime thriller “Cold Eyes”.

Speaking to reporters during a recent visit to Singapore, Jung gushed about his role as James, a classy criminal mastermind that heads a seemingly unstoppable criminal syndicate in the film.

“I really loved the tension that this character James created in the movie.

"I wanted to experience how this character develops over the movie. I really wanted this particular role,” said Jung with smile.

He added that “Cold Eyes” isn’t only a breakthrough for himself as an actor, but also “a huge breakthrough" for the Korean film industry, as the logistics involved in shooting a big film like “Cold Eyes” in busy Seoul had been a major challenge.

Before “Cold Eyes”, films set in Seoul tend to be filmed in other cities instead, due to the massive amount of red tape involved in getting permits to shoot in the bustling city.

“It is not easy to film a huge movie like this in Seoul. I am very proud to have been involved in this movie,” said Jung.

Film of many firsts

Helmed by Korean directors Cho Ui-seok and Kim Byung-seo, “Cold Eyes”, which revolves around the struggle between James and a group of dedicated detectives hunting for him, is a film that contains many firsts.

Besides being Jung’s first film appearance as a villain, it is sees Korean actress Han Hyo-joo get involved in action sequences for the first time as Ha Yoon-ju, an observant detective with a photographic memory – a far cry from the innocent, cutesy roles she had previously played.

“When I first read the script, I thought that the plot was very interesting.

“This character was something that I never tried before as well, so I thought I could present more of my acting skills and approach my audience with a new perspective,” said Han.

“Cold Eyes”, a remake of the 2007 Hong Kong film “Eye in the Sky”, also marks the film debut of K-pop boyband 2PM’s Lee Jun-ho.

“I learned a lot working on this movie. Everyone would tell me how I could improve without me having to ask.

“The atmosphere is different, being alone, away from the group (2PM) with just my name Lee Jun-ho on the poster,” said Lee.

“Cold Eyes” which opened in Singapore on Thursday, received a warm reception at home before travelling overseas – over 5.5 million tickets to the film have been sold in Korea since it opened there in July this year.

- CNA/ha

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class="title" id="page-title" style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 40px; line-height: 1em; margin: 0px; font-family: 'Benton Mod Disp', serif; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"5 questions with actress Han Hyo-JooBy Zhang Weifang | TODAYonline

Han Hyo-Joo, brand ambassador of 1 Day Acuvue Define and leading actress in Korea. Photo: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care

SINGAPORE — Don’t be surprised if you start seeing Korean actress Han Hyo-Joo appearing on the big screen more often. Han’s career took off following her breakthrough role in Korean television drama, Brilliant Legacy. Since then, the leading luminary has bagged numerous awards at various television award festivals, starring in films like Ad-lib Night, Masquerade, Always and the latest action thriller, Cold Eyes.

She was in town last Friday, not just to attend the international premiere of Cold Eyes alongside co-stars Jung Woo-Sung and Lee Junho (of popular Korean boy band 2PM), but also as the latest brand ambassador of 1 Day Acuvue Define.

Q: You use your eyes a lot in the blockbuster, Cold Eyes. Are eyes the first stop in your make-up routine that you will accentuate?

A: It depends on the mood. For special occasions, I do apply red lipstick to make it more accentuated. But usually, I just want to stay as natural-looking as possible. If I want to make my eyes appear bigger, I’ll wear my Acuvue contact lens.

Q: Yes, we heard you like wearing the 1 Day Acuvue Define Accent Style variant. But does wearing it really make your eyes look larger?

A: It beautifies my eyes. My pupils are very small and wearing them make my eyes appear beautiful and natural. There are even different colours to choose from. These lenses contain UV protection too and I think that that’s very important.

Q: Do you think that having UV protection for your skin is important as well?

A: Of course. It’s getting hotter so wearing sunscreen is not an option — it is an absolute necessity to use in my daily life.

Q: With your heavy filming schedule and having make-up on daily, how do you keep your skin looking so flawless?

