Published : Feb. 6, 2015 - 20:36
Box Office Detective K: Secret of the Lost Island (Korea)
Opening Feb. 11
Comedy, Adventure. Directed by Kim Seok-yoon
This comedy, a sequel to the 2011 box office hit “Detective K: Secret of the Virtuous Widow,” is set in Korea during the 18th-century and follows the genius detective Kim Min (Kim Myung-min) and his witty assistant Seo Pil (Oh Dal-su). The unlikely duo -- dubbed the Joseon-era Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson -- becomes involved in a life-threatening case that involves counterfeit silver ingots and the possibility of child labor exploitation. Actress Lee Yeon-hee stars as the mysterious, elegant geisha Hisako.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (U.K., U.S.)Opening Feb. 11
Action, Thriller. Directed by Matthew Vaughn
Based on Mark Millar’s eponymous comic book, the film centers on veteran secret agent Harry Hart (Colin Firth), who selects a young, troubled protege, Eggsy (Taron Egerton), to join his secret organization Kingsman and gives him a chance to become a spy. Samuel L. Jackson stars as the villain Mr. Valentine, who has a scheme to overthrow the world through using SIM cards.
Big Hero 6 (U.S.)
Opened Jan. 21
Animation, Action, Comedy. Directed by Don Hall, Chris Williams
Inspired by the Marvel comic of the same name, “Big Hero 6” is an animation produced by the Walt Disney Animation Studios, the creator of “Frozen” and “Tangled.” Set in the fictional city of San Fransokyo -- a futuristic hybrid of San Francisco and Tokyo -- the story centers on a 14-year-old robotics prodigy named Hiro (Ryan Potter). Together with his fluffy, lovable, rubber-skinned robot Baymax and a group of friends, he fights against evil to save the world. Daniel Henney, a Korean-American actor, provides the voice for Hiro’s brother Tadashi.
Gangnam 1970 (Korea)Opened Jan. 21
Action, Drama. Directed by Yoo Ha
The final installment of director Yoo Ha’s “street series” trilogy, this noir action flick is set against the backdrop of an exploding real estate market in Seoul’s Gangnam district in the 1970s, a turbulent era when the military strongman Park Chung-hee ruled the country. When two childhood friends, Kim Jong-dae (Lee Min-ho) and Baek Yong-ki (Kim Rae-won), are forced to become enemies, misunderstanding, revenge and conspiracy ensues.
Ode to My Father (Korea)
Opened Dec. 17
Drama. Directed by Yoon Je-kyoon
“Ode to My Father” is the story of Deok-soo (Hwang Jung-min), a man who lived through Korea’s tumultuous 1950s and ’60s. When the Korean War breaks out, Deok-soo is separated from his younger sister and his father and becomes the breadwinner of the family. From a young age, he takes all kinds of difficult odd jobs to provide for his mother and siblings. In search of opportunities, he travels the globe, working as a coal miner in Germany, where he falls in love with a migrant nurse named Young-ja (Kim Yun-jin).