#NCT: Teaser Videos For SM Entertainment’s New 40-Member Boy Group Released

The South Korean entertainment powerhouse has confirmed their new group, or rather collection of sub-groups, under the umbrella title of NCT, which stands for Neo Culture Technology.

According to AFP, the new idol boy group concept will feature a group with limitless members who can sing in multiple languages and will be based in cities from Asia to Latin America. Aside from singing the same songs in different languages, they will also produce content especially tailored for their particular markets.

The idol group was announced on 27th January at the “SMTOWN: New Culture Technology 2016” conference by SM Entertainment founder Lee Soo Man.

Upon the announcement, Lee Soo Man confirmed that the group already had 40 members, of which a handful would form an initial unit that will start performing in Seoul and Japan in the next few months.

“This is the last stage of the Korean Wave,” Lee declared, saying the idea went beyond “simply exporting K-pop products” to creating join ventures with local companies.

Other NCT incarnations will later be unveiled in major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai in the second half of the year, followed by “units” in Southeast Asia and Latin America.

The first teaser videos for SM Entertainment’s NCT have also been released. The first, titled “The Origin”, is an abstract video that features a small boy in the desert. The second, titled, “Synchronization of Your Dreams” hints at NCT’s sound and highlights a few of the members showing off their dancing skills.

Of course, this makes SM Entertainment’s other major groups such as the SNSD Girls’ Generation, Super Junior, and EXO pale in comparison in terms of headcount for each respective group.

Do you think you’ll be able to handle it? Let us know in the comments box below!


Queen Releases Hungarian Rhapsody DVD!

Few bands embodied the pure excess of the ’70s like Queen. Embracing the exaggerated pomp of prog rock and heavy metal, as well as vaudevillian music hall, the British quartet delved deeply into camp and bombast, creating a huge, mock-operatic sound with layered guitars and overdubbed vocals. Queen’s music was a bizarre yet highly accessible fusion of the macho and the fey.

For years, their albums boasted the motto “no synthesizers were used on this record”, signaling their allegiance with the legions of post-Led Zeppelin hard rock bands. But vocalist Freddie Mercury brought an extravagant sense of camp to Queen, pushing them toward kitschy humor and pseudo-classical arrangements, as epitomized on their best-known song, “Bohemian Rhapsody”.

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And now, “Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live In Budapest”, a must–see concert experience by legends of rock comes to DVD and Blu-ray. It will be released on 5th November worldwide in these formats:

Originally filmed in 1986, this momentous concert movie has been re-mastered in high definition and superb 5.1 surround sound. An amazing performance is now available to be seen in crystal clear HD clarity.

Also included on the DVD and Blu-ray is a new 25-minute documentary feature entitled “A Magic Year”. This follows Queen from just after their historic show–stealing performance at Live Aid, London, on 13th July 1985, through the year leading up to the epic concert in Budapest. Using archive footage from rehearsals, interviews with the band in the studio and on the road during the “Magic Tour” – some of which has never been seen before – this fascinating feature has been specially created for this new release.

The DVD is currently available at local music stores! Alternatively, you could also purchase it off iTunes here.

For more information, visit the band’s official website.

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Woman In Subang Passes Away In Accident Before Boyfriend Could Propose

Life can be unpredictable. All it takes is an unforeseen incident to change someone’s entire world.

25-year-old Jason Low Jia Jun was distraught when his 30-year-old girlfriend, Christine Wong Li Yi passed away in a road accident.

Wong Li Yi was a hardworking woman with several jobs. She ran two fried kway teow stalls and was a part-time food delivery person. “She leaves home at 8 o’clock in the morning every morning, and sometimes works until 9 o’clock at night before returning home,” Low said.

Last night (27th January), she was delivering her last order of the day when she was involved in a road accident. According to her boyfriend, she planned to head home after dropping off the order as the location was near her house. Witnesses claim a car had made a turn without using the signal light and knocked her over. The driver immediately left the scene.

The accident happened at the Puchong-USJ intersection at 6pm. Wong Li Yi’s second sister said she was delivering food to a customer in USJ from Cheras. Currently, the police are investigating the matter. Although many are calling it a hit-and-run, Subang Jaya police chief ACP Abdul Khalid states that the police have not ruled out that Wong’s motorcycle may have slipped on the road as it was raining that day. Her body has been sent for an autopsy.

“At present we cannot determine how my sister’s accident happened,” Wong’s second sister said. One car driver saw the motorcycle overturn when a car was beside him, but he was unable to determine if the car had collided with the bike. Unfortunately, he did not have a dash cam, nor was he able to catch the car’s license plate number.

Low posted on his Facebook that he had rushed to the scene after receiving a call from the police. It had been raining heavily then, but he arrived without hinderance. However, Wong had already passed. Both Low and Wong’s sister have made posts on Facebook asking witnesses to come forward if they have information about the incident. “Our families just want to know the truth…” Low said.

Low met his girlfriend nearly four years ago and planned to propose to her this year. They also intended to get registered and buy a house together. His last unopened gift to her is a motorcycle helmet with a design she liked, as she was a fan of heavy motorcycles.

“…And in the coming days, I’ll try to continue to live for you, having you here on earth was a blessing. To my most beautiful angel (wife),” he wrote. Many have left their condolences on their Facebook pages. We too pray for the family to find closure soon.


Here Are The 8 Korean Artistes Who Earn The Most Royalty Income

Curious to know which Korean artiste has the most royalty income from their copyrighted songs?

KBS 2TV’s weekly entertainment programme “Entertainment Company Live” reported on the list of “The Top 8 Singers Who Have Earned the Highest Royalties in South Korea”. The list encompasses some of the big names in the Hallyu music industry, from singers, composers and even lyricists.

For those who are interested, check out the full list here:


#CyberSecurity: Posting Selfies Online May Expose You To Black Magic

We all enjoy taking selfies, don’t we? Most people snap selfies to show off a certain activity or place. But did you know that uploading your selfies online could also expose you to black magic?

If Jazannul Azriq Aripin’s words are anything to go by; the communications officer of CyberSecurity Malaysia shared that there have been reported cases of victims online being hexed by “bomohs” or local shamans when they posted pictures of themselves online.

“Do not be surprised if the ‘bomoh’ themselves are getting smarter and they may have installed wireless broadband to launch their black magic. So, avoid uploading pictures of yourself to avoid the threat of black magic,” the federal agency staff told Harian Metro.

Unless you want to risk being subjected to evil spells cast by practitioners of black magic, Jazannul is urging the public to avoid sharing photos of themselves on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media sites.

Before you rubbish his claims and write him off, Jazannul did offer some useful advice during his session with Harian Metro: avoid sharing your phone number, house address, and other personal information on the internet. Warlock or no warlock, there are dangerous consequences of sharing too much information online.

For example, when you post a selfie online, you aren’t just giving out personal details about yourself but you’re also letting others know how your friends and family members look like. Therefore, you are also letting your stalker know where you and your friends usually hang out, and the type of activities you tend to be involved in.

Since a selfie is usually taken outside, you are also sending a message that you are not at home. Back then when we didn’t have access to the internet, criminals and bulgars had to wait and observe your house for weeks before breaking in. Now all they need to do is follow you on your public social media accounts to know when your house is empty.

Having said that, selfies are meant to be taken for fun, but be careful of the potential dangers. Returning to an empty house is not how you would want your day to end.

Sources: Malay Mail Online, No Bullying.

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LEGO Movie 2 Event In Mid Valley Introduces 6 New Universes

In conjunction with the release of “The LEGO Movie 2, The Second Part”, LEGO Malaysia is hosting an 10-day consumer event that will introduce the 6 new universes from the movie franchise.

Taking place in Mid Valley Megamall from now until 24th February 2019, this experiential consumer event features attractive and exclusive gift with purchase (GwP) promotion.

The fun-filled event features 6 different universes from “The LEGO Movie 2”, which present an immersive experience into the amazing multiverse, as well as provide an opportunity for families to build something awesome together.

Each zone represent a mission to be completed and when all 6 missions have been completed, participants will receive a special achievement certificate from LEGO Malaysia.

The different zones that participants will get to get to experience include:

For those who have already watched the movie would know that the DUPLO is the villain in the sequel. So in this DUPLO monster workshop, children are welcomed to use their creativity and build their very own monster DUPLO invaders with the help of a LEGO Master Builder!

At the Systar System, children (as well as adults) can have an on-screen dance off with some of their favourite characters from the movie in an immersive augmented reality dance game.

Learn how to be a filmmaker by filming your own awesome movie with the LEGO Movie Maker app at the Apocalypseburg zone! Choose a background of your choice, either Apocalypseburg or Systar System, and plan your scenes with the LEGO Movie 2 characters. Place your smartphone on the camera stand and create your own version of “The LEGO Movie 2”!

Alien Jungle is basically a building section where guests are allowed to design, spell, and be creative at 2 large walls provided at the event.

Visit Emmet House for some special Instagram-worthy moments. The zone is basically a photobooth for guests to take photos. There is an adorable Emmet statue at the zone, but if that’s not enough, you can meet and greet Emmet during the Mascot appearance which will take place only on 16th, 17th, 23rd and 24th February.

Ever wonder how voice acting works? In the eternally happy place known as the Harmony Town, guests can learn how to become a voice actor by voicing over some of their favourite character from the movie. Just choose your favourite short scene and record your voice. You can also use one of the props in the booth for sound effects.

Special promotion for every purchase of ‘Welcome to Apocalypseburg’ set

LEGO is also offering a special promotion in conjunction with this event.
With every purchase of the ‘Welcome to Apocalypseburg’ set (priced at RM 1399.90), LEGO is giving out a limited-edition Lenticular Emmet Mosaic as a gift with purchase (GWP).

There will also be an adorable heart-shaped Gift with Purchase with any purchase of RM179 or more at the event. These offers are only available at the event in Mid Valley Megamall while stocks last.

“In every little LEGO brick lies our utmost determination to spark creativity, ignite childlike fun, and provide bonding opportunities that will bring families closer together. We hope that this event serves as an opportunity to create bonding moments between siblings, friends and family, as we truly believe that we can create something surprisingly awesomer together,” said Victor Plange, the Head of Marketing, Malaysia and Singapore.


