Fun Facts: 10 Things We Enjoyed About #Kingsman: The Golden Circle

If you thought that “Kingsman: The Secret Service” was bloody good (emphasis on the bloody), “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” is very much like the first movie. If anything, it’s shinier, funnier, and more action-packed!

Based on a comic book series created by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, “Kingsman” tells the story of a covert group of British secret agents saving the world from a global disaster. While “The Secret Service” centred on a young chap named Gary “Eggsy” Unwin getting inducted into the secret organisation, “The Golden Circle” sees him as a full-fledged Kingsman agent.

“With their headquarters destroyed and the world held hostage, members of Kingsman find new allies when they discover a spy organisation in the United States known as Statesman. In an adventure that tests their strength and wits, the elite secret agents from both sides of the pond band together to battle a ruthless enemy and save the day, something that’s becoming a bit of a habit for Eggsy.”

To pump up your excitement, here are our highlights from watching the 2nd instalment – everything from our favourite character, thoughts on the big bad, and the future of this franchise. Do note that there may be some minor spoilers, so read at your own risk.

1. The bombing of the headquarters is just the appetiser

As seen in the trailer, this is what happens when the secret spy organisation is exposed. At the very beginning of the sequel, the Kingsmen are reduced to rubble. Quite a bold gambit, no? “It felt like the right thing to do. We’re not Bond, we do what feels right. We’re allowed to push the rules and reinvent things,” said director Matthew Vaughn.

The Golden Circle is essentially a secret drug cartel that is situated on top of a mountain in the middle of an unknown jungle. The entire area is adorned with the retro 1950s vibe. The organisation keeps the identity of their henchmen a secret by eliminating their finger prints and having their teeth filed down. Plus, the wrong-doers also have an expensive tattoo of a circle made of 24-karat gold, hence, The Golden Circle.

Unbeknownst to the President of United States and the rest of the world, The Golden Circle has already become a monopoly on the industry of illegal substances. This brings us to the next point – who’s the head honcho?

Described as “Martha Stewart on crack”, the ruthless Poppy (played by Academy Award-winning actress Julianne Moore) is the criminal mastermind behind The Golden Circle. Poppy has a pleasant demeanour and near constant smile, but don’t be fooled by her Stepford Wives persona. She’s stone cold evil and her psychopathic punishments reflects her brutal intentions as well as her intelligence.

This villainous character is vastly different than the one Samuel L. Jackson played. Jackson was quite memorable as Richmond Valentine, the genocidal bleeding heart who wasn’t morally right but had a point. In comparison, Moore’s Poppy is more intimidating. Speaking of which, she also has 2 vicious robot dogs named Bennie and Jet.

The American side of the Kingsman coin: meet the Statesman. pic.twitter.com/R290utL3gg

— The King's Man (@KingsmanMovie) July 17, 2017

Saddle up with the Statesman, #Kingsman’s American cousins. pic.twitter.com/QW8bO0blXT

— The King's Man (@KingsmanMovie) August 28, 2017

After the annihilation of the British headquarters, Eggsy (played by Taron Egerton) and Merlin (played by Mark Strong) must figure out their next move. They decide to team up with their American counterparts in the Statesman.

Led by their leader Champ (played by Jeff Bridges), who likes tossing his hat, the USA team consists of Southern secret agent Tequila (played by Channing Tatum), whip-cracking cowboy Whiskey (played by Pedro Pascal), and tech guru Ginger Ale (played by Halle Berry), who’s basically the female version of Merlin.

So what happens when the UK meets USA? According to Vaughn, the result is “a healthy rivalry with cultural clashes”. The filmmaker continued, “There’s a great line that Churchill said about America: The only thing we really have in common between England and America is the language, and even that’s debatable”.

Oh yes peeps, Harry Hart is definitely back!

After Colin Firth’s character was seemingly killed off in the first film, his return was confirmed via a teaser poster. Subsequently, the Kingsman’s number one secret agent was also revealed in the trailer wearing an eyepatch over the eye he was shot at. Harry is back, but he’s not the Harry we knew. To quote Vaughn, “He’s Harry Hart, but he ain’t Galahad”.

6. “Kingsman 2” will also bring back this key character

Antagonist Charlie Hesketh (played by Edward Holcroft) will return as Eggsy’s stuck-up nemesis. If you recall, Charlie and Eggsy were always at odds with one another during their Kingsman training. However, he was sent home after failing a crucial test, but later reappeared at Valentine’s party. This time, he’s back with a shaven head and an amazing new robotic arm. Better watch out Eggsy!

7. Believe it or not, Elton John is our favourite character in the sequel

You heard us right. Elton John is playing himself in “The Golden Circle”. Many would presume that the Grammy winner’s appearance is just a cameo, but he actually has a significant role.

Vaughn initially wanted to include the legendary musician in the first movie. “I had an idea of, ‘Who’s the worst celebrity you’d want to have locked in a cell?’ And I came up with Elton John, and having Elton John throwing these huge tantrums. And then I wanted to do an action scene of Elton John kicking the living daylights out of people,” he said. Thankfully, audiences will get to see a whole lot of this flamboyant pop star in this film.

8. “Kingsman 2” will feature a deleted scene from “The Secret Service”

In speaking with Den of Geek, Egerton revealed that the “Kingsman” sequel will be utilising a deleted scene from the first movie. “Matthew (Vaughn) knows and likes Elton, and knows that he brings something that fits the tone of the ‘Kingsman’ world. I think I can say that there’s a deleted scene from the first one, that I personally thought shouldn’t have been cut, and that’s now in the 2nd film. But what it is… I don’t think I can say,” the 27-year-old Brit told the publication.

We’ll leave it to you to figure out exactly which scene is Egerton referring to.

9. The Lego remake of the “The Golden Circle” is absolutely awesome

Last week, Huxley Berg Studios released a Lego recreation of “The Golden Circle” red band trailer and it even included the dramatic car chase scene. The execution and effects were spot on. After watching the impressive fan-made trailer, would you be interested in a full animated sequence of “Kingsman”?

Most franchises don’t end at 2 films, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that 20th Century Fox already have plans for “Kingsman 3”. In a recent interview, Vaughn shared that he has already written the first draft of the screenplay for the 3rd instalment. “When we were writing it, we were thinking about ‘Kingsman 3’ too. This is the bridge, if we can pull it off and get to make another one,” the director was quoted as saying. Of course, the primary factor will be the box office.

“Kingsman: The Golden Circle” debuts on 21st September 2017.

For more information, hit up the movie’s website and Facebook page.

Sources: Empire Online, /Film, Screen Rant (1)(2), Movie Web (1)(2)/ Featured image: Fox.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Exclusive: James Lee On Finding His Identity Since Leaving Royal Pirates

Last week, Korean-American solo singer James Lee sat down with us for a chat when he came down for his South East Asian tour!

Being the former bassist of K-rock band, Royal Pirates, James has been on the scene for quite some time. Due to a harrowing accident that led him to leave the band in 2017, James has taken time off to focus on his health. In early 2018, he released “The Light EP” and now, he’s ready to take the world by storm!

Thank you for coming to the event today! It was pretty surreal and i’ve already eaten #nasilemak ~ Excited to see those of you coming out tomorrow at UCSI! @sheratonpetalingjaya @universalmusicmalaysia @universalmusic.reg #jamesthelightmy #malaysia #thelightep #ucsi

A post shared by  J / M E S (@jamesjhl) on Apr 28, 2019 at 8:23am PDT

Q: Welcome back to Malaysia! Have you been missing any Malaysian food since you’ve been gone?

A: I missed nasi lemak! I had a fan meeting where I said it wrongly… it’s been haunting me since (laughs). I also love milk tea and boba! I heard there’s a boba street here and I really wanna go! Maybe even vlog about it?

Q: Tell us about “The Light” and how it reflects where you are in life right now.

A: So “The Light” EP… I wrote it after my accident. If you guys don’t know, my hand was cut off… reattached after 5 surgeries. I went through a lot of trauma, and the way I dealt with it is through writing music. “The Light” EP is that collection of songs that I was able to produce to the level I see fit because of a crowd funding project. Friends, fans and family all helped bring this together. I feel like it represents me as an individual because I lost my identity as a bassist after the accident. I really prided myself as an instrumentalist and now I am able to identify as a producer… and now, a writer.

And an unforgettable showcase marks the end of @jamesjhl’s The Light Tour in Malaysia! Thank you to everyone who made the past few days so amazing; we really appreciate all of you. Make sure to keep supporting JAMES if you want him back in Malaysia soon! #JAMESTheLightMY #TheLightEP

A post shared by  Universal Music Malaysia (@universalmusicmalaysia) on May 2, 2019 at 7:37am PDT

Q: How different has it been, going from being a bassist to being your own frontman?

A: It’s a 180, a total different experience. I was used to playing bass and just supporting the front man because I never actually had confidence in my singing. Even now, I’ve finally gotten to the point where I’m comfortable on stage. Before this I really enjoyed being in a team? I preferred lurking in the shadows. I got a lot of commercials and modelling offers at the time of the accident but it wasn’t something I wanted to do. So this… is pretty great.

Q: What is your favourite song off the EP and why?

A: They’re all my babies, I can’t choose! (laughs) It changes time to time but probably Perfect? I was able to have my friend Amber from f(x) on the track. I really wanted to use her voice as an instrument, I like the colour of her tone, and I thought it just blended really well with the ambience of the track. If you watch the MV, it’s my favourite as well. Its super low budget… and she helped fund half of it! She’s an angel, honestly.

Q: What about the hardest song to compose?

A: “The Light”. It was originally not just a song, it was more of a cry. It was just a stream of depressed consciousness, as I was in a really dark place. I showed it to my friend Enik who’s in a band called FYKE and he said it was too depressing. He said, “Do you want your audience to be sad?” And that was a moment for me. I didn’t think about anyone else and at that time, I couldn’t. So, I let him take the wheel on it. I owe him a lot for helping me transform that song from what was originally an almost suicidal song into something more hopeful.

A: It’s lonely. Lonelier than I thought it would be. But its also satisfying because I can release what I want to release. I can make the music videos that I want, so yeah.

Q: “The Light” EP has a very different sound from The Royal Pirates. Do you see yourself dabbling in different genres in the future?

A: I’m naturally like an emo kid… Like a huge fan of My Chemical Romance. I listened to Black Street, a lot of R&B and gangsta rap. I think when you’re like 15, the music you listen to kinda becomes a part of you? I noticed that in all of my music videos there are elements of hip hop… but I’m not hip hop at all (laughs). I love it still and I’ll have it placed in my music when necessary.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Q: What artists have been on your Spotify playlists recently?

