HP & Yuna Are Offering A Masterclass Opportunity To Make You The Musical Envy Of Your Peers

The Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) has forced many of us to stay home and gorge on keropok, whilst working on our graphs, charts and presentations splayed all across our monitors. However, it’s also given us an opportunity to work on individual creative passions and hobbies. You know, making memes, gaming, painting, and singing lullabies to our pets. Indeed, there’s no shortage of ways to spend your time at home.

If you’re a musician and you’re looking for a way to boost your views and take your skills to the next level but do not know how, fret not, as HP Malaysia has just launched their new campaign to cater to your creative taste buds. Through the HP Creators of Tomorrow Mentorship Project, HP Malaysia is presenting an opportunity to aspiring musicians to hone their blank marquees and turn them into beautiful tapestries of sound.

To stand a chance to join the project, all you have to do is record a 30-second vocal or instrumental cover of your favourite song from an artist that you like. There’s no demarcation on what genre or artist you pick. You could cover the likes of BTS, Steve Vai, The Beatles, Taylor Swift, Frank Sinatra, the legendary John Cage (jk*), or even cover one of your own original songs.

So, what’s in it for you? Well, 5 finalists will be chosen from the pool of entries and be given the chance to meet singer-songwriter Yuna for a 2-day virtual music and song production workshop. On top of that, from the top 5, one winner will be handpicked by Yuna herself and will get to take home a brand new HP ENVY laptop.

Furthermore, Yuna will be conducting a special 1 to 1 mentorship for the chosen victor to help hone their creative potential to the fullest. Now, ain’t that something to shine your way?

To help uplift and support creators, HP has constantly innovated the HP Create Ecosystem to meet the needs of creatives everywhere. However, the best technology is only as good as the user itself.

That’s why, more than just designing the right equipment, HP Malaysia aims to empower a fresh generation of creators with the skills to traverse the challenging creative topography of today.

HP’s ENVY lineup of laptops is made for creators at every level. Engineering and creative productivity are pushed to the limit to ensure that the next generation of innovators are able to express themselves.

What are you waiting for? Turn up the gain and hit that record button now! Newbie or maestro, it doesn’t matter because learning is a lifelong journey. As long as you’ve got the passion, this mentorship is for you!

The deadline for submissions is on the 22nd of November 2020. For more details on the program or the HP Envy portfolio, you can visit the official campaign page at HPMalaysia.com/MentorshipProject.

Need a new device for your creator journey? Use the code: ENVY100 on Shopee to get RM100 off HP ENVY 13, HP ENVY 15 and HP Spectre x360 from now until 30th November 2020. You’ll also get to take home home freebies worth RM409, including a HP Pavilion Backpack, HP Wireless Mouse and Kaspersky Internet Security for your device. Exciting offers are available at https://shopee.com.my/m/hp-mega-offers.

This 11:11 HP’s Shopee online store has a 1 day deal to get up to RM150 off + RM409 worth of freebies when you purchase a minimum of RM3,000 worth of products. Visit https://shopee.com.my/hponlinestore for all the details.

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5 Reasons Why Fans Are Not Happy About The New “Aladdin”

Disney has offered the first look at its upcoming live-action of “Aladdin” remake starring Mena Massoud as the titular role, Naomi Scott as Princess Jasmine, and Will Smith as the all-powerful Genie.

However, from the comments and reactions, the first-look photos apparently didn’t go down very well with Disney fans, and here are 5 reasons why they’re not happy.

A post shared by Disney's Aladdin (@disneyaladdin)

One of the biggest reasons that got fans pissed at the first-look is because Will Smith’s version of Genie is not blue! How can Genie not be blue?! Instead of being a floating blue cloud, Smith’s version of the iconic character takes a human form and wears blue robes. After receiving tons of backlash, Will Smith reassures fans that his character will be blue and his appearance on the EW cover is simply Genie’s form when disguised as a human.

Another major difference about the live-action remake is that Aladdin is fully clothed. Fans apparently didn’t like it that Massoud’s version of Aladdin is wearing a shirt underneath his vest, because in the original Disney adaptation, Aladdin is shirtless, and he only wears a simple worn-out vest and pants. That’s what makes him charming in the first place, despite having no nipples. Yup, this was an issue before.

Some fans explained the reason why he is fully clothed is due to the movie being family-friendly. Furthermore, it is also how he appears in many Disney parks.

Jafar could get it! Jasmine, I know Aladdin could show you the world but, Jafar tho #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/rTgHMzuzYq

— Jonée Lewis-Riley (@Neenee616) December 20, 2018

In the original version, Jafar is a mean, ugly and old villain whose look matches his personality. But in the remake, he is freaking hot! Maybe even more so than the main character himself! While a lot of fans are swooning over the new Jafar, who is played by Marwan Kenzari, they find it hard to hate the villain seeing how attractive he is. Some fans are even shipping Jasmine with Jafar as opposed to Aladdin.

Many fans have felt that the costumes worn by the cast look like something people can buy at any cheap costume shop. Some said that Genie looks like “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” had a Halloween episode where Smith dressed up as Sinbad. Others note that the costumes from “Aladdin’s” musical are way better than what the cast are wearing in Guy Ritchie’s remake.

Okay…I approve of Abu. #Aladdin pic.twitter.com/pgYVlzIsAX

— 🌈Paul Decker📚 (@PWDecker) December 19, 2018

Apparently, Aladdin’s beloved pet monkey Abu is the one who gained the most love among the fans. Many deemed the monkey to be the best character out of the rest as it is the most believable one of all. LOL!

Even though the pet monkey is made mostly out of CGI, many fans claimed that they prefer Abu compared to the other characters as he seems closest to the original Disney adaptation.

“Aladdin” is scheduled to be released in the United States on 24th May 2019. The movie is helmed by Guy Ritchie, and will also features Navid Negahban as the Sultan, Nasim Pedrad as Dalia, Princess Jasmine’s loyal handmaiden and confidante, Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders, a suitor and potential husband for Princess Jasmine, and Numan Acar as Hakim, Jafar’s right-hand man and head of the palace guards.


#HacksawRidge: Luke Bracey Lands Lead In Mel Gibson’s WWII Film

Luke Bracey (of “The November Man” and “The Best Of Me” fame) has signed on to star in actor turn director Mel Gibson’s latest, the true World War II tale, “Hacksaw Ridge”.

As reported by Deadline, the Australian actor will join Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn and Sam Worthington in the story of Corporal Demond Doss, the first conscientious objector to receive the US congressional Medal of Honour.

Scripted by Robert Schenkkan and Randall Wallace, whom worked with Gibson on “Braveheart”, the story of “Hacksaw Ridge” is likely to focus on 1945’s three-month military assault Operation Iceberg, also known as the Battle of Okinawa. While the plot mainly centres on Doss (played by Garfield) who was drafted into World War II at age 23. Raised at a Seventh-Day Adventist, he refused to kill or carry a weapon which led to him being stationed as a medic. President Harry S. Truman presented Doss with his commendation on November 1, 1945, citing many acts of bravery and sacrifice performed by Doss in the line of duty.

Bracey will play a member of Doss’ platoon by the name of Smitty who is in the original story was described as a “hard-nose alpha dog” who manages to form a close bond with Doss. Terry Benedict, Bill Mechani, Steve Longi and David Permut are all attached to produce “Hacksaw Ridge”, which is set up at Lionsgate and will most likely shoot in Australia.

Bracey will next be seen in Warner Bros. Pictures’ Point Break remake which lands in theatres on December 25.

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Bros Gang TV Clarifies Controversy About Girl Cheating Partner For RM20K

Last week, Bros Gang TV released a video about a female gold-digger who was willing to cheat on her partner for RM20,000. As a result, it caused quite a stir among the internet community as many fans thought that the clip was scripted.

Most recently, the boys behind the YouTube channel uploaded a new clip to address the backlash surrounding the clip which is said to have reached a phenomenal status. In the 20-minute long visual, they clarified that the episode was actually a re-enactment based on a true story.

In the clip uploaded by @syahmirzaa on Twitter, the boys explained that the 4th episode was purely for entertainment purpose only. They further claimed that netizens had came up with “absurd assumptions” about the video, even up to making false statements regarding the gold-digger character.

Ever since its 1st episode back in February, the channel produced clips that cover the issue of transactional relationships. They have gathered 337,000 subscribers online. As at time of writing (Monday, 27th July), the controversial clip has gained over 2 million views on YouTube.

What are your thoughts after hearing their explanation?


#StarWars: Gareth Edwards Reveals Details For #RogueOne

At the Star Wars Celebration on Sunday, Lucasfilm brought the latest member of the directorial family, Gareth Edwards, to discuss about the Star Wars universe. Author Pablo Hidalgo started off by introducing Kathleen Kennedy and Kiri Hart, head of Story Group, who announced that the stand-alone films will officially be referred to as “Star Wars Anthology Films.”

During the celebration, Gareth Edwards, the director of the first Anthology Film, “Rouge One”, said the most amazing thing he saw was the trailer premiere for “The Force Awakens”. The director also said that he tried not to cry but couldn’t help himself when he saw Han Solo and Chewie return home.

The teaser trailer featured the voice of Sir Alec Guinness as the voice of Obi-Wan from the firs Star Wars film.

“For more than a thousand generations, the Jedi Knights were the guardians of peace and justice in the old republic.” “Before the dark times. Before the Empire. “

The camera then slowly tracks through a forest to reveal the Death Star rising over the horizon of an unknown planet.

The panel continued with the first official summary of the movie:

“A rogue band of resistance fighters unite for a mission to steal the Death Star plans and bring a new hope to the galaxy.” Edwards confirmed that it bob up after Episode III, before Episode IV, and “closer to Episode IV.”

The director further elaborated that the film will not star Jedi as their absence is part of the storytelling, and that the idea of a regular group of people without magical powers trying to improve their world is what’s interesting.

Watch “Rogue One: Star Wars Anthology: teaser trailer here:

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


Charity Screening Kicks Off Nationwide Release Of “The Lady”

TGV Cinemas joined hands with MCWEA, Malaysian Chinese Women Leader Caucus and Sunway Pyramid to host a special charity screening of “The Lady” at the newly refurbished cinema in Sunway Pyramid.