8 Things You Need To Know About The BB10 Launch

If you remember this post from yesterday, then you should know by now that the BlackBerry 10 aka BB10 has gone “live”. At least in the United States. Prior to the BB10 launch, we’ve heard nothing but rumours about how it’s going to be a game changer for the smartphone makers.

And although we haven’t gotten our hands on a unit yet (therefore, we can’t exactly judge), here are some of the top few things that you need to know about the BB10 launch:

At the start of the event, the first major announcement was as monumental as it was shocking. “Research in Motion” (RIM) is now BlackBerry. According to BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins, they changed their name to make it one brand.

So, the new BlackBerry phones are called the BlackBerry Z10 (all-touchscreen version) and the BlackBerry Q10 (with physical keyboard).

The Q10 boasts about the same save for a physical keyboard and a 3.1-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a 720×720 pixel resolution.

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The swipe-to-autocomplete/predict provides a much more intuitive way to predict words than putting them in a bar above the keyboard – on top of swiping to the left to delete a whole word and swiping down to access punctuation. There’s also an option to switch the predictions between three separate languages at a time.

Two words: screen sharing. The BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) is one of the vital parts of a BlackBerry user’s experience. And now, you can share your whole phone’s screen with someone you’re video chatting with. Good for sharing pictures, guiding someone how to get something done, and business presentations (if any).

This whole new app will allow a BlackBerry user to save everything and anything to it. We’re talking, web pages, e-mails, and documents, saved with notes, due dates, and voice notes. As a matter of fact, Evernote is actually integrated too. Mind = blown.

The BlackBerry camera now comes with a time shift to capture images 10 milliseconds before and after a photo is taken. It recognizes faces and lets you pick out the “best picture”. Nothing new when compared to the ones on competitors’ products but it’s change in leaps and bounds for BlackBerry.

8. BlackBerry’s new Global Creative Director

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#GetCrafty: Broaden Your Horizons With These Fun Workshops In Klang Valley

In the wise words of Henry Ford, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young”.

Everyone has something they know very well (especially things related to work) but that doesn’t mean we should stop learning, right? Although it’s important for us to have a deep understanding of what we do for a living, broadening our minds with new knowledge and interests is just as crucial for our growth. Picking up new skills can also provide you new opportunities and experiences.

So here are our top picks for fun workshops to take part in:

With the local coffee demand continuously rising, why not try being your own barista?

In BEAM Cafe’s barista course, passionate coffee lovers get to explore different types of coffee beans, milk textures, espresso extraction, pouring techniques, and more. The store also offers other options like latte art and coffee dripping workshops. Alternatively, Hobby N Coffee at TTDI has a more extensive list of workshops (mostly taught by Stephen Yong).

Note: Hobby N Coffee also holds sewing workshops :)

For more information, visit BEAM Cafe’s Facebook page as well as Hobby N Coffee’s website and Facebook page.

A post shared by weekendiminlove / atie j (@wkndiminlove)

“Art is the stored honey of the human soul.” – Anonymous.

Thanks to the hipster trend, watercolour painting gained a new level of appreciation. Be it on calendars or wedding invitation cards, watercolour is very popular among the artsy-fartsy crowd. Compared to other forms of painting, watercolour techniques are surprisingly easy to grasp. So if you wanna learn how to create beautiful, vibrant images, sign up for WeekendImInLove’s basic watercolour workshop! Once you know the basics, you can try out their other classes such as calligraphy, floral, and food illustration.

For more information, you can contact WeekendImInLove via email weekendiminlove@gmail.com or visit their website and Instagram to check out more of their works and classes.

Love eating yummy baked goods? Then learn how to make ’em :)

From cute character macarons to scrumptious cakes, The Dough & Batter offers various small-sized baking classes at their headquarters in the heart of Happy Garden, Kuala Lumpur. Students will be able to pick up lots of baking tips and tricks as every class is completely hands-on. But if you want something more advanced, The Ship Patisserie holds occasional workshops taught by international pastry chefs such as Umi from Tokyo, Japan and Carlos from Sydney, Australia.

For more information, visit The Dough & Batter’s website and Facebook page as well as The Ship Patisserie’s Facebook page and Instagram.

Let’s be super honest here – who doesn’t like receiving a bouquet of fresh flowers? You might not know this but flower arrangement is actually more than just tying a bunch of roses together; it’s a tough art to learn and many extinguished florists study in flower schools for a long time.

But don’t worry, you don’t need a formal course to learn how to hand tie a bouquet, as A&E’s Studio (aka “lo-fi floral studio”) provides step-by-step bouquet workshops in Bangsar for aspiring florists. In addition, My Weekend Plan organises flower arranging classes ranging from basic to professional.

To make your own bouquet, hit up A&E’s Studio’s Facebook page and My Weekend Plan’s website.

Most millennials can agree that cooking is really hard. But fret not Gen-Yers, as there are plenty of cooking classes happening around town! After a few hours of fun and practical lessons, you’ll instantly transform into a master chef.

Depending on your preference, you can choose workshops ranging from local flavours to delicate French meals. LaZat starts its classes with a morning market tour while At 19 Culinary Studio offers a large variety of classes for adults and children of any culinary ability. Google is your best friend, so feel free to check out other cooking classes if you aren’t interested in these :)

For more information, visit LaZat’s website and At 19 Culinary Studio’s website.

The Japanese tea ceremony, also known as the Way of Tea, symbolises tradition and it is a cultural activity that involves both preparation and presentation of matcha (powdered green tea). At TSUJIRI Malaysia, customers can learn and experience how to prepare authentic green tea like a true Japanese. Besides that, Purple Cane also offers Chinese Tea Art elementary class that includes 5 lessons – Introduction; brewing; table setting; Beauty of Purple Clay Teapot; and history.

For information, visit TSUJIRI Malaysia’s website and Facebook page as well as Purple Cane’s website.

Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze’s iconic scene in “Ghost” is probably what most people think of when pottery comes to mind. Pottery sometimes refers to the craft of a potter and its major types include earthenware, stoneware, and porcelain. It is made by forming a clay body into objects of a required shape and heating them to high temperatures.

Clay Expression teaches all levels of classes, on and off the pottery wheel. With a total of 8 lessons per course, you’ll be able to make your own mug like a pro. Likewise, Beary Potter in Cheras holds themed classes that range from character cups to simple bowls.

For more information, visit Clay Expression’s website.

Terrariums are tiny glass worlds of greens, peace, and serenity.

For plant lovers who don’t have a lot of space to work with, making a terrarium is a great option to add a touch of green in your home or office. Made up of small plants such as ferns and mosses, there are 2 types of terrariums – closed and open. Lucky for us, Ohsum Mossum Terrariums and Terrariums Malaysia organise various workshops that cover a wide range of techniques.

For more information, stay tuned to Ohsum Mossum Terrariums’ Facebook page and Terrariums Malaysia’s Facebook page.

What are you waiting for? Push yourself out of your comfort zone, take time off your schedule, and try something new today!

Are there any other workshops that you think should be on the list? Feel free to share with us your opinions in the comment box below ;)

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(UPDATE) #KualaLumpur: New Parking Rates Effective Today; Charges Increase By 150%

The Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) has introduced new parking rates for DBKL-owned parking bays within the central business district (CBD) in Kuala Lumpur.

To that effect, from today (18th July 2016) onwards, parking charges will increase by 150%.

Amongst the affected areas are high activity zones such as Bukit Bintang, Bukit Damansara (Damansara Heights), Sri Hartamas, Desa Hartamas, Solaris Mont Kiara, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), and Bangsar where 75% – 100% parking spaces are taken up during peak hours.

The hourly parking charges in the CBD has been increased from 80sen an hour to RM2 for the 1st hour. According to the rates published by DBKL, drivers will need to pay RM2 for the 1st hour and RM3 for the 2nd hour, and RM3 for the subsequent hours. If you were to park at a DBKL-owned parking bay in a high activity zone for a full day (7:30am – 6pm), you will need to fork out more than RM30 a day for just parking alone.

The Star quoted Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz as saying that the increase of parking rates was not profit driven but the only way to ease traffic congestion in the city and encourage people to carpool.

“We want to free up as many street parking spaces in the city and encourage people to take public transport or carpool to the city. I know I am going to be very unpopular, but it has to be done because traffic in Kuala Lumpur is already bursting at the seams,’’ Amin Nordin said.

He also shared data obtained from the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) to justify his decision for the high parking charges:

In short, out of the 3.5 million cars going into the city every day, 2.4 million (70% of 3.5 million) are SOV. On top of worsening the current traffic situation, it has also made looking for sparking space in the increasingly difficult, resulting in double-and-triple-parking on the roads.

That having said, on the maximum cap of 2 hours for parking at DBKL bays, Amin Nordin said that it will not be implemented yet as he wanted to give drivers a chance to get used to the new parking charges.

Meanwhile, zones outside the city will also see an increase in parking charges – RM1.50 per hour for high activity zones outside the city and RM1 per hour for zones outside the city. The areas affected are such as Brickfields, Taman Maluri, Cheras, Wangsa Maju, and Setapak. The new parking charges will be enforced in stages from now to 1st August.

Those who reside in or frequent TTDI won’t have to worry about the increase of parking charges anytime soon as the new rates have been scrapped with immediate effect.

Kuala Lumpur mayor Datuk Seri Mohd Amin Nordin Abdul Aziz explained that the decision was made as it is a residential township. He announced it after a meeting between DBKL and Federal Territories minister Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor earlier today (Wednesday, 20th July).

The last time that DBKL increased parking fees was back in 1984. Since then, DBKL has made several attempts (in 1997 and in 2001) to revise the parking rates.

Sources: Kuala Lumpur City Hall, The Star (1) (2).


Coronavirus Outbreak: Malaysia Airlines & AirAsia To Cut Staff Salaries

Two of Malaysia’s leading airlines, Malaysia Aviation Group (MAG) and AirAsia Bhd have taken drastic steps in reducing staffs’ salaries in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak that has affected their business.