A: Thank you. (giggles) It is not dependent on the make-up artist’s skills. I think it also comes from within. I find that inner beauty is very important. It is like a habit you develop. Drinking lots of water, exercising regularly, having a positive mind and attitude do aid in keeping my skin looking flawless and beautiful.

Q: Lastly, is there a beauty tip you can share with us?

A: My skincare routine is quite simple: My skin tends to warm up easily so I like using products that contain aloe vera extract as that makes my skin cooler and calmer. I use a lot of hydration creams and gels for moisturisation too.

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Opus spies Cold Eyes sales

By Jean Noh | ScreenDaily

EXCLUSIVE: South Korean sales agent Opus Pictures has locked a raft of deals on surveillance thriller Cold Eyes.

The film sold to Japan (Klockworx), Hong Kong and Macau (Sundream), Indonesia (RAM Entertainment), Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei (Purple Plan), Vietnam (Lotte Cinema) and in-flight rights (Emphasis).

Co-directed by Cho Ui-seok and Kim Byung-seo, Cold Eyes is the Korean remake of the Johnnie To-produced Hong Kong thriller Eye In The Sky. Directed by Yau Nai-hoi, the original premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2007.

Cho, who previously directed films such as The World Of Silence, wrote the remake screenplay and Kim, whose credits as a cameraman and cinematographer include Kim Jee-woon’s I Saw The Devil and Hur Jin-ho’s Dangerous Liaisons, shot the film.

The Korean version features starlet Han Hyo-joo (Love 911) as a gifted rookie surveillance detective who joins a team headed by a veteran detective played by Seol Kyung-gu (The Tower). Jung Woo-sung (Reign Of Assassins) plays the elusive criminal they are tracking throughout the Seoul metropolis.

Released locally on July 3, the film quickly scored an impressive 5.5 million admissions and $35.1m at the box office, according to the Korean Film Council. Distributed locally by Next Entertainment World (N.E.W.), the film was produced by Eugene Lee’s Zip Cinema.

Cold Eyes is set for a Gala Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept 13 with press and industry screenings scheduled for Sept 7 and 12.

[Guest kaz11]

More Reviews~
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Cold Eyes (2013)

Plot summary (story synopsis): An elite Korean police surveillance unit, led by Hwang Sang-jun/Falcon (Seol Kyung-gu), is after an ace gang of robbers led by James (Jung Woo-sung). At the same time, rookie Ha Yoon-ju/Piglet (Han Hyo-joo) joins the surveillance unit and needs to learn how to fit in.  

*** 

Cold Eyes is a slick, fast-paced police procedural, easily matching Hollywood in production values. Writer/director Ui-seok Jo and writer Byung-seo Kim have obviously been influenced by the Jason Bourne movies. Much of the movie is about the details of searching for and trailing criminals. It's brainy action, action, action all the way.

Use is made of traffic cameras, GPS and radios, but there is no unbelievable gee-whiz Mission Impossible technology. Much of the police work is about human skill, John le Carre style tradecraft - persistence (the extended search for a truck driver that is their entry point to the gang, is especially impressive), observation, tailing without being seen.

The few fight scenes are short and realistic, mainly using knives, which adds to the realism and shock factor (horror movies prefer knives over guns - knives are scarier).

Thankfully lacking is the melodrama that spoils too many Korean movies. There's no attempt to "develop" Piglet's character aside from a few brief, and believable, scenes of her disobeying orders to do the right thing. The best way to develop a character is to show how they react to the main plot, not create standalone character development scenes or some obligatory backstory. The writer and director understand this.   

Acting is good, with the super-cute Piglet being more than enough reason to watch the movie.  

I watched this with a friend who told me that it's a remake of the 2007 Hong Kong movie Eye in the Sky. He said that Cold Eyes is better. He also pointed out that Simon Yam from Eye in the Sky, has a cameo in the epilogue as the bad guy wanted by Interpol.   