The meaningful event was graced by none other than Dato’ Michelle Yeoh (lead actress in “The Lady”), Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Heng Seai Kie, Tan Sri Dato’ Seri Dr. Jeffrey Cheah, Puan Sri Datin Seri Dr. Susan Cheah of the Sunway Group, Mr. Kenny Wong (CEO of TGV Cinemas) and many other notable personalities.

The event, which saw about 600 guests attracted many distinguished personalities, members of royalty, representatives from the diplomatic community, prominent businessmen and businesswomen, movie directors and local artistes.

The movie, directed by acclaimed French Director Luc Besson, famous for his works, “Taxi” and “The Fifth Element”, is based on the life of Aung San Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael Aris. It is also a beautiful epic story on the peaceful quest of Aung San Suu Kyi at the core of Burma’s democracy movement.

Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end. A story of devotion and human understanding set against a backdrop of political turmoil that continues today:

[youtube id=”SMYAzQC3UjI” width=”600″ height=”350″]

All the funds raised at the night’s screening will be utilised to conduct skills development and career building courses for underprivileged women, including single mothers and women from the lower income group.

According to Datuk Heng Seai Kie, Aung San Suu Kyi’s spirit in putting the people and her country first despite hardship is truly an inspiration for all. Dato’ Michelle Yeoh is a role model for women in Malaysia to emulate because she epitomises independence, intelligence, beauty and shows how women can be a force in the society.

“There’s so much that we can learn from ‘The Lady’ and TGV Cinemas has always promoted positive and encouraging messages on the human spirit, bonding and values. We are proud to be part of this event. I applaud the organisers for their devotion in bringing this together and choosing TGV Cinema as their partner,” said Kenny Wong (CEO of TGV Cinemas).

“The Lady” opened across all TGV Cinemas on 25th April 2012 (Wednesday). You know what you’re going to be catching at a TGV Cinema near you this weekend.

For more information, visit their website.

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Grammys 2022: All The Hollywood Celebs That Hung Out With BTS

It was a huge day for BTS at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards today. Not only did the mega K-pop stars look dapper in their Louis Vuitton on the red carpet, the Bangtan Boys also delivered a sickening new rendition of their smash hit “Butter”.

Being the Kings of K-pop, naturally everyone were fanboying over BTS – and Hollywood A-list celebrities were no exception. They include fashion icon Donatella Versace, Lady Gaga, couple John Legend, Chrissy Teigen and their daughter Luna, Jon Batiste, Megan Thee Stallion, Olivia Rodrigo Kelsea Ballerini, and more…

BTS and Donatella Versace at the 64th Annual #GRAMMYs  pic.twitter.com/w5tBAIrgYr

— BTS Charts Daily⁷ (@btschartsdailys) April 4, 2022

[📸PHOTOS] @BTS_twt V with Lady Gaga at the 64th #GRAMMYs Awards (4)

— BTS PICS FOLDER 📁 (@btspicstwt_) April 4, 2022

[📸PHOTOS] @BTS_twt with Chrissy Teigen & John Legend at the 64th #GRAMMYs Awards (3)

My day made again. So happy they finally met.KIM TAEHYUNG AT THE GRAMMYS pic.twitter.com/XIJq3sGDng

— •°¯`•• JazzKingKTH ••´¯°• (@Taehyung_Avenue) April 4, 2022

.@BTS_twt Jimin and RM with fashion designer Donatella Versace at the 2022 #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/nKfO2jwTsk

— BTS Charts & Translations (@charts_k) April 4, 2022

REUNITED: @theestallion x @BTS_twt 💜 #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/ysGDRDlWP7

The pic 💜 #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/fO9ZslKNE8

Taehyung from BTS and Olivia Rodrigo during BTS performance of Butter!! #GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/ojoloWdrql

— Olivia Rodrigo Updates 🧛🏻♀ (@LivUpdatesDaily) April 4, 2022

No wayyyyyy! Our #CMTAwards host @KelseaBallerini and @BTS_twt / @bts_bighit together?! 🤩#GRAMMYs pic.twitter.com/MWT2TqYgkP

If you haven’t checked out BTS’ sizzling live performance, check it out here:

We’d also like to offer our congratulations to the singers who just won their first ever Grammy award today. Check out the list here.

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17th Busan International Film Festival on Sundance Channel

Sundance Channel has announced plans for exclusive coverage of the 17th Busan International Film Festival (from 8th to 12th October). In addition to debuting first-ever highlights of the prestigious festival, the network will showcase a line-up of exclusive, award-winning films seen at Busan in recent years. Sundance Channel HD can be seen on Astro b.yond (Channel 438).

Produced by Sundance Channel Global and Active TV, highlights from the festival will include interviews with Asian and international celebrities and filmmakers. Offering viewers a behind-the-scenes peek at one of Asia’s most celebrated film festivals, the highlights will capture the buzz from the red carpet and feature one-on-one interviews along with coverage of the most important films competing at Busan:

[youtube id=”9diWtWeEcJE” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Highlights will air on the network each day, starting 8th October 2012 (Monday).

In addition to airing first-ever highlights from Busan, Sundance Channel will showcase an exclusive line-up of five films that have been seen at the festival in recent years.  These include the television world premiere of “I Carried You Home”, which received a nomination at the 16th Busan International Film Festival for the New Currents Award. Nominees for this category are regarded as Asian’s most promising young directors and potential world cinema leaders.

Below is further information on the film premieres throughout the week.

Directed by Carl Bessai, the film follows Cole Chambers (played by Richard De Klerk), a talented young writer with dreams too big for his small town. Cole is Adam Zang’s first feature screenplay, and Bessai also serves as director of photography. Chad Willet won “Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama” at the Leo Awards in 2010 and the film received nominations that year at several other film festivals.

3 Backyards (premieres 9th October at 10pm)

From writer-director Eric Mendelsohn comes 3 Backyards, the story of three residents of the same suburban town over the course of one seemingly perfect autumn day. Mendelsohn received the Directing Award for the film at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, where it was also nominated for the “Grand Jury Prize”.

Bellflower (premieres 10th October at 10pm)

Written and directed by Evan Glodell, Bellflower follows two friends in California as they venture out into the world to begin their adult lives. The film is Glodell’s first feature-length directorial effort, which draws on many real life events. Glodell also stars in the film opposite Tyler Dawson and Jessie Wiseman, who make their debut in lead roles in a feature film. American film critic Roger Ebert called the debut a “one-of-a-kind filmmaker, a natural driven by wild energy like Tarantino.”

The Bang Bang Club (premieres 11th October at 10pm)

The Bang Bang Club was the name given to four young photographers: Greg Marinovich (Ryan Phillippe), Kevin Carter (Taylor Kitsch), Ken Oosterbroek (Frank Rautenbach) and Joao Silva (Neels Van Jaarsveld), whose photographs captured the final bloody days of white rule in South Africa. The film tells the remarkable and sometimes harrowing story of these young men – and the extraordinary extremes they went to in order to capture their pictures. Directed by Steven Silver (who adapted the screenplay), is also the story of the final demise of apartheid and the birth of a new South Africa.

I Carried You Home (TV world premiere on 12th October at 10pm)

Directed by Tongpong Chantarangkul, the film is a portrait of a contemporary Thai family with two sisters forced to reunite over the death of their mother. Told in an interwoven sequence between the moments leading up to the mother’s death and transporting her body back to her small village, the story focuses on the estranged sisters who have not seen each other for a few years. The film stars Akamsiri Suwannasuk, Apinya Sakuljaroensuk and Torpong Kul-On. Chantarangkul received a nomination at last year’s Busan International Film Festival for the New Currents Award.

For more information, visit the Busan International Film Festival’s website.

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Happy Deepavali Everyone!

Diwali also called Deepavali also known as the festival of lights is a five-day Hindu festival which starts on Dhanteras and ends on Bhaubeek. Celebrated by Hindus all around the world, Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.

The celebration usually sees a row of lamps or lightings of small clay clamps decorated around houses to signify the triumph of good over evil. Left lighted during the night, the lamps are also a way to let goddess Lakshmi feel welcome. The celebrations is followed by burning firecrackers at night and an array of scrumptious array of food that is shared with family and friends.

Hype.My have compiled a few heart warming Deepavali advertisements for your viewing pleasure.

1. This video sees a group of men who put on a different look but who at the same time, never forget their roots.

2. This ad that is bound to bring you to tears sees a man who relieves his childhood as he grows older.

3. This one takes us on journey to discover the through meaning of Deepavali.


#Adele: British Artiste Teases Mysterious New Song On TV, Fans Can’t Handle It

Is Adele releasing a new song? Scratch that. Is she releasing a whole new album? Chances are, yes. Maybe.

The Grammy-winning British singer-songwriter hasn’t released anything since 2012’s “Skyfall” but it looks like she’s ready to win over music lovers once again.

Without warning, during a commercial break while the “X Factor” was on in the UK on Sunday (18th October), Adele previewed a new song. And that’s putting it lightly, really.

Because what really happened between ads for Dimons and Tix-Tacs, the screen went black, and then Adele’s iconic voice could be heard singing.

Snippet from Adele's new album. pic.twitter.com/ThSvnRREaB

— Greg Hogben (@MyDaughtersArmy) October 18, 2015

As seen in the clips above, in the 30-second clip, white lyrics flashed across the screen and while it gives fans a chance to memorise the words before the song is actually released, it tells just about..nothing.

What is it called? Is it a new song? Is it part of a commercial? Does this mean her long-awaited 3rd album is finally coming soon?

Hello, it’s me, I was wondering if after all these years you’d like to meet to go over everything, they say that time’s supposed to heal ya but I ain’t done much healing…

As at time of writing, Adele has neither confirmed nor denied the news, but according to BBC, Gnarls Barkley’s Brian Burton, Swedish producer Max Martin as well as One Republic’s Ryan Tedder are all rumoured to be working on the upcoming release.

So of course Ryan Tedder must have something to say about it:

— ONEREPUBLIC (@OneRepublic) October 18, 2015

We’re still waiting for something..anything. Keep you guys posted as soon as we get more details!

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Hype’s Now Playing: Nicki Minaj — Anaconda

The world is Nicki Minaj’s butt and we’re all just living in it.

(Featured image via Nicki Minaj on Facebook)

Or at least that’s how her video for “Anaconda” makes us feel. The rapper debuted her video for “Anaconda” on Wednesday, and boy oh boy, would you just look at her butt?! Like OH-MY-GOD.