MAG, holding company of Malaysia Airlines and other aviation services, will reduce 10% of salaries and allowance for all senior management of all its companies. This will continue for 3 months depending on the recurring situation, according to a source close to the company.

“For now, the reduction of pay and allowance will only involves those in the senior management. For now, no dismissal will be made and MAG will make every effort to retain all its employees,” said the insider.

Prior to this, the cost-cutting measure was done in order to address the weak demand of air travel as a result of the increasing coronavirus outbreak. “Unfortunately, Covid-19 has disrupted the growth momentum of the group. In this case, we need to get together to combat this crisis,” said MAG CEO Captain Izham Ismail in a clip shared to the staffs.

He continued, “It affects not only airlines, but also hotels, retailers as well as marketplaces. Therefore, drastic action must be taken among all of us. I will keep in touch with all of you to discuss on what we shall do in the coming days or weeks.”

Meanwhile, an insider from AirAsia said that the salary-cutting measure will also involve all senior management. The move will not involve other staffs as AirAsia has already taken steps to curb costs throughout its business operations to reduce the impact on its employees.

“They need to take this step to ensure that our financial flows are sustainable and competitive. This is a major concern among airline companies not only in Malaysia but around the world as well following the impact of the virus,” the insider told Berita Harian.

Meanwhile, AirAsia assured that the cost containment measures implemented across will not affect a number of its staffs, especially those with low incomes. Acting President and CEO Bo Lingam said the decision was made as the global air transport industry continues to face uncertainties following the outbreak.

In relating news, Malaysian Industrial Development Finance (MIDF) researchers has lowered down the aviation sector’s rating from neutral to positive in view of the impact of coronavirus on travel demand, seat capacity, as well as traffic growth.

It’s believed that there will be significant effect from the decline in the arrival of tourists from China on the ASEAN tourism sector, as compared to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak back in 2003.

Regarding the factor of load, MIDF said airline companies sought to reduce its capacities amid the drop in travel demands and restrictions imposed by more than 50 countries following the Covid-19 outbreak.

It’s expected that AirAsia and AirAsia X’s load factor will drop by 80% in the coming quarters.

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(UPDATE) #SooWincci: Malaysian Singer Forced To Fund Concert After Sponsors Pulled Out

According to The Malay Mail Online, Malaysian singer-songwriter Soo Wincci 蘇盈之 was forced to fork out her own money to finance her first-ever solo concert in Malaysia after some sponsors pulled out of the show.

For those who are not in the know, Soo Wincci is an award-winning Malaysian singer-songwriter, actress, chef, host, model, beauty queen, and also an entrepreneur.

The 29-year-old artiste exploded into the local music scene in 2009 after she was crowned Miss World Malaysia 2008 and represented Malaysia in the Miss World 2008 beauty pageant. As a singer-songwriter, she has written more than 30 songs and released 6 albums. She is also the proud owner of Beyond Artistes Sdn Bhd.

Her incredible achievements as a performing artiste earned her several local and international accolades such as PWH Music Awards 2015 Media’s “Most Recommended Artiste”. Her beauty even captivated the world because in 2013, she was chosen by Hollywood’s Independence Critics as one of the world Top 100 most beautiful women in the world.

The actress has a rather impressive resume as she was a law graduate from University of Reading (UK) and a MBA holder from University of Sunshine Coast.

This year, she even became a PHD doctorate student in the field of Business Administration in Open University Malaysia.

The concert is divided into 4 main segments:

She will be joined by a stellar team of top-notch production mavens and musicians, with award-winning Malaysian fashion designers Carven Ong, Dominique Chan, Nazleen Noor, and Smyth Wong designing her eye-popping costumes for the 4 respective segments.

Through this concert, she hopes to raise Malaysians’ spirit with powerful messages of strength and resilience to overcome fears and obstacles.

She risked certain consequences by posting a video that urged Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak to resign.

As a result, several sponsors withdrew from her show, forcing her to fork out RM500,000 to ensure that the concert proceeds as planned.

Her plan was, of course, opposed by her own parents, but Wincci said the show must go on to maintain her reputation as a professional artiste.

If I cancel the concert, I will lose the trust from the people because I have promised them that the concert will happen, and this will also affect my reputation. These 2 things cannot be bought with money.

It is unknown which sponsors have pulled out, but this event is supported by Replay Family Karaoke and Melody FM.

*UPDATE: This story has been edited to rectify an error in Soo Wincci’s career background. We apologise for the mistake.

Sources: The Malay Mail Online, The Star Online, Ticket Charge.

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#Apple: iOS 9.1 (iPhone, iPad) Update Adds Middle Finger, Taco, & Unicorn Emoji

It’s finally here for iOS users – the much talked about, long-awaited middle finger emoji.

Apple’s latest iOS 9.1 update, which is available to download for iPhone and iPad today, includes the middle finger icon. It has been introduced along with 150 other new emoji including a taco, cheese wedge, hot dog, unicorn, and a popping champagne bottle.

The update also allows users to do the Vulcan salute ala Leonard Nimoy. Winning!

According to Daily Mail, these emoji have been a long time coming because the method of adding new emoji is complex. They must first be approved by an organisation called the Unicode Consortium in California responsible for developing Unicode.

The consortium selects candidates from popular or topical requests and candidates are also picked if there are existing gaps in current emoji – for example, Unicode 7.0 had a tiger, but not a lion.

Once the emoji are made available by the consortium, companies including Apple, Google, and Microsoft can then integrate them into their own systems.

Note: Only users who with devices that have been updated to support Unicode 7 and Unicode 8 emoji will be able to see the new characters. Anyone who is running an older version will just see square boxes instead of the emoji.

Aside from a new range of emoji, the roll out of Apple’s iOS 9.1 on Wednesday (21st October) also updated support for Live Photos, added new wallpapers, and tweaked the shift key on the virtual keyboard.

But really, do you care about that when you can now send multi-middle fingers to your unsuspecting friends? Exactly.

To get the latest emojis for your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the latest update.


6 E-Wallet Cash Rebates At Major Supermarkets For Your Grocery Needs

Attention to all shoppers! We’re back with more E-wallet cash rebates that might be handy for your next grocery trip.

We’ve compiled a list of e-wallet promotions that you can use at well-known supermarkets, so you don’t have to worry about finding the right store as it might already be in your area. Check out these 6 e-wallet cash rebates you can use below:

1. Boost E-Wallet (Up To RM23 Cashback At Tesco)

2. ShopeePay E-Wallet (RM4 Cashback At Mydin)

3. MAE App (Up To RM80 Cash Rebate At Selected Supermarkets)

4. Touch’n Go E-Wallet (RM3 Cashback voucher at Tesco)

5. Razer Pay (Up To RM150 Cash Rebate At Selected Supermarkets)

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James Corden Talks About Malaysia Banning “Despacito” On His Show

Late night talk show host James Corden, who is known for his “Carpool Karaoke” segments and for being a multi-talented all-round funny guy (read: comedian), mentioned Malaysia in passing during his “The Late Late Show with James Corden” yesterday.

In a short segment of “The Late Late Show with James Corden”, he looked at a roundup of stories including a new research showing that the sperm count in men have declined, a Texas company recalling coffee with Viagra-like substance, law enforcement officers fining a 5-year-old girl for running a lemonade stand, and Malaysia banning “Despacito”.

“Despacito”, which features the vocals of Justin Bieber, topped the charts of 45 countries and reached the top 10 of 9 others, making it both Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee’s most successful single to date. It became the first song primarily in Spanish to top the Billboard Hot 100 since “Macarena” (Bayside Boys Mix) in 1996.

About 2 weeks ago, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) banned “Despacito” from the government-owned Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) TV and radio channels with immediate effect after a public complaint was reviewed by RTM’s panel.

What did James Corden have to say about the ban?


#Gorillaz: New Album Expected For 2016 Release

Now, how can we not be excited about this? We hear that our favourite virtual band Gorillaz will be back…in 2016!

We know, we know, it’s going to be a long wait but we are just so glad that they’re returning to the music scene after going on hiatus since 2012. The band’s comeback was confirmed through vocalist Damon Albarn’s interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, where they revealed that he is currently working on the reactivating the band with a new album due 2016.

During the interview, Albarn also revealed that he will be back in the studio to record a new album with “The Good, The Bad & The Queen”. He told the the Sydney Morning Herald that they are in the final stages now as the tracks in the album had already been written.

However, the English musician refused to share any info about the current status of his band, Blur. He said:

I would imagine there’s some kind of future, but at the moment there’s no time for the future – only the present..Who knows? I’m reluctant to say anything [about Blur], because if I do, it just gets taken out of context and then I’m accused of being a wind-up.

Albarn has been a real busy musician as he has been touring for his first solo album “Everybody Robots” and is currently working on a West End theatre musical adaptation of a children’s book. Thus, it came as no surprise that he has decided to push Gorillaz’s album release to 2016.  There are no further details about the virtual band’s new album yet but the new album is going be their first album since their 2011 iPad-recorded LP, “The Fall”.

So, are you excited about their new album? Although Albarn and his bandmate Jamie Hewlett have done incredibly well for their previous albums and “Feel Good Inc” is still one of our favourite “feel-good” jams until today:


Top 10 Controversial Films That The Malaysian Government Banned In Cinemas

Recently, the topic of censorship within Malaysia has been buzzing all over social media. It began with the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia, or Lembaga Penapis Filem (LPF), deciding not to allow Disney to air an uncut version of “Lightyear” in local cinemas. This was due to some brief depictions of a same-sex couple on-screen.

Now it seems that Marvel fans will be getting “Thor: Love and Thunder” at a later date, possibly because of the film’s depiction of an LGBTQ character, Valkyrie played by Tessa Thompson. Whether you think it’s a righteous decision or the government stomping on creative freedom, Malaysia has had a long history of heavy regulations when it comes to the film industry.

