#LowYatPlaza: 3 Mobile Phone Salesmen Fined For Beating Up Alleged Thief

Remember the Low Yat Plaza brawl that broke out last month? You know, the one that caused an even bigger disturbance at the IT mall the next day?

The story was that a group of youth barged into the mall and caused a fiasco in a smartphone store on a Saturday (11th July) night to seek revenge against the sales clerks who caught them shoplifting and turned one of them over to the police earlier that day. The thugs smashed glass displays, flipped over cabinets, and smashed phones as well as other electronic products belonging to an Oppo store. The store’s sales clerks tried to stop them but ended up in an all-out brawl on the ground floor of the mall.

A Low Yat Plaza salesman See Ming Ho, who was also at the scene, claimed that the group attacked the workers from the Oppo store for aiding him in handing one of the them over to the police after allegedly caught shoplifting. According to See, the man who started the fight was “on the pretence of looking at phones” earlier that day. “We were negotiating and when I then turned away to get a free gift for him, he was gone,” See said.

However, the stolen phone, which was a Lenovo S860 worth RM799, was not found on the man after he was caught. See Ming Ho lodged a police report on the theft at the Dang Wangi police station.

Well, the verdict is out, apparently, for the salesmen who apprehended the thief.

According to a report by The Star Online, 3 mobile phone salesman were fined RM1,800 each for committing assault. In the event that they do not pay the fines, the court also meted out a default jail term of 2 months for each of them. However, they paid the fine.

Magistrate Muhamad Faizal Ismail sentenced Low Leong Seng, 29, Eric Chan Weng, 23, and Soo Weng Hing, 26, after they admitted to the charge on Monday (10th August). The 3 men, who work for a telecommunication shop, committed the offences following the purported shoplifting incident on 11th July. Low, Chan, and Soo were jointly accused of causing injury to Shahrul Anuar Abdul Aziz, 22, at Level G in Plaza Low Yat.

The statement of facts showed that complainant Mohamad Khairul Azmi Mazlan went to a handphone shop in Low Yat Plaza to look for his handphone. His friend Shahrul Anuar followed to help in the search but they failed to find the device. Mohamad Khairul, 22, and Shahrul Anuar then split up. He went down to the ground floor via an escalator when suddenly he heard a commotion and people shouted that a man had stolen a handphone and asked people to nab the person.

Upon reaching the scene, he saw Shahrul Anuar was beaten by a group of workers and tried to help his friend. Instead, the group had accused him for abetting Shahrul Anuar and began to beat him.

On 14th July, Shahrul claimed trial to stealing a Lenovo S860 smartphone, valued at RM800, from a shop at the plaza. His case was fixed for mention on 14th August.


#MYWonderfilled: An Abandoned Wall Comes Alive With Malaysia’s “Wonderfilled” Stories

Yet another street art spot that we Malaysians can be proud of is born.

Oreo today officially completed the #MYWonderfilled 3D artwork in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Situated between the intersection of Jalan Tun H.S Lee and Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, the initiative aims to transform an abandoned wall into an inspiring piece of art that honours Malaysia’s diversity and forgotten tales which are a unique representation of the nation and the people.

#MYWonderfilled was inspired by the idea of preserving the city’s heritage values and revitalising Kuala Lumpur’s charm, in line with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) efforts and initiatives to reconceptualise existing historical places.

Oreo started this initiative by hosting a nationwide poll on social media to ask Malaysians what iconic elements that represent the nation they would like to see coming together.

Ever wonder if…an ordinary side walk come alive with characters from Malaysian’s story books?

The poll garnered nomination of characters and icons demonstrating the elements of bridging the past and present, while others were about uniting two tales, cultures or personalities.

The 3D artwork includes interactive elements that unify the people and culture. Malaysia’s classic folklore of “Sang Kancil and Buaya” was among the popular choices from the poll results as it shows how an unlikely friendship, when differences are set aside, a wonderful connection could possibly take place.

The other characters mirror people’s lives and appreciation towards the childhood wonder tales of “Sang Kancil and Buaya”. Whether it is the school children, the durian seller, or the nasi lemak seller, all of them have spent their life inside and around, wrapped between and stretched through these wonderful stories which stands as a tribute to Malaysia’s diversity.

Combining a vibrant storyline, colourful collage and pronounced visual, the once dreary and grey wall is now transformed into an attractive location. The 3D artwork is a collaboration between the employees of Mondelez Malaysia and street art experts, Haze Long and her team from Art Misfits. Approximately 50 employees with the assistance from Art Misfits, rolled up their sleeves to complete the painting.

For more information on the “Wonderfilled” campaign and the activity details, go here.

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Will Sparks Releases Debut EP – “Another Land”

Will Sparks is more than just the king of bounce.

Hailing from Australia, DJ/producer, Will Sparks has been serving up single tracks to satisfy the appetites of his hungry fans for a while now. Currently, the mantle of Australia’s number one DJ, the Melbourne man has stepped up his game with nine tracks at once − his debut “Another Land” EP – and it’s close to being too much to handle!

Pretty damn dope, every track on the EP makes perfect sense on the dance floor while holding a lot of variety within that mould. Sparks of course, throws in his signature sounds around and reps the bounce crew on cuts like “Brain Washer”, which ventures into a more melodic, progressive territory.

Sparks who came down to Malaysia in March for Future Music Festival Asia, is definitely one to keep your ears open for. Don’t believe us? Listen to his EP below and judge for yourself


(UPDATE) #ZoukKL: “Tsunami” Duo DVBBS Set To Make Waves Again In KL!

December is about to look a lot more interesting with the crazy amount of gigs that will be held in Kuala Lumpur.

In less than 2 weeks, Canadian electronic duo DVBBS is all set to make waves in Kuala Lumpur with their outrageous live sets and massive drops!

DVBBS is made up of brothers Chris Andre and Alex Andre.

The Canadian electronic duo entered the scene in 2013 and immediately shot to fame with “Tsunami”, their massive international hit with Borgeous. The song charted worldwide on iTunes and reached #1 in the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and Germany.

It also reached #1 on the Beatport 100. In March 2014, a vocal remix featuring British rapper Tinie Tempah entitled “Tsunami (Jump)” was released in the UK on Ministry of Sound Recordings as well.

Needless to say, “Tsunami” built a huge reputation for the brothers as they’ve garnered thousands of fans from across the globe.

When it comes to music, DVBBS showed no signs of slowing down. Their follow-up releases such as “Stampede” and “Raveology” have all ended up at the #1 spot in Beatport’s main chart.

It’s no surprise that they have become a crowd favourite as they are extremely popular for their high-octane live sets at the world’s biggest club shows and festivals such as Tomorrowland, TomorrowWorld, Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC), Ultra Music Festival, Made in America, and their own “Never Stop The F*cking Rave” World Tour.

Now, they want every raver in Malaysia to become a part of their crazy “Woozygang” with their upcoming gig at the new Zouk Club KL. Warming up for them are DJ Goldfish & Blink and BATE.

We’ll leave you now with one of DVBBS’ latest single, “Raveheart”.

Oh dear. We’ve just learnt that DVBBS’ gig tonight has been cancelled due to “some serious medical circumstances”. The cancellation, which was confirmed by Zouk Club KL via their Facebook page, also affects the rest of DVBBS’ Asia shows.

We just received news from the management that DVBBS show scheduled on Dec 16 in KL and rest of their Asia’s shows has been cancelled due to some serious medical circumstances. We are working with the artist management on the available dates at the moment. More info coming up soon.

To those who purchase the pre-sale ticket, a full ticket refunds will be made available to all ticket buyers. Details of which will be made available over the next 7 days. Stay tuned.

For more information, visit Zouk Club KL’s official website or Facebook page.

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#PSY: “Gangnam Style” Singer Is Ready For An Epic Comeback This Dec!

Despite being globally known for his 2012 pop song “Gangnam Style“, South Korean rapper/singer PSY is certainly not a one-hit wonder.

The singer recently surprised fans by announcing on his official social media accounts including Facebook and Twitter that he will return to the music scene with a new album this December.

He made the announcement along with a cartoon graphic that shows that his new music will be released on 1st December 2015. The photo also came with the caption: “#newPSYshit20151201”.

This album will mark his first comeback since releasing “Gentleman” in April 2013 and “Hangover” (ft. Snoop Dogg) in June 2014. It will be the follow-up album to “PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1”, his 2012 EP that featured collaborations with BIGBANG‘s G-Dragon, Korean hip-hop duo Leessang, and more.

Known domestically for his humorous videos and stage performances, PSY catapulted to global stardom in 2012 with his addictive hit single “Gangnam Style” and its invisible horse-riding dance. Even though the singer has long retired promotions for the song, the music video remains the most-watched video after busting YouTube’s video views counter with more than 2.15 billion views in 2014.

According to his talent agency YG Entertainment, PSY vows to return “to his roots” with this comeback album. Sources close to the singer said:

He wrote a song that he is happy with, and that feels like PSY. He plans to release it in Korea first.

Further details regarding his new album are kept under wraps, but stay tuned to our site or PSY’s official Facebook page for more timely updates.


Ashlee Simpson & Vincent Piazza? Nope!

Oh boy. Singer Ashlee Simpson and Broadwalk Empire star Vincent Piazza have decided to go their separate ways. They were only dating for about a year and a half though! Is it just us or is this a break-up season?

After splitting with the popular front man of Fall Out Boy, Pete Wentz, Ashlee and Vincent started dating. That was only in June last year. The couple called it quits on Thanksgiving, claiming that it was due to the distance and their respective work schedules.

A source that is close to the pair says, “There was no bad blood and no third party involved. It was honestly just a long distance relationship and it became too hard to make it work. It’s not necessarily forever and they could get back together. Nobody is to blame. Just the distance.”  (Source)


Le French Festival Is Back With More Exciting Events For 2018!