The track borrows a lot from Sir-Mix-a-Lot’s 1992 classic “Baby Got Back” and Nicki Minaj of course, takes booty-shaking and twerking to a whole other level in her cheeky video. Set in the jungle, Nicki Minaj is also seen giving Drake a lap dance in the clip.

Both Nicki Minaj and Drake teased the video on Instagram during the past week, just proving that Drake did start from the bottom and has now returned to it. ;)


Interview: Lewis Capaldi Talks About His Malaysian Experiences, Crazy Fan Encounter & Niall Horan

2019’s breakout star, Lewis Capaldi, set Malaysia a blazed recently with his first concert ever on our home soil. Prior to that, we attended the press conference where he shared his thoughts on his journey thus far.

Speaking to the media, the “Someone You Loved” singer was all smiles and full of laughs as he answered a series of questions regarding his album, his future plans and his experience in Malaysia. Check out what he said below:

What was your first impression when you came to Malaysia?

It’s very warm and I’m a sweaty boy. I’ve just had a shower, this isn’t sweat (pointing towards his shirt). I just showered but I am still sweating.

Yesterday (13th January 2020) afternoon, and we came in and the hotel here did like a monster Burrito challenge. And it’s like 2 foot long and it got a kilogram of chips.

(But I didn’t finish the challenge), my stomach found it difficult. I mean obviously we tried traditional Malaysian food besides the Burrito. We did that and I felt pregnant. Basically I ruin my first day here cause I couldn’t move, because the Burrito had to be eaten within 30 minutes. But today I’m going to venture out and I’m going to see the sites.

Thanks capal! That was amazing 🥺##lewiscapaldiinkl pic.twitter.com/twcljRHDQK

— amerrasyraff (@amerrasyraff) January 14, 2020

“Someone You Love” has been #1 on the UK chart for 7 weeks straight and it was even #1 in Billboard Hot 100. How does that feel like and did you expect that at all?

Oh no no, I didn’t expect that and it’s kind of nice I think. When we make the album and stuff I never saw myself as someone who would have a bit (of fame). I never thought about singles, I’m always just thought, okay, I’m making an album. That’s what I’ll do and it just so happens that, you know, we have a bit (of success) which is lovely. I mean I’m so happy but, yeah, it just makes you a bit nervous, like 2019, a really good year, 2020, uh oh.

I’m joking of course but yeah, it just been a very nice experience. To be able to come here and do this and speak to you and play the show and stuff like that it’s a privilege so I’m very please.

You have fans from all over the world and you must have lots of Twitter replies and DMs everyday.

It’s been wild, for the responses I had from people and the messages I received is all very nice. It’s a bit strange to think that my songs means so much to other people. But it’s all very lovely and I’m sure that it’s definitely not my mother just tweeting over and over again.

Just me replying to some well wishers this lovely Christmas Eve 🎄❤ pic.twitter.com/BrU4A7CwLJ

— Lewis Capaldi (@LewisCapaldi) December 24, 2019

Yeah I still live with my parents. I love to stay with my parents and I’m never really at home nowadays. So when I go home I’m like my mom’s favourite child, for a day, then she realises that I’m just an ordinary child and I’m just not that cool. When I go home she washes my underwear, which is a nice thing she does and that’s not an easy task.

Let’s backtrack a little bit to your debut album. What is the backstory behind it because each of the songs have different stories and emotions attach to them. How did you get the concept of that?

I was dating a lady for 2 years, or a year and a half, and then she decided that she did not like me very much. I know, could you believe it? (sarcastic tone) Could you believe this face that she didn’t like after a while. Then I wrote an album about it, a whole album that over 3 years.

But yeah, I mean there some songs on there about our breakup. Then there some songs about relatives of mine that had passed away, which is even more depressing than a breakup.

After that, I mean they’re just songs that are personal. Oh, I’m an open book. Open up and have a read and see what you think. It’s a very personal album. The songs are all very sad but I’m actually quite a happy guy.

When people see your Instagram, they usually expect you to be like ‘writing a sad song right now’ but you’re a very cheerful guy.

Hey, I like to have a good time. Put a party hat on me and lets paint the town red. Listen, I’m a cheerful boy and I love nothing more than you know, putting on my little party pants and run and sing; that’s what I get up to.

I’ll try to write a new album and it will probably not be as good as the first one. Cause let’s face it I have a good album – the first album done very well, very happy so please, excited – but I don’t know if I got another one in me.

It takes so long, no one tells you that. I’ll try to write an album and I’ll try and make it not terrible. That’s what I’ll try to do, but again, I can’t promise anything. Yeah, it’s a really good question, it’s gonna be a good year; going to try to lose some weight. I’ll probably want to release the first single to my second album by the end of 2020.

If it wasn’t for your music career, what would you be doing right now?

If it wasn’t for my music career I would probably be living at home with my mom and dad, so I just wouldn’t have a job. So there you go, my life be pretty much the same, I still live with my parents, I wouldn’t have branch out at all. So probably be doing that and what else? I don’t know, probably be playing Playstation in my pants.

Besides your music, what is the one thing you would like people to remember about you?

Well, (joking tone) my handsome good looks of course.

You announced a joined tour with Niall Horan this year. Since Niall has supported you with your music and has been in the industry longer than you have. How has he affected your music, your style of writing and how has he helped you?

Niall has been a massive help for me, I mean, Niall is the first person, like the first famous person, who has mentioned about my music and has supported my music. He’s always been a huge help not just once. I mean I really appreciate the fact that he likes music and that he has nothing to gain from sharing my music in the first place.

He still has nothing to gain in asking me to join him. I mean he is just doing it cause he likes music. It really really means a lot to me cause I’ve been a massive fan of his and One Direction for a very very long time. It’s been very cool and that we became like pals over the last couple of years because he’s genuinely the nicest person I’ve met in music and stuff. So yeah I love him, I could never repay him for being a very welcoming gentleman. Although, he’s quite small (joking tone). So, he’s great and all that stuff but he’s like 5 foot 4.

Do you have a particular lyric in your song that you find the most significant or your favourite?

My favourite now is probably my newest single “Before You Go”, cause the lyrics are just very personal to me – more personal than some of the other songs. Especially cause I wrote it more recently and I think back to the chorus line that goes, ‘Was there something I could’ve said to make it all stop hurting? It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless’.

I just think those lyrics for me really means a lot and it’s kind of the first lyric that came for that song. So yeah, I like that lyrics and I hope people do too.

What observations have you made about fame and how prepared are you from the different aspects that come with fame, which include sometimes as not being as famous anymore as you sort of hinted just now?

Yeah, I mean that day is coming for sure. That day is coming like a freight train (laugh). I think what I realise from fame is that in some aspect it can be very fun, but I think if you take it seriously, you done trouble. And if you value yourself on how famous you are, you’re in big trouble and I think it doesn’t matter, it makes no difference. I’m not like Ed Sheeran famous or Justin Bieber famous, so well, I’m coming to a nice little bit, I mean I don’t need to like duck in or out (from fans).

I think you have to not take it seriously, it’s a quite stupid concept to be famous, you know what I mean. I’m just a young chubby boy from Scotland and I didn’t even finished high school when I left halfway through my last year. Although, 6 months from now I might be like, oh I lost my fame and I want it back. But yeah I don’t do this to be famous, I do it to make lot of money… I’m joking.

What was the craziest encounter with a fan?

I played a show in Glasgow and I had to go to London fairly quickly after the show but there was also a little party afterwards and I just wanted to say hello to my friends and family cause I had to leave quite sharply. So when I was walking back up, you have to go through the venue to get to the party. There was still a massive queue of people queuing up to get their jackets and I had to walk through.

For the most part it was very like ‘oh hi, Lewis’ ‘hi Lewis’ so I was just waving at the people like that. Then I was walking down and there was this massive barrier that was about here (showing the height to his chest). Some woman ran towards me, there is a video of it online, and I looked terrified. She bolted, jumped across then tried to grab me and kiss me. I was like “oh stop, please don’t”. She kissed me right in the face, hey, fair play to you wherever you are, woman, ma’am. Yeah, she was removed from the venue after that, but it was pretty intense.

Some people are calling you the male version of Adele, how do you feel about it?

Well that’s nice, Adele is Adele. Adele is very successful, she has a long career which is also quite nice. I always say when people ask me what type of music I make, I’d imagine Adele, right, but she’s a guy and she’s not as talented – that’s me in a nut shell and I think that’s a nice place to be. I had the male Adele comparison and then people calling me the next Ed Sheeran and I think, artists in the past have been like, “oh I don’t want that I’m the first me”, and I’m like “who cares”, no one is comparing me to, you know, a Hollywood person you know what I mean, they’re comparing me to a very good artist that I love, it’s a huge compliment. It’s weird that no one is referring me to the next Beyonce, which is what I’m hoping for.

I like all that stuff as long as people are buying my music, listening to my music, coming to my shows. Call me what you want, you know what I mean. But don’t call me what you want, call me nicer.

I say probably a songwriter. If we’re talking technically, I’m not that good of a singer. I got like 3 notches and a bit of falsetto. That said, if you look at someone like Beyonce, or Adele or Amy Winehouse, or Ariana Grande, these people are singers, they are incredible singers and I think if you’re comparing them to my voice, you’d go “oh Ariana Grande is definitely a much better singer”. I suppose some people have preferences but you’re talking about preference, so if you’re talking about technicality, I never see myself as that good of a singer. I like how my voice sound but I never see it as that as anything bigger like, “Woah look at all this”, I can’t do that.

So for that reason, I’ll always been like one of those songwriters. If I didn’t wrote my own songs I wouldn’t be here. I like playing the songs I’ve written live, and seeing the reaction of it. But you know if I can sing like Ariana Grande that would be lovely.

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It’s Official: #FiftyShadesOfGrey Will Not Be Shown In Malaysia

It’s official. The film adaptation of “Fifty Shades of Grey” will be not be shown in Malaysia and no, we are not surprised by this at all. Don’t say you didn’t see it coming, especially when you’re well aware of the fact that “Fifty Shades of Grey” is an erotic romance movie.

At least, consider yourself lucky because David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” managed to be shown in Malaysia last year, though some of the obscene scenes were censored or removed.

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, “Fifty Shades of Grey” is an erotic romance movie adapted from the novel of the same name by British author E. L. James. The novel is notable for its erotic content that featured sexual practices involving bondage/discipline, dominance/submission, and sadism/masochism (BDSM). However, the plot mainly centres on the life of Anastasia Steele, a college graduate who falls for Christian Grey, a young business magnate.