In fact, over the years, there’s been multiple popular films that have been banned in Malaysian cinemas. And frankly with services like Netflix, HBOGo and Disney+, we never really noticed! Well, we’re here to run down some of the most controversial films that didn’t make the cut pass Malaysian censors. Don’t tell your mom about these ones…

We’ve all got to have a sense humour about the big questions in life. Questions like why is there suffering the world? Where did we come from? Or what if God was one of us? Well, turns out the LPF didn’t quite get the joke when it came to Jim Carrey’s “Bruce Almighty”. A film that sees God, played by Morgan Freeman, imbue his power to Jim Carrey’s Bruce Nolan, a dissatisfied field reporter looking to get ahead in life. Through his hilarious journey in godhood, he realises that he can’t control everything in life and learns to let go. In Islam, visual depictions of God and His Prophets are forbidden as it is believed it will lead to idolatory. Seeing that the majority of Malaysians are Muslims, this heart-warming feel-good film could be seen as blasphemous.

Who doesn’t love a cute, family-friendly animal film about adventure and friendship? The LPF apparently, seeing that they weren’t fans of “Babe”, a film about a talking pig who tries to prove himself as capable of herding sheep to avoid becoming a farmer’s lunch. Needless to say, the little piggy was portrayed in too positive a light for the LPF’s taste and they felt that having the protagonist be a pig, an animal considered haram in the Islamic faith, might be offensive to Malaysians. Another reason cited was that the pig’s name, Babe sounded too similar to the Malay word…babi? That last reason’s a bit of an odd one.

Okay, so for this one we completely understand why it was banned here…but it is still a pretty darn funny film. So the plot of “Zoolander” follows Ben Stiller’s Derek Zoolander, a bumbling fashion model turned spy, as he uncovers a secret conspiracy to murder the Prime Minister of Malaysia. In the film, Malaysia is depicted as a backward country with sweatshops ran by Asians. Yikes, clearly the LPF weren’t fans of this. That being said, it is pretty hilarious how the filmmakers thought Malaysia was essentially a copy of Thailand and didn’t even bother to represent us correctly. We never had a bald-headed Chinese prime minister, at least to our recollection. The writers should have definitely done their homework before working on the plot.

If we ever got a censored version of Martin Scorsese’s “The Wolf of Wall Street”, it would probably be 20- minutes long because this film is insane! It is on a whole other level of depraved madness, and we utterly love it! It’s essentially a film about a bunch of immoral, horny, drug addicts who ran one of the biggest scam factories in the history of Wall Street. If there’s two things the LPF are concerned about they’re depictions of sexualities and drug abuse. We’ve even seen them censor kisses in children’s films. What more this coked up, orgy-filled roller coaster ride through the eyes of Leonard DiCaprio’s Jordan Belfort. What we wouldn’t give to see the LPF officials faces while going through the entire film. Their jaws must have been on the floor!

A film about kinky BDSM style sex between a billionaire playboy and a college student. Geez we wonder why the Malaysian censors weren’t exactly feeling this one? Well, LPF Chairman Abdul Halim had some strong words for the film. He described the film as “sadistic” and “not natural”, and that the film was “more pornography than a movie”. He particularly didn’t like the scene when Anastasia was tied to the bed and whipped by Christian Grey. To be fair, the engagement in a BDSM relationship depicted on screen between the two of them were consensual. Moral of the story: the LPF wants you to keep what you do under the sheets away from the big screen.

As we’ve mentioned earlier, visual depictions of the Prophet Muhammad and the other prophets of Islam are forbidden. So you can rest assured that the LPF weren’t going to let a chariot-racing, cocky prince, voiced by Val Kilmer, portray one of their most venerated propherts, Moses. And while we completely understand why the LPF would not allow this film for public consumption in cinemas, we’re not going to lie, this film is amazing. This is hands-down one of the most visually stunning animated films we’ve ever seen. The art direction, the music by Hans Zimmer and the story can only be described as masterful. For non-Muslims, we highly recommend giving this film a watch. This is DreamWorks Animation at its peak.

Long before “Lightyear” became a lightning rod for controversy in Malaysia, there was Ang Lee’s “Brokeback Mountain”. A film about the story of two gay cowboys trying navigate through what it means to be masculine cowboys with their LGBT identities. It’s a powerful film about youth, passion and love. One that the LPF certainly did not appreciate due to it going against Islam’s teaching of homosexuality as a sin. In many ways, “Brokeback Mountain” was as much a controversial film for the rest of the world as it was for Malaysia. Many countries like China and the United-Arab Emirates refused to air the film in cinemas. In fact, some American theaters refused as well.

When it comes satirist, musician and now director, Namewee, there is no shortage of creativity and controversy. Next to perhaps Fahmi Reza, Namewee is by far the most famous (or infamous) advocate for free speech in Malaysia. Which is why it came as no surprise when the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS) decided not only that his 2020 film “Babi” would not be screened in Malaysian theaters but that Namewee himself is guilty of criminal charges. The film is a gripping high school drama film that discusses the dark realities of living in Malaysia and the effects that Malaysia’s New Economic Policy (NEP) has had on the lives of racial minorities. Ironically, Namewee’s film gained international acclaim but was reviled in its own native country. Love him or hate him, you got to admit that the man has guts!

Now here’s the strange thing, for a while there actually were posters of “The Danish Girl” in cinemas prior to its release. We suppose the LPF finally got around to watching the film and realised that Eddie Redmayne didn’t have a twin sister, he WAS the Danish Girl, Einar Wegener, a married Danish man who longs to embrace his identity as a transgendered woman, Lili Ebbe. This is the story of one of the first sex-reassignments surgery in recorded history. As you have noticed, the LPF tends to have a rather conservative heteronormative view of human sexuality. Hence we never got a chance to see “The Danish Girl” in Malaysian theaters.

Now this is one of the rare few cases when a nation banning a film they see as controversial, is itself deemed controversial by the international community. Now there were a number of reasons why the LPF felt this film depicting the plight of the Jews in Nazi Germany faced during the Holocaust was inappropriate for public consumption. From nudity to violence to graphic scenes of tortures. Those reasons are somewhat understandable. However, in a letter sent to the distributors of the film, the LPF stated that the film was “propaganda with the purpose of asking for sympathy”. Regardless of what you think of the state of Israel and its war crimes, we can all agree that the Holocaust was a terrible event and that no one deserves that kind of fate. Till this day, it remains arguably the most controversial decision made by the LPF with some countries accusing Malaysia of being anti-Semitic.

So what do you think of all these films? Have you watched any of them? Be sure to let us know in the comments!

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(Video) From Mingling With TVB Stars To New Music Projects: Epic Events We Hit Up This Week!

Another week, another whirlwind of totally EXTRA events!

From finding our balance at New Balance’s Grey Day party, to bringing the house down at TikTok’s Raya Open House – we were THERE, and we were vibing! Check out our social diary for this week (don’t be jelly!):

“For Everyone Who Loves Like A Mom” – that’s the tagline for Pandora’s Mother’s Day campaign. As the sentence suggests, our mother figures can come in different forms – be it our biological moms, teachers, or even mentors. During a recent intimate gathering at The Ruma hotel, we were fortunate to hear emotional testimonies from Love Earth Organic founder, Samantha Mah (who shared her emotional story of losing her mom at the young age of 5 and how that impacted her); influencer and new mom Purple Tiff, as well as Bella Astillah (who was accompanied by her adorable son, Aden).

There were tears, laughter, and a renewed appreciation for all moms. In honour of Mother’s Day, Pandora also launched their stunning Mother’s Day Moments and Timeless collections.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

We visited the Maison CELINE pop-up store @ Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, which is showcasing the label’s best leather, travel, home, Haute Parfumerie and candle collections. At the pop-up, accessible from the centre court of Pavilion Kuala Lumpur, CELINE honours its iconic Triomphe line, which will be available in seasonal colours and models as well as in its timeless Triomphe Canvas, and Haute PARFUMERIE fragrance collections. Happening from now until the 14th of May 2023, you GOTTA visit the pop-up store and experience everything CELINE has too offer!

Edelweiss Weekend Unwind is taking over Central Rooftoop Garden, Lalaport BBCC, for several weekends (Thursdays to Sundays), from now until May 28th. Edelweiss fans can chill out at the Unwind Bar, where they can enjoy creative cocktails created by expert mixologists using Edelweiss Wheat Beer. Visitors can also satisfy their artistic desires by participating in the “Sip and Paint” or Jesmonite sessions while relaxing at the bar. Guests can also visit the pop-up market, which is a collaboration with Pingmin Market (平民市集), a well-known platform for local artisans to showcase their crafts! We dropped by, and we had a blast!

Edelweiss Weekend Unwind is open for non-Muslims aged 21 and above. Register for free passes here and discover the playful side of life with Edelweiss.

Test your gaming skills and try not to get blasted in Bomb Battle, an immersive video game experience for the whole family! A bomb has been placed, and your team has to navigate five puzzles that are more difficult than the last to get a shot at defusing it. Failing to defuse the bomb results in the world’s biggest paint bomb. We can testify!

Bomb Battle is the first of its kind, and to celebrate its launch, guest stars such as Miss Universe Malaysia 2022 Lesley Cheam Wei Yen, were present during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. We did our best to solve all the challenges thrown at us, but it still wasn’t enough. This challenge will test your wits, hand-eye coordination, and teamwork skills to see if you will survive getting blasted. Invite your friends and family and see if you can take on and beat this challenge!

Pay attention everyone, cause there’s a lot to look forward to from New Balance! We were at APW, Bangsar to celebrate “Grey Day” together with the brand, and witness the launch of the new “Moon Daze” pack and MADE in USA Grey Day Collection – but we were feeling anything but grey!

Not only did we get to check out the spectacular new kicks and merch, but we also took a trip to space when we entered the Pop-up Experience at APW, where guests can enjoy an array of interactive rooms, as well as the workshop. Be sure to hurry, as the event will go on from 12th May (Friday) to 14th May (Sunday) and you’ll be blown out of this world! Check out the new collection here.