Q: Last but not least, do you have a message for fans who may be going through some darkness of their own?

A: Basically, it’s not gonna last. You feel like suicide is the only escape but you don’t know what’s on the other side. It’s not gonna last forever and you’re the only one who can stop it. You gotta let go, it’s not easy but you got to try, reach out; and you can get over it. There are better things ahead. You’ve just got to remember it won’t last forever, cause that’s the scary part. Like my pain is really bad, but my mentality/perspective has changed about it so I’m not afraid.. I have more energy against it rather than letting this pain control me.

James’ “The Light” EP is available for streaming on Spotify, iTunes, and Apple Music.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#BIGBANG: Idol Group To Hold Live Streaming Event For #MADESERIESA

There’s no doubt that the BIGBANG boys are kings of surprises, as the group gave their fans a shock through the concept of their latest music videos.

In conjunction with the release of the second part of their monthly comeback project, the boys are ready to surprise their fans once again as their talent agency YG Entertainment officially announced that a live streaming event will be held for the “MADE” series.

On 29th May, the announcement was posted alongside a new poster on their official blog. The live streaming event will happen an hour before the release of their latest singles from “Made Series A” on 1st June.

VIPs (as BIGBANG fans are lovingly known) are invited to join BIGBANG on the live streaming event through portal site Naver at 11pm. KST. The music videos for BIGBANG’s latest singles are expected to be released after the event ends.

The details of their comeback are as follows:

Starting with “M” on May 1st, M, A, D, and E projects will be released monthly till complete “MADE” album is out on September. Each project contains more than one track, and MADE SERIES ‘M’ will be out in 2 different versions; M ver. & m ver.

A poster of the official “Made Series-A” track list has also been revealed via multiple social media platforms and YG E-SHOP. The album includes the new tracks, “Bang Bang Bang” and “We Like 2 Party” as well as “Loser” and “Bae Bae“, which were released via the “Made Series-M” in May.

So, are you excited to hear their new singles? You should probably start the countdown now because the live steaming event will be happening soon! ;)


Jamie Dornan, Zac Efron Nominated For Worst Actor At 2018 Razzie Awards

It looks like Fifty Shades Darker is going to win big at the Razzie Awards this year! Fifty Shades actor Jamie Dornan has been nominated for the Worst Actor at the 38th annual Golden Raspberry Awards for his role as the smouldering millionaire, Christian Grey in Fifty Shades Darker.

But fret not, Jamie Dornan is not alone.

His co-star Dakota Johnson who plays his love interest, Anastasia Steele, is also up for Worst Actress award for her role in Fifty Shades Darker. Apart from that, the movie itself, based on EL James’ erotic novel bearing the same title, has been nominated for the Worst Movie award.

And no, that’s not all. The Fifty Shades Darker screenplay has been shortlisted for the Worst Screenplay award, while the movie’s director, James Foley, is up for the Worst Director award.

Other notable nominees for the Razzie Awards are Tom Cruise (The Mummy) and Zac Efron (Baywatch) for Worst Actors.

Baywatch, The Emoji Movie, The Mummy, Transformers: The Last Knight will all be competing with Fifty Shades Darker for the Worst Movie award.

Here’s the complete list of nominees for the 38th Annual Golden Raspberry Award:


The Shot That Changed American History

It was the sound of a gunshot which changed the United States forever.  The most dramatic bullet fired was aimed at the 16th president of the Unites States resulting as the most resonant crime in the American history: the true story of Abraham Lincoln’s killing.

“Killing Lincoln” is equipped with important historical insight, chronicling the final days of President Abraham Lincoln and the treasonous assassination plot by the villains.

Narrated by Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, the film stars Billy Campbell (the lead actor in “The Killing” and “Once and Again”) as Abraham Lincoln and introduces Jesse Johnson in a breakthrough performance as John Wilkes Booth. The film adapts Bill O’Reilly’s best-selling book into a two-hour global television event.

“Killing Lincoln” has all the components of a thrilling crime novel involving conspiracy, public assassination and an unprecedented manhunt. This is both an electrifying look at a shadowy scheme cultivated during the rapid-fire succession of closing Civil War events and a wrenching journey to understand a reviled “madman”.

In “Killing Lincoln”, Southern stalwart John Wilkes Booth is plotting a vengeance as he views President Lincoln as a tyrant eager to eradicate not just slavery, but the Southern way of life. He launches a clandestine plot to kidnap the president and spirit him away to the South. Due to the failure of Booth’s kidnapping mission, the plan to kill President Abraham Lincoln emerged. His ultimate triumph in murder shocked the nation and sparks the largest manhunt in the United States’ young history.

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

Remember to catch the premiere of “Killing Lincoln” exclusively on National Geographic Channel (Astro Ch 553) at 9pm on 17th March 2013.

For more information, visit their website.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#RunningMan: Cast To Hold Fan Meeting In Malaysia & Singapore!

“Running Man” fever hasn’t died down one bit!

Even though Song Ji Hyo and Lee Kwang Soo were in Malaysia just a couple of months ago, fans are eager to see them again along with other members.

According to sources, the cast of SBS’ popular variety show will be launching a tour around Asia in conjunction with its season finale after running for 7 long years. The “Race Start! Season 4 – Running Man Fan Meeting 2017” tour will kick off in February with Taipei, Taiwan, being their first pitstop, followed by Macau.

The cast members, which include HaHa, Ji Suk Jin, Lee Kwang Soo, Kim Jong Kook, and Song Ji Hyo, will also be touring 4 other cities such as Thailand, Hong Kong, and of course Singapore and Malaysia. Word on the street is that our country will be one of the final pitstops, so fans can expect them to drop by somewhere in March.


#PokemonGO: Various Calls For Pokémon GO Ban In Malaysia Even Before It’s Launched

The augmented reality (AR) game by Niantic Inc that’s taking the world by storm hasn’t even launched in Malaysia yet but already, some parties are protesting against it, calling for the app to be banned.

Pokémon GO a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game that uses the GPS, clock, camera of compatible devices and allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual Pokémon who appear throughout the real world.

Previously, Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria called on the federal government to ban Pokémon GO amid rumours that the game may be available in Malaysia soon.

Harussani said that the game shouldn’t be allowed in the country if it were true that there were elements of gambling involved. He was referencing the words of local preacher Shahrizan Daud, who said that Pokémon GO was a form of gambling because it rewarded users for the capture of the little pocket monsters, adding that it could result in addiction.

And just a couple of days ago, an NST columnist wrote in an opinion piece titled, “Say ‘no’ to Pokemon Go“:

“The obvious risks of the game clearly outweigh the benefits and can easily bring about tragic real-life consequences. Here is a sense of foreboding in the air, a feeling that something wicked and evil is about to engulf the world, and swallow Malaysia whole in its wake.”

Just today, Pertubuhan Martabat Julinan Muhibbah Malaysia (MJMM) president Abdul Rani Kulup Abdullah lodged a police report against the yet-to-be-launched Pokemon app at Dang Wangi police headquarters. He claimed that the game will promote social ills among the youths and destroy the faith of Muslims as it could lead to obsession.

“We firmly oppose this game as it is detrimental to children’s development as their minds would be filled with cartoons. In the end, everyone would become cartoons in Malaysia,” The Star Online quoted Rani Kulup as saying.

Also present was Ikatan Rakyat Insan Muslim Malaysia (Irim) president Amir Amsaa Allapitchay, who called on the authorities to emulate countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia that have deemed Pokémon GO as “unIslamic” and banned the game.

“Allowing the release of Pokemon Go in Malaysia would be truly unacceptable. We would like to suggest the government to act against this before it destroys the country,” Amir said, adding that MJMM and Irim would also submit a protest note against the game to the Communications and Multimedia Ministry.

Meanwhile, Communications and Multimedia Minister Datuk Seri Dr Salleh Said Keruak has reaffirmed that Malaysia has neither objection nor restriction for Pokémon GO to be released Malaysia.

“Even though some countries may restrict it, but we in Malaysia…we have not reached that stage,” he told the media at the Communications and Multimedia Ministry’s Aidilfitri do in Putrajaya on 25th July 2016.

Inspector General of Police (IDP) Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar also said that the police have no plans on banning the game unless if it has elements of gambling or is a security threat.

Sources: MMO, NST, The Star, Astro Awani / Featured image: vg247.com.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Sunway Lost World Closes Temporarily; Guest Suspected Of Covid-19

Sunway Lost World of Tambun and Lost World Hotel will shut down temporarily after one of its visitors was suspected to have tested positive for Covid-19.

The management will close both its theme park and hotel for 14 days (13th October – 26th October) in order to carry out sanitisation works as a precaution for safety.

The news came to light after Sunway Lost World Of Tambun announced the closure on its Facebook page yesterday (13th October). According to the statement, the matter was disclosed verbally by the Ministry of Health (MoH) that had immediately performed active detection amongst close contacts of the individual.

It stated, “The Ministry of Health (MoH) has immediately conducted contract tracing on all suspected close contacts. Please stay calm as we continue to work with the relevant government authorities and the Ministry of Health in addressing this matter.”

The management added more information in its comments section stating, “According to MoH, if you are a contact to a positive case, MySejahtera App or the health department will notify you. If you are not contacted, you are not a possible contact. Stay clam & practice strict SOP.”

As of 13th October 2020, there are a total number of 319 confirmed cases in Perak with 16 new cases reported.


Reef Rescuers: World’s Longest Underwater Cleanup

Discovery Channel, in collaboration with Astro, dive in to chronicle the intricacies and commitment involved in the World’s Longest Underwater Cleanup in “Reef Rescuers”, a 30-minute exclusive special that documents this milestone-setting conservation project which recently set a new Guinness World Records title.

An Astro Kasih “Beautiful Malaysia” initiative, the World’s Longest Underwater Cleanup took an epic 168 hours of non-stop cleaning over seven days between 6th April to 13th April at Tunku Abdul Rahman Park in Sabah, and the endearing dedication of 134 volunteer divers from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Lithuania, New Zealand, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and Malaysia who made over 1,120 dives at 224 dive locations surrounding the park.

In “Reef Rescuers”, go behind the scenes to uncover the complex planning and coordination that went into this mammoth undertaking; discover more about underwater conservation, experience the joys, and be inspired by the uplifting congregation of individuals who journeyed from across the globe to work towards a common purpose – to preserve Mother Earth and build a sustainable, pollution-free environment for generations to come.