For the movie adaptation, Jamie Dornan has joined the cast as Christian Grey while Anastasia Steele will be played by American actress Dakota Johnson. The movie also stars Victor Rasuk as Jose, Eloise Mumford as Kate, Marcia Gay Harden as Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey and Luke Grimes as Elliot Grey. As the movie also featured some explicitly erotic scenes, it has received an R rating from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) last month. Just recently, the movie has been given an 18 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification

“Fifty Shades of Grey” was originally slated for release in Malaysia on 12th Feb 2015 but local distributor United International Pictures announced that this movie will no longer be showing in Malaysia. No further details were given about the announcement but it is widely believed that the film was not permitted to be shown by the local film censorship board due to the excessive amount of erotic scenes. It is unclear whether the movie will be shown in Singapore but a R21 rating is expected.

Slated for release in North American cinemas on 13th February 2015, “Fifty Shades of Grey” will premiere as a Berlinale Special Gala at the Berlin Film Festival on 11th February.

For more information about #FSOG, check out their official website and follow them Facebook page or Twitter.


#CNY2017: Petronas Coffee Break To Offer More Than 600,000 Sets Of Refreshments To Motorists

Are you guys all set for Chinese New Year? All ready for the car ride back to your hometown?

Well, Petronas will make your balik kampung journey even better with free coffee and snacks at certain petrol stations! A total of 121 stations along highways, trunk roads, and high-traffic areas will be participating in Petronas Coffee Break and around 600,000 refreshments will be given out to those who are travelling.

Motorists will be able to redeem their free drinks and snacks from 28th to 31st January daily from 2pm onwards, but only while stock lasts. Aside from the freebies, the company will also work together with the Road Safety Department (JKJR) to educate motorist on several road safety tips.

Complimentary health checks will also be given, and if you’re driving a Proton car, a 20-point safety inspection will be offered to you at selected stations. The campaign will be complemented by the sponsorship of St John Ambulance of Malaysia (SJAM), who will be supplying 50 emergency response vehicles with RM20,000 worth of fuel to aid motorists on major highways.

Petronas Dagangan managing director and CEO Mohd Ibrahimnuddin Mohd Yunus also welcomes motorists to stop by their stations, saying, “We are anticipating high traffic along the highways during the Chinese New Year holiday. We invite motorists to take a break and recharge at our stations and at the same time, refuel with our winning formula, Petronas Primax 95 and Primax 97, before continuing their journey.”

To look up which stations are participating, check out their website.


Contest: Cash Vouchers Worth RM1000 Up For Grabs To Do Your Raya Shopping At MOP KLIA Sepang

Dress in your best Raya outfits and head on over to Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang (MOP KLIA) to experience a Modern Moroccan-themed garden that is adorned with colourful drapes and refined architecture.

With the perfect backdrop to complement your festive attire, we can’t think of a better opportunity for a Raya OOTD photoshoot. In addition, families can also look forward to capture more timeless moments at the Japanese branded factory outlet shopping mall.

“MOP KLIA is a unique branded factory outlet shopping mall as we do not only house branded stores, but we also have children’s entertainment centre and numerous eateries to suit the different tastebuds. We would also like to spring a surprise for our shoppers during festivities with a uniquely themed décor and interesting shopping mechanics,” said TJ Cheah, Deputy Managing Director of MFMA Development.

In addition to special Raya performances and appearances, visitors can also take part in the Raya Workshops. Unleash your creativity together where you’ll get to work on beading, plush ketupat, and ornament painting in the arts and crafts activities. Do also check out new store openings such as Daisy (fashion for Muslim women), The Travel Store, Calisto Vision Care, plus new refreshed looks from Boss and Michael Kors. We personally are looking forward to visit the new food court at Food District and new Korean restaurant, StreetK.

To enjoy more rewards, shoppers can download the Mitsui Shopping Park MY App. New users will be offered 2x rewards points, a 300 points welcome bonus, a RM5 e-voucher sign-up bonus, exclusive discounts on participating outlets and redeem a RM10 Grab F&B e-voucher. Shop and take part in the “Flip & Win” campaign, where cash vouchers and gifts are up for grabs.

Speaking of cash vouchers, we have a total of RM1000 to be given away to 4 loyal readers (RM250 each). The 4 chosen winners will be able to redeem the vouchers at MOP KLIA’s info counter, latest by 28th April. How to win? Simply answer the following question:

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#Malaysia: Viral Videos Show Bus Driver Driving Dangerously While Smoking & Texting

After the recent fatal accident in Muar that resulted in 14 people dying from a bus crash, you’d imagine that more drivers would be cautious when driving.

A passenger named Firdaus Wong Wai Hung was believed to be on a bus travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Muar when he caught the express bus driver on duty smoking and using his smartphone while driving precariously. 2 videos which was uploaded on Facebook yesterday (Monday, 26th December) have since gone viral.

The videoclips were accompanied with a caption by Firdaus saying, “Perhaps this is the reason why road accidents occur. Smoking and reading as well as replying text messages while driving. Not all drivers would act this way. Hence don’t let a single speck ruin an entire pot of otherwise good milk. This footage was taken while I was in a Mayang Sari bus. The bus’ number plate is JRU 7400. I was traveling from TBS to Muar.”

From the footage, the reckless male driver can be seen maneuvering the steering wheel with his left hand while simultaneously balancing the mobile phone on his lap and holding a cigarette. Another clip showed the same driver holding his gadget with both his hands while replying his messages.

Many netizens question Firdaus on his decision to not confront the driver at the moment, to which he replied, “Plenty have commented here (on this Facebook post) asking me why did I not tell the driver off? If you were in my place at that moment in time, how would you have known that nobody else had already earlier complained?”

He continued: “This is considered humiliating another person, so I really hope you understand what you are commenting about. To ruin another person’s rice bowl is one thing. What about endangering the lives of others on board the bus? If my footage of this scene is considered ruining another person’s rice bowl, then what about the hotline where one can call in to place a complain should a driver be operating his or her vehicle recklessly?”

Firdaus also filed a complaint to the bus company, Mayang Sari Express, and has received a reassurance that an internal investigation will be conducted. He later praised SPAD (Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Commission) for being proactive in looking into this incident.

Johor Road Transport Department (JPJ) director Mohd Rusdi Mohd Darus told The Star that stern action will taken against the bus driver for risking the lives of his passengers.

Sources: Firdaus Wong’s Facebook, The Star, Discover KL.


JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ “Year Of The Horse” Pack

JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ announces a new limited edition pack as we ring in the year of the horse!

In conjunction with Chinese New Year and the year of the horse, JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ has released a Limited Year Of The Horse pack. Designed with a concept inspired by the the heroes and their horses, the galloping horse image is a visual statement of immense energy and strength that serves as a royal tribute to present day heroes of success and achievement, those who are worthy of their special edition Horses.

The JOHNNIE WALKER® classic square bottle is decorated with calligraphic strokes that are skilfully merged with the stylistically-rendered image of a galloping horse that holds a proud facial expression and tail trailing shows careful observation with creative input. The powerful stance represents leadership and courage and is instilled with auspicious meanings such as success and unstoppable momentum for the year of 2014. The Formosa design and emblem of British Royal Approval are 24k gilded and the elegant gold shimmer together with the horse image and golden whiskey in a classy bottle makes for the ultimate ode to exceptionally fine taste.

Doing justice to the Rare Casks, Rare Craft and Rare Character it is famous for, JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ is a masterpiece showcasing Master Blender Jim Beveridge’s unrivalled skills in blending. With an alcohol concentration of 43%, the special limited edition is big in flavour and rich with a hint of smoke as it contains multi-layers of honey and fruit that unfolds in dramatic manner, delivering satisfaction of deep richness.

JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ Scotch whiskey, ‘Year of the Horse’ Limited Edition retails at RM888.00 and is available now while stocks last!


#FantasticBeasts2 Title & Main Cast Revealed

Are you stoked Potterheads? The title for the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” sequel has finally been unveiled, along with the first look at its main cast.

Titled “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”, the wizarding world is heating up once again as it delves into more grownup territory. It’s no secret that Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp) will be a big focus on the 2nd instalment.

As the title suggests, Grindelwald’s detainment under the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) won’t last very long. Once he escapes, he will be hellbent on gathering pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings. We know from the Potterverse that Grindelwald’s ascent to power (much like Lord Voldemort) will signal the dark time for the the wizarding world.

Fans are also treated to a first look at Jude Law in his debut in costume as the young Albus Dumbledore. The future headmaster of Hogwarts will be enlisting the help of his former student Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne) as the 2 have a history together. Eagled-eyed observers noticed that Dumbledore is holding a long wand but it’s not the Elder Wand.

For those that don’t know, Grindelwald stole the most powerful wand from wandmaker Gregorovitch. However that doesn’t mean Grindelwald has attained invincibility because Dumbledore was able to defeat him in 1945. Grindelwald was then imprisoned in Nurmengard, only to later die in the hands of Voldemort, who was himself searching for the Elder Wand.

Aside from Dumbledore, we’ll also get to meet Newt Scamander’s former flame, Leta Lestrange. She’s now engaged to Newt’s older brother, Theseus, who is not only a war hero but Head of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic. The sequel takes place in 1927, just a few months after Newt’s first adventure.

“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” will hit theatres on 16th November 2018.

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(UPDATE) #MAS: Temporary Limitation On Check-In Luggage For Europe Flights

From tonight (5th January) onwards, Malaysia Airlines passengers who are travelling to Europe are not permitted to check in their luggage due to “unseasonably strong head winds”.

According to a report by The Malay Mail Online, Malaysia Airlines Bhd (MAB) announced today that the limitation on check-in luggage has been temporarily imposed until further notice.

In a travel advisory posted on its website today, the airline said:

In the interest of safety, Malaysia Airlines currently operates a long route to Europe, which combined with temporary unseasonably strong head winds, is limiting the airlines’ ability to carry baggage in cargo.

The airline group also cited a need to conserve jet fuel as its reason to impose the temporary ban on checked-in baggage allowance.

Economy Class passengers will be able to carry one piece of luggage up to 7kg while Business/First Class passengers can bring 2 pieces totalling 14kg (up to 7kg per piece). “Passengers who wish to check-in their luggage will be able to do so, however, their baggage will only arrive later,” it added.

The airline group also encouraged “connecting passengers travelling on oneworld member carriers” with through check-in service can offload their baggage due to this defective.