Calling all hip-hop fans – we’ve got great news! Joe Flizzow will be holding his first ever solo concert, titled “This Is Johan”, at JioSpace in Petaling Jaya, this July! During the press conference which we attended, the rapper told members of the media that he will be performing up to 30 of his greatest hits – past and present. Not to mention, he’ll also be collaborating with other reputable musicians and artistes.

The details of Flizzow’s “This Is Johan” concert are as follows:

Stay tuned for the special shoutout video from the one and only Mr. President! 😉

Talk about collaboration of the century! Secret Recipe has partnered up with Universal Music Malaysia for their upcoming campaigns! To kick off the partnership with a bang, the brands threw a special concert featuring local talents under the record label, namely Athalia, Bella Astillah, Meer Nash and Yonnyboii – and we were front and centre! The event was jam-packed with splendid performances of their most recent and popular songs. We also got to witness the debut performance of Meer Nash’s new song “Permata” – just in time for Mother’s Day!

H&M x Mugler, one of the most highly-anticipated fashion collaborations of the year, finally arrived! The collection is unlike anything you’ve seen from H&M: Think mesh bodysuits, pumped-up shoulder pads, sculpting minidresses, and corseted hoodies1 New and OG fans will definitely NOT be disappointed by this collection. The after-party of the event was also one of the highlights, as it featured famous local DJs, artists, as well as dance crews that made the night especially memorable. We vibed like cray-cray!

Check out the Mugler X H&M collection online here.

Kinohimitsu has a lot to celebrate; besides turning 25, the well-known brand is also the No.1 Best Selling Collagen Drink in Singapore and Malaysia. To commemorate the joyous occasion, some of the biggest names in Hong Kong showbiz and former ambassadors were invited to grace a black tie event that took place at One World Hotel, Petaling Jaya. We were there, of course!

All eyes were on TVB power couple Tavia Yeung (杨茜尧) and Him Law (罗子溢), as well as TVB artiste cum producer Chris Lai Lok Yi (黎诺懿) as they marked thed milestone with Kino Biotech Group Executive Chairman Ting Yen Hock. During the event, Him and Tavia shared that this was their first trip to Malaysia in years. The husband and wife duo have been busy over the past couple of days filming for various Chinese programmes and interviews. Meanwhile, Lok Yi has been exploring a few famous Malaysian cuisines. He was probably doing some prep work as he has some upcoming shooting projects here in June and July.

Aside from the TVB stars, attendees also got to see a dazzling fashion show by Dewi Malaysia’s beauty pageant finalists; as well as performances by the talented live band (featuring Adrian Lee and Willien Ng). Of course, the night wouldn’t be complete without acknowledging Kinohimitsu’s business partners with a special appreciation trophy and a presentation of memento.

Raya isn’t over yet – so TikTok Malaysia graciously threw an open house on 11th May! Held at EQ Kuala Lumpur, TikTok content creators gathered in their Raya best to bedazzle their friends and us, of course! From popular creators to unique creatives, all were buzzing with the opportunity to catch up with one another and to meet their favourite creators.

TikTokers like Ceddyornot, Khairul Aming and Dr Ben Gee were present – and needless to say, drew a lot of attention from their fellow content creators. We were also treated to amazing performances by The Gadys, Insomniacks and none other than Iman Troye herself! Even local celeb DS Vida made a surprise appearance, stunning many with her gorgeous looks as usual. It was certainly a night to remember and one many hope to have again!

Le French Festival is back with more cultural experiences than ever! Get ready to experience a full month (25th May to 25th June) of cultural activities showcasing France’s performing arts, visual arts, gastronomy, music and a wide range of contemporary movies.

As His Excellency Axel Cruau, Ambassador of France to Malaysia, was delighted to reveal during the press conference we attended: “The 2023 edition will do even more to highlight the best of French culture and share it with our friends all over Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, and to a new location: Kuching!” Needless to say, it left us all quite excited for what was to come.

Notably enough, an adaptation of “The Three Musketeers” by Alexandre Dumas will be released during the festival in Malaysia, and will be its first premiere in Asia! A festival for kids, Le Petit Festival, will also be held during the month at the Alliance Française de Kuala Lumpur. For KL festival-goers, it will be held on 25th May to 11th June.

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#MH370: Search For Malaysia Airlines Plane Officially Suspended

After a 3-year long underwater search for Malaysia Airlines’ (MAS) flight MH370 yielded no results, it has officially beed suspended.

MH370 was believed to have ended in the Indian Ocean off Australia’s west coast after it disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on 8th March 2014 carrying 239 passengers and crew.

Since then, 3 countries have been leading the search for the missing plane in a $160 million deep-sea hunt.

Last month, the search was reduced to one ship when Chinese ship Dong Hai Jiu 101, which was hunting for debris with a remotely operated vehicle – a device tethered to a ship by a cable – returned to its home port of Shanghai.

In a joint statement from Chinese, Australian, and Malaysian officials, the plane “has not been located” in the 120,000 square kilometre (46,000 square mile) search area of the southern Indian Ocean.

“Despite every effort using the best science available, cutting edge technology, as well as modeling and advice from highly skilled professionals who are the best in their field, unfortunately, the search has not been able to locate the aircraft,” the statement said, adding that the decision to suspend the underwater search has not been taken lightly nor without sadness.

MH370’s disappearance remains one of the world’s biggest aviation mysteries. In July last year, Australia, China and Malaysia agreed that if the aircraft was not located by the time 120,000 square kilometres (46,000 square miles) had been covered, the search would be suspended.

Sources: CNN, AFP via CNA, AP / Featured image: DNA.


Hype’s Must Watch: Point Break

Oh this Christmas is going to be super thrilling! ;)

Warner Bros. Pictures has dropped an official trailer for the remake of “Point Break”, a movie that is inspired by the 1991 classic hit starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves.

“Point Break” centres on a young FBI agent, Johnny Utah (played by Luke Bracey) who gets a group of thrill-seeking top athletes led by the charismatic Bodhi (played by Édgar Ramírez) to investigate a series of crimes committed by a certain rebellious group.

While the 1991 original focused on the surf scenes and parachuting, the remake features a wide range of high risk sports including big-wave surfing, wingsuit flying, sheer-face snowboarding, free rock climbing and high-speed motorcycling.

Known for his work on “Invincible”, Ericson Core will direct from the script written by Kurt Wimmer. Roderick Johnson, Andrew A.Kosove, John Baldecchi, Chris Taylor as well as Kurt Wimmer from Alcon Entertainment will produce the film while Chairman of Marloss Entertainment, John McMurrick will serve as the executive producer.

The stunts in “Point Break” will be performed by well-known extreme athletes including surfers Laird Hamilton and Sebastian Zietz, snowboarders Xavier De Le Rue and Louis Vito as well as wingsuit stunt pilots Jon Devore and Julian Boulle.

“Point Break” also includes cameos by Steve Aoki, Seth Troxler and Art Department.

Starring Édgar Ramírez , Luke Bracey, Ray Winstone, Teresa Palmer and Delroy Lindo, “Point Break” is to hit cinemas worldwide on 25th December in 2D and 3D.

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi – Why Director Rian Johnson Chose THAT Answer for Rey’s Parentage

One of the more intriguing aspects of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” is the revelation of Rey’s parentage. Since “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, fans have been speculating on the nature of Rey’s parentage. Most theorised that it could be Luke Skywalker; some speculated that it could be Obi-Wan Kenobi. But nobody expected Rian Johnson to take a sharp left turn.

In an exchange of words between Kylo Ren and Rey, it’s revealed that Rey’s parents are NOBODIES — junkers who sold her off for drinking money. This decision, among others,  made by Rian Johnson split the Star Wars fandom in half. Some fans applaud Rian Johnson for his bold choices, while others accuse him of taking a shit on the Star Wars fanbase.

In an interview with Collider, Rian Johnson explains why he decided to make Rey come from nothing:

It definitely was something that kind of slowly emerged. The truth is that was never like a driving thing for me in the movie, and I’ve talked a little bit elsewhere about the big decision with Rey and her parents. That’s one of the big things. It’s cutting loose the idea that of her being special coming from lineage. And that is true and I do like that, and I think that’s a good thing.

However, Johnson goes on to explain that, that wasn’t the motivating factor behind his decision:

That wasn’t, though, the motivating factor behind that decision. It was more a dramatic decision of ‘What is the toughest thing she could hear about her parents? What is the thing for her and for us what will make her have to stand on her own two feet and will make things the hardest for her?’ Because she’s the hero and that’s her job—to have things be the hardest for her. So it came from that and the other element came along with that, which is something I really liked.

Johnson then further elaborates that it was a natural process of going in the direction that would make the most sense for the character:

But I didn’t sit down and think, ‘How do we overturn this whole thing of Star Wars lineage?’ That wasn’t the driving factor. It was almost a byproduct of a natural process of, ‘Oh, this is what’s going to make sense for her as a character, as a dramatic turn there. And that means this, and that’s kind of nice.’ It’s a strange, organic process, I guess.

If we can learn one thing from the quotes above, is that Rian Johnson doesn’t make his decisions just to appease the fandom and that’s GREAT. He’s a filmmaker who’s willing to take chances and make bold, possibly controversial decisions to tell a damn good story, even if it means disappointing a group of Star Wars fans. Great filmmakers always push the envelope.

I for one, love Rian Johnson’s decision. In my “The Last Jedi” analysis I mentioned how Johnson’s decision sends an important message that great people do not have to come from greatness.

Take John Lennon for example, who grew up without a mother and lost his father when he was 17. Or Barack Obama, whose father was an alcoholic who abused his several wives.


#Travel: The Most Magical Pink Sand Beaches In The World

Everything is pretty in pink, even beaches! And yes, they do exist in real life.

So what makes a beach pink? Well, most of the pink beaches in the world get their colour from broken coral pieces, shells, and calcium carbonate materials left behind by foraminifera (a microscopic organism which has a reddish-pink shell) that live in the coral reefs that surround them.

From Indonesia to Bermuda, we’ve rounded up 8 pink beaches around the world that you have to see at least once in your life:

The Komodo Island is one of the 17,508 islands in Indonesia, the world’s largest island country. Apart from being known as the habitat of the world’s largest lizard (the Komodo dragon aka Varanus komodoensis), it is also home to the magnificent Pink Beach, or Pantai Merah (which means Red Beach) in local tongue. With hundreds of species of corals, not to mention a diverse range of exotic fishes, the beach is an excellent choice for snorkelers and divers.