“Reef Rescuers” premieres 30th May 2013 (Thursday) at 7pm on Discovery Channel (Astro Channel 551) and Discovery Channel HD (Astro Channel 571).


#LaNina: Downpours To Last Up To 12 Months Starting Nov; Dengue Threats To Increase

Remember when El Nino hit Malaysia and we begged for more rain? Well, we take that back.

Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Wilfred Madius Tangau stated that the La Nina phenomenon will hit the nation in early November and it is expected to last up to 12 months.

“The La Nina phenomenon (with 75% probability) is expected to occur after October. It typically extends from 9 to 12 months. However, it is still early to predict its intensity as this can only be confirmed after October,” Wilfred said to the NST.

The minister also added that the wet weather could shorten the period of the Northeast monsoon and reduce the country’s temperature by 0.5°C  to 2°C. Rainfall will increase in Sabah and the eastern part of Sarawak, particularly during the monsoon season.

We don’t know which is worse: cool and wet weather or hot and dry days.

Besides that, the expected rainfalls at the end of the year will most likely see an increase in dengue cases as heavy rainfalls increase water accumulation in places that holds water such as tree holes, leaves, bottles, flower pots, and sewers.

But not to worry, because according to Health director-general Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, the health ministry has been taking preventive measures to destroy Aedes breeding grounds in the country since April, particularly in the Klang Valley. He also added that the public should be more aware of their home environment to make sure there are no breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

“Spend just 10 minutes to search and destroy Aedes breeding grounds and place abate to kill mosquito larvae in water containers or flower vases,” Abdullah told Bernama.

Malaysia has been under the dry and hot spell since last March and it was expected to last until September this year. The scorching hot weather has caused schools to be temporarily closed, dried out water reserves, and spiked snake bite cases.

But the La Nina effect took over the country last month and people are now living in fear of flash floods and thunderstorms.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


LINE BAND: The Private Mobile FB-Like App

LINE, the world’s leading mobile messaging platform, announced the global launch of LINE BAND, a private mobile group app that provides exclusive Social Network Space to efficiently facilitate and manage real-life relationships as a group.

The app offers a unique and private mobile networking space for the group to stay connected by sharing and archiving personal content without worrying about privacy settings or overloading everyone with excessive information. Keep in close touch with relatives living abroad by sharing family events, or post fun party photos from the weekend without accidentally showing them to your boss.

Think of it as Facebook, but for a more private, smartphone-centric usage:

LINE BAND enables one-stop planning with all BAND members by providing convenient and efficient features to organize offline gatherings. No more scrolling through past messages to figure out everyone’s preferences!

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

LINE users can conveniently download LINE BAND by checking out “Channel” under “More” tab on their LINE messenger.

Together with LINE BAND, LINE Play was also globally released. LINE Play is an avatar communication service where users can create custom avatars and interact with LINE friends and other users from all over the globe.

With LINE Play, users can embrace freedom of expression by decorating their rooms and designing their avatars, as well as enjoying communication within the smartphone avatar community. LINE Play is now available free on Android and iOS smartphones.

For more information, visit their official website.


5 Must-Visit Places & Activities To Explore In Padang, West Sumatra

When one mentions Indonesia, Jakarta and Bali often come to find. Tourists love the bustling cosmopolitan city of Jakarta for its shopping opportunities and entertainment sites. Those who want to soak up the sun tend to flock to Bali. But if you are looking for less touristy spots and love exploring nature, then Padang in West Sumatra has some hidden gems that will leave a lasting impression on you.

Despite being Indonesia’s largest island, West Sumatra has somehow remained off traveller’s radar around Asia. If you’re looking for an adventure, you’ll find plenty here. During our first visit to Padang, we were able to witness beautiful landscapes, taste delicious food, and learn about their local culture. Braving the road chaos can be a tad daunting, but we promise you, the pay off is incredibly rewarding!

Here’s the tricky part, getting to Mandeh Island requires you to book a boat for your island hopping activities. From there, the boat man will bring you around the nearby islands where you can snorkel, feed fishes, cliff jumping, and swimming – while enjoying the fresh air and beautiful surrounding scenery.

It’s also common to drop by Pulau Setan (pronounce Sutan) to unwind for a bit and enjoy a local meal. However, you can also opt to stay on a secluded beach. Forget about Wi-Fi or trying to get a signal, this is a place to disappear from you norm; your social media updates can wait.

A post shared by Lestari Alam Rafting 🇮🇩 (@larafting)

If you’re looking for more water adventures, then do consider adding rafting in your itinerary. Located in Lubuk Alung, Pd Pariaman, L.A Rafting specialises in rafting activities. Fret not if this isn’t something you’re used to, as L.A Rafting’s packages are suitable for beginners as well. For approximately 1.5 hours, you and your friends can experience the thrill of crashing through the rapids and spray of river splashing in your face. The feeling of being able to accomplish this with your mates will only enhance this epic adventure.

3. Learning Rich History At Istano Basa Pagaruyung

Istano Basa Pagaruyung, or Pagaruyung Palace, is one of the famous attractions sites in MinangKabau due to its richly decorated architecture and historic royal family from the Pagaruyung Kingdom. The palace was rebuilt after it was burned down during the riot war in 1804 and then struck by lightning in 2007. Today, this 3-storey invites tourist to learn about the rich history of the Sumatera Royal Family life. Besides that, visitors can also rent their traditional costume and snap photos at the palace and its vicinity.

P/s: The famous spot for pictures is by the windows

4. Witness Indigenous Martial Arts At Desa Wisata Kubu Gadang

For those wanting to explore more of the local culture, the friendly people of Desa Wisata Kubu Gadang are more than happy to include you in their traditional activities. This place is best known for showcasing the Silek Lanyah – a traditional Minangkabau martial arts that is performed in a muddy paddy field.

Nestled on Nagari Tanjung Haro Sikabu-kabu (and at the feet of Sago Mountain), Sikabu Glamping is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Getting there is arduous but these photos speak for itself; the view is breathtaking, unlike anything we’ve ever experience before. In the morning, you’d wake up to misty mountains ahead of the lush paddy field with birds chirping in the background. By night, you can gather over a camp fire and admire the bright shinning moon. While many would describe Sikabu Glamping as a place for “healing”, we felt a deep sense of peace and calmness during our stay there.

Even after returning to Malaysia, we haven’t stop thinking of Sikabu Glamping. Yep, this nature spot left a huge impression on us. Needless to say, we’ll seriously consider returning here if/when we travel to West Sumatra again.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

The good news is, AirAsia has increased flight frequency from KLIA to Padang, up to 10 times in a week. To make your booking or to find out more, check out www.airasia.com.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Man Proposes To His Kidney Donor

She donated one of her kidneys to her boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. On Tuesday, she had a wonderful surprise when he proposed while they were at a baseball game in Kansas city, in the US. Mr. Travis Spire-Sweet, 30, was selected to throw the first pitch at a Kansas City Royals home game and his girlfriend, Miss Taesha Benson, 32, was on the field to catch it, the Daily Mail reported.

They had been chosen to throw the honorary first pitch because the game was designated as Organ Transplant And Donor Awareness Night. She didn’t catch the ball when he threw it, but she went over and hugged him. As she was leaving the field, he said to her, “Hold on one second”.

He then took a ring out of his pocket and dropped to one knee as she began to realise what was going on. Said Mr. Spire-Sweet, who was born with only 25 per cent of a functioning kidney, “I thought it was a good time to thank the person who saved my life, and hopefully have the rest of my life to thank her for what she did”.

Their love has been well-documented as she decided to give him one of her functioning kidneys in February after dating for only a year. She said:

Initially you think, ‘How could I do that? I don’t have it in me”.

But over time, I got to know Travis and his love of life. Not many people come along who have his integrity, character and optimism. Travis just happens to be my boyfriend. He has provided me with a new love of life.

KCTV said that there was a one in 30,000 chance that she was perfect match for Mr Spire-Sweet.


PLANMalaysia: Here Are The Top 10 Happiest Cities In Malaysia

Earlier this week, the Urban and Rural Planning Department unveiled its list of top 10 happiest cities in Malaysia. It was in conjunction with the International Day of Happiness.

The department explained that these places were picked based on the population’s well-being that includes health and mental as well as physical well-being.

The happiness index – a study from 2013 to 2019 involving 60,000 Malaysian respondents – is one of the indicators in Malaysian Urban Rural National Indicators Network for Sustainable Development (MURNInets). It looks into “happiness with family and relatives, pleasure in working, relationship with neighbours, community activities and environmental quality”.


Enjoy Awesome Rewards When You Claim RM150 ePemula With ShopeePay!

Shopee users rejoice! ShopeePay announces today (11th April) that ePemula claimants will not only receive the RM150 e-wallet credit when they claim via ShopeePay, but are also guaranteed an additional RM500 worth of vouchers! That’s RM650 in total!

With a variety of popular brands accepting ShopeePay as a payment option, you can bet that you can save a lot of money when you shop during Ramadan and the upcoming Hari Raya Aidilfitri festival.

“We are honoured to collaborate with the Ministry of Finance again after a very positive response from Malaysian youths last year. Through ePemula, we are happy to be given a chance to encourage more Malaysian youths to embrace going cashless and use ShopeePay to experience the convenience and security and rewards that our mobile wallet has to offer,” said Alain Yee, Head of ShopeePay Malaysia.

She also added that they believe that the programme will play a bigger role to simultaneously generate economic activity and sales for local merchants and traders. So let’s learn a little more about ePemula and all you can expect from it.

The ePemula programme is open for registration to Malaysians aged 18 to 20 years old this year, or full-time students enrolled in courses equivalent to diploma or Malaysian Skills Certificate Level 4 (SKM4) and above at local public and private registered institutions of higher learning.

The extra RM500 Shopee vouchers comprises of RM90 ShopeePay vouchers, RM310 ShopeeFood vouchers, RM50 Shopee Mall vouchers and RM50 YES Voucher for SIM and Data.

The RM150 credits can be used for in-store offline transactions at various merchant partners across Malaysia, while the additional RM500 vouchers can be used for both in-store offline and online shopping on the app.

Participate in the #ShopeeEPEMULAsquad Challenge and stand a chance to win some cool prizes worth up to RM25,000! Follow @ShopeePay_MY on Instagram & @ShopeeMY on TikTok, snap a group picture on IG or post your slick moves on TikTok with your squad to be in the running for the awesome prize.