Malaysia Airlines will continue to assess the changing situation over the region and will update passengers when operations are back to normal. Safety remains the centre of the airline’s operations.

The airline group also promised to deliver stranded baggage as soon as the situation permits.

Following the uproar caused by Malaysia Airlines’ decision to limit check-in luggage allowance for their Europe flights, the airline has today (Wednesday, 6th January) retracted the order. Malaysia Airlines posted an announcement tweet about half an hour ago to confirm that the restriction has been lifted.

[UPDATE] Baggage allowance restriction for all flights to EU has been uplifted. Flight operation is back to normal. https://t.co/u8zA1MVzbc

— Malaysia Airlines (@MAS) January 6, 2016

When asked by a curious Twitter user as to why the airlines was able to retract their decision, Malaysia Airlines explained that they’ve “managed to secure alternative airspace that is not affected by the weather conditions to fly”.

A new travel advisory was also uploaded on their website, confirming that the normal Malaysia Airlines baggage allowance has been restored.

All Malaysia Airlines’ flights from Kuala Lumpur to London, Paris and Amsterdam from tonight, 6 January 2016, will resume flying its normal route. Normal baggage allowance has also been restored.

Passengers are able to check in 2 pieces of luggage of up to 30kg for Economy Class, 40kg for Business Class and 50kg for First Class.

For more enquiries, passengers can contact 1300-88-3000 about the status of their checked in baggage.

Sources: The Malay Mail Online, City A.M., Malaysia Airlines (1), Malaysia Airlines (2), Malaysia Airlines’ Twitter.

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Go For A Ride (Or Two) At One Of These Top Theme Parks In Asia

In the recent years, the Asia-Pacific region has been a prime target for theme park owners. As such, people from within the region as well as the US and Europe have been flocking to our lands the explore the kinds of amusement parks/theme parks that Asia has to offer. So much so that in 2013, the attendance was up 7.5% compared with the previous year, compared to a 2.5% increase for North and South America. It’s safe to say that the multi-billion theme park business in Asia is truly exploding.

As we speak, plans for new parks in Malaysia, Seoul, and China are currently underway, and this is only because the demands for these fun attractions need to be met. Here are some of the top theme parks in the Asia-Pacific region (for now):

Tokyo DisneySea is a 176-acre theme park at the Tokyo Disney Resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just outside Tokyo. It was originally planned for California but was later scrapped and built right next to Tokyo Disneyland instead.Tokyo DisneySea was the fastest theme park in the world to reach the milestone of 10 million guests, having done so in 307 days after its grand opening.

What’s special about the theme park is that most of its attractions won’t be found elsewhere – from concept to rides, and even right down to its merchandise i.e. Duffy the Disney Bear. Tokyo DisneySea has several divisions called “ports of call”. The entrance to the park is Mediterranean Harbor, which opens up to 6 more nautically-themed ports: American Waterfront, Lost River Delta, Port Discovery, Mermaid Lagoon, Arabian Coast, and Mysterious Island.

For more information, visit their website.

Everland Resort is a theme park in Yongin, a city in Gyeonggi-do province, South Korea. It is also South Korea’s largest theme park and with 6.6 million visitors, Everland ranked 13th in the world for amusement park attendance in 2011. In fact, one out of every 6 Koreans visited Everland in 2006 – that’s more than 8.2 million people.

It boasts the largest roller coaster in the country, as well as cartoon mascots who dress up in traditional garb. There’s a sledding hill in the winter, and tulip and rose festivals are planned for when the weather warms up. Along with its main attractions, Everland also includes a zoo and a water park known as Caribbean Bay. Everything and anything you can imagine!

Located in on Sentosa Island, Universal Studio Singapore is Singapore’s first bona fide theme park. It is the second Universal Studios theme park to open in Asia (Japan being the first), and the first in Southeast Asia. The theme park is 49 acres in size, occupying the easternmost part Resorts World Sentosa. There are a total of 24 attractions, of which 18 are original or specially adapted for the park.

The park consists of 7 themed zones (Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, Ancient Egypt, Lost World, Far Far Away, and Madagascar) which surround a lagoon. Each zone is based on a blockbuster movie or a television show, featuring their own unique attractions, character appearances, dining and shopping areas. The park also features the world’s tallest pair of dueling roller coasters that are based on the popular television series, “Battlestar Galactica”, the Transformers ride, a castle from the world of Shrek and Monster Rock, a live musical show featuring the Universal Monsters.

Take a train ride a mere hour and a half from Shanghai and you’ll stumble upon a gargantuan dinosaur theme park in the heart of Changzhou. China Dinosaurs Park (also called China Dinosaurs Land) is a theme park located in Changzhou, Jiangsu, China. It covers more than 600 mu (0.27 km2). As it is a theme park about dinosaurs, it is also called the “Eastern Jurassic Park”.

The park features a water park, playground and museum complete with massive reptile replicas such as a nearly complete fossil skeleton of the Sinosauropteryx (similar to Archaeopteryx) as well as large fossils such as those of a Brachiosaurus and a Hadrosaurus. If a festival approaches, the Changzhou China Dinosaur Park will also organise a big parade with people in cartoon costumes dancing and singing together. It’s best explored by foot, on a scooter, or a bicycle.

What? An amusement park in Abu Dhabi? Well, we never! Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s first mega waterpark, set across 15 hectares of the exciting entertainment complex that is Yas Island. The park offers 43 rides, slides and attractions that will thrill the whole family, which includes “never seen before” features such as the world’s longest, fastest tornado waterslide, the region’s first looping waterslide, and the world’s first interactive water and laser rollercoaster.

Its award-winning theme, based on an original story developed exclusively for the waterpark, pays tribute to the Emirati culture with the UAE’s pearl-diving heritage at the core.

Hong Kong Disneyland is located on reclaimed land in Penny’s Bay, Lantau Island, which opened to visitors in 2005. The park is divided into “lands” (themed areas) and well-concealed backstage areas. When the park initially opened, it consisted of only 4 classic themed areas: Main Street, U.S.A. (designed to resemble an early 20th-century Midwest town), Adventureland (featuring jungle-themed adventures), Fantasyland, Tomorrowland (an optimistic vision of the future).

But about 5 years later, 3 new themed-lands opened: Toy Story Land, based on the Disney·Pixar film series Toy Story; Grizzly Gulch, reminiscing an abandoned mining town set amidst mountains and woods; Mystic Point, heart of a dense, uncharted rain forest where supernatural events take place. Throughout the park are “Hidden Mickeys”, or representations of Mickey Mouse heads inserted subtly into the design of attractions and environmental decor. Amazingly, the theme park’s cast members speak in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin.

Taman Impian Jaya Ancol otherwise known as Ancol Dreamland is an integral part of Ancol Bay City, a resort destination located along Jakarta’s waterfront, in Ancol Kelurahan, Pademangan, Indonesia. Ancol Dreamland opened in 1966 and is currently the largest integrated tourism area in South East Asia, boasting a theme park, hotels, and other recreational facilities.

It is divided into 10 areas: Fantasy World (with over 30 rides), Atlantis Water Adventure (with 8 pools), Ocean Dream Samudra (with 8 shows and a 4D theatre), SeaWorld, Beaches, Pasar Seni, Executive Golf Fun (an international championship golf course), Jaya Bowling, Ocean Eco Park, and Ancol Beach City. Ancol Dreamland also has its very own transportation alternative in its area called the “Gondola”. But unlike what its name really means, the “Gondola” is a skylift cable car system with thirty-seven cars built along the shore of Jakarta’s bay and it offers a view of the resort and the sea as well as the city.

Happy Valley in Shenzhen is Mainland China’s most popular theme park is located in southern China’s Guangdong province, which first opened in 1998. Covering an area of 86 acres, the park is composed of 9 themed areas including Spanish Square, Cartoon City, Mt. Adventure, Gold Mine Town, Shangri-la Woods, Sunshine Beach, Typhoon Bay, Playa Maya Water Park, and Happy Times. Magic, acrobatic and sports shows usually are performed in its themed sections. Some of its most notable rides are such as the “Baby Coaster, “Bullet Coaster”, “Mine Coaster”, “Snow Mountain Flying Dragon”, and “Wild Elfin”.

In 2008, Happy Valley in Shenzhen saw a whopping total of 25 million visitors.

LEGOLAND Malaysia is Malaysia’s first international theme park that opened in Nusajaya, Johor in 2012 with over 70 interactive rides, shows and attractions. It is the first LEGO-themed amusement park in Asia. LEGOLAND Malaysia also features other LEGO-themed attractions including a LEGO-themed water theme park and The LEGOLAND hotel (a LEGO-themed hotels located within the theme park grounds). Almost everything is hands-on, so you can push, pedal and program, or steer, squirt and splash, your way through a truly interactive experience – and of course there are building blocks activities too.

LEGOLAND Malaysia has 7 themed areas of attractions for all ages such as The Beginning, LEGO® Technic, LEGO Kingdoms, Imagination, LEGO City, Land of Adventure, and MINILAND. The centrepiece is MINILAND, where Asian landmarks have been recreated using more than 30 million LEGO bricks. LEGOLAND Water Park which can be enjoyed separately or in combination with the theme park has more than 20 slides and water based attractions and boasts 70 LEGO models.

After years of construction, the long-anticipated Cartoon Network Amazone finally opened on 31st July during a soft launch. Located on Thailand’s east coast in Bang Saray Bay, 20 minutes from Pattaya City and a two-hour drive from Bangkok, the sprawling water park features 10 themed zones that include high-speed water roller-coasters, a beach-inspired wave pool, and Cartoonival, billed as the world’s largest aqua playground with 150 water features.

Little fans of the popular “Ben 10” alien cartoon will also see Humungousaur come to life in a water coaster that takes thrill seekers through circular slides, twists and turns before dropping them 8 m for a heart-racing finish. Little visitors and fans of shows like “The Powerpuff Girls” and “Johnny Bravo” will also be able to splash about with their animated friends and come nightfall, the park puts on high-octane shows with dancers and acrobats, as well as water and light projections.