Malaysia’s largest French festival is back!

Le French Festival (LFF) is back for its 17th edition with a brand new, exciting line up of French films, concerts, live shows, food gatherings, and more.

The highly-anticipated festival promises to feature a new generation of French talents, bringing Malaysians the latest trends and entertainment directly from France.

Festival-goers can expect to watch the latest French movies, award-winning French musicians, French theater, visual arts and photography exhibitions.

There will also be other crowd-favourite events like the flea market, food and drinks tasting, and cooking classes.

Two major highlights at the LFF 2018 this year is ‘Amok’ – a French theatre adaption of Stefan Zweig’s novel; and rock-power trio Lysistrata – an award winning band that has regularly performed at some of France’s biggest music festivals.

LFF 2018 will take place from the 12th of April until the 20th of May in four different locations. Aside from the usual stops in the Klang Valley, Penang, and Kota Kinabalu, Le French Festival will be making its debut in Johor Bahru this year!

To learn more LFF 2018, head over to their official website or stalk them on their Facebook page. For other queries, you can email them at info@lefrenchfestival.com.my

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Come Meet Your Favourtite Superheroes & Villains At “The World of DC Exhibition” In Tropicana Gardens Mall

Fans of DC rejoice! Because our favourite DC superheroes and villains have finally landed in Malaysia. Fans can witness with their own two eyes the world of DC at this one-of-a-kind exhibition. Located at Tropicana Gardens Mall, “The World of DC Exhibition” will run for almost a full 4 months from 23rd December of this year until 1st April of next year.

As the first launch in Asia, “The World of DC Exhibition” Malaysia features a ton of exciting activities to do and even more exciting things to see. From Superman to Harley Quinn, this is one exhibition you should definitely not miss!

“The World of DC Exhibition” features exclusive movie props, concept art, character costumes, life-sized exhibits, and even some exciting interactive games! Of course, along with the exhibition, there will be exclusive merchandise on sale honouring the iconic DC superheroes including Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman as well as super villains such as Harley Quinn, Joker, and El Diablo.

That’s not all! The exhibition also features seven different themed zones for you to explore and snap some Insta-worthy pictures. The layout is so stunning that every zone you step into feels like a completely new world. These seven theme zones all focus on a different character and theme ranging from the Dawn of Justice to the Rise of Super-Villains, showcasing all the iconic characters from the DC world.

The themed zones are such a delight to walk through as it includes interactive games you should not miss! Fans can take a shot at the excitement of wielding superpowers through interactive showcases such as Wonder Woman’s Training Field, Aquaman’s Aquarium, and many more.

Tickets to “The World of DC Exhibition” are priced at RM38 for children under 12, RM55 for MyKad holders, RM65 for non-MyKad holders, and RM150 for Express tickets. Children under the age of three are admitted for free. Check out our experience here;

Calling all DC fans! Come and dive into The World of @DC Exhibition at @Tropicana Gardens Mall ! #dccomics #dc #theworldofdcexhibition

♬ original sound – hypemalaysia – Hype Malaysia

To learn more about this exhibition or to buy tickets, please visit their official page here.


Actor Yayan Ruhian Almost Didn’t Appear In “John Wick: Chapter 3” Because Of “Mat Kilau”

You know you’ve made it when you get to be in a Hollywood movie. You don’t get this opportunity everyday especially if you’re from Southeast Asia. If you’re not aware, Yayan Ruhian is one of the few lucky ones to appear in not 1 but 3 Hollywood movies; “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, “Beyond Skyline” and “John Wick: Chapter 3”.

The Indonesian actor also starred in 3 Malaysian movies with his recent one being “Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan” where he played the character Toga. Speaking of “Mat Kilau” and “John Wick 3”, did you know he almost didn’t appear in the 3rd installment because of schedule conflict? Here’s the full story:

Yayan Ruhian is no stranger to action movies as he starred in several local and international movies. But being a well-known actor means that you’re getting offers for all kinds of projects and some of them may clash with one another in terms of filming schedule, so you have to make the tough decision of choosing 1 or having to manage both at the same time. That can’t be easy.

The 53-year-old recently revealed that he had to juggle between two movies which were “John Wick: Chapter 3” and “Mat Kilau: Kebangkitan Pahlawan”. The actor told Tempo, “They [John Wick production] called and asked me to join for filming in May but coincidentally I was in the middle of filming ‘Mat Kilau’ in Malaysia. I had to be professional to the contract and reject the offer.”

However, it didn’t end there. Apparently, just four days after the first call, the production team of Keanu Reeves’ movie called the action star up again and offered to reschedule the filming days. According to Yayan, they were willing to compromise and film his scenes for the movie according to his schedule and availability. Talk about “if it’s meant to be, it will be”.

Guess it all worked out in the end as the Indonesian martial artist managed to appear in both movies. In other news, “Mat Kilau” recently beat “Top Gun Maverick” starring Tom Cruise in Malaysian box office. The movie directed by Syamsul Yusof earned RM12.2 million in just four days of screening.

What do you think of the epic biographic movie?

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Hype’s Movie Review: “Suicide Squad” Starts Off Promising But Falters Midway Through

If you’re watching “Suicide Squad” thinking you’re going to get a good guys versus evil doers storyline, we hate to break it to you, but you’re seriously mistaken.

DC’s newest cinematic blockbuster isn’t a movie about the good versus evil, but centres on bad versus evil. It’s essentially about a bunch of troublemakers who do bad things for good reasons, and sometimes, they just do it cause it’s fun to hurt somebody. From the first proper cinematic introduction of Harley Quinn to Jared Leto’s new interpretation of the Joker, there’s plenty to look forward to in “Suicide Squad”.

“Suicide Squad” opens in the notorious Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary, which is home to what government intelligence officer Amanda Walter calls “the worst of the worst”. The Task Force X aka “Suicide Squad” is a team of the world’s most dangerous super villains that she wants to assemble because Superman is no longer “flying” after the tragic events of “Dawn of Justice“.

The Task Force X is needed to protect Earth against meta-human threats. Complete the mission and they might get an early release from prison. Try to escape and the explosive devices injected into their necks (courtesy of Wayne Enterprises) can blow out their brains with the aid of a killer app.

Amanda’s dream team is then introduced to the government superiors via flashbacks and video clips of their past deeds. These awful criminals are one ruthless bunch who are behind bars for committing despicable acts including murder, but are now given a second chance by the government to redeem themselves.

The squadron of baddies are: Deadshot, a mercenary sharpshooter who never misses a shot; Captain Boomerang, the masterful bank robber who decides to pay America a visit after robbing all the major banks in Australia but gets taken down by this Justice League member; and a heavily tattooed human flamethrower named El Diablo.

There’s also the half-human-half-reptile Killer Croc; Slipknot, who can supposedly “climb anything”; a random ninja named Katana, who wields a mystic sword that traps the souls of those she’s killed; as well as scientist June Moon, who has been possessed by an almost-7000-year-old ancient demi-god Enchantress.

The best member of the bunch is, hands down, Harley Quinn. Thanks in part to Margot Robbie’s memorable performance, she brings this demented sweetie-pie to life in big, bright colours. From her aerial acrobatics performance in her cell, to her threatening the lives of her armed guards, or gleefully skipping into battle armed with a bat and a broad grin, “Suicide Squad” is at its best when Harley is the focal point.

Harley’s relationship with the Joker is what makes her so deranged and unstable. Don’t let her babydoll mannerisms fool you, she won’t bat an eyelash when it comes to inflicting pain on her nemesis. The love affair between DC’s powerhouse criminal couple was palpable, but there just weren’t any meaty Joker scenes for us to bite into. Despite the potential, Joker was never properly integrated into the storyline and came across like a special guest star. Pity.

Of course, Deadshot is no slouch either. Although it’s Will Smith practically playing himself, the character has a strong backstory, especially one involving his daughter, plus we enjoyed watching his protective friendship with the impulsive Harley.

Despite the limited screen time and not much of a story arc (aside from his fetish for pink unicorns), Boomerang also manages to inject a dose of goofy lunacy in the film.

While there are plenty of background stories and character setups to cram in, the first part of “Suicide Squad” was actually promising. Sadly, once the all-star supervillains were assembled to begin their mission, that’s where the movie started to falter. There’s a reason why the ultimate villain has been hidden in most of the promo. It’s because this supposedly terrifying evil is the worst thing about the film!

Don’t worry, we won’t spoil anything for you. But to echo Kristy Puchko’s sentiments, the plot of the antagonist’s quest for world domination ranges from silly to downright dumb.

On the plus side, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller was a pleasant surprise. For all the bravado these bad guys bring to “Suicide Squad”, Davis proves that she doesn’t need crazy costumes or superpowers to be intimidating. The Oscar-nominated actress exudes power and menace. Davis’ character is another personal favourite after Robbie’s Harley.

The storytelling may be messy, with the general consensus that the pacing is evidently uneven, in addition to the inorganic plot development, however, the chemistry between the cast is believable and worth rooting for. “Suicide Squad” raises its middle finger to the typical superhero movies. These bad guys are super cray and they know it. They just don’t care. In fact, they relish it.

Psst, in case you didn’t already know, there will be a bonus scene that hints at “Justice League” after the mid-credits, so remember to stay put in your seats ;)

While you wait for “Suicide Squad” to open in cinemas on 4th August 2016, here are 10 interesting fun facts about your favourite villains to dive into.

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Vine: Now Available for Android!

Twitter’s increasingly popular Vine six-second video and creativity app is finally available on the Android platform.

Vine, which Twitter snapped up late last year, has quickly blossomed into a surprisingly versatile (and popular: Twitter reports 13 million users) app for creating not only six second video clips, but also amazing animation creations. The latter capability is all thanks to Vine’s most unique feature: the ability to stop and start recording video with a tap on the screen.