One false note is the use of coincidence to track down the bad guy at the end. Another is that Falcon shoots at James, with other policeman behind James (and with Falcon jumping out of an ambulance to chase James, after being stabbed by James). This is very dangerous. Aside from these miss-steps, Cold Eyes doesn't strain your credulity much.   

I haven't been impressed by Korean movies in the past (yes, I have watched Old Dog - unbelievable premise, melodramatic). This is by far the best I've seen. 
Pisang [Kit Mun]
class="date-header" style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 22px; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.4em; color: rgb(63, 63, 64);"
class="date-header" style="margin: 10px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-weight: 400; font-size: 22px; font-family: 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1.4em; color: rgb(63, 63, 64);"Wednesday, September 04, 2013Cold Eyes
Cho Ui Seok and Kim Byung Seo

The story: Ha Yoon Ju (Han Hyo Joo) has a phenomenal memory and that comes in useful in her job. The rookie member of a police surveillance unit works under the gruff but brilliant chief detective Hwang (Seol Kyung Gu) and alongside fellow cop Squirrel (Lee Jun Ho). Their target is the elusive and ruthlessly efficient ringleader James (Jung Woo Sung). A remake of the thriller Eye In The Sky (2007), which won Best New Director and Best New Artist at the Hong Kong Film Awards.

Cold Eyes is a remake and not just a warm-over of Eye In The Sky.
Writer-director Cho Ui Seok and co-director Kim Byung Seo leave their stamp on the award- winning Hong Kong film’s basic premise of a surveillance team on the trail of a master criminal.

The shift in location from Hong Kong to the bustling metropolis of Seoul already gives the film a different tone and character.

The directors here have a good grip on pacing and the opening sequence has Ha apparently tailing Hwang while James crosses paths with them. Except at this point, the audience is not quite sure who is whom and the ambiguity adds to the tension. Credit where credit is due and it should be noted that this hews quite closely to the original directed by Yau Nai Hoi.
As if tipping the hat to Eye In The Sky, Simon Yam, one of the Hong Kong film’s stars, pops up in a cameo at the end.

Notably, the Korean cast does not merely recreate the key roles of, for example, the experienced cop played by Yam and the villain played by Tony Leung Ka Fai. Yam had packed on the pounds for his turn while Seol (Public Enemy, 2002) skips the physical transformation and still manages to make the role distinctly his.

Jung Woo Sung brings a certain cool factor to his turn as the meticulous and vicious James and Han gets you to root for her as the tenacious rookie facing her first big case. She has to learn the code of conduct with regard to surveillance and, naturally, she is put in situations which test her ability to strictly follow orders and keep to the mission’s goal.

The interplay between the characters is also deftly sketched out from the teacher-student dynamic between Hwang and Ha to a nail-biting encounter between James and Ha late in the film.

Cold Eyes has been a deserved hit in South Korea with more than 5.5 million admissions. And that means that one can keep an eye out for a follow-up.
(ST) 
the boondocks 

Quick Reviews before the Premiere at the TIFF~
Dork Shelf [Andrew Parker]Flickering Myth [Trevor Hogg]

[Guest kaz11]

Toronto Film Review: ‘Cold Eyes’

September 8, 2013 | 04:07AM PT

Already a major hit in Asia, this high-octane South Korean remake of 'Eye in the Sky' sustains its nervy tension all the way.

Maggie Lee | variety.com

A high-octane South Korean remake of the 2007 Hong Kong crime thriller “Eye in the Sky,” “Cold Eyes” sustains its nervy tension all the way. For a work that hews so close to its source in dramatizing a police surveillance operation against a sophisticated robbery ring, it’s to the credit of co-helmers Cho Ui-seok and Kim Byung-seo that the film has forged its own identity, rooted in the seamy Seoul cityscape and a sterling cast that rivals “Eye’s” thesps for dynamism. Already sold to a handful of territories, the pic deserves a serious look from genre fans at its Toronto preem.