Located in Guangzhou, Chimelong Waterpark is the largest waterpark in Asia, recognised for its international standards and for debuting many industry “firsts”. Stretching over 60 hectares, the park currently contains more than 60 attractions and has a daily capacity of 50,000 visitors. But its rides are more than just a pool and water-themed rides, because it boasts 10 Inversion Roller Coasters. It star attractions as such as: Family BoomerangoTM, AquaPlay Giant RainFortress™, Master Blaster®, Family Raft Ride, Dual Waves, WhizzardTM, Body Slides, AquaSpray™, Family PythonTM, Extreme River, and Kids’ Slides.

And that’s not all! The Chimelong Water Park also has other sections in the park like Chimelong Circus (a live entertainment show), and the Chimelong Safari which offers a view of lots of animals. The waterpark also boasts a record of an impressive 35,000 guests in one day. In 2011, it entertained 1.9 million visitors, making it the number #2 waterpark for attendance in the world; the highest in all of Asia!

Lac Canh Dai Nam Van Hien, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Đại Nam Văn Hiến was opened in 2008, and is said to be the biggest park and tourist destination in Vietnam. Built as a spiritual tourism spot that preserves the traditional culture and history of Vietnam, the area is about 450 hectares. Dai Nam is a huge complex which encompasses a shopping centre, hotel, movie theatre, theme park, campground, water park, zoo, and numerous temples. In fact, the park is so large that people get around by bus and electric train!

Dai Nam also houses Vietnam’s first zoo where visitors can get a close up view of formerly wild animals. The 12.5 hectare zoo has 76 species of birds, reptiles and mammals, including many rare animals such as white peacocks, white tigers and white hippos.

The Hello Kitty theme park in Johor, Malaysia is the first Sanrio Hello Kitty Town attraction outside of Japan. The theme park consists of various walk-through attractions, interactive activities and rides, which follow the Hello Kitty theme. Key features include “Black Wonder”, an interactive activity for both children and adults to save Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel, who has been kidnapped by Kuromi. “Black Wonder” utilises computer and sensor technology to enhance visitor experience as well as devices to interact with during the mission. There’s also Kitty’s House, an partly guided iconic attraction, which will give fans a look inside Hello Kitty’s house, like its name suggests.

Visitors can even look forward to creating their very own Hello Kitty themed souvenirs at the Wishful Studio, get their nails done and dress up as their favourite character. There are also a host of delectable Hello Kitty themed drinks and pastries from the Red Bow Cafe and Cinnamoroll Cafe to delight in between enjoying the activities!

Twentieth Century Fox will give Walt Disney and Universal Studios a run for their money in 2016 when it opens its first-ever film-inspired theme park. This 25-acre park will rise from the jungle about an hour outside of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. That’s right – Genting Highlands. As of now, we know that it will feature roughly 25 thrill rides and attractions based on films like “Rio”, “Ice Age”, “Life of Pi“, “Planet of the Apes”, and “Alien vs. Predator”.

The Twentieth Century Fox World is set to open in 2016.

With parks in Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong, the Shanghai park will be Disney’s fourth outside of the US. The biggest project in Asia, Shanghai Disneyland was expanded in June, bringing the estimated cost to a total USD5.4 billion. Shanghai Disneyland Park will be a new variation of traditional “Disneyland” style theme parks found all over the world, and will not include many features found at most other “Disneyland” Parks. Departing from Disney’s traditional “hub & spoke” design, this park will not include a conventional hub area, nor will it include a railroad attraction circling the park. As a replacement for a “hub”, the middle of the park will instead feature an 11-acre collection of gardens. For the first time in Disney parks history, the park’s carousel and Dumbo attractions will be located in front of the park’s castle instead of behind. Unlike other Disneyland style parks, this park will include neither a “Frontierland” nor a “Main Street U.S.A.” area. On opening day, the park will feature 7 themed areas: Mickey Avenue, Fantasyland, Gardens of Imagination, Tomorrowland, Toy Story Land, Treasure Cove, and Adventure Isle.

The Shanghai Disneyland Park is expected to open by the end of 2015.

The government of South Korea is reportedly renewing efforts to build the world’s first robot theme park; scheduled to open in 2016, Robot Land will be located in Incheon, just west of Seoul. Among its high-tech traits are a robot laboratory, a robot game arena, and a robot aquarium. There will also be a water park, a robot restaurant, and roller coasters because, let’s face it, don’t we all love those things?

Construction for the robot theme park is already underway as we speak! Robotland is expected to open in 2016.

Planning a trip to one of the above theme parks already? To give you a little “push”, here are some upcoming Malaysian public holidays for the rest of 2014 and 2015. Go ahead and take that time off and be a kid again!

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#Indonesia: Mt. Sinabung Volcanic Ash May Reach Malaysia If Eruption Continues

It was reported that Mount Sinabung, an active volcano in western Indonesia, erupted on Saturday (21st May). According to National Disaster Management Agency representative Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the volcano blasted volcanic ash as high as 3 km (2 miles) into the sky.

The volcanic ash is not likely to affect Malaysia at the moment because the winds over the country are blowing from the northwest. However, it may reach Penisular Malaysia if the volcano continues to erupt as the wind direction is expected to shift to southwesterly beginning today (Monday, 23rd May).

“If Mount Sinabung continues to erupt, the volcanic ash could reach Peninsular Malaysia after 25th or 26th May,” said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said in a statement yesterday (22nd May).

The volcano eruption killed 7 people and the 2,460-meter high volcano is still discharging hot ashes, making it extremely dangerous and difficult for any search and rescue operations.

With volcanic activity still high at the mountain, Nugroho said that more potential eruptions are expected to come.

Mount Sinabung has been asleep for 400 years before its revival in 2010 and it is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The country is located on the Pacific “Ring Of Fire”, a huge area (approximately 40,000 km) in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.


#TheMaine: American Rock Band To Hold Concerts In Singapore & Philippines

Arizona-based alternative rock band The Maine is coming to Southeast Asia!

The boys will be performing in Singapore and Philippines this coming March as part of their “Lovely, Little, Lonely” World Tour.

Formed in 2007, The Maine currently consists of John O’Callaghan (lead vocals and piano), Kennedy Brock (rhythm guitar), Jared Monaco (lead guitar), Garett Nickelsen (bass), and Patrick Kirch (drums). The band released their first full album, “Can’t Stop Won’t Stop”, in July 2008, right before they went on tour with Good Charlotte, Boys Like Girls, We The Kings, and The Academy Is…

Their 2nd studio album, “Black & White”, was released in July 2010 and it received rave reviews from music lovers and critics. The album earned them “Album of the Year” and “Best Live Band” at the 2010 AP Magazine Readers’ Awards. To date, The Maine has released 5 albums and their 6th album, “Lovely, Little, Lonely”, will be due on 7th April 2017.

Brought to you by Upsurge Productions and Pulp Live World, details for the concerts are as follows:

Tickets are now available via upsurgeproductions.com starting 4th February.

Tickets are now available via smtickets.com starting 1st February.

For more information, visit Upsurge Productions’ Facebook page or Pulp Live World’s website.


Johor Prince TMJ Shares Useful Tips On How He Lost 22kgs

If you’ve been following Tunku Mahkota Johor (TMJ) Tunku Ismail Idris on Instagram, you will surely notice the significant difference in his physic recently.

In speaking to Harian Metro about the impressive achievement of losing up to 22kgs, TMJ revealed that the key to his success is to practise proper diet as well as diligent exercise. Interestingly, he has not taken any supplements throughout the process!

“The most important thing is the diet that includes 70% and 80% (of the plan) other than consistent exercise. I also consume juice, vegetables and fruits every morning,” he shared in the chat. He further revealed that he only used a small amount of space to work out.

The former Football Association Malaysia (FAM) president then explained that his exercise routine only takes about 20 minutes and does not require him to spend hours in the gym. “I like to do various cardio workout sets. These exercises take up to 1-minute and 20 seconds for each set,” TMJ was quoted as saying.

A post shared by HRH Crown Prince of Johor (@hrhcrownprinceofjohor)

During the chat, TMJ also revealed his plan to open a gymnasium for the public. “One day I will open my own health centre for the public to encourage everyone to exercise. I want to promote a healthy lifestyle for the people of Johor – that is the future agenda of JDT (Johor Darul Takzim),” he told the news outlet.

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KLIA & KLIA 2 To Be Rebranded As KLIA Terminal 1 & KLIA Terminal 2

For the longest time, we’ve known the Kuala Lumpur International Airports as KLIA and KLIA 2 where the former is used by Malaysia Airlines while the latter is the low-cost carrier terminal where Air Asia operates. The two airports are quite near each other with a distance of 1.5 km and only requires a 3-minute train journey.

Soon, the KL airports will take on new names as they undergo some changes ahead. The Transport Ministry made an announcement earlier today (Thursday, 9th February) that KLIA and KLIA 2 will be rebranded as KLIA Terminal 1 and KLIA Terminal 2 respectively.

During a press conference, Minister of Transport Anthony Loke revealed that the Cabinet agreed on this decision as they believe that it can improve the airports’ marketability and efficiency while also enabling it to compete with other regional international airports.

So when will the two KLIAs be rebranded? At the moment, there is still no information on the exact date for this implementation. According to the politician, both the government and Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) will need to sit down and fine-tune the new operating agreement before proceeding with anything else.

“The government and MAHB will need to finalise and sign the 2023 agreement and other related lease agreements before the end of the first quarter of 2023,” he said. Apart from the airport rebranding, the Pakatan Harapan member also stated that the Cabinet agreed to new material terms under the new operating agreement saying that it would allow both the government and MAHB the flexibility to fund airport development costs.

During the press conference, Anthony also elaborated on the plans for funding, maintenance, and competitive commercial development that will all go under the new operating agreement. As mentioned above, these will be implemented once everything has been finalised by the government and MAHB.

For your information, this would be KLIA 2’s second rebrand as the airport was also once known as LCCT KL, a promotional effort by Air Asia to “reinforce Kuala Lumpur’s position as the leading low-cost gateway to Asia and beyond” back in 2016.


Pinewood Group Exits From Iskandar Malaysia Partnership

Pinewood Studios Group and Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS) have officially ended their 10-year partnership by mutual agreement.

Both studios have issued a statement to confirm the news. “Effective of 11th July 2019, Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia Studios will be known as Iskandar Malaysia Studios (IMS).”

“Pinewood Group’s collaboration with IMS comes to a close by mutual agreement, following a 10-year partnership where Pinewood provided consultancy, brand and marketing services.”

“With the initial objectives of the collaboration achieved – including the development of the Studios in Malaysia – both parties will now focus on the next phase of their respective businesses,” reads the statement.

