The most intriguing moment of South Korean film Master comes within the first five minutes, when actor Lee Byung Hun preaches to an audience about the capricious state of public opinion and naysayers. While it’s a speech given by his character, charismatic con artist Jin Hyejang, it’s as if Lee breaks character from his role […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Untitled-design-6.jpg7681024Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2017-01-05 19:34:172017-01-05 19:36:56Lee Byung Hun taunts the public and Kang Dong Won in ‘Master’
After months and months of hearing about Neogen’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine, it was only a matter of time before I tried out the cleansing pads myself. Aside from being a fan of just about anything wine, the idea of a dual exfoliant pad intrigued me so knew that I had to get my hand on […]
The most intriguing moment of South Korean film Master comes within the first five minutes, when actor Lee Byung Hun preaches to an audience about the capricious state of public opinion and naysayers. While it’s a speech given by his character, charismatic con artist Jin Hyejang, it’s as if Lee breaks character from his role […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Untitled-design-6.jpg7681024Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2017-01-05 19:34:172017-01-05 19:36:56Lee Byung Hun taunts the public and Kang Dong Won in ‘Master’
After months and months of hearing about Neogen’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine, it was only a matter of time before I tried out the cleansing pads myself. Aside from being a fan of just about anything wine, the idea of a dual exfoliant pad intrigued me so knew that I had to get my hand on […]
The most intriguing moment of South Korean film Master comes within the first five minutes, when actor Lee Byung Hun preaches to an audience about the capricious state of public opinion and naysayers. While it’s a speech given by his character, charismatic con artist Jin Hyejang, it’s as if Lee breaks character from his role in Master to speak directly to the viewer.
“Even if there’s a person you trust and respect, when he becomes a subject of rumors and ridicule and is criticized by society, your trust in him slowly fades too.”
Lee has been involved in multiple lawsuits relating to his sexual conduct, resulting in negative public opinion despite the fact that he has more or less successfully crossed over to the American film industry. Master isn’t only about Lee Byung Hun (it also stars the talented Kang Dong Won and Kim Woo Bin), but it sure feels like the movie focuses quite a bit on his wrongdoings.
The question that hangs in the air throughout the film, thanks to this first scene, is whether the viewer can separate the actor from his role. Like many Korean action movies, the first hour is relatively slow and sets up the more blockbuster second half, giving the audience more than enough time to digest the film’s opening dialogue. Lee is daunting as Jin the conman, a bit crazed even. He takes pleasure in controlling others, enjoys hunting, drinking what appears to be blood, and has little problem with victimizing others for his gain. Clearly this is a character and not the actor himself, but the first few lines pull together fiction and reality.
But just as villainous as Lee’s Jin is, he has a counterpart in Kang Dong Won, a police officer intent on taking down the man robbing thousands of people. Both characters are extremely intelligent and sly, but Kang’s detective Kim Jae Myung regrets the violence and pain that accompanies his investigation as he inches closer to capturing Lee. There’s a sense of desperation from Kim as he hunts Jin; every moment that he doesn’t have the conman in custody, somebody else is losing their livelihood and, occasionally, their lives.There are moments where Kim appears to be enjoying the game of cat and mouse, and the finale is positively cathartic, but the character repeatedly expresses distaste at how things are turning out. While Kang Dong Won is a terrific actor, Kim has no real backstory to support his intensity and overall this leads to the film feeling a bit lackluster. Master seems to have shunned the excess of sentimentality found in many Korean movies in favor of focusing on the action, to its detriment; it may as well be a study in stereotypes of cops and robbers.
While Lee and Kang are overpowering actors in their own right, their characters were written a bit flat and one sided. In comparison, Kim Woo Bin’s Park Jang Goon is the only character to go through true growth in the film as he contemplates how his past and future actions affect those around him. He tries a bit of double crossing, and attempts to use his charm as a weapon, but it’s never quite clear where his loyalties lie. Park is like the odd man out with the other lead two characters: he’s a computer genius and the mastermind behind Jin’s plans, but when he gets involved with Kim’s police operation he seems at a total loss. (Neither Jin nor Kim ever seem baffled by what life, and the other, throws at them.)