To download Vine for Android now, just search for “Vine” in the Google Play store — it comes up under Vine Labs, Inc.

Vine for Android shares many of the same features as the iOS version. According to a Twitter blog post, the new app includes automatic playback and sound, Explore, popular and trending posts, Find Friends and invite others to join.

Now, however, iPhone users may have cause for jealousy: Vine for Android includes a zoom feature, which does not exist on the iOS version. On the other hand, some recent updates to the iPhone app are not included in the new Android build, such as front-facing camera support, search, mentions and hashtags. Twitter promises those will all arrive soon.

The new app is available in the Google Play Store and runs on all Android devices running version 4.0 and higher.


Fans Shock To Find WayV & TVXQ Merch In Mamamoo’s Latest Album

Mamamoo (마마무) has released their much-anticipated 2nd full album called “Reality In Black” last week on 14th November (Thursday).

However, to a Moomoo (Mamamoo fan)’s surprise, the packaging of the CD contained SM Entertainment boy band WayV (威神V) posters instead.

Not only that, since the anonymous fan bought 5 copies of the “Starry Night” hit makers’ album, the puzzled Moomoo ended up getting all 5 posters of the same exact group in turn!

This is not the first time such incident happened, though. Before this, Moomoos pointed out that they have found various free gifts of fellow SM group TVXQ (동방신기) inserted in the same album set as well – including photo cards as well as posters.

Somehow I got a pic of Yunho in my sealed Reality in Black album 😂 @RBW_MAMAMOO Mamamoo's new member? pic.twitter.com/VfhKL04wBg

— 🦒Risa🌌 (@soreejillah) November 17, 2019

K-fans started to come out with various theories surrounding the unsolved mystery. In this case, some have called out the album-production company for their carelessness. On the other hand, some even suspected that rapper Moonbyul was the mastermind behind all these mishaps.

For those who don’t know, the 27-year-old is known among everyone as a certified Cassiopeia (TVXQ stan). Check out some of their comments below:

This is CEO Moon's work isn't it??! 🤣🤣 Byul the biggest TVXQ fan#MAMAVOTE #mamamoo @RBW_MAMAMOO https://t.co/tmTJjTTllP

— Aymu❖ | My Con ▪ 🐄💃🐄🕺 (@YongSolar21) November 16, 2019

Who do y’all want to blame for this case? ?

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KARD Wants To Turn It Up At Lazada’s 11.11 Super Show

Malaysian K-Pop fans were ecstatic when Lazada announced that KARD will be performing on their 11.11 Super Show at Axiata Arena. After all, this marks their first visit to our shores.

Prior to their highly-anticipated performance, the co-ed idol group – which is made up of members J.seph, Jeon Somin, Jeon Jiwoo, and B.M – held a press conference at Intercontinental Hotel this morning.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

During the short Q&A session, member B.M (short for Big Matthew) answered most of the questions for the group as he is very well-versed in English. When asked about achieving massive success with their pre-debut project singles, he said:

“First and foremost, we want to say thank you to all the fans that has been supporting us since the beginning. The success of our pre-debut songs gave us a chance to tour early even before our official debut. I think the whole experience of being able to tour and being on stage in front of different fans all over the world was a huge experience, and it helped a lot on our official debut as well.”

Besides that, the Los Angeles-born rapper also mentioned that KARD plans to make a lot more great and performances that “is going to blow your minds”. As for tonight’s show, Somin said that she looks forward to meet and perform for their Malaysian fans. “A lot of turning up (tonight)!” added B.M excitedly.

KARD made their official debut under DSP Media in July 2017 with “Hola Hola”. The EP, which peaked at number 2 on the Gaon Album Chart and at number 3 on the US World Albums chart, sold around 18,000 physical copies. The group’s other releases include “Oh Na Na”, “Rumour”, “Don’t Recall”, “You In Me”, and “Ride On The Wind”.

Fans can see the group perform on Lazada’s 11.11 tonight at 10pm alongside other artistes such as Bunkface, De Fam, as well as Indonesian singer Cakra Khan.

For more information on KARD, you can stalk them on Instagram.


Hype’s Now Playing: Selena Gomez – Bad Liar

Selena Gomez may be a “Bad Liar” but she ain’t lying about her new song.

After teasing fans for the past few days on social media, the 24-year-old has finally released the full track to her highly-anticipated single, “Bad Liar”.

Songwriter Justin Tranter described the production of “Bad Liar” as “one of those magical moments where the song just comes together very quickly and felt so good”, before explaining that “the lyrics are really cool and descriptive about when you first start having feelings for someone, but don’t want to admit it, which turns you into a ‘Bad Liar’.”

With verses like, “I was walking down the street the other day/ Trying to distract myself/ Then I see your face/ Ooh, you got someone else” as well as “What could possibly happen next/ Can we focus on the love/ Paint my kiss across your chest/ Be the art, I’ll be the brush”, it’s easy to assume that she’s either referencing Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) or Justin Bieber.

When Gomez first uploaded the makeup-free selfie of herself, many were curious about the hospital bracelet and bandage wrapped around her wrist. Photographer Petra Collins later clarified that “Selena (had) came straight from the hospital to this shoot – from being there for lupus“.

If “Bad Liar” sounds familiar to you, it’s because the song bares a striking resemblance to the Talking Heads’ classic 1977 hit, “Psycho Killer”. The tune has a very minimal beat but it’s catchy at the same time. Those anticipating a bubblegum pop jam might be disappointed by her new style of music.

The music video for “Bad Liar” was also released, but it is only available on Spotify for the time being. Those who don’t have an account will just have to be content with the audio.

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#Disney: Selfie Sticks To Be Banned From All Disney Theme Parks Worldwide

Disney may be where your dreams come true, except for your epic selfie dreams.

In March this year, major music festivals in US such as Coachella and Lollapalooza announced a ban on selfie sticks as the organisers simply find the extendable smartphone attachments annoying in addition to being potentially dangerous.

Selfie sticks are elongated sticks that attach to a camera or phone to aid photo-taking. Yup, you may have seen one or more jutting high above in crowds, with some threatening to drop smartphones on/knock people’s heads. The sticks were among the best-selling gifts of Christmas 2014 but have been outlawed from a number of venues on health and safety grounds.

We knew that it wouldn’t be long before others followed suit, starting with Disney. A new report states the world-famous theme parks will start banning selfie sticks beginning 30th June for all American Disney theme parks with the rest of the world (Disneyland Paris, Disneyland Hong Kong) following on 1st July.

Yes, it’s true – the news comes courtesy of a leaked internal e-mail, which was later confirmed to the press by Disney.

We strive to provide a great experience for the entire family, and unfortunately selfie sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our Guests and Cast. The use of selfie sticks also compromises our ability to deliver on The Four Keys: Safety, Courtesy, Show and Efficiency.

According to The Wrap, as such, the parks’ parking lots will now feature signs that encourage Disney’s visitors to leave their selfie sticks in their cars or hotels. Those who opt out will have to surrender their sticks at the main gate and pick them up on their way out. The Verge wrote that beginning next week, Disney’s employees will start looking for selfie sticks during bag checks.

Disney will also spread word of the ban through announcements at its own hotels and audio messages that can be heard in the parking lots.

Are selfie sticks a safety hazard? Could a selfie stick be used as a potential weapon? Do you think the ban should be applied across all recreation venues and events? Would you want these other theme parks to implement the “no selfie sticks” rule too?

Feel free to discuss that in the comments box below!

Sources: The Verge, Android Authority, Scribd, The Wrap / Featured image from Attractions Magazine.


Diplo Reissues “Florida” Album With 5 Unreleased Tracks

Before the twerk movement, Major Lazer and Jack U, there was Florida.

First released n 2004, Diplo’s trip-hop, beat exploration album, Florida, became the then 25-year-old producer’s breakthrough movement that first placed him on the map. The album featured Vybz Kartel and led to a gig opening for RJD2. Now, in celebration of ten years of Diplo’s rise to producer dominance, Ninja Tunes’ imprint Big Dada will be reissuing Florida along with the Epistemology Suite EP and five unreleased tracks.

Looking back, the 35-year-old DJ says the record represents the first 23 years of his life in a post on his Instagram account.

10 years ago.. i made my first album, “Florida,” between a small apartment in Philly and my mom’s house in Florida.. i was working late nights and taking a bus through the city every night, smoking some weed, putting on headphones & just making things I never heard before and could just imagine.. making this record created an entirely new world for me. now that i think back it’s a very strange beginning and it’s crazy it’s been 10 years since it’s first release but really this record represents my first 23 years of life.. what i had inside of me and where i came from so i’m excited to revisit it.. i put it up on soundcloud for all of you to hear.. a special re-release will come black friday

Included below are “Into the Sun” and “As I Lay Dying,” two of the five previously unreleased Florida tunes that nothing like Diplo’s current stuff. Surprisingly contemporary, the electronica hop house songs flow smoothly in tune with today’s future house movement while still hinting at the Los Angeles producer’s unique twist on electronic music.

The Florida reissue arrives on November 28th on Big Dada.

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Hype’s Now Playing: KARA – CUPID

One of Korea’s top girl-group, KARA, is back with a new single titled “CUPID“. The music video for the song was unveiled at the same time as their comeback album titled “In Love”.

This is KARA’s 2nd comeback since the departure of Nicole Jung and Kang Ji-Young in January and April 2014 respectively. A TV survival show titled “KARA Project” was held to find a replacement for the past 2 members, with Heo Young-Ji emerging as the eventual winner. With the addition of the new member, KARA returned with their 6th extended play, “Day & Night” in August 2014. The hit song “Mamma Mia” was included in this album.

“Cupid” is the title track of “In Love”, which is also KARA’s 7th mini album since their debut in 2007. It is produced by the duo of e.one, Choi Hyunjoon and Jung Hohyun, as well as EJ.SHOW. Both the song and the music video aim to exude the sexiness of the members, coupled with the unlikely combination of their fun and bubbly personality.