Click here for more information on how to claim the RM150 ePemula and get the guaranteed vouchers.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#Malaysia: Additional RM500 Duit Raya Will Be Given To Civil Servants In These States

Malaysian civil servants have something to look forward to this Hari Raya.

In addition to the RM500 Aidilfitri aid, the government will be giving out another RM500 as a bonus to civil servants in Perak, Terengganu, Sabah, and Negeri Sembilan.

“The bonus is to ease the burden of those making preparations to usher in the month of Syawal soon and the payment would be credited together with the salary before Raya,” explained Terengganu Menteri Besar Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman.

According to reports, there is an allocation of RM3.1 million for the 6,230 civil servants in Terengganu, RM5.6 million for the 15,000 civil servants in Perak, while the East Malaysian state has a record of 17,480 civil servants.

While certain states will receive their Raya bonus today (Friday, 9th June) together with their salary, other states such as Negeri Sembilan and Sabah will be paid on 15th and 16th June respectively.

“The Hari Raya aid will cost the government RM1 billion in total. We hope this will help ease the financial burden on the civil servants and pensioners in preparing for Hari Raya,” reads a statement from the Finance Ministry.


(UPDATE) B.A.P Files Lawsuit Against TS Entertainment

More and more K-Pop idol members have stepped up to claim their rights as all 6 members of South Korean boy group B.A.P are filing a lawsuit against their talent agency, TS Entertainment.

According to Instiz, in their report, they claimed they have received exclusive information that B.A.P has filed a lawsuit today against his agency, TS Entertainment, for an invalid contract.

According to Soompi, Korean media outlet Xports News is reporting that all 6 members of B.A.P have submitted a lawsuit against TS Entertainment to the Seoul Western District Court on 26th Nov.

It was reported that official contracts signed by B.A.P in 2011 were only advantageous to the company and unfavourable to the members. The contracts they’ve signed last for a minimum of 7 years from their first album instead of the date they signed their contract. In fact, the contracts broke the rules outlined by the Fair Trade Commission as the members claim that their income mostly goes to the company even though they’ve worked hard to earn their incomes.

B.A.P has released a total of 11 different albums and held concerts all around the world since their debut in January 2012. Even though they have done their best for their fans, the members were given unfair treatment by the company and have been dealing with their deteriorating health problems.

If you’ve been following the K-Pop music scene very closely, you would’ve noticed that B.A.P is not the first K-Pop group to file a lawsuit against their company. The lawsuit wars between idol groups and talent agencies began taking serious effects in the K-Pop music scene ever since 3 members of TVXQ filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment for invalid contract.

EXO‘s Kris and Luhan have also filed a lawsuits against SM Entertainment earlier this year to nullify their contracts. Just recently, SNSD Girls’ Generation’s Jessica got kicked out of the group abruptly, which SM Entertainment claimed was due to personal situation. As a result, all of the members that have filed lawsuits against their company have left the group they were in.

On 27th Nov, TS Entertainment released an official statement regarding B.A.P’s lawsuit and stated that they will formally handle the situation. The full statement is as follows:

TS Entertainment has supported the various activities of the company′s artist, B.A.P, and worked hard to achieve a common goal. Under mutual consideration and faith, the company, with the first priority put on the safety of the artist, has cancelled all official schedules and provided a time of rest.

Also, with the agreement of the artists, we began discussing future plans recently when we suddenly found out about this lawsuit through news articles.

TS Entertainment has released yet another official statement following news of B.A.P’s lawsuit against the agency less than 24 hours since the initial shockwaves were sent through the South Korean entertainment industry.

We are here to deliver our official position regarding B.A.P’s contract nullification lawsuit that has been reported this afternoon.

All this while, TS Entertainment has tried our best to support the various activities of our artist B.A.P and strived to meet our mutual goals. And like we revealed back on October 28, all their schedules had been cancelled to give them rest as we had made the protection of our artist our priority out of mutual consideration and trust.

And while in the midst of in talks about their future activities, we learned of the sudden lawsuit through news articles.

Currently TS Entertainment is in the process of trying to figure out the details and the truth of the matter. However, we wanted to make clear that there is no such thing as a ‘slave contract’ or ‘unfair contract conditions’ in our contracts, and we have never given them unfair, one-sided treatment.

We will take steps to confirm the matter regarding this lawsuit, and respond in an official manner.

We once again convey our sorry hearts for causing concern to all who love TS Entertainment and its artists.

What do you think of B.A.P’s lawsuit against TS Entertainment? Do you think other K-Pop groups have been suffering from slave contracts as well? Share your thoughts in the comments box below!

(Source: 1, 2 via Instiz and Xports News / Featured image)

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Egyptian Trance Duo Aly & Fila Make Their Way Back To Malaysia!

When the light shines, Let the light shine in!

Probably the single most successful duo from Egypt, Aly & Fila have built an immense, ultra-loyal in-country and global following of fans with their music. The duo that has been ranked as one of the 20 biggest DJ acts in the EDM scene on DJ Magazine Top 100 DJs in 2012 performed at Sepang, Malaysia last March for ASOT600 and will now be making their way back to our shores!

This Friday, June 20th, 2014, Aly & Fila are set to fire up Zouk Club, Kuala Lumpur with their signature trance sounds so trance lovers, you know where you NEED to be! ;)

Ticket entry: RM45.00 before 11.00pm & RM60.00 after 11.00pm. Applicable for both men and women. Entry includes 1 drink.

Bottle entry: RM450 – Admits 4 people (All night)

For reservations call: 03-2171 1997 (12.00pm – 6.00pm) or 016 332 3191 (after 6pm) or email rsvn@zoukclub.com.my*applicable to 21 yrs old and above

Here’s Perfect Love to prep you for Friday! Enjoy!

For more updates on, check out the event page on Facebook.


The Sun (Taeyang) Is About To “RISE”

Since we last talked about it, YG Entertainment and Taeyang have revealed two more teaser posters ahead of his album release. Sure, we all can’t wait to see his great big comeback but first, let’s focus on these:

YG Entertainment have also confirmed that “Rise” will drop digitally at midnight on 2nd June (Monday). That’s only a week away, peeps! The physical/offline release of “RISE” will then follow suit on 10th June (Tuesday).

We know we’ve said this before but we’ll say it again – we can’t wait!

The tracklist for RISE has been released! Taeyang’s upcoming album consists of nine songs, eight are new while there’s one that was released last year – RINGA LINGA.

Unsurprisingly, TEDDY and Epik High’s TABLO has a part in some of the songs. There’s also a nice surprise guest appearance by fellow BIGBANG member and leader, G-Dragon – who wrote, composed, and will be featured in “Stay With Me”. Can we also say that it’s nice to see Boys Noize’s contribution to RISE?

The countdown has already started and we can’t wait to hear it already!

Meanwhile, don’t forget to stalk Taeyang via his social media accounts:


#RTUHongKong: Festival’s Debut Edition Includes Knife Party, Galantis, Martin Garrix, & More

Having built a reputation for producing some of the most electrifying lineups in the festival scene, ULTRA Worldwide has pulled out all the stops for the debut edition of Road to ULTRA Hong Kong, as they reveal their full list of 8 international superstars set to grace the event on 17th September 2016.

Knife Party, Martin Garrix, and NERO (Live) will become the first ever electronic music headline acts to perform at the brand new Nursery Park at West Kowloon Cultural District, with Carnage, Galantis, Jauz, Marshmello and Thomas Jack all joining the lineup for what is set to be a truly special day and night in the heart of Hong Kong.

Road to ULTRA Hong Kong International Lineup

Complete with cutting-edge stage production and world-class visuals, these eight heavyweight acts will all play on ULTRA’s vaunted Main Stage, as they prepare to rock 8,000 fans to their core.

Selected due to its numerous similarities to Bayfront Park – the home of Ultra Music Festival, Miami – fans could not ask for a better location for the debut of Road to ULTRA Hong Kong, and they will in fact be some of the first to experience the park upon its completion in a few months time.

With Early Bird Tickets having already sold out without even as much as a lineup announcement, Advance Tickets, now on sale for HKD 900, and VIP tickets, priced at HKD 1,980, are bound to be in high demand. Get yours here before they sell out.

Road to ULTRA Hong Kong will run concurrently with ULTRA Japan (17th – 19th September) and Road to ULTRA Philippines (17th September), and will mark the eighth event on the continent of Asia for ULTRA in 2016, following events in South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan, and Bali.

For more information, visit the Road to ULTRA Hong Kong website.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


JPM Music’s Statement Regarding TVXQ!

Cassiopeia, we know you’ve all heard rumours about TVXQ’s “Catch Me” Tour in Malaysia possibly being cancelled due to the recent event of the 2013 Asia Super Showcase being postponed. We understand that most of your worries stem from the fact that TVXQ belongs to the same entertainment label as one of the 2013 Asia Super Showcase acts, SNSD Girls’ Generation.

But you may now put those worries to rest as our friends from JPM Music have released an official statement regarding the rumours via their Facebook page.

If JPM Music says it’s on, it’s on! TVXQ’s “Catch Me” Tour in Malaysia is still slated to happen on 18th May 2013 (Saturday) at Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam from 6pm onwards.

Five more days, Cassiopeia, five more days!


“The Muppets” Co-Creator Dies

The Muppet Show made its television debut back in 1976 and has enjoyed enduring popularity thanks to well-loved characters such as Miss Piggy, Kermit the Frog, Gonzo, and Fozzie Bear. In its lifetime, it has generated six critically-acclaimed cinematic spin-offs in the 1980s and 1990s as well as numerous TV films.

As a matter of fact, in 2011, “The Muppets” proved a box office smash, grossing $158,431,237 and picking up an Oscar for “Best Original Song” along the way. It did so well that they’re planning the sequel, “The Muppets… Again”, in which Ricky Gervais has signed up for the lead role.

“The Muppets” was the brainchild of Jim Henson and Jane Henson. The couple met at a puppetry class at the University of Maryland. After graduating in fine arts, Jane worked with Jim on television show, “Sam and Friends” as a performer, puppet designer, and business partner, before collaborating on “The Muppet Show”. She helped design many of the show’s illustrious characters, including Kermit and Miss Piggy.

Yesterday, however, it was reported that 78-year-old Jane Henson has died after a long battle with cancer. A statement from the Jim Henson Company described her as an “integral creative and business partner” in the Muppets.