For an action-crime film, Master is two hours of a solid face off between the law and the lawless. It offers Lee’s nefarious Jin as an antagonist for audiences to revile while Kang’s detective Kim is the eternal Good Guy, with Kim’s Park serving as the only character with any real depth. Master failed at giving either of the primary two female characters, played by Uhm Ji Won and Jin Kyung, a whole lot to do, as most of the time the men were pulling all the shots. There’s plenty of action, and some great surprises, but this cast deserved a bit better than the rather straightforward plot.
Master is directed by Cho Ui-seok, and was released in Korea on Dec. 21. According to Korean media, the film earned over $20 million USD in less than a week. It opens in the US & Canada on Jan. 6.
Have you seen, or do you want to see, Master? Let us know what you think! Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Untitled-design-6.jpg7681024Tamar Hermanhttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngTamar Herman2017-01-05 19:34:172017-01-05 19:36:56Lee Byung Hun taunts the public and Kang Dong Won in ‘Master’
After months and months of hearing about Neogen’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine, it was only a matter of time before I tried out the cleansing pads myself. Aside from being a fan of just about anything wine, the idea of a dual exfoliant pad intrigued me so knew that I had to get my hand on the Neogen product as fast as I could. As someone who gets semi-regular facials, anything in between that will help maintain the luster sounds worthwhile to me. To be honest, when the package arrived from Style Korean with my Neogen product, I stared at it for a while wondering, “will this live up to the hype?”
With its ability to scrub away dead skin and, supposedly, clean and tighten up pores through its combination of resveratrol and the pads’s dual textures– one side features an exfoliating gauze and the other has a soft cotton pad– this is the holy grail of quick fix skincare. Resveratrol, which is found in grapes and therefore wine, is naturally fermented and allegedly helps repair damaged skin and prevents signs of aging. Oh, and did I mention lactic acid and glycolic acid also help as chemical exfoliants?
Essentially, the Gauze Peeling Wine pads were touted as heaven’s gift to K-beauty.
Definitely a step up from the cleansing pads I used in high school, which was the last time I attempted to use one of these one-stop exfoliating pads. The dual-sided cushion made the experience doubly fun, since it made the simple swiping a two-step process and made it feel like I was scouring then refreshing my skin. There was also significant visible dirt and and dead skin on the pad, which made it feel like the pad was doing a great job cleansing my skin. After rinsing off the excess moisture, my skin felt immediately softer.
Cons of Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine
Soft side, step 2.
Call it whatever you want, this isn’t a Gauze Peeling Wine but, rather, Gauze Peeling Grape Juice. That doesn’t mean it particularly smells bad, but the initial smell upon opening the lid of the container is sweet, much like wine’s shameful younger sibling drink. Also, just a warning, don’t get too invested in the scrubbing step because the pad is small but it is strong and will rub your skin raw.
Just a note, if you order from Style Korean, the products come directly from Korea so some items, including this one, do not have English directions. I didn’t realize that I had to wash off the excess moisture, and was extremely uncomfortable while writing the review with a sticky face and neck before I rectified my mistake.
Overall Thoughts on Neogen Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine
I love the fact that this is a quick, simple pad that exfoliates both mechanically through the pad and chemically through its ingredients. After one use, my skin feels supple and tingly, which is my sign that surely something is happening. Did it live up to the hype? Well, I definitely felt the effect of the product and didn’t notice any irritation. Neogen’s Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine has definitely made me reconsider why I haven’t been using cleansing and exfoliating pads all along.
4.3
Did you try the Bio-Peel Gauze Peeling Wine? What did you think about it? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
The sample item was provided by Style Korean, but all reviews are based on the tester’s individual opinions. Email [email protected] for more details relating to sponsoring products and posts.