With catchy lyrics and melody, the song tells the story of a woman who bravely expresses her love to her romantic interest. It can be compared to the boldness of Cupid, the god of desire, affection and attraction, who shoots his arrows fearlessly to match make a couple.

Other than “Cupid”, “In Love” features songs like “Starlight”, “Back Then (그땐 그냥)”, and “I Luv Me”. It also showcases the vocal talents in the group as a couple of duets were included in the album. The 5th track of the album, “Peek-A-Boo”, is a duet between leader Park Gyu-ri and maknae Young-Ji. The main vocal of the group, Han Seung-yoon, teams up with Gyu-ri for the 6th and final track, “Dreamlover”.

The digital and physical version of “In Love” is now available in both digital and physical music stores worldwide.

What do you think of the track? Do you like it? Leave your thoughts in the comments box below!


Telegram Owner Pavel Durov On Why “You Should Delete Whatsapp”

Telegram founder, Pavel Durov, has taken aim at popular messaging app, WhatsApp. He’s been telling people to delete the application, citing vulnerability concerns and privacy issues that can be found in the system.

The statement came just days after a security issue was discovered within the system in India. This allowed hackers to access people’s personal messages when they open a video file within the app. WhatsApp later urged users to update to the latest version to fix the issue.

In a lengthy post on his Telegram channel, the Russian has drawn attention to WhatsApp parent company Facebook, noting how the app is actually a “Trojan Horse” used to spy on their users.

In the post he wrote, “WhatsApp doesn’t only fail to protect your WhatsApp messages – this app is being consistently used as a Trojan horse to spy on your non-WhatsApp photos and messages. Why would they do it? Facebook has been part of surveillance programs long before it acquired WhatsApp.”

He also directed focus on the security side of things using the video file hacking issue in India as an example. While Facebook attempted to play down the situation, Durov argued that that this is not the first time the app has been exploited in such a manner.

He said that, “a security vulnerability of this magnitude is bound to have been exploited – just like the previous WhatsApp backdoor had been used against human rights activists and journalists naïve enough to be WhatsApp users.”

It should be noted that WhatsApp is a direct competitor to Telegram and this sort of public action might be fuelled by an incentive from its founder to push for their own agenda. But for now, users are advised to update their app to the latest versions and avoid opening messages and files from anonymous senders.


The Big Bad Wolf Books 24-Hour Sale Madness Returns 8th – 18th December 2017

Are y’all ready for Malaysia’s annual book sale? Yuh huh! Start the countdown because the Big Bad Wolf Books sale will be making a comeback with newer and “badder” books at 75% – 95% off.

First held on 13th – 18th May 2009 for 5 days at Dataran Hamodal in Petaling Jaya, the Big Bad Wolf Books sale features all kinds of book genres such as fiction, non-fiction, travel, literature, children’s literature, culinary, self-help, young adult fiction, as well as collectible posters, tin-plated signs, and their own merchandise.

This year, Big Bad Wolf Books promises a whole new experience at the Mines International Exhibition & Convention Centre (MIECC) from 8th – 18th December. That’s 11 whole days! And by “11 whole days”, we mean that it’s literally around the clock because the sale will be open 24 hours a day, amounting to a total of more than 200 hours.

Also, it’s legit cheap. Take a look at the types of books that they had to offer during their previous sale:

On top of that, we hear that bookworms will be able to treat themselves to more than just books during the sale as After You, the popular Thai dessert cafe, will be making its Malaysian debut at the event ;)

A word of advice though! Best to make your way over to the sale at ungodly hours to avoid the sheer madness and please remember to bring a travel luggage for your book haul. Don’t say we didn’t share!

For more information, hit up Big Bad Wolf Books’ Facebook page.

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Suiting Up With Patrick J Adams

Last Friday, we had the chance-of-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a little time with actor Patrick J Adams aka Mike Ross from “Suits“. Yes, the man himself was in town courtesy of DIVA Universal on a promotional tour for the popular American TV series! As most “Suits” fans would already know by now, Mike is a brilliant college dropout but finds himself on the run from a drug deal gone bad. Just as his sheer luck would have it, he lands himself a job working with one of New York City’s best lawyers, Harvey Specter (played by Gabriel Macht).

Thanks to our friends from DIVA Universal, we were invited to an exclusive and intimate “Suit Up with Patrick J Adams” media session. We got to meet, greet, and interrogate the man himself for a couple of minutes. He reveals what we can expect from season two of the series, how much he’s like his character, and the future he’d like Mike Ross to have, among other things.

Don’t forget to catch “Suits” every Monday exclusively on DIVA Universal (Astro Channel 702) at 8pm!

Click to view our gallery of exclusive pictures from the media session!

For more information, visit their Facebook page. Patrick J Adams is also on Twitter so follow him for more timely updates on his life.


#BIGBANG: Hotlink Offers Special Passes To #MADEWorldTour & Soundcheck Party

Craving for a chance to see BIGBANG live concert in Malaysia? Well, Hotlink is giving you the chance to do so.

Not only will you get to see your favourite boys performing live at the concert, you’ll also be witnessing their playful selves during the soundcheck party!

IME Productions is bringing the global sensation K-pop boy group to Malaysia on 24th and 25th July for their “BIGBANG 2015 World Tour [MADE]” concert at Putra Indoor Stadium. In anticipation of the concert, Hotlink is organising a contest to reward fans with concert tickets as well as exclusive access to the “Soundcheck Party”.

To gain access to the “Soundcheck Party” and win Rock Zone Tickets (worth RM798), all you have to do is follow the steps below:

1. Take a creative video of yourself lip-syncing to your favourite BIGBANG song.
2. Post your video on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and tell us who your favourite BIGBANG member is and why.
3. Follow & tag @hotlinkcomms and include #HotlinkBBVIP #Hotlink #LIVELIFELOUD in your caption.

To win Rock Zone Tickets (worth RM698) only, all you have to do is follow the steps below:

1. Look out for the “Bae Bae Bang” video from Hotlink’s Youtube Channel, Instagram (@HotlinkComms), Facebook page or hotlink.com.my/bigbang.
2. Post the “Bae Bae Bang” video on your Instagram, Facebook or Twitter account and tell us who your favourite BIGBANG member is and why.
3. Follow & tag @hotlinkcomms and include #HotlinkBBVIP #Hotlink #LIVELIFELOUD in your caption.

Before you start squeezing your brain juice for creative ideas, here are a few things to take note of:

1. The “Soundcheck Party” will take place at Putra Indoor Stadium on 24th July at 8.30 pm.
2. For Facebook entries, you will need to email the link to your entries to hotlinkred@maxis.com.my.
3. Be sure to change your privacy settings to “public” so that your submissions can be viewed.
4. Hotlink will choose the winners based on their creativity.
5. Submissions close on 16th July.

Don’t panic, as there are still 2 weeks for you to submit your participation! Good luck with the contest, we hope to see you there ;)

To spur you to do your best, we are leaving you with this special greeting of BIGBANG to their Malaysian fans:

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

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#PrincessDiaries3: Anne Hathaway On Board For 3rd Instalment

Make way for Anne Hathaway. Princess Mia Thermopolis may very well be returning to Genovia.

It’s been 12 years since “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” was released. Director Garry Marshall recently spilled the beans that he has plans on putting out a 3rd instalment of the successful Disney’s “Princess Diaries” franchise.

While speaking to People Magazine, Marshall revealed that he even met up with Hathaway who was totally on board. “I was with Anne Hathaway a couple weeks ago, it looks like we want to do Princess Diaries 3 in Manhattan,” said the 81-year-old director.

However, audiences may have to wait awhile before this fairy tale come to fruition. In case you didn’t know, Hathaway is expecting her first child with husband Adam Schulman. “Anne Hathaway is very pregnant, so we have to wait until she has the baby and then I think we’re going to do it,” Marshall added.

It’s very likely that Hathaway will be on maternity leave after giving birth to the baby (according Daily Mail, it’s going to be a little princess), so filming probably won’t start anytime soon. But the important thing is, we’re getting “Princess Diaries 3”, and that’s what matters.

But what about “Star Trek” star Chris Pine? Any chance Pine might reprise his role as Lord Nicholas Devereau, Mia’s frenemy-turned-love interest? Marshall says it’s a possibility. “Maybe… He’s quite big now, you know,” he told People. “Well Chris Pine likes me, you know why? Because his father is in Mother’s Day! Chris Pine and my kids went to similar schools, so I knew him as a kid.”

If you recall, the 1st film told the tale of Mia who learns that she’s next in line to the throne in the fictional country of Genovia. The 2nd movie, released in 2004, focused on Mia’s journey to the throne as Queen after escaping the arranged marriage that had been planned for her. God only knows what Mia’s been up to over the past decade, but we bet it’s fabulous!

We’re really looking forward to “Princess Diaries 3” hitting the theatres. Make it happen, Disney!


Hype’s Now Playing: Haute Sound (Ft. Zee Avi) – All The Way Up

It’s been a while since we’ve heard any new music from Zee Avi. The last we heard from the Malaysian singer-songwriter, she was recording “Nightlight”, a children’s cover album produced by Kevin Salem and recorded in Woodstock, New York within a span of just 4 days. The album was released on 22nd April 2014 and made it on the iTunes “Best of 2014 Albums (Children’s Music)” list.

If we were to talk about how she started her music career, the internet discovered her through the self-written songs and cover songs she posted on YouTube. The video sharing platform featured “No Christmas For Me,” a song she wrote and composed before she posted it up on the eve of her 22nd birthday. The next thing she knew, she landed a record deal with a US-based record label (Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records) as well as a publishing deal with Monotone (a management company who represents The White Stripes and The Shins in Los Angeles California).