A memorial mass for Jane, the woman who supported Jim’s artistic vision and therefore partly responsible for the existence of the puppets we love, is planned for next week.

Sources: The Independent,  The Hollywood Gossip.


#DivideTour: AEG Presents Drops Details For Ed Sheeran’s Singapore Show!

Hot on the heels of announcing updates on Ed Sheeran’s Malaysian concert (14th November 2017 in Bukit Jalil, if anyone’s interested), AEG Presents is now dropping details for the celebrated singer-songwriter’s show in Singapore.

Come 11th November 2017 (Saturday), Ed Sheeran will be bringing his highly anticipated world tour back to Singapore at the Singapore Indoor Stadium!

Following his biggest musical comeback in recent years, 26-year-old Ed Sheeran’s dual singles “Shape Of You” and “Castle On The Hill” have taken the globe by storm, landing the #1 and #2 spots across the charts worldwide while breaking a magnitude of records along the way.

The Suffolk native also recently achieved his first #1 as a performer on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Shape Of You”, followed by “Castle On The Hill” at #6, making Ed the first artist to debut in Billboard’s ‘Top 10’ with two songs simultaneously.

Ed Sheeran’s World Tour, which includes over 40 dates across four continents, kicked off in Europe this March before going on to South America, Australia and Asia.

Tickets for his Singapore show are priced at $248, $208, $188, $148, $108 will be sold from Thursday, 11th May 2017, 10am at www.sportshubtix.com. Price excludes $4 booking fee.

More Asian dates and cities will be revealed shortly.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#TheLittleMermaid: Lindsay Lohan Is Campaigning To Play Ariel In Disney’s Remake

It appears that Lindsay Lohan would like to go “Under The Sea”.

The 30-year-old Hollywood star took to her Instagram account to express her interest in playing Ariel in Disney’s live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid”.

The actress initially wrote, “I will sing again, as #ariel #thelittlemermaid (sic)”, requesting for Disney to allow her sister, Ali, to sing theme tune and to select Award-winning filmmaker Bill Condon to direct this live-adaptation. Lohan has since edited her caption to simply read, “#thelittlemermaid”.

Disney has neither commented on “The Little Mermaid” nor responded to Lohan’s post, but we do know that “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda and Oscar-winning songwriter Alan Menken are onboard to write new music for Disney’s upcoming remake.

“I literally don’t have a title for what my job on ‘The Little Mermaid’ is yet. Right now, it’s the guy who wears the ‘don’t mess it up’ hat. If I could sign a contract with that job title on it, that would be great! But that’s sort of where we are,” Lin-Manuel previously said.

It’s probably a slim chance that Disney will consider Lohan for the role, but which actress do you think will be suitable for the role of Ariel?


#Aladdin: The Cast Reunites After 23 Years To Sing “A Whole New World”

Has it been 23 years? That’s a quarter of a century! Why we never..

During the “Disney Renaissance”, a time when Walt Disney Pictures was busy churning out animated musical classics, they made “Aladdin”. It was 1992 and it was under the musical direction of highly talented Disney music legends Alan Menken, Tim Rice, and the late Howard Ashman.

The Disney Renaissance began with “The Little Mermaid” in 1989 and some say peaked with “The Lion King” in 1994. “Aladdin” was also one of the crown jewels of this time period.

“Aladdin” is based on the Arab-style folktale of Aladdin and the magic lamp from the “One Thousand and One Nights” folk tales. The voice cast features Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, and Douglas Seale. The animated film is also remembered for not only Robin Williams’ memorable portrayal of the Genie, but also for its amazing musical score from Menken, Ashman, and Rice.

One of the most loved songs off the soundtrack is none other than the magic carpet ride ballad, “A Whole New World”, which was sung as a duet by Aladdin and Princess Jasmine. The original version was sung by Brad Kane and Lea Salonga in the film, and they also performed the song at the Academy Awards that year, where it won the Oscar for “Best Original Song”.

It also won the Grammy for “Song of the Year” at the time, and later went on to become a popular wedding song :)

Recently, Brad Kane and Lea Salonga reunited after 2 decades to sing “A Whole New World” together again on “Good Morning America” in an effort to help promote the new Blu-ray edition of “Aladdin”, which hits stores on 13th October. Also present was the “Aladdin” cast as well as 8-time Oscar winner composer Alan Menken, who plays the piano live as Brad and Lea whip out their beautiful rendition of the song.

There’s so much nostalgia in just a mere few minutes in the video below and you can’t deny them feels. Watch:


The Reason Why Raja Permaisuri Agong Deactivated Her Twitter Account

Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah recently caused a stir among the Internet community when she deactivated her Twitter account, @cheminahsayang.

Known for her distinct friendly persona as well as her free-spirited approach towards the people, she often used the medium to interact with her fans apart from sharing several wonderful moments as the Royal Queen.

It’s believed that the incident started to happen all thanks to a Twitter user, @frdsasrf (username) who proudly shared a post on his account that he had blocked Permaisuri Agong’s account.

To top it off, some also showed their support for his actions in doing so and started to share unnecessary negativity. Check out his tweet as well as netizens’ reactions below:

The absence of Tuanku’s Twitter account has generated significant buzz among people online, with most of them expressing their sadness and regret. In addition, some fans of Permaisuri Agong suggested to block the person’s account for being rude towards the Queen.

Some have even took the issue to the police for further investigation. Check out their reactions here:

Do you feel disappointed with this sudden news? Hopefully Raja Permaisuri Agong will change her mind and return to Twitter.

Sources: Awani, VOCKET, Oh! Media Facebook.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Hype’s Exclusive: Talking To The Script “For The First Time”

The excitement was real when we first reported that The Script was coming to Malaysia as part of their Asia tour. It was a long-awaited concert because the Irish rock band hadn’t been to Malaysia since 2008 MTV Asia Awards at Genting Highlands. At that time, vocalist/guitarist Mark Sheehan was absent from the show because his wife was about to deliver their first child. He did, however, come to Malaysia twice with frontman Danny O’Donaghue and their previous band, Mytown.

After Mytown disbanded, Mark and Danny spent several years in Los Angeles, where they worked with producers like Teddy Riley and the Neptunes. They then moved back to Dublin and recruited Glen Power as their drummer to The Script. After signing a contract with Sony Label Group imprint Phonogenic, the trio successfully broke into the international music scene with their debut self-titled album in 2008.

The album consists of their breakthrough hit singles like “The Man Who Can’t Be Moved” and “Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)”.

They continued to garner fans from around the world through their hit singles like “We Cry” and “This = Love”, which were featured in popular TV programmes such as “90210” and “The Vampire Diaries“. Their 3rd album, which was released in September 2012, also peaked at #1 in their homeland and the UK after collaborating with hip hop artiste will.i.am for the hit song “Hall of Fame”.

And now, the trio is enjoying their continued success through “Superheroes”, a hit single off their 4th album “No Sound Without Silence”. In support of their new album, they began touring around the world for their 3rd concert tour titled “No Sound Without Silence Tour”. After making their 3rd stop for their Asia tour in Manila, Philliphines, the band finally arrived on Malaysian shores for “The Script: Live in Kuala Lumpur”.

Brought to fans by PR Worldwide and Midas Promotion, the concert was held on Sunday (19th April) night at Stadium Malawati, Shah Alam. Before they kicked off the show, several members of media including us sat down with the band for a quick chat.

Due to the time constraints, we only asked very few questions during the interview. Find out what went down during our interview with the band:

Danny: Good! A little tired, but we are excited for the show tonight!

The Script is considered to be one of the forerunners in the Irish rock music scene. Do you check out other Irish bands as well? What do you think of them?

Danny: Yeah we do, actually. You’ve probably heard of some of them like Hozier and Kodaline. There are a lot of bands that may not make it out here. There’s original new voice and very young band coming up. And also, we’ve got Walking On Cars and they are quite a new band as well. These are all very ferocious live bands and they are all very good, very solid bands. We were lucky enough to get the chance for the other territories that accepted our music and we got the chance to tour. But I don’t think the bands are far behind us, you know, they’re on their way as well.

So, what do you think of the current state of the music industry? Do you think that it has partially influenced your musical style?

Danny: No, I think it’s really hard for us to see it that way because we don’t really go along with the times. We don’t go like, “Oh dance music is in. Let’s do dance! Or hip hop, let’s do hip hop!” We are always just doing our own thing. We have never really gone on a curb because we believe that if you start to adhere to the trend, you will get flushed down the toilet when the trend stops next year. So, sometimes we write all the songs, it’s always like, “Shit. I don’t think anybody would like this because it’s not really like everything else on the radio right now.” So, I guess maybe it can work for your future lineup.

But I think you guys did try something a little different on the previous album, “3”? Like, there’s a reggae or hip hop style in the album? *(P.S: Actually, I was supposed to say “brighter and R&B influenced”)

Mark: No, I read about that on the plane last night when we’re coming here. For some reason, somebody made up those words like an idiot. Think about it for a second, The Script doing hip hop? It’s not hip hop at all, it’s just some of those spoken words. Some of it, particularly in “If You Could See Me Now”, I have a verse that opened with 16 bars where you feel the way about your father or the way you feel about your mother, or your parents passing away, I just think the spoken words are the best way to come across. But to the laziers, they will be like,”Oh they’re trying rock now or they’re trying to do hip hop.” Then I was like, “No, you don’t get The Script.”

So, what did you think when you came across such comments?

Mark: I think sometimes people are just lazy. The music industry is slightly in trouble with music, so is the journalism industry. It’s a copied-and-pasted industry now. It’s really tough to get your own voice across, right? With so many other people taking that copy and messing it over, I saw so many misquotations out there and it’s f**ing funny. So no, I am not annoyed at it. I just get slightly upset at people being lazy that’s all. If you don’t do something with passion, just don’t do it at all. That’s the way.

Danny: You know, I read some interviews and then I will go, “You have a point.” It might be bad, but I’ll go, “You know what? You are well-researched. You’ve done your time. You know what you’re talking about and that’s actually some good points.” There were also other works that are just lazy, in a sense that they don’t even name the songs of the album.

Mark: Yeah you know when they say we played “Rusty Halo”, I was like, “Hold on. We didn’t play that last night. We haven’t even played that for the past 2 years.”

Special thanks to PR Worldwide and Sony Music Malaysia for arranging this interview session for us.

For more information about The Script, visit their official website or follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#WilliamYau Inquest: Fractures On Skull + Possible Causes Of Death

A pathologist revealed three possibilities which could have led to the death of six-year-old William Yau who went missing for about a week before his body was found floating in Sungai Klang early this year.

