[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Emergency Declaration

(Korea)

Opened Aug. 3

Disaster-action

Directed by Han Jae-rim

Veteran detective In-ho (Song Kang-ho) is investigating a suspected terrorist and finds out that the suspect has already boarded a flight bound for Hawaii. To make matters worse, In-ho‘s wife is also on the plane with her friends. While the passengers are trapped inside, those on the ground including In-ho and the transportation minister (Jeon Do-yeon) struggle to find a way to land the plane safely.

Hansan: Rising Dragon

(Korea)

Opened July 27

War

Directed by Kim Han-min

In 1592, Joseon loses its capital city, Hanyang, to Japan just 15 days after a Japanese invasion, starting a six-year war known as the Imjin War. In a series of defeats, the Korean forces are on the verge of collapse and King Sunjo flees the capital. While the Japanese navy gathers a large-scale force around Busan, Adm. Yi Sun-sin (Park Hae-il) prepares for a battle to turn the tide of war.

Minions: The Rise of Gru

(US)

Opened July 20

Animation

Directed by Kyle Balda

Young Gru (Steve Carell) plans to join a group of supervillains, the “Vicious 6,” after its leader is ousted by other members. His ambitious scheme goes wrong when his interview turns disastrous, but he manages to steal the Zodiac Stone from the gang. While Gru and the Minions (Pierre Coffin) -- Kevin, Stuart and Bob -- go on the run, another newly introduced Minion, Otto, cannot keep the stone safe, causing Gru and the Minions to break up.

Alienoid

(Korea)

Opened July 20

Action

Directed by Choi Dong-hoon

On present-day Earth, a supernatural being Guard (Kim Woo-bin) is in charge of managing alien prisoners confined in human brains and arresting prison breakers alongside his robotic colleague Thunder. After Guard and Thunder catch an alien fugitive who ran away to the year 1390 of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392), they return to the present time with a victim’s baby, causing a crack in the time-space traveling system.

By Song Seung-hyun (ssh@heraldcorp.com)