Once she entered the international music scene, she became one of the musicians chosen to play headline shows at several prestigious music festivals including Borneo’s Rainforest World Music Festival, Australia’s Byron Bay Festival, San Francisco’s Noise Pop, Austin’s South by Southwest, Mountain Jam in New York, Life Is Good in Boston, Lilith Fair, Bonnaroo and Street Scene in San Diego. It’s no wonder that LA up-and-comer Moses Sumney noted in an interview that one of his career highlights was performing a gig with Zee Avi.

Now, if you’re in the mood for some upbeat, jazzy music, try “All The Way Up” by Haute Sound. Featuring Zee Avi, the song is a special collaboration between the songstress and a very good friend of hers, Haute Sound. As compared to Zee Avi’s early recordings, this felt like a step forward for her after earning the Brand Laureate Award for establishing a successful career in the international music scene.

Back in 2009, Flight Facilities’ “Crave You” received worldwide attention for its addictive tune and smooth vocals from Gisele Rosselli. Later in 2014, Skylar Spence (or more commonly known as “Saint Pepsi”) made us fall harder in love with him through his summer jam,  “Fiona Coyne“. This year, it’s Haute Sound’s turn to spill out a new groove-tastic track of the year.

We know very little about Haute Sound but people should definitely look out for more feel-good tracks from this up-and-coming producer. Haute Sound made a remix on Zhu’s “Faded“, which we must say is a killer remix. As for “All The Way Up”, the producer took aesthetic cues from dreamy electro pop songs and Zee Avi’s jazzy vocals further gave life and “good time” feeling to this dance jam.

If more feel-good songs or groovy dance tracks like this one will be included in Zee’ Avi’s upcoming album., then we are on board. And we quote, “Don’t be afraid to explore sometimes.”

For more information, visit Haute Sound’s Facebook page or Zee Avi’s Facebook page.

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Hype’s Now Playing: BLACKPINK – As If It’s Your Last (마지막처럼)

After 7 whole months, a lot of anticipation, and a chockfull of teasers, BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) has finally returned.

Titled “As If It’s Your Last” (마지막처럼), the comeback single is not a track off their next EP, “Square Three”, but a standalone song to tide fans over while the girls continue to work hard on the EP.

BLACKPINK’s long-awaited comeback single is both dance-y and uplifting for the summer. The girls can be seen donning on various colourful, bold outfits while rocking out to the beats and generally have fun. “Give me a little bit of that, give me a little bit of this!”

As always, you gotta love their confidence and them moves ;)

For more information on BLACKPINK, hit up their website and Facebook page.


WINNERS: Katy Perry 3D Movie Screening

Welcome back from the long Raya weekend, guys! To curb ’em post-holiday and “first day back at work” blues, we’ve sorted out and we’re ready to announce the winners for our Katy Perry 3D movie screening contest. Yay!

So, without further ado, these are the lucky readers who will be coming to watch the awesome “Part of Me” with us on Thursday (23rd August 2012):

Congratulations, Hype readers and troopers. Thanks to the awesome people from United International Pictures, you’ll be singing along with us to Katy Perry!

Kindly collect your tickets from our counter at GSC One Utama from 8pm onwards. Remember, tickets are non-transferable.


#Travel: 7 Amazing Things That South Korea Is Doing To Prep For The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

If there’s one thing that I love about going to South Korea, is the fact that no matter how many times I’ve been there, there are always new places and things to discover. That having said, despite having gone numerous times, I’ve never experienced the South Korean winter, reputed for its biting cold, until recently.

In February, I took off to South Korea for a trip with our friends from Korea Tourism Organisation (Malaysia) to check out the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics (평창 동계 올림픽) sites. Armed with layers and layers of Uniqlo HEATTECH and packets of heat/hot packs, I was prepared for the well-below freezing cold and dry winter.

PyeongChang, a county in Gangwon province of South Korea located in the country’s north mountainous region, is gearing up to host the next winter games. 8 years in the making, the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, scheduled to take place from 9th to 25th February 2018, will mark the 3rd time that the winter games is being held in an Asian country (with Japan having hosted 2 previously, in 1972 and 1998).

For a more in-depth look that the planning for the games, check out some of the amazing things that South Korea is doing in preparation of the major international sporting event while you weren’t looking:

1. Blood, sweat, and (likely) lots of tears

Like a true, inspirational success story, South Korea fought tooth and nail, sacrificing blood, sweat, and tears to make this happen! In 2010 and 2014, Pyeongchang launched bids to host the Winter Olympic Games. Sadly, despite having the most votes in the first round of voting, Pyeongchang lost in the final round of voting by 3 and 4 votes respectively. Not one to give up, the organising committee soldiered on year after year in hopes of being elected. PyeongChang finally won its bid for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in the first round of voting, receiving 63 of the 95 votes cast, giving them the required majority to be elected as host city (the others contenders being Munich in Germany and Annecy in France). The announcement was made on 6th July 2011 by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), after the 123rd IOC Session in South Africa, undoubtedly a historic moment for South Korea.

2. The price of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics

Korea will spend USD13 billion, nearly 4 times less than Russia spent on the Sochi Olympics, the most expensive in history. 90% of that spending is on the infrastructure that will benefit a region that has long been perceived as one of the most backwards in Korea. We’re talking about improving logistics (high-speed rail lines, highways), constructing impressive world-class stadiums, and building new hotels as well as refurbishing existing ones. That is, of course, not including the advertising and marketing dollars, as well as the cost of the on-ground ceremonies and events. But we don’t bore you with those details.

Currently, it takes about 3 hours worth of travel time by car from Incheon International Airport to Gangwon. But construction is underway for a high-speed rail line that will connect Pyeongchang to Seoul. It is said that the new high-speed rail will effectively cut the travel time by more than half, which means that it will soon take slightly more than an hour to get to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics sites from Seoul. Alternatively, there’s a relatively small international airport (as compared to Incheon International Airport), Yangyang International Airport, in the Gangwon Province that serves Sokcho, Gangneung, and Pyeongchang. New highways (the 2nd Yeongdong highway between Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province and Wonju and the new highway between East Hongcheon and Yangyang) will also help to distribute the traffic volume between Seoul and Gangwon.

4. Working hard to put their winters sports on the map

It’s true: when you think “winter sports”, you wouldn’t immediately think South Korea. And that’s largely due to the fact that people aren’t aware of their winter facilities, namely the ski slopes at Phoenix Snow Park and Yongpyong Ski Resort, both of which will host some of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics snow and sliding sports. Let’s not forget that the country has pretty good record in iceskating and is the homeground of the talented figure skater Kim Yuna, a multiple Olympics gold medalist. That right, South Korea isn’t all about Korean entertainment, they’ve got excellent track record of snow and ice sports to boot! All of which the world will soon discover and marvel at come the games next year <3

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

It is without a doubt that the compactness of the venues for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics helped South Korea win the bid. Competitions will be hosted at the PyeongChang mountain cluster and the Gangneung coastal cluster. In fact, to narrow it down further, the games will be centred around 2 main venues: the mountain resort of Alpensia for the outdoor sports (Nordic and alpine skiing, bobsled, etc.) and the coastal city of Gangneung for the indoor sports (figure skating, hockey, curling, etc.). On top of that, there are 2 mountain standalone venues and 13 competition venues – 6 of which will be new. You could say that South Korea is definitely going for gold with the upcoming games ;)

6. Plenty of accommodations to go around

New hotels are being built and old hotels are being refurbished to accommodate 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics dignitaries and athletes from around the world as well as spectators and tourists. During our trip, I was booked in Samcheok Sol Beach and Phoenix Snow Park (refer to the pictures above). What I loved about the hotels in Gangwon was the variety – you can either choose to stay by the beach (Samcheok Sol Beach) or right next to the ski slopes (Phoenix Snow Park, Alpensia Ski Resort) because Gangwon has the best of both worlds! Admittedly, the hotels are not as busy or bustling as the accommodation in Seoul, but it was big and comfortable enough to house guests. After all, the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics will be hosting a whopping total of 29 games – 20 Olympic events, 5 Paralympic events, 2 non-competition events, 2 non-sport events. So you can imagine the amount of people that will be flocking to PyeongChang to join the festivities! More information on the available hotels here.

7. Making damn well sure that everything goes according to plan

South Korea isn’t leaving it all up to chance. From now until 9th February 2018, the day that the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics is scheduled to start, several test events are being held. Not only will the test events help athletes and officials to familiarise themselves with PyeongChang and its venues, it’s a great opportunity for would-be spectators or tourists to experience the preparation as well. For example, while I was there, we witnessed the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2017 and the FIS Snowboard World Cup 2016/17! It was truly an eye-opening experience. The test events is also the time where the organisers will be looking out for feedback to take into consideration and improve (if needed) before the games. As far as we know, 3,000 athletes (some are returning stars while others will be looking to make their Olympic mark for the first time) are expected to participate in the test events – many of them coming to Korea for the first time – as well as 1,000 volunteers.

With less than a year left to go to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, the excitement is brewing. Much more than I can put down in words! But if you’re in the area and you need more information on the games, don’t hesitate to visit the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics Centre located about 30 minutes away from the host city: 131, Nanseolheon-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, 25466.

Special thanks to our friends from Korea Tourism Organisation (Malaysia) for the opportunity!

Hype Malaysia is also an official “Wow! PyeongChang!” supporter in conjunction with the upcoming 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in South Korea. So keep a look out for our future posts as we’ll be gushing over places to go, things to do, and food to eat in Gangwon ?

For more information, hit up the Korea Tourism Organisation (Malaysia) website or Facebook page. Alternatively, you can follow them on Instagram.

Big shoutout to our friends from Travel Recommends for keeping us connected with unlimited data on our trip to South Korea, enabling us to update real-time for the entire duration without a hitch ?