Besides the Pink Beach, a few small sections along the island’s eastern bay also have a pinkish tint.

Ah, the Bahamas – home to the beautiful Harbour Island. Known simply as Briland to the locals, the island is perhaps the most famous of all the pink beaches in the world. Located off the northeast coast of Eleuthera Island, the island boasts a 3-mile long pink sand beach. The island is also famous for its colourful English-style architecture and flower lined streets.

Also, thanks to its easygoing nature, the island has attracted many international tourists and is a go-to spot for many celebrities. So don’t be surprised if you spot your favourite Hollywood stars roaming around the streets of the picturesque Dunmore Town (the island’s only town).

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory in the North Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North America. While it has several several pink sand beaches (i.e. Elbow Beach and Astwood Park), the most popular one is undeniably the Horseshoe Bay Beach.

In addition to its beaches, there are numerous tourist attractions such as Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ), and Historic St George (which is a designated World Heritage Site). If you’re feeling adventurous, head down to Admiralty House for an amazing cliff diving experience. You won’t regret it ;)

Aside from the Gili Islands, Tangsi Beach, or Pink Beach, is also a must-see spot in Lombok, Indonesia. Though it’s less crowded than most of the other pink beaches in the world, it still offers a mind-blowing view. The beach’s attains its gorgeous pink colour from millions of dead red coral fragments. Furthermore, the water around the area is pretty calm, making it the perfect place for snorkelling and swimming.

There are also some cliffs where visitors can hike up to enjoy the view of the open sea. But don’t worry, it’s very easy to climb. Just be sure to wear proper shoes :)

The Mediterranean takes pride in being home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, one of them being Elafonisi Beach in the island of Crete, Greece. Named after the word “Elafi” (which means deer in Greek), the beach is a great place for families with children as the water there is shallow. According to Wonders List, in some parts of the year, the water is so shallow that people can get to Elafonisi Beach on foot.

6. Spiaggia Rosa of Budelli, Sardina, Italy

Rich in fragments of coral, seashells, and tiny specks of granite, Spiaggia Rosa (which literally means Pink Beach in Italian) is probably the most famous beach in Budelli, an Italian island positioned within the archipelago of the La Maddalena National Marine Park. Due to its breathtaking sceneries and surrounding landscapes, the pink beach was used as a filming location for Michelangelo Antonioni’s 1964 film, “Red Dessert”.

However, Spiaggia Rosa has been closed to the public for a few years now because many tourists attempted to take the sand away. Travellers can view the spectacular sight from the nearby Spiaggia del Cavaliere, accompanied by a guide from the marine park.

7. Playa de Ses Illetes, Formentera, Spain

Small, sunny, and unspoiled, Foermentera is an island situated at the south of the Balearic Island in Spain. The small island has many little beaches but none as magical as Playa de Ses Illetes. With a stunning pink shade and crystal clear water, it’s easy to see why it’s the most crowded beach on the island. From day-trippers from Ibiza to glamorous travellers, Playa de Ses Illetes attracts various kinds of tourists. Moreover, the northern end of long beach is the most peaceful part and it is an official nudist reserve.

Great Santa Cruz Island is a small yet attractive island in Zamboanga City (aka Asia’s Latin City), Philippines. The beautiful pink hue comes from crushed red organ-pipe coral (Tubipora Musica) that got mixed with the white sand during eons of surf erosion. Surrounded by sparkling turquoise water and mangrove forests, the island is ideal for snorkelling and exploring.

Since the island is a protected area, local military men are visible all around the beach. Besides that, guests only have a limited time to stay there. So be sure to check the tourism office in Zamboanga City before you plan your visit.

If you’re feeling adventurous, check out these breathtaking diving spots in Southeast Asia.

Sources: Lonely Planet, Wonders List, The Philippines, wayph.com, Ibiza-Spotlight, Charming Italy, Crete Travel, Indonesia.Travel/ Featured image: http://aphrodite.ua/.

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Was Scientology The Cause Of It All?

In 2001, Tom Cruise stunned his then wife, Nicole Kidman with divorce papers before fighting to take their two (adopted) children away from her. He later on cut her completely out of their lives when her gained sole custody of the kids. But in the whole of 10 years that they were a married couple, and even the years after the split, Nicole never did once publicly defy or challenge Tom’s devotion to his sci-fi cult beliefs.

Tom would later on meet Katie Holmes and apparently, would make the same crazy mistakes.

He once instructed producers of “Thank You for Smoking” to ban any promotional photos which showed Katie and co-star Aaron Eckhart engaged in kissing. He also prevented Katie from flying with the rest of the “Batman Begins” cast during her stint in the movie and instead, made her travel with him on his private jet.

Fast forward to 2006, past Tom and Katie’s elaborate Scientology wedding, Katie (who was raised a Roman Catholic but converted to the Church of Scientology) gave birth to their first child, Suri.

Suri’s birth became a source of media interest when the couple followed the Scientology practice of a silent  birth, a birthing procedure advised by L. Ron Hubbard and advocated by Scientologists.

According to Scientology doctrine, the silent birth is practiced because “any words spoken are recorded in the reactive mind and can have an aberrative effect on the mother and the child”, although there has been no medical or scientific proof – as crazy as it might sound.

And just last week, the shocking news of Katie serving Tom divorce papers on a cold platter shook the world.

What’s more shocking is perhaps the fact that alongside the papers, Katie also made it clear that she’s fighting for sole custody of Suri. Word has it that Katie is worried about Tom’s devotion to the cult and what effects it may sooner or later have on Suri, who is only six years old.

The controversial “religion”, known to have the most outrageous rules, regulations, teachings, and practices (read: silent birth), has spawn stories since the dawn of its existence. Most of which includes how Scientology turns people’s lives upside down.

For example, even at that age, little Suri was already being groomed to become a worldwide ambassador of Scientology. Should Katie lose legal custody of her only daughter, Suri may have to live a life of exploitation and brainwashing – including being encouraged to spy on her own mother. If there was anything that Mummy dearest said that was anti-Scientology, Suri would have to report on.

She would also have to be inducted as a cadet (which separates children from their parents for days at a time) for a “boot camp” in preparation for the base of the religion’s most hardened recruits.

Oh, and also, Scientology has no qualms whatsoever in making children (from as young as 10 years old) do 50 hours a week of work.

Which begs the question, was Scientology really the cause of the split? Or did Katie merely grow up and realize that a life with Tom (previously her celebrity crush) is not what she wants after all?

Either way, we’re inclined to believe that Suri’s Mummy dearest could have just saved her from a lifetime of science-suffering.


Anticipation Runs High For 98 Degrees’ Comeback Album!

The record, which drops 7th May 2013 via Entertainment One’s music label, marks the Grammy-nominated group’s first studio recording in more than a decade. The first single from the album, “Microphone” is available on iTunes.

98 Degrees’ “2.0” album cover features the group’s four members – Nick Lachey, his brother Drew Lachey, Justin Jeffre, and Jeff Timmons – dressed in suits and ties with the 98 Degrees logo behind them in large font.

98 Degrees will hit the road next month on a joint tour with fellow boybanders NKOTB (aka New Kids on the Block) and Boyz II Men. “The Package Tour” kicks off 28th May in Uncasville, Conn., and winds through 46 other cities before wrapping up in Indianapolis on Aug. 4.

The quartet soared to radio success after their breakthrough album, “98 Degrees and Rising” went quadruple-platinum in 1998. They later released a follow-up, “Revelation”, a Christmas album and a compilation album called “The Collection” before going on hiatus in 2002.

The reunited group made its first TV appearance together in August 2012 on Today’s “Summer Concert Series”:

[youtube id=”LcR-_8oaDwc” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Last month, Nick Lachey released an album titled “A Father’s Lullaby” that was inspired by his infant son. The disc features 12 tracks, including such classics as “You Are My Sunshine” and “Brahms Lullaby”, along with four songs that Lachey wrote.

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(Video) Nur Sajat Made Us LOL With Her Raya Cover On Homewreckers

Nur Sajat never fails to entertain fans with her hilarious antics on social media. Recently, she treated her followers on TikTok with a cover of Ziana Zain’s festive tune “Indah Di Hari Raya”, which according to her, is dedicated to all the penyondol (homewreckers) out there.

The queer personality looked smashing in a black figure-hugging top, which was worn underneath a cropped leather jacket. However, netizens were thoroughly amused by Sajat changing the lyrics of the Hari Raya song, by poking fun at the ongoing cheating scandals involving famous celebrities.

LAGU RAYA BUAT PENYONDOL #sajat #nursajat #fyp #fypシ #fypシ゚viral #viral

In the video, the “Makhluk Penggoda” songstress points out the fact on how most seductresses wear the hijab. The lyrics read, “Let’s just wear revealing clothes. Most homewreckers like to cover their hair and wear the hijab, but then engaged in affairs with married men. So, it’s better to wear off-shoulder outfits. It’s way better than covering yourselves up.”

Many netizens were entertained by Sajat’s cheeky antics. There were also others who agreed with the entrepreneur’s honest take on the ongoing controversy surrounding cheating partners. “The lyrics are very deep and straightforward. If you still don’t get it, then I don’t know what to say,” one commenter wrote. Another netizen added, “Sajat can be funny, but she also gives the best advice. Most of the times it goes straight to my heart.”

Some were also head over heels with Sajat’s singing in the video. To quote a TikToker, “You sing better than your friend 👍👍.”


#FooFighters: 1,000 Diehard Fans Play #LearnToFly In Hopes Of Cesena Show

Foo Fighters doesn’t need to prove to you that they’re the greatest rock band ever, their fans will prove it to you instead! Their Italian fans, to be exact.

A total of 1,000 diehard fans from all over the Italy recently came together in the northern city of Cesena to perform Foo Fighters’ hit single “Learn to Fly” all at once in an astonishing effort to coax the band to play in their town.

