Gi Ju-bong as coroner Jo Seok-hyun as Colonel Choi Lee Yong-jik as bearded stranger Choi Tae-hwan as mysterious casualty Lee Dong-jin as North wanderer Production Yoon Kye-sang was originally cast in the lead role, but dropped out after co-star Choi Min-sik left the project. Gong Yoo was eventually cast, and the protagonist's name "Ji Dong-cheol" is similar to the actor's birth name, Gong Ji-cheol. To create the right physique for his role, Gong went on a diet for three months to reduce his body fat. He learned the Russian martial art Systema for the film's fight scenes, and performed car chases, rock climbing and skydiving at the Han River without using stuntmen. The film was partly shot in Puerto Rico in April 2013. Release The Suspect opened in South Korea on December 24, 2013. It was a box office hit, with 4.1 million admissions. The film's distribution rights was sold to seven territories, including North America, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, India, the Middle East and German-speaking countries. Will Go USA screened the film in 15 theaters in the United States on January 10, 2014. Reception On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 75% based on eight reviews, with an average rating of 6.67/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 63 out of 100, based on five critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The Los Angeles Times praised the film's "inspired and teeth-grittingly determined" set pieces. The Washington Post wrote that the film "should entertain any action buff," while Screen Daily, a film journal in the UK, also gave a good review: "the style of the action scenes is so explosive and immersive that the movie even threatens the reputation of the 007 series." The New York Times reviewed that the "guns-or-butter dichotomy" is "more resonant than you'd expect." Awards and nominations References External links South Korean action thriller films South Korean spy thriller films 2013 films 2010s Korean-language films Films directed by Won Shin-yun South Korean chase films 2013 action thriller films 2010s spy thriller films 2010s South Korean films