Helmed and co-written (with Au Kin-yee) by Yau Nai-hoi and produced by Johnnie To, “Eye in the Sky” (2007) was so seamlessly plotted and nimbly orchestrated that it was a smart move not to tinker with it. Instead, Cho and Kim have upped their game in action and special effects, particularly the car stunts and explosions that Korean crews excel in. With its healthy budget on proud display, the production is less hard-boiled and quirky than “Eye,” but what it loses in the original’s inimitable stylistic tics, it makes up for in a high-end tech package with enhanced international appeal. Like “The Thieves” (2012), another blockbuster that references Hong Kong crimers, “Cold Eyes” has drawn more than 5 million admissions, making it one of South Korea’s biggest hits of this year.

The film hits its stride immediately from its opening sequence, shifting from the original’s retro tram to a speeding subway car. Stirring up maximum intrigue, the camera sprints to and fro among the three main protags, all covertly eyeing each other: tomboyish Ha Yoon-joo (Han Hyo-joo), bedraggled, middle-aged Hwang (Sol Kyung-gu) and stone-faced James (Jung Woo-sung). It eventually transpires that Ha is a police cadet on her way to an interview to join a special surveillance unit, while Hwang is the unit’s section chief, assessing her skills incognito. She gets the job, but not before she’s thoroughly humbled by Hwang, who gives a live demo of how minutely observant a surveillance officer needs to be.

While this is going on, James is leading a precision-tooled bank heist, getting the adrenaline going with some pulverizing car crashes staged amid downtown traffic. After quelling his cohorts’ squabbling over how to divide the loot, James confers with his mentor/broker (Kim Byung-ok), a cobbler who gives him one last job: to infiltrate the server room of the stock exchange to implant some data.

The helmers try to beef up the film with a succession of vicious hand-to-hand combat scenes, but other than enhancing James’ image as an unstoppable killing machine, these sometimes come off as redundant. While transactions with his Hong Kong counterpart (Tony Leung Ka-fai) and his broker offer insight into the cash-strapped realities of his profession, James’ relationship with the cobbler, who oozes malevolence for no good reason, is nebulous in a pretentious way.

Much more engaging are the procedural details of how the surveillance unit operates as a team, how they not only tail or eavesdrop on suspects, but also deploy nifty methods to get into their targets’ heads. The alternately playful and emotionally wrenching process by which Ha learns the ropes from Hwang grants the meticulous screenplay its warm, mushy heart.

Even when many episodes faithfully follow “Eye in the Sky’s” plot development, the astutely chosen outdoor locations create an ambience distinct from Hong Kong street scenery. A mid-film stakeout achieves a tremendous level of tension, set as it is in a neighborhood that gives Mongkok a run for its money in seediness. The grand finale is a propulsive sequence that moves across Jong-no, the upscale downtown area, to the subterranean depths of a hidden subway platform.

As the sloppy-looking but actually sharp-as-a-tack Hwang, Sol gives the character a more butch and authoritative spin than Simon Yam did in the original. About as warm as an icicle and sporting an aggressively asymmetrical haircut, Jung brings his usual reserve to a role that’s the very embodiment of cold efficiency. As Ha, Han offsets her greenhorn goofiness with flashes of ingenuity, making one especially root for her in the climactic puzzle-solving scenes. The rest of the ensemble cast gels, but not in a hugely animated way; Yam makes a cameo appearance that reps a playful nod to the film’s source while also upping the star wattage.

Tech credits are aces. Lensing is particularly good at capturing great heights and re-creating each protagonist’s perspective using visual effects and virtuosic camera movements. The Korean title simply means “The Surveillants.”

Toronto Film Review: 'Cold Eyes'

Reviewed at Korean Film Council screening room, Seoul, Aug. 16, 2013. (In Toronto Film Festival — Gala Presentations.) Running time: 118 MIN. Original title: "Gamshijadeul"

Production

(South Korea) A Next Entertainment World release of a Next Entertainment World, Opus Pictures presentation of a Zip Cinema production, in association with Sun Dream Motion Pictures. (International sales: Opus Pictures, Seoul.) Produced by Eugene Lee. Executive producers, Lee Tae-hun, Kim Woo-taek, Stephen Ng. Co-producer, Song Dae-chan.