The project, which is known as the “Rockin1000”, was created in 2014 by Fabio Zaffagnini, a Foo Fighters enthusiast.

On the official website, it’s stated that the project was conceived in the first place because the band has been playing in Romagna since 1997:

The Foo Fighters are not in Romagna since 1997, it’s time to get them back, but we need a crazy idea. We have to organize something that kicks ass worldwide and can be seen by Dave Grohl: We will ask one thousand rockers to play one of their songs, all together and at the same time.

Creating the video certainly wasn’t easy as the event creator had to gather musicians through extensive auditions, do plenty of rehearsals, and basically have everything planned and under control. After spending more than a year putting this together, the video was finally published on YouTube and it saw 1,000 singers, guitarists, bassists, and drummers coming together for the performance.

In the video, Zaffagnini made a plea to the band.

Italy is a country where dreams cannot easily come true, but it’s a land of passion and creativity. What we did here is a huge, huge miracle…One thousand rockers that came from all over the nation at their own expense, and they just did one song — your song. We ask you, the Foo Fighters, to come play for us.

One can only conclude that the band could be planning to do a Cesena show soon, as they’ve responded to their effort by sharing the video with the following caption: “Che bello, Cesena” (translation: “How beautiful, Cesena”).

Che bello, Cesena…. https://t.co/o3ThIE4QYV #Rockin1000

— Foo Fighters (@foofighters) July 30, 2015

The US rockers are currently scheduled to perform in Casalecchio Di Reno, Italy, on 13th November. The town is only about an hour away from Cesena.

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(Video) Langkawi Is No Longer A Preferred Holiday Destination; Here’s Why

After a long stressful week or month of work, who wouldn’t want to go on a well-deserved holiday? When it comes to popular holiday destinations in Malaysia, Langkawi would be one of the first to come to mind. The tropical archipelago has a lot to offer to tourists from both Malaysia and abroad.

Many prefer to enjoy their holiday peacefully where there aren’t too many people around but what does it mean when said popular holiday destination isn’t as lively as expected? How would you react if you visited Langkawi and discovered that it has been really, really quiet lately?

Pantai Cenang dh jadi Pantai Lengang? #fyp #Langkawi #PantaiCenang

♬ original sound – Khair Aljufri – Khair Aljufri

TikTok user @Khair.review posted a video recently that’s been getting a lot of attention from netizens all over social media. The video, which has gained over 368k views, showed Pantai Cenang, a popular location in Langkawi that is often filled with people, especially on weekends. However, it now looks somewhat deserted as the number of tourists seemed to have decreased.

In the video, we can hear the professional emcee wondering about the current state of Langkawi as there were not as many people as before even on a Saturday evening. “There are so few people here. Has everyone gone to Thailand?” he questioned. He then proceeded to show the viewers the rest of Pantai Cenang and its night market where there seems to be little to no tourists in sight.

Netizens reacted to the video with many agreeing that people may prefer to go to Thailand as the cost of a holiday there is much cheaper compared to Langkawi. Apparently, the cost of food and accommodation in the archipelago are no longer affordable, making Langkawi a less-preferred option for a holiday.

Mana2 rancak berdosa🤣, welcome to Thailand🇹🇭#fypシ #fyp #thailand🇹🇭#viral

Meanwhile, entry into Thailand showed positive development after the borders were opened last month. In the video above, it apparently showed Malaysians queuing for hours to travel to the neighbouring country. Now that international travelling are opening up, more and more Malaysians are opting to travel abroad rather than locally.

In the meantime, let’s just hope that the cost to travel in our home country would improve so that holiday destination such as Langkawi can pick up their pace once more.


Contest: Win Tickets To The #ProjectAlmanac Premiere Screening

Project Almanac (formerly “Almanac”, “Welcome to Yesterday” and also known as “Cinema One”) is an upcoming American sci-fi adventure film directed by Dean Israelite and written by Jason Harry Pagan and Andrew Deutschman. Filmed in 2013, the movie is co-produced by Michael Bay and was originally planned for an early 2014 release.

The release date was later moved to 30th Jan 2015.

The film will be presented in found footage, and the plot centres on the creation of a time machine. A group of friends discover plans to build a time machine and then build one themselves. They use the time machine initially to undo past mistakes, and eventually their goals turn towards their own gain and pleasure but soon realise that changing the past has dire consequences in the future which hurts some people along the way.

Deets of the premiere screening are as follows:

To win tickets, all you gotta do is tell us:

E-mail your answers with your details (Name, IC, Contact number) to submit@hype.my. Each winner walks away with 4 tickets per person! There are limited tickets and this will be based on a first-come-first-serve basis so go on and start sending in those e-mails. The faster your are, the higher your chances will be.

For more information, visit the movie’s website.

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#Singapore: Woman Runs Over Sheltered Dog; Says “It’s Just A Dog”

“It’s just a dog, f-ck you,” said a woman who ran over a sheltered dog named Sayang with her car in Singapore.

Lixin Tan, founder of Animals of Singapore, took to Facebook to share a very cruel incident that happened to one of an animal shelter’s dog. According to her post, when Sayang was ran over, the car’s wheels rolled over him and he was hit several times by the mud guard as “the driver didn’t stop”.

Tan said that the shelter, Animal Lovers League (ALL), has filed a police report against the woman and that the incident took place right outside the shelter at around 10:30am along Pasir Ris Farmway 3.

“We are pursuing this case to raise awareness that animals are protected under the Animals and Birds Act and we hope the Authorities will agree that such callous attitude towards an animal cannot be condoned as stipulated therein. We stand firm in this our pursuit to see the integrity of the Law for the protection of our animals upheld,” wrote ALL.

The non-profit organisation also stated that 2 witnesses asked her to stop and help them with the injured dog but she responded rudely and drove off. They also added that the woman’s car plate number is SJR9248E and that Sayang is currently at the vets, under observation for internal bleeding.

Upon reading Tan and ALL’s posts, which went viral, many netizens expressed their anger and frustration towards the woman’s cruel behaviour. As of press time, Tan’s post was shared over 14,000 times.

One user known as Ouyang wrote, “This really makes me fuming…After all these news and law related to hit-and-run on animals, there are still bastards out there who are either ignorant or has no sympathy towards animals life. May that driver be caught soon and given the most harsh punishment”.

Animal Lovers League is a registered charity organisation that shelters about 700 dogs and cats. The organisation aims to encourage the public to adopt instead of buying animals, and endeavour to rejoin the animals at ALL with loving and committed families.

For more information about the organisation and Sayang’s condition, visit Animal Lovers League’s Facebook page and website.

Sources: Lixin Tan’s Facebook page, Animal Lovers League’s Facebook page, Channel News Asia.


Pakalu Papito: The Indian Moustache Guy Behind The Xavier Memes On FB

If you’re an avid social media user, you might have come across memes posted by a man named Xavier.

This Indian moustache guy has been all over the internet, from Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and even 9gag! But the question is – who exactly is Xavier?

For those wondering, the popular Facebook meme page is actually an imitation of content posted on Twitter. Xavier’s display picture on Facebook is actually a profile photo used by a user known as Pakalu Papito.

As stated in the “Know Your Memes” website, Pakalu Papito (@pakalupapito) is a “novelty Twitter account” which was launched back in 2013. His first ever tweet, which was uploaded on 13th July 2013, reads, “Hello Twitter, I’m single.”

Thanks to his amusingly brilliant use of puns and irrelevant humour in his joke tweets, Pakalu Papito went viral and gained immense popularity in 2015. The aforementioned tweet garnered more than 17,000 retweets and 6,000 likes over the next two years, while the account gained up to 700,000 followers.

The Pakalu Papito Facebook page was also launched on 2nd September 2013, which reposts contents from the @pakalupapito Twitter account. The page received more than 478,000 likes in just two years.

Unfortunately, his popularity was only short-lived. Back in 2018, Pakulo’s Twitter account was suspended while his Facebook page was removed. Though, it was rather unclear on the reason why the two social media accounts went missing.

After @pakalupapito was blocked, a similar account named @pakalupapitow succeeded in achieving internet stardom, where it uses the same approach in its content. But still, fans have no idea on whether the account is run by the same person.

dont u hate it when u offer help and the other person says yes

— Pakalu Papito (@pakalupapitow) January 4, 2021

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#ScamAlert: 34 Malaysians Duped By Fake Fruit Picking Jobs In Australia

Did you know that you can earn up to RM39 (AUD13) per hour, working as a fruit picker in Australian farms? Sounds like a good idea to earn quick cash while abroad right?

If you happen to come across any suspicious fruit picking jobs in Australia online, beware, because it may be a scam. At least 34 Malaysians (including 2 minors) have found themselves detained by Australian immigration officials after falling victims to fruit picking scams.

In a lengthy Facebook post, Bersih Sydney, which is part of Bersih 2.0’s international advocacy arm, revealed that these Malaysian victims were apprehended for working as fruit pickers on a blueberry farm in Coffs Coast without valid visas.

“It was soon clear that these illegal workers had fallen victim to a scam that is becoming increasingly prevalent,” it stated. Since the issue was brought to their attention, Bersih Sydney has been working closely with the Salvation Army Australia and Malaysian Consulate in Sydney.

A Bersih Sydney member who went undercover found out that several con agents have been working in Malaysia, some through tour companies, claiming that they are able to help Malaysians obtain fruit picking jobs and enter the country undetected by the Australian immigration authorities.

“Attractive packages that cost up to RM3999 are offered, which supposedly allow people to work in farms in Australia with most expenses covered, including air fare, hotel expenses, visa application fees, workplace accommodations and local transportation fees,” the advertisement claimed.

Bersih Sydney went on to elaborate that these information provided by the agents were not only false as these fruit pickers were not only underpaid but were exploited. There were even reports of some being forced to work for 36 days straight and “10 workers forced to spend their nights in a small backyard garage”.

Contrary to the agent’s claims that tourist visas, bridging visas or even student visas are enough to allow them to work in Australia, it is untrue.