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Guinness Amplify Brings A Taste Of “Magic!” To Kuala Lumpur

“Knocked on your door with heart in my hand”

Guinness®  has revealed the details for its upcoming extraordinary Finale Show! The show, designed to celebrate the culmination of the 7-week Guinness Amplify: Music Made of More Campaign in Malaysia is set to take place at KL Live, Kuala Lumpur on October 18th (Saturday).

All set to give fans the time of their lives, Canadian band Magic! will be the headline act for Guinness Amplify: Music Made of More Finale Show! Currently, riding high in the charts worldwide with their mega hit debut single “Rude”, Magic! will take stage alongside local music heroes OJ Law and Dash.

Bruce Dallas, Marketing Director at Guinness Anchor Berhad, was excited to announce the details for the Guinness Amplify Finale Show;

“Guinness Amplify has already been an incredible journey through the remarkably-talented and vibrant live music scene here in Malaysia, and I’m thrilled to be able to reveal that our International Headline Act for the Guinness Amplify: Music Made of More Finale Show at KL Live is the phenomenal MAGIC! Like all of the artists we’ve picked for Guinness Amplify, MAGIC! truly espouses the values of talent, passion, and dedication that are at the core of Music ‘Made of More’. They are a fantastic addition to the campaign, and a great way to mark the end of a successful journey”.

Magic! shot to fame earlier this year with their catchy, reggae-fusion debut single “Rude”. Having won fans across the globe with their bold and unique sound, the single has topped charts in both the US and UK as well as hit platinum 7 times. Magic!’s appearance at the Guinness Amplify: Music Made of More Finale Show will mark the band’s first show in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tickets for the Guinness Amplify: Music Made of More Finale Show will not be on sale, however, fans can instead log on to Amplify for more information as to how they can earn a free ticket to the Finale Show. Tickets earned can then be upgraded to VIP passes, which entitles the holder to a Meet & Greet session with Magic!, an exclusive Guinness Amplify t-shirt and more. Ticket holders can stand a chance to upgrade to VIP passes by watching exclusive videos of the artists involved in the campaign on the Guinness Amplify website and by attending the weekly free-admission gigs on the Guinness Amplify Live Tour.

The Guinness Amplify Live Tour will continue throughout September and the first two weeks of October, leading to the Finale Show at KL Live on October 18th. Admission to all Guinness Amplify Live Tour events is free-of-charge and is on a first-come, first-served basis. Special GUINNESS® promotions run throughout the night at these events, where music fans can get their hands on a GUINNESS® for only RM10.

The next show will feature local musicians Tempered Mental, Nick Davis, and Dash at Foley’s in Oasis, Ara Damansara on September 27th (Saturday).

More information about Guinness Amplify Live Tour and Guinness Amplify: Finale Show can be obtained here.


Hype’s Now Playing: Bruno Mars – Versace On The Floor

Oh, what a sexy surprise! Bruno Mars has released a new music video for “Versace On The Floor”.

Starring “Spider-Man: Homecoming” star Zendaya, the video is directed by the singer himself and Cameron Duddy. It shows the 20-year-old actress dancing to the song while Mars plays the piano. Both stars are dressed in Versace, with Zendaya’s glittery dress dropping to the floor at the end.

It’s a little cliché, but the video is still worth a watch thanks to its smooth cinematography and Zendaya’s sensual performance.

The slow-paced R&B track is the 3rd single off his latest album “24K Magic”. “Versace on the Floor” sings about Mars’ connection with a woman, whose Versace dress rests on the floor while they enjoy each other’s company. It was co-written by Mars, Philip Lawrence, Christopher Brody Brown, and James Fauntleroy.

“So baby let’s just turn down the lights/ And close the door/ Oooh I love that dress/ But you won’t need it anymore/ No, you won’t need it no more/ Let’s just kiss ’til we’re naked, baby/ Versace on the floor/ Oooh take it off for me, for me, for me, for me now, girl,” sings Mars.

For more information, hit up Bruno Mars’ Facebook page and Instagram.

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Artistes Under Siege For Attending Political Events

Netizens are throwing scorn and insults at international artistes for performing in two star-studded pro-establishment events last night.

Among them are Ipoh-born international actress Michelle Yeoh, who attended a meet-the-people session with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak in Port Klang, and Hong Kong cantopop singer Alan Tam, who had made an appearance at the 1Malaysia Charity Dinner in Penang.

At a mega-dinner in Klang yesterday, Michelle Yeoh, who was recently branded a “traitor” praised Najib’s leadership and urged the people to continue to support him. For this, netizens criticised her for only pretending to “fight oppressive governments” while playing as Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi in the film The Lady, but “fights the suffering people” when off camera.

Meanwhile, Malaysian-born and China-based singer Eric Moo was also  branded a “traitor” by netizens for saying he would return to Malaysia to perform at the charity dinner in Penang, but would not be returning to vote. However, after ending his performance, Eric Moo openly expressed hope that Malaysia would always have fair elections, which would in turn put in power a government that would serve peoples of all race and religions.

As for Alan Tam, he explained on his Facebook page that he did not have a full understanding of the 1Malaysia Charity Dinner beforehand, and an agreement has already been signed. However, he pledged that his group will take the episode as a lesson:

In the past few days, everyone has communicated their analysis, their thoughts, their advice, their understanding, and even their anger to us; we are aware of this and thank you for this valuable lesson. I don’t blame my colleagues; they are just doing their jobs. I will pass on your opinions to my colleagues, bring them on a study trip to Penang, and let them learn from the experience.

Meanwhile, Hong Kong artiste Gigi Leung and Taiwanese band Mayday earned praises from netizens when they cancelled their appearances at the charity dinner.

Gigi Leung’s Facebook page posting stated that she had to cancel the performance due to “personal reasons” had more than 23,000 “Likes” and almost 6,000 comments, while Mayday fans on Facebook invited the group to perform in Malaysia after a regime change.


Pixar’s “Lightyear” Is Banned In 13 Countries Including Malaysia! Here’s Why:

When it was announced that we’re getting a solo Buzz Lightyear movie, we thought it was going to be a “Toy Story 5” (they probably should’ve stopped at 3). “Lightyear” tells the origin story of Buzz Lightyear, a test pilot who later became the legendary Space Ranger which inspired the toy.

Tim Allen has voiced Buzz in all the “Toy Story” movies, video games and cartoon series but for “Lightyear”, Chris Evans will be lending his voice for the iconic role. Are you guys excited to see it in cinemas? Sorry to disappoint but Malaysian cinemas will not be screening this movie. Here’s why:

It’s quite disappointing that we won’t hear Chris Evans as Buzz Lightyear in cinemas. Even though there was no official announcement from Walt Disney Company Malaysia nor the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia, everyone can pretty much guess why we won’t be seeing our favourite Space Ranger on the big screens. Apparently, the movie includes a kissing scene of a same-sex couple.

Malaysia isn’t the only country to ban the movie. It was reported that 13 other countries including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and China have also banned “Lightyear” for most likely the same reason as well. Back in March, Pixar came under fire when the controversial kiss scene was removed from the final cut before they restored it after the backlash from their own employees.

Since the first teasers and trailers were released, Malaysian fans who grew up with the “Toy Story” franchise have been excited to see a human Buzz Lightyear on the big screens and it was originally slated for a 16th June release. But looks like our dreams have been shattered but fret not, we’ll still get to see “Lightyear” as it will most likely be released on Disney + Hotstar. Here’s to hoping.

Speaking of childhood movies, the “Beauty & The Beast” live action movie starring Emma Watson was almost banned in Malaysian cinemas as it includes a gay character and questionable scenes but it was then given the green light and release was postponed to 30th March.


Hype’s Movie Review: #TheJungleBook Is Visually Thrilling With A Story That Never Gets Old

Take a step inside the world of Mowgli and his animal friends once again because Disney will be telling you the story of Rudyard Kipling’s “The Jungle Book” for the 2nd time – just a little more intense and thrilling than we remembered it to be.

With so many Disney films to watch this year, such as “Zootopia” and the upcoming “Finding Dory“, this is probably one of Disney’s most anticipated (and most heavily-marketed) movies in 2016.

The live-adaption of “The Jungle Book” tells the story of an orphaned man-cub who’s raised by a family of wolves since infancy named Mowgli (played by Neel Sethi). When Mowgli finds out he is seen as a threat by the fearsome tiger Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba), who bears the scars of Man, he embarks on a journey of self discovery, guided by stern panther Bagheera (voiced by Ben Kingsley), and free-spirited bear Baloo (voiced by Bill Murray).

On his way to the man-village, he meets seductively dangerous python Kaa (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) and persuasive King Louie (voiced by Christopher Walken).

First, let’s talk about Mowgli. Neel Sethi was hand-picked by director Jon Favreau (from “Iron Man 2”) out of 2,000 hopefuls who auditioned for the role of the man-cub. “The Jungle Book” marks the first time the 12-year-old New-Yorker acted in front of camera professionally. Way to kick start his acting career, don’t you think?

Considering that this is a CGI-heavy movie and that he is the only human actor in the studio, Neel portrayed Mowgli quite impressively. Despite his face being too clean for some scenes, another thing to note is Neel’s swift and smooth movements in the “jungle”. From running away from harm to climbing down a mountain to get honey, he gave a great performance.

Think mini-Tarzan, but with more attitude and wit.

Though the live-action adaption of “The Jungle Book” is somewhat similar to the 1967 animated version in some ways, for instance, having Bagheera as the story’s narrator and reprising 2 of Disney’s classic songs, “Bare Necessities” and “I Wanna Be Like You”, do not expect to watch your childhood movie the same way.

Without giving away too many spoilers (even though Disney already did that for us), the film starts off with a little excitement, showing Mowgli training with his wolf-brothers by trying to outrun Bagheera.