Crew

Directed by Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo. Screenplay, Cho, based on the film "Eye in the Sky." Camera (color, widescreen, HD), Kim Byung-seo, Yeo Kyung-bo; editor, Shin Min-kyung; music, Dalpalan, Jang Young-gyu;. production designer, Cho Hwa-sung; costume designer, Cho Sang-kyung; sound (Dolby Digital), Choi Tae-young; supervising re-recording mixer, Choi Tae-young; special effects, Demolition; special effects supervisor, Lee Nee-kyoung; visual effects supervisor, Baek Sang-hoon; visual effects, CJ Powercast Art & Technology; action director/stunt coordinator, Heo Myeong-haeng.

With

Sol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung, Han Hyo-joo, Lee Joon-ho, Kim Byung-ok, Jin Kyung, Simon Yam.

[adeleyam]

Some pictures found inside U Weekly magazine as well as some found in I Weekly and newspaper articles of the movie reviews. :XPhoto credits to me but credits to the magazines and newspapers for the source.

[adeleyam]

COLD EYES (감시자들)
Hawaii International Film Festival

Directed by: Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo 2013 | 119 min.

Section: Spotlight on Korea

Premiere: United States

Film Website

Countries: South Korea

Languages: Korean, with English subtitles

Genres: Action, Crime, Drama

Synopsis

Ha Yoon-joo (Han Hyo-joo) is the newest member of an elite police unit that specializes in the surveillance of high profile criminals. When it comes to shadowing a target, the rookie police woman shows a great deal of promise, but she has much to prove to cranky chief detective Hwang Won-jin (Sol Kyung-gu). The veteran cop makes it clear he has little use for a newbie who cannot see and memorize absolutely every detail, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, during an operation. Ha's skills are immediately put to the test when Hwang's team begins tracking James (Jung Woo-sung), the enigmatic leader of a gang of vicious, bank-robbing thugs. As James' crimes begin to escalate in severity, the rookie realizes that her on-the-job training could prove to be fatal. Directed by Joh Ui-seok and Kim Byeong-seo, this action-thriller is a remake of the Hong Kong film EYE IN THE SKY (HIFF 2007). COLD EYES more than does justice to its source material while showing that it has lots of fresh, new tricks up its sleeve. A box office hit, the film was released this summer in Korea, where it handily beat Hollywood juggernauts like MAN OF STEEL, WORLD WAR Z and PACIFIC RIM.

Synopsis written by: Jason Musni Soeda

흔적조차 없는 놈의
모든 것을 기억하라!

범죄 대상에 대한 감시만을 전문적으로 담당하는 경찰 내 특수조직 감시반.
동물적인 직감과 본능으로 범죄를 쫓는 감시 전문가 ‘황반장’(설경구)이 이끄는 감시반에
탁월한 기억력과 관찰력을 지닌 신참 ‘하윤주’(한효주)가 합류한다.
그리고 얼마 후 감시반의 철저한 포위망마저 무용지물로 만든 범죄가 벌어진다.
단 3분만에 한 치의 실수도 없이 벌어진 무장강도사건.
얼굴도, 단서도 남기지 않은 그들의 존재에 모든 시선이 꽂힌다.

철저하게 짜여진 계획 하에 움직이며 1초의 오차도 용납하지 않는 범죄 조직의 리더 ‘제임스’(정우성).
자신의 존재를 절대 드러내지 않는 그는 감시반의 추적이 조여올수록 더욱 치밀하게 범죄를 이어간다.
더 이상의 범죄를 막기 위해 반드시 놈의 실체를 알아내야만 하는 감시반.
황반장과 하윤주는 모든 기억과 단서를 동원해 놈을 쫓기 시작하는데...