The Malaysian complex was launched by Pinewood and the Malaysian government’s investment holding arm, Khazanah Nasional Berhad as a creative hub in Asia Pacific.

Productions shot at the studio include Netflix’s “Marco Polo”, Chinese action film “Lost in the Pacific”, Australian TV series “Hi-5”, Malaysia and Singapore-edition of “The Voice”, and “Asia’s Got Talent”.


OneRepublic To Hold Concert In Kuala Lumpur In March 2023

OneRepublic will be kicking off their Asian tour in 2023 and we’ve got the list of countries they’re set to perform in. Good news peeps – the American pop rock band will be returning to rock out in Malaysia next year!

The last time OneRepublic performed in our country, it was in Stadium Merdeka, where they treated Malaysian fans with extra songs. Lead vocalist and singer-songwriter Ryan Tedder also told us that he was inspired to write 2 songs during his stay in Kuala Lumpur (staying just opposite KLCC).

For their world tour, Ryan Tedder will be accompanied by guitarists Zach Filkins and Drew Brown, keys Brian Willett, bassist and cellist Brent Kutzle, and drummer Eddie Fisher. Ever since OneRepublic debuted in 2007 with their monster hit “Apologize”, the band has gone on to release 5 studio albums and 6 EPs (including the latest LP “Human” and EP “Sunshine”). Their new single “I Ain’t Worried”, which was featured in “Top Gun: Maverick”, has also entered the top 10 charts around the globe.

Details to OneRepublic Live in Concert are as follows:

To purchase the concert tickets, click here.

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Jay Chou: “Opus 12” All Set To Win

You might’ve already heard that the Taiwanese “King of Pop”, singer-songwriter and composer extraordinaire Jay Chou has released his twelfth album. As the sequence will have it, it’s called, “Opus 12” and it contains 12 songs. Perhaps his most impressive talents are being able to write music that pulls at his fans’ heartstrings and mastering the art of being a multi-instrumentalist.

Let’s not forget that he takes it into his hands to direct his own music videos. It’s no surprise that Jay Chou has won 350 singer, singer-songwriter, and producer awards in Asia.

The first song off “Opus 12” that caught our attention was “Dream”. True blue fans of Jay Chou can now rejoice because it sounds like he decided to take his style “back to the old school” with this song. It reminds us of a time when he used to produce songs just like this one circa early 2000s – catchy, fast, with a little bit of rap thrown in the mix alongside his singing:

[youtube id=”b42KZYgxXZ0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

Next up, “Smile”. We love this collaboration between Jay Chou and Cindy Yen! It’s not the first time the duo is working together, of course. But with this song, both guy and girl are telling the same story but from two different perspectives. Although her voice largely differs from Jay Chou’s usual style of singing (she’s a bit high pitched), when layered over each other, it actually doesn’t sound half as bad.

[youtube id=”rKFtivD7Rvw” width=”600″ height=”350″]

The words to the song are a little poignant but one can easily think that it’s a happy tune judging from how upbeat it is. Just one of Jay Chou’s many charms. Also, trust Jay Chou to tell a complete movie-worthy story with just a short music video. Works for us!

Last but not least, we also loved “A Larger Cello”, which features a very beautiful Lara Veronin aka Lara Liang in not only the song but also the music video:

[youtube id=”P_XikgjUOS0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

This has got to be one of Jay Chou’s fastest song in the entire album. Don’t expect to be able to sing along to it immediately but also don’t expect to be able to hold yourself back from bopping your head along to the song. We love the concept of the musical theatre plus old cheesy Western styled music video – that completely sold the song to us. Coupled with some dancing/moves and moments of hilarity!

It’s true when they say that Jay Chou isn’t afraid to explore his musical style even after so many albums. Props to Jay.

Jay Chou’s “Opus 12” is out in a music store near you so go on and grab yourself a copy!

Also, the Taiwanese “King of Pop” will be returning to Malaysia in August 2013 as part of his “Opus Jay 2013 World Tour”. Click for deets!


#FlashGordon Reboot: “Kingsman” Director Matthew Vaughn In Talks To Direct

Ask anyone about the “Flash Gordon” movie and they will remember how it was frequently referenced in Seth MacFarlane’s 2012 comedy film, “Ted“. The younger generation may not know much about this comic-turned-movie, but sooner or later, they will.

This is because the film is getting a reboot at 20th Century Fox and “Kingsman: The Secret Service” director Matthew Vaugh is in talks to helm the project.

The reboot of the 1980 British sci-fi action film has been under development since a year ago. John Davis and George Nolfi came aboard to produce, with the former spending more than a year to acquire the film rights from the Hearst Corporation.

Similar to the original film, the reboot will based on the comic strip of the same name created by Alex Raymond. The strip centres on the titular hero, who explores the fantastic interplanetary with his fellow companions Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov. The trio travel to various kingdoms such as the forest kingdom of Arboria and the jungle kingdom of Tropica before eventually overthrowing the evil ruler of Mongo, Ming the Merciless.

Back in 1980, the comic strip was adapted into a film by director Mike Hodges. Although it failed to impress at the box office, it became a genuine cult classic and boasted a soundtrack by Queen. It was also revealed that director Edgar Wright used the film as one of the visual influences for his hit movie “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World“. Sam J. Jones, who played the male lead, has previously paid homage to his own character “Ted”. He will reprise his role again in its sequel, “Ted 2“.

The reboot does not have a release date yet, but it is written by J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay, who penned the draft of Justin Lin’s upcoming movie “Star Trek 3″.

So, who do you think should join the cast? If Vaughn is going to direct the film, do you think he will team up with the cast of “Kingsman: The Secret Service” again? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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#Instagram: Photo Sharing App Introduces Zoom Feature To iOS Users

Well, Instagram has just introduced the “zoom” feature, which allows users to get a more intimate and clearer look at the photos and videos on the photo sharing app.

Announcing the change last night (Wednesday, 31st August) at 11pm on Twitter, Instagram explained that users will be able to “pinch to zoom on photos & videos in feed, on profiles and on Explore”. There’s a catch, however: it’s only available on iOS so far. No word on when it’ll reach Android users, but it’ll probably be within this month.

User response has been positive so far, with a netizen on Twitter stating that the function is a “life changer” and another remarking that the feature would likely endear parents to the app. A netizen by the name of elishazchrh also expressed, “It’s advantageous for someone who’s currently using a small screen iPhone because I couldn’t afford to buy a bigger one.”

While the “zoom” feature has been well-received, other recent changes has caused an uproar amongst users. The most notable one being Instagram’s algorithm change, which caused photos and videos to be arranged according to popularity rather than chronologically.

A month ago, the photo sharing app also introduced “Stories“, a feature that allows people to create video montages documenting their daily activities that disappear in 24 hours. However, it caused backlash as users commented that it was very, very similar to Snapchat.


Director Shares Shirtless Scene Between Mulan & Her Love Interest

Just this week, the first official look of Liu Yifei (刘亦菲) in costume as Mulan was released.

We now have a couple more of Disney’s upcoming live action “Mulan” remake teasers courtesy of director Niki Caro. If this is an attempt to wet our appetites and get us excited, it’s working.

In a screenshot image taken by Trending Weibo, Liu Yifei – whose English name is Crystal – and Yoson An are seen shirtless during a bathing scene. Caro apparently posted the behind-the-scenes shot on her Instagram but later deleted it. The filmmaker captioned the photo “Mulan. Day #2. CeCe + YoYo”.

There’s more though. Caro also reportedly shared another set photo – one that is very reminiscent of the moment when Mulan sings “Reflection” in the 1998 animated musical. In the snap, the 30-year-old actress is strolling alongside a false pond with a tree not too far away. Behind her is a large green screen in the background.

Unfortunately, those images have since been deleted from Caro’s Instagram account. Thankfully, we have these screenshots to look at ;)


#LeFrenchFestival2016: Malaysia’s Annual French Art & Film Festival Returns

The annual and now formerly known as French Art & Film Festival that has thrilled fans for 14 years returns with a new name this year; as Le French Festival (LFF) 2016 promises a French inter-cultural experience that’s larger than life.

Last year’s festival recorded its highest support ever at an impressive 9,200 spectators including 6,000 for the film festival alone, seeing an increase of 6% in box office goers from the year before.

With the large scale festival taking place from 6th May to 19th June 2016 and the “lifestyle calendar” occurring from 12th May to 18th June 2016, this 15th edition will once again offer residents in the Klang Valley and Penang a host of events, with this year extending its presence to other first-time participating cities including Johor Bahru.

Among the highlights to expect this year are 14 recent releases in French cinema for movie-goers of all ages from children to adults, such as the heart-warming family film “The Belier Family” (La Famille Belier), the highly successful children’s animation “The Little Prince” (Le Petit Prince), the romantic comedy “Caprice”, the historical-themed “The Princess of Montpensier” (La Princesse de Montpensier), as well as the spy-spoof “OSS 117, Lost In Rio” (OSS 117, Rio ne Repond Plus).

There will also be 15 main events under the festival calendar for art-enthusiasts, music-lovers, and foodies alike, and new additions to the calendar including public gastronomy events in support of French trade and tourism, as well as events in education themed in science and literature.

Tickets will be available for purchase via GSC website or cinema box office. True-blue festival fans and movie-buffs can also keep a lookout for ticket giveaways in the media.

Organised by the Alliance Française and the Embassy of France in Malaysia, and supported by the Institut Français, the festival is once again presented by Martell and in collaboration with a number of partners including Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC).

For more information, visit GSC’s website or Facebook page.

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Grammys: BLACKPINK Could Be Nominated For Best New Artiste Award

Word has it that BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) could be one of the contenders for Best New Artiste at the annual Grammy Awards next year.

Billboard recently mentioned in their write-up that the “As If It’s Your Last” singers will most likely be competing with other international acts including Lizzo, Billie Ellish and also Lil Nas X to name a few.

In their article entitled “Grammy Preview: Will Pop Make A Comeback In The Big 4 Categories?”, the famed music critics site have come out with their opinions on what’s most likely to expect for the award ceremony.

During their take on the coveted “Best New Artiste” category, Billboard commented about the girl group’s “unprecedented commercial inroads as a K-pop girl group in America.” The 4-member band – Jennie, Jisoo, Rose and Lisa – have made various appearances during their promotional cycle in the US, including performing at Coachella, international world tours and even appearing in “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”.