Dr Nur Ayutimasery Abdullah of Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, Klang, said the post-mortem conducted on 25th January 2013 showed that the boy had fractures on his skull, which could have been caused by a strong force applied to his head. But she was unable to determine whether William had died because of drowning or the injuries sustained to the head:

In my view, there are three possibilities. First, a strong force could have been applied to his head and died. Second, he fell into a drain, drowned and died. The fractures on his skull occurred after his death. And third, he fell into a drain, knocked his head and died.

To confirm that he had drowned, there should be changes in his lungs, like it was bloated or there were a lot of tiny bubbles in his respiratory tract.

In this case, none of these were found as the body had decomposed.

When asked by deputy public prosecutor Lee Keng Fatt on the point of impact on William’s head, Dr Nur Ayutimasery said, “Possibly at the back of the head”.

Based on the post-mortem, William had died about a week before his body was found.

Dr Nur Ayutimasery, who is the 12th witness in the coroner’s court conducting the inquest of William, said she had also found a healed fracture on the boy’s right rib as well as on the right shin bone. She said the fractures could have been occurred more than two weeks before the post-mortem.

She, however, ruled out the possibility that William had been abused because usually, an abused victim will have recurrent and multiple injuries. The doctor added that external examination of William’s body showed that there were scratch marks on his calf, which could have been caused by animals with paws like cats or dogs.

On whether there were blood stains on William’s clothes, Dr Nur Ayutimasery, who had conducted post-mortems on more than 600 cases, said she was unsure because the clothes were covered with mud.

Hearing before coroner Mohd Hezril Shaharil continues on 13th May 2013.


#ChristmasAndChill: Ariana Grande Drops Surprise Christmas EP

Fans of Ariana Grande, you are in for a seasonal treat!

The 22-year-old songstress recently surprised the world with the release of her new holiday EP, “Christmas & Chill”. She dropped the album after posting a series of teasers to her Instagram and Twitter the night before.

The Christmas album is the follow-up to “My Everything“, her 2014 release that featured hit singles like “Break Free” and “Love Me Harder”. Earlier in October this year, she also debuted “Focus“, the first official single off her upcoming album, “Moonlight”.

This isn’t the first time that the former Nickelodeon star has surprised her fans with the releases of her holiday-themed albums. Back in 2013, she released “Christmas Kisses” her first holiday EP that featured the classic holiday hits like “Last Christmas” and “Santa Baby”. She also released a holiday EP titled “Santa Tell Me” last year.

As for this year’s holiday EP, it features 6 original tracks including the intro, “Wit It This Christmas”, “December”, “True Love”, “Not Just One For Christmas”, and “Winter Things”.

According to Grande, she and her team wrote and recorded “Christmas & Chill”  in a week. “Twas a long, productive slumber party,” she wrote on her Twitter.

The surprise Christmas EP capped off a busy year for Grande, who recently starred in Fox’s “Scream Queens” and wrapped up her Honeymoon Tour. It is now available on Apple’s iTunes store and Spotify.

Listen to all the tracks from “Christmas & Chill” below:

For more information, visit Ariana Grande’s official Facebook page.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Album Review: BTS’ “Map Of The Soul: Persona” Track-By-Track Breakdown

It must be terrifying to be in BTS’ shoes right now. RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook are no longer just regular K-pop idols but now a worldwide sensation that has paved the way for their genre like no one before. With the insane amount of feats they’ve reached, it feels like the entire world is scrutinising their every move.

That being said, the amount of hype and excitement for their newest release hit us like never before. With “IDOL” being the last of the “Love Yourself” series, this album marked the beginning of a new era. The “Map Of The Soul” series seem to be interlaced with Jungian theories and Greek gods, evident from their tracklist and concept photos with further allusion.

Out of all the things to expect for this comeback, a revisit to “Skool Luv Affair” certainly wasn’t one of it. The moment the reverb echo of the former album’s intro begun, we just knew there was no way to ever one-up BTS. Even when you think you’re prepared, they’re already several steps ahead of you.

As all members have had their chance at the introduction—  it was only fitting to start from the beginning again. Leader RM delivers the intro, his snappy rapping complementing the electric guitar riffs and the echoes of “Skool Luv Affair”. Sporting the similar hairstyles from that era as well, we wondered what this reference could mean. “Who the hell am I?”, he asks, questioning what truly makes any of us the people we say we are. It’s hard to not acknowledge how insanely talented the man is, spitting bars of wordplay with effortless style and confidence.

The second track finally rolls by; the title track, “Boy with Luv” featuring America’s sweetheart; Halsey. Even though her amount of lines were rather disappointing (though in defense… perhaps she was just given the fair treatment of how line distribution really works in the industry :)), Halsey does a great job on the song.

In comparison to the Nicki Minaj collaboration BTS last had with “IDOL”, which did have a music video but was rather obviously just the two artists put together thanks to the wonders of post-production. Credit has to be given when it’s due, especially on Halsey’s end in this case.

The Western world of music should take note of her efforts when considering collaborating with Korean artists, especially seeing as to how it’s slowly becoming more of a norm. Halsey not only fully committed to the music video by also having animated hair colours, but learned to sing accurately to the Korean lyrics and learn a part of the choreography.

We can’t imagine how daunting that must have been on her end (imagine dancing next to what are practically considered veterans!) but Halsey made it clear that this felt more like a meet between two friends. The chemistry between the boys and her worked perfectly, without feeling forced or gimmicky. For once, it didn’t feel like there was a disparity between the two artists involved— but rather was just a bunch of similar aged young people just having fun.

And now, into the song itself. BTS being BTS couldn’t resist diving deep into this album, fleshing out ideas that come with the well thought album concept.

The mere title alone is an obvious reference to the former, aggressive “Boy in Luv” — the title track of “Skool Luv Affair”. However, Bangtan had long graduated from exaggerated eyeliner and schoolboy uniforms. No longer is it necessary for them to be the guys playing tough, demanding attention from the girl they like.

Now, they’re adorned in various shades of pinks, designer jewellery and confidently sing that they’re a better person when they’re in love. It’s an interesting commentary on masculinity as well, especially in terms of the drastic change of clothes and attitude.

“Now I get it,” sings Jimin with a sheepish smile and rosy cheeks, complementing his peachy hair. “Love is nothing stronger than a boy with love”. The realisation that love and being in love doesn’t actually weaken a person but strengthens them, speaks volumes in comparison to the assertive former.

The maturity of the track is what makes it especially satisfactory. Say whatever you want about BTS, but they have aged gracefully on the charts and it is through this song that they have revisited the past in the most gracious manner. The smooth transition and graceful growth are what seals this track with approval. They are not reinventing themselves, but rather are acknowledging their past and showing how much they’ve changed since then.

Overall, “Boy With Luv” sounds like a good pop-funk song that will be very fun to sing along to when it hits the airwaves. The addictive “Oh my my my”s, laced with Halsey’s sweet vocals especially feels like something that will be a go-to.

The third track of the album, “Mikrokosmos” caught us off-guard with its soft opening. Titled “Small Universe” in Greek, the song gives us exactly that. With muted sounds and paled noises, it feels like a small secret of something that only you have access to. The song itself feels like it was made to be sung along at concerts, with that sentimental beat that just tugs at heartstrings.

The lyrics touch on how ARMYs mean just as much to BTS as they do to them, saying how they’ll always have each other for strength. With British producers working the track this time, (such as Ryan Lawrie, an ex-contestant on “The X Factor”) we can see how the song itself has a slight Brit-pop vibe. It is reminiscent of everyone’s favourite British boy band, One Direction, with its emotional yet pop-driven sound.

“Make It Right” is slick, sexy and cool— it needs no explanation for itself. It’s a succinct song that delivers exactly what it’s here for, without overdoing itself. Ed Sheeran was actually one of the writers of the song, which makes us wonder if there will be even more collaborations between the two top-selling artists. Keeping in the theme of sexy, we get the retro-inspired “HOME”. Starting off with a funky beat and snapping of fingers, we are launched into the sultry and stylish world of a post-BTS.

Rapper Suga even references his famous “big house, big cars, big rings” line from their debut song, “No More Dream”, which further encapsulates how far they’ve come since their hip hop warrior days. The whole “24K Magic” vibe of it all though just tinges it with class and a whole new level of sexiness. We don’t know about you but the way Jimin sings “Mi Casa” sure got us feeling some way!

However after all that steaminess, everything is fanned away with the emotional ballad of “Jamais Vu”, (which is the opposite of deja vu, where something should feel familiar but isn’t). The first unit track featuring main vocal Jungkook, oldest member Jin and rapper J-Hope, fans were speculating what the track could possibly be about. This is perhaps the most curious line up for a unit yet, as BTS usually split themselves into vocal and rap units.

The track itself is an emotionally honest song, with both vocalists serenading sweetly. The vocals are the driving factor of the song, as the beat is rather muted here too. J-Hope serves as the perfect balance of the two here, with his sharp yet calm rapping style carrying the song with the right amount of energy to make sure it does not fall flat.

Then it all comes to the final track of the album, “Dionsyus”. Named after the Greek god of wine, the song does not disappoint from being anything less than a rambunctious, drinking anthem. The only purely Bangtan track off the entire album (composed and written by J-Hope and their own producers Supreme Boi and PDogg), it serves as a reminder that BTS will never lose their original flavour. Originality is something that they seem to never lack, evident in this rock number laced with hip hop.

Rapper Suga drops a rather iconic line, “Born as a kpop idol, reincarnated into an artist”, which not only throws mad shade towards haters who have long dissed BTS since their beginnings for being nothing more than a plastic industry-made idol group. It is interesting to note his usage of the term ‘reincarnation’, as Dionysus is a symbol of it and connects death with immortality.

Tying everything back to the main theme of the album, BTS brings us to an absolute party right up to the end. It may be the end of the world tonight, but that’s not stopping them from drinking up. Taking a step away from the squeaky clean image of idol-dom, it’s refreshing to see them take on songs that deal with regular young adult activities instead of constantly being vanilla.

“Map Of The Soul: Persona” serves as an interesting entry on the board of BTS’ discography. With very pop based sounds, “Persona” feels exactly like its name; a character that someone has adopted and is being perceived by the public. Most of the songs don’t have that classic BTS sound that has become somewhat of a trademark for them, but rather they show different aspects and sides to the 7-member group. It feels like the sweet spot in between; where BTS has managed to weave themselves into the center of who they are and the ever vast and changing world around them.