감독 조의석, 김병서

출연 설경구, 정우성, 한효주

Synopsis written by: Daum Movies

Screenings

Friday, October 18 9:00 PM Dole Cannery B  

Saturday, October 19 12:30 PM Dole Cannery B  

Sunday, October 20 4:30 PM Consolidated Koko Marina 

Cast & Crew

Director	Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo
Screenwriter	Cho Ui Seok
Producer	Lee Eugene
Co-Producer	Song Dae Chan
Executive Producer	Lee Tae hun, Kim Woo taek, Stephen Ng
Cast	Seol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung, Han Hyo-joo, Jin Gyeong, Lee Jun-ho
Cinematographer	Kim Byung Seo, Yeo Kyung Bo
Editor	Shin Min Kyung
Music Director	Dalpalan, Jang Young Gyu
Sound	Kang Hye young, Ko Kwang hyun

[adeleyam]

a bonus picture of Jung Woo Sung and Han Hyo Joo during their cover shoot for U Weekly magazine

Credits to U Weekly facebook

[Guest kaz11]

Nice collection of articles from Singapore, @adeleyam! 

Toronto 2013: Screen's dailies

COLD EYES on the cover of Issue 3..


plus a feature article in Issue 2.


Source: http://www.screendaily.com/festivals/toronto/toronto-2013-screens-dailies/5060093.article?blocktitle=HEADLINES&contentID=40295Credit to Han-Hyo-Joo-Thailand-Fans-Club Facebook Page.

[hitokirichan]

I really hope that they screen this movie in NY theaters!

[adeleyam]

class="title" style="margin: 0px; padding: 31px 0px 0px; font-size: 47px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1em; font-family: 'Vonness Bold Compressed', Helvetica, sans-serif; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"Cold Eyes (Gamshijadeul): Toronto Review
By Deborah Young | The Hollywood Reporter

The Bottom Line

A state-of-the-art Korean cop thriller plays a tight, exciting game with genre rules and high tech.

Venue:

Toronto Film Festival (Gala), Sept. 12, 2013

Casting:

Sol Kyung-gu, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Jun-ho Lee, Jin Kyung, Simon Yam

Directors:

Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo

Screenwriters:

Cho Ui-seok, Kin-Yee Au, Nai-Hoi Yau

class="main_article_deck" style="margin: 15px 0px; padding: 10px 0px 0px; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; clear: both; font-family: 'Vonness Bold Compressed', Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 30px; color: rgb(37, 37, 37); background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"Surveillance cameras over Seoul fill the screen with hypertech in an edge-of-seat remake of "Eye in the Sky."

What’s not to like in this mile-a-minute remake of the 2007 Hong Kong thriller Eye in the Sky, in which a crack police team challenges a brilliant, invincible criminal mastermind? It may be the oldest cop plot in the world, but the sheer display of technique on screen transmutes the familiar lump of coal to gold. With filmmaking this good and tech work this innovative, the only question is when Asian genre films are going to take over the rest of the world. This is one title that could have a shot at advancing out of Korean language markets and film festivals. Co-produced with Canada’s Spackman Entertainment, Cold Eyes has had over 5 million admissions since its domestic release in July.  

The pre-title sequence is a complete story in itself, a cops-and-robbers stakeout on the subway and streets that forces the viewer to decide who’s shadowing who. It offers a fast intro to the main characters: police chief Hwang (Sol Kyung-gu) and his team, a pretty, tom-boyish young rookie whose code name is Piglet (Han Hyo-joo), the happy young cop Squirrel (Lee Jun-ho) and the smooth jacket-and-tie criminal James (Jung Woo-sung) who happens to be passing by. He will be the center of attention for the rest of the film, but at the moment it’s just a drill to see how observant Piglet is. Her round eyes fix on the chief as she recalls almost everything she saw in precise police jargon. “Remember everything,” Hwang advises her. "You're hired."