A wolf makes a pack, and the pack makes the wolf. That is the wolf way.

We like how this adaption shows more emphasis on the wolf pack, Mowgli’s relationship with his wolf-family and Mowgli striving to learn the wolf ways.

We have to be honest, the CGI animals and jungle in the film are amazingly realistic. From the details of their fur to the way they walk and run, it’s hard to believe that Neel was acting alone against the green screen. Cinematographer Bill Pope (from “The Matrix”) did an amazing job in showing the best of the jungle.

Talking animals is no new concept in the movie industry, but the conversational creatures are actually convincing. The expressions of the animals and the casts’ voice performance are nicely done.

Although at some point, you may be asking, “Isn’t it just a tad bit weird to have a tiger with an English accent in an Indian jungle?” Just saying.

The story moves on with Mowgli leaving the pack voluntarily to ensure their safety and his escape from Shere Khan. Then, the moment we’ve all been waiting for arrives – Mowgli meets Kaa. By now, you would know that Kaa plays a big part to the truth behind Mowgli’s origins. Although Kaa only appears for a mere 5 minutes or so (really Disney?), we can see why it is the most marketed scene.

Except Raksha, Kaa is the 2nd (and last) female character in the movie and it’s good to see an extra feminine touch to the male-oriented cast. Scarlett Johansson once again proved that her voice over skills are top notch! The camera focused on the python’s face as she tries to hypnotise Mowgli, and he wasn’t the only one mesmerised by her trippy eyes.

The most light-hearted part of the movie is when Mowgli meets Baloo. It’s nice to see Mowgli’s child-like behaviours when he is inventing new tools and spending time with his big bear friend.

Thanks to John Debney, we got to listen to a revised version of “Bare Necessities” and a rewritten “I Wanna Be Like You”, though the latter is quite unnecessary. If you are not making a musical, it doesn’t make sense for King Louie to suddenly sing.

“The Jungle Book” did a good job in ensuring that every detail of the story is smoothly presented in the film. Personally, we think that this film concluded on a more satisfying note, compared to its animated counterpart. Don’t worry, we won’t spoil the ending for you. You have to watch it yourself to find out!

Check out the official images of the cast that Disney released recently:

The suspense in this movie is not very children-friendly, but adults will find watching this movie exciting and thrilling. Aren’t you excited to watch “The Jungle Book” now? Get ready to book your tickets because the film will hit the big screen on 7th April 2016!

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

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(UPDATE) #Klang: Regent Pandan Layer Cake Shop May Close Down By The End Of The Year

68-year-old Cheng Yew Hoe is dubbed as the founder and creator of Klang’s famous 5-layer pandan cake. But unfortunately, we might not be able to eat his trademark treat next year :(

Cheng is planning to close down his bakery, Regent Pandan Layer Cake Shop (锦盛蛋糕屋), by the end of the year as none of his 4 children are willing to take over his baking business, which started in 1977.

In speaking with The Malay Mail, Cheng revealed that he would rather shut down his shop than to sell his business away because he wants to maintain the shop’s high standards.

“I prefer to shut it and they (customers) can remember it. If you fail, then people will scold and remember it,” said the baker.

He also added that he changed the shop’s name from Regent Confectionary to Regent Pandan Layer Cake Shop to reflect that this was the origin of the well-loved cake as there are many copycats in the business.

Upon hearing the news, many netizens expressed their sadness as they may no longer be able to taste their favourite childhood dessert.

One Facebook user known as Simon wrote, “Why every great thing in my life since childhood had to go?” while another user named Samynathan commented, “This is one of the best pandan cake. So sad that it’s closing soon”.

Aside from the pandan layer cake, Cheng’s other specialities include the yam layer cake, the corn layer cake, and the Phillipine chocolate cake.

Good news, guys! Cheng’s much-loved pandan layer cake will be continuing its legacy, as his son will be taking over the bakery!

Apparently, right after the story about the shop’s closure came out, Cheng has received vast orders from both old and new customers wanting to get some of his iconic cakes. Some customers even offered him double the price to guarantee their orders.

So Cheng’s 2nd sister told him that she will continue the legacy as the recipe should belong to the family. His son has also decided to learn the family recipe and he told The Malay Mail that he “will continue and supply pandan layer cake even after his retirement”.

Regent Pandan Layer Cake Shop can be found at No. 70, Jalan Raya Timur, Klang and the delicious layer cakes are priced at RM45 per kg. Business hours are from 9am to 8pm (Monday to Friday) and 9am to 6pm (Saturday and Sunday).


#RISEinMY: Taeyang Leaves A Lasting Impression With First Solo Concert In KL

In 2014, BIGBANG’s member Taeyang announced his first solo world tour concert “RISE”, which kickstarted in Korea in October 2014. And his journey doesn’t end there as you would already know by now that the idol continued his world tour concert in other countries, including Malaysia.

Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to be exact. And we were there!

My day officially started at 5pm when we rocked up to the stadium in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, riding on an anticipation high that gradually increased as the minutes ticked away. To be honest, I wasn’t really excited about the concert until I realised that I was only an hour odd away from finally seeing Taeyang perform live. In Malaysia. Less than 100 metres away from me. Breathing the same air. Insert-all-sorts-of-fangirly-remarks-here.

It wasn’t before long that Stadium Negara was filled with Taeyang fans and VIPs (as BIGBANG’s fans are lovingly called), judging by the amount of VIP crown sticks that filled the place. And then the chants started, as the lights slowly dimmed and the sun began to set (no pun intended). At this point, I felt like I’ve never been more excited in my life.

Can all y’all hear those screams for @__youngbae__? He’s about to come on! #RISEinMY #RISEinKL #TAEYANG

A video posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Feb 7, 2015 at 2:47am PST

Well, sorta, except for the time when BIGBANG came to Malaysia as part of their “Alive GALAXY Tour” in 2012. Right on point, Taeyang opened his concert with a dance-y track off his new album, “RISE”, entitled “Body”. He later kept the momentum up by introducing one of his more popular older hits, “Superstar”, off his 2010 album, “Solar”.

A few songs later, he finally took a break from dishing out his dance moves and belting out on stage to formally greet his fans.

During the talk, he spoke about his “RISE” journey, explaining that it was something that was 4 years in the making. He also said that in those 4 years, completing the album and finally meeting his fans again on this “RISE” world tour is all he could think of. This was of course greeted by squeals and screams from adoring fans.

Truth be told, it became a massive “RISE” party as Taeyang performed one song after another off his new album, back-to-back. This was topped off by a “cherry on top” and a big surprise for fans when he introduced “Stay With Me”, and unveiled a large, supersized G-Dragon on the screen behind him. He then went on to sing “Good Boy”, another GDYB (acronym for “G-Dragon” and “Young Bae”) collaboration and also the song that was released under YG Entertainment’s HipHop Project.

In between songs and right before the encore, Taeyang also picked out some lucky winners who’d later go home with a pair of all-white Nike Air Force 1 shoes off his feet and an official merchandise item (a white cap) off his head! Let’s not forget that he spent a few minutes jazzing up his encore by introducing the “RISE” concert entourage aka his equally talented band as well as the amazing dancers.

Last but not least, after tossing little nuggets of comedy into the mix (he pretended to climb into a hole in the raised platform on the stage), Taeyang wrapped up his first ever solo concert in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with a repeat performance of his most recent hit ballad, “Eyes, Nose, Lips”.

Here we are, a lil up close & personal with you know who. You’re welcome ;) #RISEINMY #RISEINKL #TAEYANG

A photo posted by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy) on Feb 7, 2015 at 4:21am PST

Needless to say, he left his fans breathless ;)

Fun fact: The idol returned to his hotel (JW Marriott) almost immediately after his concert at Stadium Negara, as soon as he wrapped up the “Meet & Greet” session with some lucky fans. After which, according to some Twitter fan accounts, he was seen boarding a bus with his crew. Apparently, the bus later took Taeyang and his “RISE” entourage all the way to Singapore, where he was scheduled to perform on 8th Feb (Sunday) night.

As seen in the screenshots above, yes it’s legit and Taeyang confirmed it during his concert in Singapore.

For those of you who missed the opportunity to see Taeyang live in Malaysia, well, hang in there because we hear that a BIGBANG world tour will happen soon! G-Dragon said so himself :)

Also, if you want to feast your eyes on some videos from the concert, hit up our Instagram. Meanwhile, see the pictures from the 2015 TAEYANG “RISE” World Tour Concert in Malaysia here:

For more information, visit IME Productions’ Facebook page.

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Fun Facts: 10 Things To Get You Excited For “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”

No one knew what to expect when “Guardians of the Galaxy” came out 3 years ago. Marvel and Disney were taking a huge risk by introducing a bunch of relatively unknown characters to casual movie-goers.

Their gamble paid off when the 2014 film debuted to rave reviews from fans and critics alike, while roping in over USD773 million worldwide – becoming one of the biggest blockbuster hits in the superhero genre.

The 15th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) will see our favourite team of misfits braving through yet another mission in an attempt to save the entire galaxy from cosmic threats. So what else can we expect? The sequel will not only be much more colourful and sci-fi as we’ll also get to see several newcomers to MCU and be treated to a new soundtrack of epic proportions.

The official synopsis for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” reads:

“Set to the backdrop of ‘Awesome Mixtape #2,’ Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favourite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.”

Here are 10 things you need to know before watching “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”:

1. “Vol. 2” picks up 2 months after the Guardians defeated Ronan The Accuser

Peter “Star-Lord” Quill, Gamora, Rocket Racoon, Drax, plus an all-new Baby Groot are taking advantage of their new-found fame by working as premium rate mercenaries.

“Their legend, and their mythology has grown and spread throughout the universe, because they defeated Ronan and because they were able to hold, Peter, in particular was able to hold an Infinity Stone and not die, which also has spread his legend,” Marvel CEO Kevin Feige was quoted as saying.