The album is a solid release, with generally favourable songs that can most definitely enter the airwaves without a second’s glance. In fact, this release is starting to make us wonder… is BTS even capable of making a bad album? Even when given somewhat mediocre tracks to work with, these South Korean boys seem to be gifted with Midas’ touch.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


2 Major Female Heroes Will Be In Avengers 4 But Not Infinity War

“Avengers: Infinity War” is set to be the biggest crossover event in cinematic history. However, not every big character will be in the upcoming blockbuster.

Although the yet-untitled “Avengers 4” was originally going to be a second part of the “Infinity War” story, that is no longer the case. It’s been confirmed that the core members of the Avengers will be in “Infinity War”. However, some major heroes will be giving Thanos’ initial arrival a miss and are slated to appear in the 2019 “Avengers” film instead.

The biggest superhero that is appearing in “Avengers 4” but not “Infinity War” is Captain Marvel. Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson will only make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel next year’s “Captain Marvel”.

Fans were expecting Captain Marvel to be introduced in a similar method a la Spider-Man and Black Panther in “Captain America: Civil War”. Unfortunately, plans changed down the line and Captain Marvel won’t be a player in “Infinity War”. The 28-year-old star will only reprise her role as Earth’s Mightiest Hero in “Avengers 4“.

Surprisingly, another character confirmed for “Avengers 4” but will be missing out in “Infinity War” is Hope van Dyne/The Wasp. Evangeline Lilly previously made her cinematic debut in 2015’s “Ant-Man”. She will officially become The Wasp in “Ant-Man & the Wasp” later this year. Sadly, Lilly revealed that Wasp only has a minor role in “Avengers 4”.

“Avengers: Infinity War” hits Malaysian theatres on 25th April 2018.


#WeRunKL: Malaysians Unleash Their Inner Athlete Potential At 2016 Installment

A wave of 8,987 runners took over the streets of Kuala Lumpur and pushed their limits to realise the “true athlete” in them with new 21K personal bests in the Nike We Run 21K 2016.

Following a specially-curated 12-week training programme that was activated both digitally and on-ground, Nike Malaysia hosted its 2nd half-marathon race that enabled Malaysian runners to unleash their inner athlete potential.

“We are overwhelmed by the high-level of energy and enthusiasm from the runners today as we have witnessed the training journey of many from the time they registered, their participation in the training sessions we organised and finally to them completing their race today. We are proud to be able to motivate our runners to reach new levels as an athlete and look forward to continue to inspire them to keep aiming further in their journey as a runner,” said Angelene Chong, Country Marketing Manager for Nike Malaysia.

The race route started at KL Sentral and took runners through some of the city’s iconic landmarks such as the Petronas Twin Towers and Stadium Merdeka.

Throughout the route, runners found motivational messages, submitted by runners themselves, inspiring them to bring out their very best all the way to the finish line.

Two-time participant Terry Sandum, 24, from Sarawak found the motivational messages to be exceptionally inspiring. “My favourite quote was, ‘Excuses don’t burn calories’. I would’ve walked the entire way but that quote made me push ahead,” he said.

Post-run at the Nike We Run KL Race Village, participants were treated like athletes with post-run treatments such as on-demand stretching by Physiotherapists from Universiti Malaya as well as an ice-bath for their feet in the cooling zone.

Impressed by the additional feature, avid runner Syefri “Chapree” Zulkefli, 33, from Kuala Lumpur said, “The post-race ice dip pool, cooling zone, and active stretching were really thoughtful and a welcoming sight at finish line. It was a pleasant experience indeed because the race was very well organised.”

Nike also set up an innovation showcasing the Nike Free Run Flyknit from the recently launched Summer 16 collection of Nike Free footwear for Running.

“The services we’ve provided at the Race Village aim to replicate some of the post-race activities that professional athletes undergo. Our goal is to constantly invigorate the running scene in Malaysia as the interest and quality of runners continues to grow and improve rapidly here. With innovation and inspiration at the forefront of Nike, we want to bring a different experience to our athletes each year for them to always look forward to,” added Chong.

For more pictures from Nike’s We Run KL 2016, check out the gallery below:

For more information, visit the Nike We Run KL microsite or Facebook event page.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Lil Wayne In Critical Condition?

On Friday, TMZ reported that Grammy-winning rapper Lil Wayne as rushed to Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles on Tuesday after suffering multiple seizures. He left the following day but was re-admitted hours later, and his condition had not stabilized. Citing “hospital sources”, they said the singer was in the ICU and in critical condition but stabilizing, adding that his prognosis was “uncertain”.

They even went as far as saying that Lil Wayne was placed in an induced coma and breathing through tubes, and that several people were at his bedside crying.

However, the rumours were quickly dismissed when Lil Wayne himself declared it. The artiste said via his Twitter account:

That one tweet was retweeted over 180,000 times by his 10,536,392 followers. On top of that, Mack Maine (the head of the record label, Young Money, to which Lil Wayne is signed) also tweeted, “Don’t believe the nonsense about comas and tubes to breathe…that’s false!”.

And there you have it. He’s alright, guys. Obviously. A guy in a coma wouldn’t have been able to tweet, right?


Be Creative & Showcase Your Rap Skills With Cloud 9 KAW Rap Challenge

Attention to all aspiring rappers! Cloud 9 brings excitement and challenge to you with the KAW Rap Challenge! Along with artists and TikTok sensations, you can beat your daily mundane routines, flaunt your skills, and rap together on TikTok from 4th July (Monday) until 31st July 2022 (Sunday).

To participate in the contest, you just need to record yourself rapping a verse about a small victory in your life and why Cloud 9 is the snack of choice to reward yourself after achieving a daily goal. You can participate by posting the submissions on TikTok using the hashtags ‘#KawRapChallenge’ and ‘#BaekPunyaCloud9’, and tag Cloud 9’s TikTok page.

A post shared by Cloud 9 Malaysia (@cloud9my)

All submissions must contain the words ‘Cloud 9’, ‘KAW’, and ‘Chocolate’ or ‘Coklat’ in the verse. Participants must also take note to use Cloud 9’s official beat and tune only. To be eligible to participate in the contest, they must be a Malaysian citizen residing in Malaysia and at least 16 years old and above.

It doesn’t matter whether you are just doing it for fun or wanting to start a rap career, but it is important to have fun with the verse! The eligible rap verses will be judged based on creativity, and the three grand prize winners will be entitled to a limited-edition Cloud 9 hoodie-and-cap set.

Winners will be announced on 15th August (Monday) via Cloud 9’s official social platforms – TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.

Anis Sharina contributed to this article.


Flora Park: This Floral Garden In Cameron Highlands Has A Ton Of Instagrammable Spots

Cold breeze – check, strawberry farms – check, Boh Plantation – check. You can now add another reason to visit Cameron Highlands. Come and step into the new Cameron Flora Park.

The dreamy floral garden is nestled in Kea Farm, which is 3km north of Brinchang town. The attraction’s official opening is 1st November and there’s bound to be a large crowd seeing as how the Deepavali holiday also falls on that week.

Judging from the stunning photos on social media, Flora Park feels like a European countryside. Since many of us aren’t travelling abroad anytime soon, this is probably the best next thing. Every corner of the garden is filled with various types of colourful flowers. It’s definitely a treat for the eyes and Instagram feed.

You’ll find different walkways here in Flora Park. Those who’d love to have an amazing picnic while overlooking a sea of breathtaking flowers can consider the list of outdoor picnic sets (e.g.: Family Garden Picnic Set and Dream Deluxe Picnic Set) catered for families, couples, and groups. The set includes a spread of cakes, scones, pizza and tea on a wooden patio.

Another highlight is, of course, the flight of whitewashed stairs that look like a pathway to heaven. What awaits at the top of the hill is a vantage point over the mass of flowers in Flora Park. Some have even commented that the dainty pink flowers on both sides of the steps remind them of Santorini or South Korea.

We’ve even noticed couples already taking their wedding photoshoot at Flora Park. How lovely ;)

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


#IMSAsiaPacific: Skrillex Is All Set To Bring The Bangarang To Shanghai

28-year-old American DJ/producer Sonny John Moore, otherwise known as Skrillex, is an artiste who is the envy of his peers. He first started out as he lead singer of From First to Last, a post-hardcore band that he was a fan of, and recorded 2 studio albums before leaving to pursue a solo career in 2007.

Quite frankly, it’s one of the best (if not the best) decisions he has ever made.

It didn’t take him long to start performing under the name Skrillex.

In 2008, he began producing and performing at clubs in the Los Angeles area under that alias. His first release as Skrillex was an aptly titled, “My Name Is Skrillex” introductory EP, a free download on his official MySpace page. Without skipping a beat, he subsequently released the “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” EP in late 2010, followed up by a remix companion to “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” titled, “More Monsters and Sprites” EP in 2011.

“Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” became his biggest hit, with over 246 million views on YouTube.

His real big breakthrough came on 30th November 2011 when he was nominated for 5 Grammy Awards at the 54th Grammy Awards, including “Best New Artiste”. He swept a total of 3 awards: “Best Dance/Electronica Album” and “Best Dance Recording” for “Bangarang; “Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical” for “Promises”. That same year, MTV named him “Electronic Dance Music Artiste of the Year”.

To date, Skrillex has 8 Grammy Awards tucked under his belt, the world record for most Grammys won by an electronic dance music artiste. He’s not even halfway through the span of his career as a solo artiste yet but already, his discography boasts 1 studio album, 6 extended plays, 26 singles, and 23 music videos – and counting. On top of that, he has Jack Ü (a collaboration with Diplo) and “Dog Blood” (a side project with Boys Noize) on his impressive resume.

Did we already mention that he is an artiste who is the envy of his peers?

Next month, he will be bringing the “Bangarang” to the 2016 edition of IMS Asia-Pacific in Shanghai, China.

His “Meet Team OWSLA” session in IMS will include some of the key players behind the success of Skrillex and his OWSLA imprint; Tim Smith (Manager), Lee Anderson (Agent), and Blaise DeAngelo (OWSLA GM). The panel will discuss the strategies, successes, and challenges of taking their sound and style across Asia-Pacific. Key topics include: recording in Korea, the influence of Japan, synchs with Chinese film studios, touring strategy for South East Asia, and much more.

Skrillex will be joined by other global artistes, thought-leaders, and industry figureheads to explore the growing influence of electronic music and the issues, challenges and opportunities that face the industry globally and in Asia.