Headquarters of the Special Crime Unit specialized in surveillance is CSI: Miami on steroids, with enough futuristic electronic tracking devices to run a large spaceship. Yet co-directors Cho Ui-seokandKim Byung-seo never linger on the fancy production design and it will take a quick-eyed viewer to even estimate how many police work in the open office space. Attention will be distracted by Lee, the chief of chiefs, played by the beautiful Jin Kyung as an elegant, cold-as-ice decision maker. Refreshingly, there are no idiots on the team (the one apparent goof-off turns out to be a geek genius) and no personal animosities; no one has family problems or even a family. They work as one extraordinarily efficient team that has all of Seoul under its control via those omnipresent surveillance cameras that have cropped up on every street corner. They also control every police car, streetlight and train in Gotham, making criminal activity very tough indeed.

Enter James (Jung Woo-sung, who co-starred with Michelle Yeoh in the tony costumer Reign of Assassins) standing straight-backed on the roof of tall buildings armed with a good deal of technology himself. He stages a huge explosion in a parking lot to decoy the cops while his men rob a bank. Refreshingly, there are idiots among the crooks, but James puts them out of their misery quickly with a twist of the knife and a glare. The cold eyes don’t belong just to the spy cameras.

Watching this cleverly scripted gambit takes some keen observation on the audience’s part, too. To call the film fast-paced is an understatement and devil catch the hindmost if you blink or look away. Like the number puzzle Sudoku that everyone’s playing, it’s a brain game that demands the viewer figure things out just to keep pace with the plot.

The cops are witty and deadpan, naming a suspect “Thirsty Hippo” the minute their equipment pinpoints his oversize figure off a surveillance camera.  Even without backstories, they show a human side, as when Piglet disobeys the rules to prevent a double murder she happens across. Hwang and Lee are disapproving but perhaps secretly they agree with her. The whole cast is disciplined and extremely good in getting just enough character across to grab sympathy without cluttering up the plot.

Cinematographer Yeo Kyung-bo joins co-director Kim Byung-seo, who is a noted D.o.P. making his directing bow, on the film’s spectacular camerawork, including overhead zooms and tracking shots that make a simple car chase and pile-up of police cars on a city overpass seem like something new.

Editor Shin Min-kyungis a major player here with lightning fast cross-cutting that keeps the eyes bouncing around the screen like a tennis ball. The music, credited to Dalpalan and Jang Young-gyu, is unforgiving in pumping up the tension and keeping it at just the right pitch.

Venue:  Toronto Film Festival (Gala), Sept. 12, 2013
An Opus Pictures and New presentation of a Zip Cinema production in association with Spackman Equities Group
Cast: Sol Kyung-gu, Han Hyo-joo, Jung Woo-sung, Lee Jun-ho Lee, Jin Kyung, Simon Yam
Directors: Cho Ui-seok, Kim Byung-seo
Screenwriters: Cho Ui-seok, Kin-Yee Au, Nai-Hoi Yau
Producer: Eugene Lee
Executive producers: Lee Tae-hun, Kim Woo-taek, Stephen Ng
Directors of photography: Kim Byung-seo, Yeo Kyung-bo
Production designer: Cho Hwa-sung
Music: Dalpalan, Jang Young-gyu
Editor: Shin Min-kyung
Sales: Opus Pictures  
No rating, 118 min.

[adeleyam]

class="entry-title" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px 5px; border: 0px; font-family: Arial, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1.76em; line-height: 30px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both;"City hosts North American premiere of ‘Cold Eyes’By Erin Criger | CityNews Toronto

A still from South Koren film 'Cold Eyes.' TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL.

The South Korean action-thriller Cold Eyes will have its North American premiere Friday at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Day 9 brings the City-sponsored screening to Roy Thomson Hall.

Stars Seol Kyung-gu, Jung Woo-sung and Han Hyo-joo are all expected on the red carpet. The movie is co-directed by Cho Ui-seok and Kim Byung-seo.

Click here to read our #TIFF13 liveblog, with updates from the entire Entertainment City team 

Cesar-winning actor Fanny Ardant stars as a married woman in 60s who has an affair with a much younger man in the French film Bright Days Ahead.

Ardant will walk the red carpet for the North American premiere at Roy Thomson Hall.

Rogers Communications is the parent company of City, CityNews and CityNews.ca.