BLINKs (BLACKPINK fans) all over the world are celebrating the “news” by tweeting about how the quartet has set a new wave of revolution for other K-Pop acts out there. Sadly, some also took it to the extreme way by throwing unnecessary shade to other groups such as BTS.

We're so proud of them https://t.co/rezw32AZLi

— Asmae 🌹❤ (@pinkseesaw) September 22, 2019

If this were to come true, then it will be the perfect opportunity for not only BLACKPINK, but also for other K-Pop acts to expand their career in Hollywood. Just like BTS, who paved the way for Korean pop groups to promote their music in the US, our favourite girls have also been been making their mark internationally.

For those who might not know, the 7-member boy band was nominated for “Best Recording Package” in this year’s ceremony for their “Love Yourself: TEAR” album – becoming the 1st act from South Korea to receive such honour.

Sources: Music News Facts Twitter, Billboard.


#Christmas: Snuggle Up With These Flicks & Pretend That “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”

What better way to usher in the year end festivities than to enjoy some quality time with family and friends? Be it going for quick holidays/getaways or organising intimate get-togethers, the one thing that everyone can agree on is the fact that no matter where in the world you are, this season never fails to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Some say it because of the automatic “wind down” after a hectic year but we “blame” it all on Christmas. After all, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, is it not? ;)

As such, we’re adding another Christmas-themed activity that you can do be it alone, as a couple, or even as a group this year end. First, you’d probably need to block out an entire weekend to do this. Second, this is best enjoyed in an air-conditioned environment. And third, for the fear of sounding like a pre-movie cinema ad, turn off your mobile phones. Also, optional, load up on your favourite snacks and drinks (maybe a bottle of wine?). Once you’ve got all that prepared, there’s one thing left to do – snuggle up and pretend that “Baby, it’s cold outside” to some of our all-time favourite Christmas flicks:

“Home Alone” is a 1990 American Christmas family comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. Most people would remember “Home Alone” for Macaulay Culkin, who stars as Kevin McCallister, an 8-year-old boy who is mistakenly left behind when his family flies to Paris for their Christmas vacation.

When bratty 8-year-old Kevin McCallister (played by Macaulay Culkin) acts out the night before a family trip to Paris, his mother (played by Catherine O’Hara) makes him sleep in the attic. After the McCallisters mistakenly leave for the airport without Kevin, he awakens to an empty house and assumes his wish to have no family has come true. Kevin initially relishes being home alone, but soon has to contend with 2 would-be burglars played by Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci. As his excitement sours, he finds the missions of all missions – that he alone must protect the family home.

Needless to say, the cherubic Macaulay Culkin kicked ass and kicked ass hard in this all-time favourite Christmas flick.

The film also features Catherine O’Hara and John Heard as Kevin’s parents. As of 2009, Home Alone was the highest-grossing comedy of all time. It spawned a successful franchise, with 4 sequels and 3 video games, and with the main cast reprising their roles for the sequel, “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York”.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas”, often promoted as” Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas”, is a 1993 American stop motion musical fantasy film directed by Henry Selick and produced/co-written by Tim Burton. The film originated in a poem written by Tim Burton in 1982, while he was working as an animator at Walt Disney Animation Studios. With the success of Vincent in the same year, the Walt Disney Studios started to consider developing “The Nightmare Before Christmas” as either a short film or 30-minute TV special. Over the years, Burton’s thoughts regularly returned to the project, and in 1990, he made a development deal with Disney. Disney decided to release the film under their Touchstone Pictures banner because they thought the movie would be “too dark, and scary for kids”.

The film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, Halloweentown’s beloved pumpkin king, who has become bored with the same annual routine of frightening people in the “real world.” When Jack accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colours and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life – he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over the role. But Jack soon discovers even the best-laid plans of mice and skeleton men can go seriously awry.

Danny Elfman wrote the film score and provided the singing voice of Jack, as well as other minor characters. The remaining principal voice cast includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page, Paul Reubens, and Glenn Shadix. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” was met with both critical and financial success. The film has since been reissued by Walt Disney Pictures and re-released annually in the Disney Digital 3D format from 2006 until 2009, making it the first stop-motion animated feature to be entirely converted to 3D.

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (promoted theatrically as The Grinch) is a 2000 American fantasy comedy Christmas film from Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, based on the 1957 story of the same name by Dr. Seuss. It was the first Dr. Seuss book to be adapted into a full-length feature film. Because the film is based on a children’s picture book, many additions had to be made to the storyline to bring it up to feature-length, including some information about the backstory of the titular character. Most of the rhymes used in the book were used in the film, though some were slightly changed, and new rhymes were put in as well.

In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s tale by Dr. Seuss, the reclusive green Grinch (played by Jim Carrey) decides to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville. Reluctantly joined by his hapless dog, Max, the Grinch comes down from his mountaintop home and sneaks into town to swipe everything holiday-related from the Whos. However, the bitter grump finds a hitch in his plans when he encounters the endearing Cindy Lou Who (played by Taylor Momsen).

The film was directed by Ron Howard, produced by Howard and Brian Grazer, and starring Jim Carrey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, Molly Shannon, and introducing Taylor Momsen. The Grinch is the second highest-grossing holiday film of all time with $345,141,403 worldwide, only behind “Home Alone”. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup, and was also nominated for “Best Art Direction” and “Best Costume Design”.

“Love Actually” is a 2003 British Christmas-themed romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate stories involving a wide variety of individuals, many of whom are shown to be interlinked as their tales progress.

Set primarily in London, the story begins 5 weeks before Christmas and is played out in a weekly countdown until the holiday, followed by an epilogue that takes place one month later. The film begins with a voiceover from David (played by Hugh Grant) commenting that whenever he gets gloomy with the state of the world he thinks about the arrivals terminal at Heathrow Airport, and the pure uncomplicated love felt as friends and families welcome their arriving loved ones. David’s voiceover also relates that all the messages left by the people who died on the 9/11 planes were messages of love and not hate.

The film then tells the “love stories” of many people:

“The Polar Express” is a 2004 American motion capture computer-animated musical Christmas fantasy film based on the children’s book of the same title by Chris Van Allsburg. Written, produced, and directed by Robert Zemeckis, the film featured human characters animated using the live action performance capture technique, with the exception of the dancing waiters who dispense hot chocolate on the train, because their feats were impossible for live actors to achieve. The film stars Daryl Sabara, Nona Gaye, Jimmy Bennett, and Eddie Deezen, with Tom Hanks in 6 distinct roles.

The film is an inspiring adventure which centres on a doubting young boy as he takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole. He embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe. “The Polar Express” also included a performance by Tinashe at age 9, who later gained exposure as a pop singer in 2010, as the CGI-model for the female protagonist.

The visual effects and performance capture were done at Sony Pictures Imageworks. The film was made at a budget of $165 million, a record breaking sum for an animated feature at the time. The studio first released the film in both conventional and IMAX 3D theatres 10th Nov 2004. It is listed in the Guinness World Book of Records in 2006 as the first all-digital capture film.

“The Holiday” is a 2006 American Christmas-themed romantic comedy film written, produced and directed by Nancy Meyers. Distributed by Columbia Pictures and Universal Studios and filmed in both California and England, it stars Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet. Jude Law and Jack Black co-star, with Eli Wallach, Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns, and Rufus Sewell playing key supporting roles.

The story revolves around 2 lovelorn women, one (Cameron Diaz) from America and one (Kate Winslet) from Britain, as they swap homes at Christmastime after bad breakups with their boyfriends. Each woman finds romance with a local man (Jude Law, Jack Black) but realises that the imminent return home may end the relationship.

Reviews were positive towards the film’s visual aesthetic design and the acting, most notably Kate Winslet’s performance as society column editor Iris. However, the plot drew a mixed response from critics, who criticised plot elements that lacked any surprises or were predictable. Cameron Diaz garnered an ALMA Award nomination for her performance, while Kate Winslet was nominated for an Irish Film and Television Award the following year. The film itself won the 2007 Teen Choice Award in the Chick Flick category.

“Arthur Christmas” is a 2011 British/American 3D computer animated Christmas comedy film, produced by Aardman Animations and Sony Pictures Animation as their first collaborative project. The film was released on 11th Nov 2011 in the UK and on 23rd Nov 2011 in the US.

Everyone knows that, each Christmas, Santa Claus delivers presents to every last child on Earth. What everyone doesn’t know is that Santa accomplishes the feat with a very high-tech operation beneath the North Pole. Set on Christmas night, the film tells a story about the Santa Claus’ clumsy son Arthur Claus who discovers that the Santas’ high-tech ship has failed to deliver one girl’s present, goes on a mission to save her Christmas, accompanied only by his ageing grandfather, a rebellious yet enthusiastic young Christmas Elf obsessed with wrapping gifts for children, and a team of 8 strong, magical yet untrained reindeer.

“Arthur Christmas” was directed by Sarah Smith, and co-directed by Barry Cook, it features voices of James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jensen, Marc Wootton, Laura Linney, Eva Longoria, Ramona Marquez and Michael Palin.

Did your favourite Christmas movie make the list? Would you like to share ’em with us? Leave us a comment in the comments box below ;)

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Girls’ Generation Wins Video Of The Year!

The YouTube Video Awards winners have been announced!

South Korean girl group, Girls’ Generation bags the award for the Video Of The Year. The visual illustration for their track I Got A Boy features the nine girls from the group dressed in multi-coloured outfits as they enjoy themselves in the current pop realm. The gorgeous girls also shows off their amazing dance moves in the video!


What It Looks Like When “Joker” Movie Gets A K-Drama Twist

In case if you’ve missed it, the movie “Joker” has been released in theatres worldwide.

If you’ve already watched the psychological thriller, you’ll remember this scene of Joaquin Phoenix’s character Joker a.k.a Arthur Fleck with his love interest Sophie Dumond (played by Zazie Beetz).

We’ll won’t drop any spoilers here. Instead, we wanted to shift your focus on this video by Andy Make Things called “If Joker Was A K-Drama”. It’s a 42-second clip depicted the same exact scene, but with an interesting twist.

The kissing scene between Joker and Sophie was edited exactly the same like almost every ending in a Korean drama – making use of effects such as the ending shot and also transition of the scenes.

To add in the mood, the song “Stay With Me” that was used as the main soundtrack for the popular Tv drama “Goblin” was also used in the video. Check out the full clip here:

Hats off to Andy Makes Things for his creative hands!