The Australian High Commission in Malaysia has also issued a warning saying, “The Department of Immigration and Border Protection warns people to be very cautious regarding claims that Australian visas are allegedly for sale. These claims are not true. Australian visas are not for sale. Visas can only be obtained through official channels. We are also aware facilitators in Malaysia organising visas and flights to Australia for people who intend to work illegally on their Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) visa. This is a scam attempting to intentionally mislead people, often for money or other personal gain.”

Meanwhile, Bersih Sydney “strongly advise everyone to stay informed on such scams and to only obtain Australian visas through reputable channels”.

You wouldn’t want to travel to Australia only to be deported back to Malaysia.


#JurassicWorld2: Jeff Goldblum To Join Chris Pratt & Bryce Dallas Howard In Sequel

Jeff Goldblum is rejoining the “Jurassic Park” franchise!

He will be starring in the “Jurassic World” sequel alongside Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard. Needless to say, he will be reprising his role as Dr. Ian Malcolm, a know-it-all mathematician who came to the park as an insurance consultant.

The actor made his first appearance in the 1993 movie “Jurassic Park”, then made a re-appearance in the 1997 sequel, “The Lost World: Jurassic Park”. No word on how influential his character will be in the sequel, but hopefully, it will be more than a cameo.

Aside from the aforementioned cast, the movie also stars Justice Smith, James Cromwell, Daniella Pineda, and Toby Jones. It will be directed by J. A. Bayona with a screenplay by Derek Connolly and “Jurassic World” director Colin Trevorrow.

We already know that certain parts of the filming will take place in Hawaii (aka fictional island Isla Nubar), so fans can expect there to be some classic dinosaur island action. Director J.A. Bayona has revealed that the sequel will be “scarier” than “Jurassic World” and will take on the subject of animal abuse.

Goldblum is also slated to star in this year’s “Thor: Ragnarok” as the Grandmaster. His more recent works include “Independence Day: Resurgence”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, and the documentary “Unity”.

“Jurassic World 2” will open in cinemas on 22nd June 2018.

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Urbanscapes 2018: Malaysia’s Longest Running Creative Arts Festival Is Back

Are you ready to #ReimagineKL in a brand new way? Urbanscapes 2018 is set to make a big splash this year, so get ready!

Mark your calendars, peeps. Returning for the 16th year, the 3-week-long festival of arts and music will be held on 3rd – 18th November.

Founded in 2002, Urbanscapes is one of the longest-running creative arts festivals in Malaysia. It was initially founded with the aim to bring together Malaysian creative communities from the fields of music, the arts, design, film, and other creative disciplines. The community-centric festival has now grown to include the best from around the world and is built on the belief that great things happen when people come together.

Last year, we saw multiple city spots become playgrounds for music, theatre, design, art installations, markets, and experiential events. This year will be no different. Some of the international and homegrown talents that took part in 2017 were British electronic music group Clean Bandit, rock band TTNG (This Town Needs Guns), Mylets aka Henry Kohen, Mew, as well as SWIMS and The Venopian Solitude.

We’ll reveal the venue and line-up details once it’s announced. Stay tuned ;)


Hype’s Must Watch: Attack on Titan (進撃の巨人)

Previously, we wrote about the first “Attack on Titan” trailer, which was released back April this year.

Now, a fuller version of the manga-based movie’s trailer is out – and it’s English subbed.

The upcoming Japanese action film directed by Shinji Higuchi and based on the manga series of the same name by Hajime Isayama. The film will be split into 2 parts, with the first part scheduled to be released in Japan on 1st August 2015 and the second part, titled, “Attack on Titan: End of the World”, immediately to follow on 19th September 2015.

“Attack on Titan” follows the story of Eren Jaeger (played by Haruma Miura), a boy who desires to eliminate the titan threat. He is joined by his adopted sister, Mikasa (played by Kiko Mizuhara), and his closest friend, Armin (Kanata Hongō). When a Colossal Titan appears over Wall Maria, humanity receives a grim reminder that they will always live in fear of the titans.

Fun fact: Most of the film’s action sequences were shot on Hashima Island aka an abandoned island off southern Japan. Hashima Island is the same deserted island used for James Bond’s “Skyfall”. With no human settlement around and no legal obstacles, the production team was allowed to conduct large-scale stunts and explosions.

The screenplay for both films was penned by Yusuke Watanabe, who previously worked on “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” and the live-action adaptation of “Gantz”, another popular manga/anime series.

Watch the CGI-filled, 3 minute odd trailer below:

So, who’s planning to watch it if/when it comes out in Malaysia? :)


Hype’s Must Watch: Macbeth

“All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king.”

That’s just the first of many lines you will get to hear in the first official teaser trailer for “Macbeth”, and the phrase alone is enough to give us goosebumps.

Helmed by critically-acclaimed director Justin Kurzel, “Macbeth” is the film adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play of the same name.

The play, which considered one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most powerful works, revolves around the life of a brave Scottish general named Macbeth. After receiving a prophecy from a trio of witches that one day he will become King of Scotland, he is consumed by ambition and spurred to action by his wife to murder his king and takes the throne for himself.

“X-Men” star Michael Fassbender is attached to portray the titular role while Marion Cotillard plays his wife, Lady Macbeth.

Based on the trailer, it looks like “Macbeth” is sure to bring us an epic cinematic experience. There’s no denying that it’s a powerful trailer that made us even more excited for “Assassin’s Creed“, an upcoming film adaptation of a famed video game which will reunite the director, Fassbender, and Cotillard.

Check out the jaw-dropping teaser trailer below:

“Macbeth” hits the cinemas on 2nd October in the UK and will be released by The Weinstein Company at unspecified date.

For more information, visit the film’s official Facebook page.

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Nike Malaysia Releases Two Inspirational “Find Your Greatness” Films

As a follow up to Nike’s global “Find Your Greatness” campaign, Nike Malaysia has released two films that celebrate two extraordinary Malaysian athletes who will be going for gold in the sport of cycling.

Azizul Hasni Awang aka “The Pocket Rocket” and Fateha Mustapa (the first female cyclist to represent Malaysia) is in this Nike feature film as they share what they had to face before taking on the world this summer.

In the film, Azizul Hasni Awang is shown talking about how he faced challenges in participating in the sport due to his size, however he chose to follow his heart and prevailed, earning his nickname, “The Pocket Rocket:

[youtube id=”1ZNrjEa4Pxw” width=”600″ height=”350″]

The other film features Fateha Mustapa, who shares how she faced challenges in a sport dominated by men as a female cyclist. She made it through and is now the first female cyclist to represent Malaysia at the London Olympic Games 2012:

[youtube id=”Mr9Wlv8_9GA” width=”600″ height=”350″]

The powerful insights and messages behind these videos aim to inspire, and to encourage the beliefs that greatness is possible, empowering people and motivating them to do more. Both Azizul and Fateha overcame the odds because they didn’t let anything stand in their way to achieve their goal.

As we speak, these two athletes are on the hunt for Malaysia’s first ever Olympic gold medal.

Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” campaign is elevated by a global Twitter hashtag, #findgreatness to ignite conversations around how athletes across the globe search for their own greatness.

For more information, visit their website.


#Sabah: 2 Stripping Incidents Involving Foreign Tourists Reported

Sabah seems to have become a “nudists haven” as another 2 stripping incidents were reported to have taken place at Semporna and Sibuan Island. These incidents came after an earlier incident involving 10 tourists who pose naked and urinated at the 8km mark of the 2-day trek up Mount Kinabalu in May.

According to The Star Online, several photos of at least 7 far eastern tourists posing nude on one of the islands off Sabah’s diving haven of Semporna have gone viral.

When contacted by The Star Online on Thursday, Semporna district officer Dr. Chacho Bulah revealed that he has already asked Sabah Parks and the police to investigate the incident.

“I was informed of this matter by one of the tourism association members, who said that he saw the pictures in Facebook,” said Dr. Chacho. He added that “it’s just a claim for now”, as they cannot identify whether the incident happened in one of the Sabah islands.

According to Dr. Chaco, after he was informed about the incident on 19th October (Monday), a letter was written to the relevant authorities to urge them to investigate the matter.

We do not take such matters lightly and do not want to see such things occurring in Sabah.

Meanwhile, the police have confirmed to The Star Online that another act of stripping by tourists has taken place in an island near Semporna.

This time around, the incident involved Chinese tourists.

Semporna police chief Supt Peter Umbuas told the newspaper that the stripping incident could have occurred sometime between 2 weeks ago or even 2 years ago.

None of the tourists could be located as they have returned to China. Supt Peter said they’d “seek help of Interpol to identify the people in the photograph”. He added they will also ask the Immigration Department to “check when they entered Sabah”.

This is the 3rd time a stripping incident has been reported in Sabah.

Earlier in May, photos of tourists posing nude at the peak of Mt Kinabalu caused quite an uproar among locals, especially the natives who believed that it was a disrespectful act. 4 of the identified nudists were charged in court and sentenced to 3 days in jail before ordered to leave Sabah immediately. .

Regarding these stripping cases, Supt Peter urged tour and resort operators to inform tourists on laws against stripping and to be culturally sensitive to the local communities.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Heymun — Sailor

Sometimes, the most beautiful things can happen when you’re at your lowest.

Taking on a new change in scenery (and a beautiful one at that) and tune, Heymun’s latest track “Sailor” is quite the opposite of her previous single “Youth“. Armed with just a guitar, she sounds almost forlorn in “Sailor” but we’re not complaining because it also happens to be when she sings best. After all, don’t most singer-songwriters express themselves best that way? Except, not all singer-songwriters can meld such a beautiful voice over an equally beautiful arrangement (of the track).

It’s as though her voice has formed a beautiful love affair with her music.

The music video that accompanies Heymun’s new song features her standing on the edge of a cliff, staring out at the sea, while the wind continuously blows in her hair. Like something right out of a postcard, it’s scenic, it’s gorgeous. Truth be told, nothing much can be said about the music video but then again, nothing needs to be said – because the beauty lies within the soulful song, its words, and her vocal prowess.

For more of Heymun, follow her on Facebook, Soundcloud, Twitter, & Instagram.