Interested? Get your IMS Asia-Pacific badges here. Meanwhile, more details for this year’s speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

For more information on IMS Asia-Pacific, visit their website or Facebook page.


SStwo Mall To Be Demolished To Make Way For A New Development?

Located in the bustling township of SS2, SStwo Mall (also known as SS2 Mall) was very promising when it first opened back in November 2010. And we can see why.

For starters, it’s located in the vicinity of residential areas of SS2, Taman Paramount, Section 17, as well as commercial areas like Section 13 and Section 19. Thus, with an estimated population of over 400,000 residents, office workers, students at the nearby colleges and universities, SStwo Mall seemed to have had the upper-hand in the immediate catchment of potential customers and was poised to be a definite crowd-puller.

On top of that, the developers also cashed in on a “sure win” property trend at the time, wrapping a “retail mall with an outdoor alfresco dining area” concept around the mall. SStwo Mall isn’t lacking in space either as it’s spread across an approximated gross floor area of 700,000 square feet with an estimated 200 retail units making up a net lettable area of 470,000 square feet. The mall also has 1176 dedicated car park bays (including valet parking) at both entrances.

Sounds like a dream community mall, correct?

Alas, the tenant take up has been painfully slow, with only a few notable businesses (some of which have already since closed/moved out) anchored in such as Celebrity Fitness, Times The Bookshop, Econsave, Pet Lovers Centre, F.O.S, Chatime, Bread Story, Home-Fix, and who can forget J Tean Kitchen‘s popular Bak Kut Teh Pork Burger?

We’re not sure if the bad take up is due to low demand, high rentals, or a not-so-prominent location (nestled in a residential area) because it seems that different people have different theories.

As seen in the screenshot above, on 12th November a Facebook user posted “news” of an impending cease of operations for SStwo Mall. It also said that the management has ordered some of its tenants to vacate the mall within the next one or two months.

On 17th November, The Edge Malaysia wrote (read the cached file here if you can’t access the previous link) that developer Asian Retail Mall Fund II (ARMF) is planning a redevelopment of the mall. Apparently, RMF has been in talks with several property developers on a joint venture to undertake the redevelopment and repositioning of the mall, following failed attempts to sell it off.

SStwo Mall’s retail tenants were briefed by its management last month and have been given notice to vacate the premises by March 31, 2015. The fund is expected to compensate some of its eligible tenants.

What happens next, then? According to sources, the SStwo Mall redevelopment will involve a partial demolition of the structure and building a serviced apartment block. There are also talks that the developer might form a joint venture with a local developer to reduce the mall size and to build serviced apartments on top of the mall.

It was also via The Edge Malaysia (upon a search with the Companies Commission of Malaysia) that we learnt that as at Dec 2013, the mall’s total liabilities accounted for RM154.75 million, of which RM102.22 million are current liabilities.

Ouch. For a mall that cost RM180 million to build, that’s painful! But perhaps it’s for the better if it means that the space can be used for a residential project instead.

Sources: Lowyat Forum, The Edge Malaysia.

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.


Namewee’s “Stranger In The North” Finally Penetrates China, But Not The Original Version

Namewee’s (黃明志) most famous hit “Stranger in the North” (漂向北方) featuring Wang Leehom (王力宏) has been a fan favourite’s since its released, garnering various covers and parodies from many music artistes and YouTube talents.

Recently, the song was performed on China’s rap competition “The Rap of China” (中国新说唱) by contestants You Zhangjing (尤长靖) from boy group Nine Percent (百分九少年) with new rap lyrics by rapper Lil-Em (那吾克热).

The duo scored high scores for the performance, receiving wide applause from the audience and high praises from the judges, making them the champion of the night. Judges Kris Wu and Will Pan even compared rapper Lil-Em to American rap god Eminem.

The new rendition was so famous that it landed on several China’s charts including Kuwo Music (酷我音乐), QQ Music (QQ音乐), China’s Billboard, and more, and was widely discussed on forums and chart forms like Baidu Tieba (百度贴吧) and Zhihu (知乎).

But what’s surprising is that many netizens from China didn’t know that the song was released a year ago and was originally sang by Malaysian singer-songwriter Namewee. Some of them were also surprised to know that Wang Leehom was featured in the original version.

After discovering the original singer of “Stranger in the North”, many Chinese netizens flocked to Namewee’s social media to express their love for the song. The 35-year-old local talent also openly welcomed his new fans and explained the reason why he was not very well known in China.

“These few days there has been a lot of Chinese netizens on my page. I want to say Hello to all my new friends,” Namewee shared on his Facebook. “It is true that I have  been struggling outside of China’s wall for many years. The reason most of you didn’t know me is because there’s a huge old wall blocking me from the outside.”

“I will be going to China soon to promote myself and there will be tons of new works coming out, hope that you all will support. But I also recommend everyone to check out my other works on YouTube because some of them are not available inside the wall of China,” the Johor-born singer continued.

Upon seeing the new rendition of “Stranger in the North” on the rap competition, Namewee shared the story behind the creation of the song in a lengthy Facebook post as many started to compare the 2 versions.

“When I was discussing about the song with Leehom, we understood that it was very personal as it was about one’s hardships in life, which is why when we sang the rap or the hook part, we decided not to overdo it as it comes from the heart. This is something we both agree on as we share the same feelings towards the song,” Namewee expressed.

“What I’m trying to say is, if I want Leehom to turn this song into R&B, using his real and falsetto voice in the chorus, I’m sure it’s going to be a piece of cake for him. If you want me to rap the song in a cool and vigorous way, I don’t think that’s a problem for me. But we both didn’t do that, because the song is ‘Stranger in the North’.”

“Also, I don’t think the new rendition was bad, as a matter of fact, I am glad that this song finally reaches the north after being released for more than a year. Thank you Rama Liu from ‘The Rap of China’ for the creative rendition,” Namewee added.


(Video) From Honda’s Open House To Coway’s Glow-Up Reveal: Epic Events We Hit Up This Week!

Another week, another whirlwind of totally EXTRA events!

From having a kiki with the new face of Coway, to hanging out at Honda’s house – we were THERE, and we were vibing! Check out our social diary for this week (don’t be jelly!):

The Raya festivities are not over yet, people! Even if you’re not in the mood for a big celebration, who could say “no” to good food and company? That’s exactly what we found at Honda’s Raya Open House at Bangsar Shopping Centre, recently!

The Open House was hosted at the De.Wan 1958 Restaurant, owned by none other than Chef Wan. Not only was the atmosphere very welcoming, but the food was simply out of this world. Our mouths were watering at the sight of all the tantalising dishes and we couldn’t help but go back for seconds (okay, maybe a bit more than that). In other words, we had a blast!

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

In addition to celebrating its 17th anniversary, Coway Malaysia unveiled its refreshed brand identity with the spotlight on Mira Filzah as new local brand ambassador. Coway has expanded its product offerings to introduce the latest Coway Air Conditioner and Massage Chair.

What started out as a 6-month contract in 2020 has since blossomed, and the partnership between the brand and Mira has been a positive one. We caught up with 30-year-old actress, who talked about her favourite Coway product and how her lifestyle has improved since using it.

When was the last time you had sex education? If it’s been ages, then here’s a chance for you to refresh your knowledge of the birds and the bees! With the rise in sexual activity amongst Malaysian youngsters, Durex, the #1 sexual well-being brand, took a bold step in launching the first ever Durex Academy. This academy is all about finding the right information and facts about sexual health, which we think is crucial these days.

Attending the launch, we got a preview of what the academy is all about. Held at the Grounds KL, Durex transformed the venue into a mini lecture hall filled with mind-blowing sex facts that we may (or may not) have known! The launch featured interactive educational exhibits, introduction of the ‘online lecturers’, and a panel discussion with a certified sexologist, Andre4a Koh and SPOT Malaysia founder, Siti Aishah.

On the platform, Durex Academy will cover topics such as consent and bodily autonomy, sexually-transmitted infection (STI) prevention and communication and relationship skills. What’s more interesting is that there will be Masterclass video sessions conducted by Durex Academy lecturers, Daphne Iking, Alex Chee and Alvy Joanna. As an added bonus, students of Durex Academy will receive a personalized e-cert and a mystery gift once they complete the S-Level exam online. Click here to know more about Durex Academy.

Nespresso, the pioneer of portioned coffee known for high-quality espresso, recently introduced the new Vertuo coffee brewing system in Malaysia, anchored by the state-of-the-art Nespresso Vertuo Next coffee machine. Launched at Mid Valley Megamall, we got an incredible chance to experience this latest innovation.

During the launch, we were invited to take a quick test to see which coffee best suits our personality – and we even got to redeem a cup of Vertuo range coffee. The brand-new system brings 37 aromatic, flavour coffee capsules – in its Espressos, Long Black, Barista Creations, and Craft Brew collection – to ensure there is a perfect cup for every palette. Powered by innovative Centrifusion™ technology and capsule recognition system, Nespresso Vertuo offers 37 coffee blends and single origins in a range of 6 cup sizes for coffee lovers to indulge in redefined coffee moments. Coming with a simple one-touch button and capsule recognition system, the unique barcode on each capsule adjusts the flow and volume of water, temperature, infusion time, and capsule rotation to make the best part of your coffee experience.

The best part is, in conjunction with the launch of the Nespresso Vertuo system, Nespresso Malaysia is hosting a launch event at Mid Valley Megamall from now till 21st May, where you can indulge in incomparable Vertuo coffee moments, complimentary tasting, as well as Instagrammable spots.

Satisfying your cravings while on the go has just become easier, as airasia and foodpanda announced a surprising partnership, fusing together to serve us better. With this collaboration, the two giants will now work together to allocate the necessary resources; airasia’s Superapp will now promote foodpanda’s food delivery service, and in exchange, foodpanda will redirect their commuting user base to the airasia ride app.

We attended this momentous occasion at KL Sentral and celebrated it with good food and even better company.

This week, we got to witness the launch of the new Louis XIII The Drop, and its boutique pop-up @Starhill KL. A stylish new format of their iconic cognac, The Drop fuses together their signature cognac and fashion – 1cl (10ml) of liquid gold in a chic, wearable bottle. An innovative pocket-sized format, The Drop is available in five covetable designs: Make It Loud in red, Make It Glow in gold, Make It Bold in vine, Make It Smooth in clay and Make It Bright in sand. The Drop retails for RM880 per unit.

Find out more about The Drop at louisxiii-cognac.com

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook or Telegram for more updates and breaking news.