The sequel was initially supposed to take place years later, but for character purposes, the producers wanted to emphasise on how the Guardians’ decisions in the 1st film had impacted them in moving forward.

2. Who’s the scary giant tentacle monster?

“And when we first meet them, in the beginning of the movie, they’re on a place called Sovereign, where they’ve been asked to help with these, this giant sort of inter-dimensional beast that comes out and eats their batteries, their power source, and wreaks havoc on the planet, and the Guardians have been asked to come in and dispatch with that thing, and that’s how our film starts,” said Feige.

Who is this terrifying thing? Director James Gunn revealed that it’s called an Abilisk. In the artwork above, we see Star-Lord, Gamora, and Rocket making full use of their large blasters, with Drax diving right at the creature armed with only a pair of double blades. However, the ever-adorable baby Groot doesn’t seem to be taking this fight seriously.

3. Groot wasn’t supposed to be Baby Groot

In the first movie, Groot was a caring tree thing. With his death and re-emergence at the end, Gunn explained that changing the character to Baby Groot was a huge important element in crafting the story for the sequel. “I started out thinking of him as full grown. Then all of a sudden I thought, it could be baby Groot, and baby Groot is very different,” said the filmmaker.

Feige also added that this allowed Groot and Rocket Raccoon to have a role reversal where Groot was Rocket’s protector in the first movie, but for the sequel, Rocket will serve as Groot’s protector.

4. How newcomer Mantis fits in with the Guardians

Mantis, played by Pom Klementieff, is unique, weird, and brings something very interesting to the MCU. “Mantis has never really encountered other people and other humans before. She makes Drax look like the most world-savvy person there is. … She comes into the story along with (Ego the Living Planet),” shared Feige.

Her powers in the upcoming movie are mainly empathy. According to Klementieff, Mantis can “change emotions” and “feels things by touching people”. Knowing the full range of emotions that rage through the team, her abilities will certainly come in handy.

5. Meet Star-Lord’s dad, Ego the Living Planet

Ever since Kurt Russell took on the role of playing Ego the Living Planet, fans have been wondering if the 66-year-old actor would be a massive planet-sized being as depicted in the comics or a humanoid interpretation. Turns out, the answer is both.

Besides revealing that it was Chris Pratt who suggested Russell for the role, Gunn shared how the production managed to pull Ego The Living Planet’s massive planetary form. “We have over a trillion polygons on Ego’s planet. It’s the biggest visual effect of all time. There’s nothing even close to it. Which is cool,” said the filmmaker.

“Ego is a living planet who is able to manifest himself in different ways. He’s been alone for millions of years and he’s learned how to control the molecules around him in such a way as to create avatars of themselves, such as Kurt Russell. I think Ego was a very lonely character out there by himself and went off in search of love and perhaps found it in Quill’s mother,” Gunn previously said.

Ayesha is the main villain in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2”. She is clad entirely in gold and surrounded by more people with golden skin. When asked to described the character, Gunn said, “Ayesha is the golden High Priestess of genetically-perfect people called the Sovereign. She’s not a woman to be screwed with – she, and her entire world, are extraordinarily deadly”.

7. “Awesome Mix Vol. 2” is bigger, different, and more mature

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) February 5, 2017

What was the best thing about “Guardians of the Galaxy”? Groot? Perhaps. Chris Pratt’s washboard abs? Close. The baddies? Absolutely no!

It was the “Awesome Mix Vol. 1” soundtrack, duh. Not only was it integral to the film, it also became a chart-topping success.

“I would say that the other Guardians now know that music is a thing for Peter, so in early scenes, what you see baby Groot here, which he’s just Groot in the movie, but on set we call him baby Groot, he’s setting up these little outer space speakers so that the music can play for all of them, because Quill likes to hear music when he’s fighting. So, it does go more than just his headset, but it’s all based off of ‘Volume 2’, and I would say that a couple of the songs, and particularly 1 song has very unique lyrics that play in much more specific part into the plot, than any song did in the first film,” said Feige.

Turn it up. The official setlist for #AwesomeMixVol2 has arrived. Download this Friday https://t.co/Nazp2oAbpS #GotGVol2 pic.twitter.com/aZoOr9vIAy

— Marvel UK & Ireland (@MarvelUK) April 19, 2017

“I think that the soundtrack is an evolution from the soundtrack to the first movie. I think the first movie was made for a child that was a couple years younger than the child that this music was made for. So it’s slightly more complex songs. I also think that we have a wider variety of songs,” Gunn added.

8. Gamora and Nebula’s relationship is essential in this story

“Vol. 2” will not only explore the father-son relationship between Star-Lord and Ego the Living Planet, but also between sisters Gamora and Nebula. Gamora was forcibly taken by Thanos when she was an infant while Nebula resents him for what he has turned her into.

Gunn explained, “First of all, it’s about 2 sisters. It’s not about the sisters and their father. It’s about 2 sisters and what were the sisters’ problems with each other. And yeah, some of those things were caused by being raised by the ultimate abusive father, Thanos.”

“It’s not about their relationship with Thanos. It’s about their relationship to each other, and what is that. And that was interesting to me. And I thought that was important to our story, and that was important to our characters. What happened with them in the past. There’s a lot of stuff that happened in the past that affects our characters presently,” the director added.

Although Thanos is one of the main characters in “Avengers: Infinity War”, the super-villain won’t be making an appearance in “Vol. 2”. Since the big bad is not the main focus this time around, there are also no Infinity Stones in the movie. At this point, 5 of the 6 stones have been revealed. The last remaining one – the Soul Stone – will likely appear in “Thor: Ragnarok”.

10. “Guardians of the Galaxy” will be in “Avengers: Infinity War”

When the Guardians meet up with the rest of The Avengers in “Avengers: Infinity War” next year, there’s going to be tension and clash of egos between the superheroes. Dave Bautista (Drax) shared how directors Anthony and Joe Russo were able to create an authentic dynamic between the 2 groups that would naturally flow from what we know about them.

He said, “When we come onto set as the Guardians, we are the Guardians. Anybody stepping onto set with us has to deal with all of us. There are usually 1 or 2 Avengers. We are the Guardians, we come as that and carry a scene like that and we do business as usual, which is a lot of chemistry, a lot of interaction amongst ourselves. And the Russos were very encouraging of that. I think we’ve established ourselves and we deserve to be right up there with the Avengers. I think we’re just as strong, if not stronger, as a unit, cause we’re a family.”

11. “Vol. 2” will feature 5 post credit scenes

If you’re in the category that usually don’t care for bonus scenes, trust us when we say that you will want to remain in your seats this time around. James Gunn has confirmed that the “Guardians of the Galaxy” will have not 1, not 2, not 3, not even 4, but a surprising 5 post-credits sequences! It’s definitely unprecedented.

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” will open in Malaysian cinemas on Thursday (27th April).

Sources: Screen Rant (1)(2)(3), Movie Pilot.

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#MonkeyShoulderMY: Jay Gray Whips Up A Cocktail Storm At The Locker & Loft

Cheeky, unpretentious, and perhaps a little hipster – those are the words that we would use to best describe Monkey Shoulder.

For the uninitiated, Monkey Shoulder is a blend of 3 different Speyside single malts coming together to create a very unique profile that is free-spirited and fun-loving with an easygoing smooth, rich, and mellow vanilla deliciousness. Fast fans of the game-changing blended malt whisky since its official launch in Malaysia in August last year, we were even schooled by Monkey Shoulder’s then Regional Brand Ambassador Zachary Connor de Git over a round of speed Jenga and some drinks.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

More recently, we were invited to a Monkey Shoulder Guest Shift night at Damansara Kim’s discreet watering hole, The Locker & Loft, where we introduced to the blended malt whisky’s new Regional Brand Ambassador. Speaking to us exclusively, Jay Gray, talks about taking on this new role as the face of Monkey Shoulder, amongst other things :)

A Jack Jay of all trades (landscaping, dishwashing, bartending, skateboarding) and a master of one (bartending), he was inspired to get behind the bar after witnessing firsthand that bartenders were always at the centre of attention, having the best time, and the fact that everyone was always happy to see them.

Having experienced bartending in Barcelona, first working part-time before eventually doing full time 7 days a week at 2 different bars while studying law in university, he knew he wanted to pursue bartending over law.

In speaking about his passion for bartending and why he decided to pursue it full time, Jay explained, “Bartending it’s kinda like working on a puzzle. Every single day you’re trying to put together a different puzzle because when a customer comes in and they don’t know what they want or don’t know how to articulate drinks they like, it’s very entertaining and exciting all the time to make them cocktails. And it doesn’t stop, it doesn’t get boring.”

Now as the new face of Monkey Shoulder, Jay is excited about introducing the blended malt whisky to people and easing people into the idea of drinking it. “When you work at a bar, sometimes you have to make snap decisions. There are 2 ways about it when you’re at a bar. For example, if someone says to me, ‘I hate gin’, I’d make them a gin cocktail and then they’d be like, ‘This is fantastic!’ but I don’t tell them that it’s actually gin there and then, I’d probably tell them later. If people are adamant that they don’t like something, I’d try to educate them..maybe in a sneaky underhand way. It’s about peeling away connotations about scotch whisky which is perceived as an uncle or a pub drink. I don’t know much about branding but the thing about the Monkey Shoulder bottle is that it’s quite appealing to the eye and there’s no age statement on the bottle. Age statements are a way of selling to an uneducated market because people think that older and more expensive is better. It can be, sometimes, but it isn’t necessarily so. When I sell Monkey Shoulder at a bar, it’s about quick education. If it’s for someone who’s completely brand new to the idea of drinking scotch whisky then I’d probably have to work out if it’s a cocktail to use to introduce it with or a Monkey Shoulder and ginger.”

“My favourite cocktail to ease anyone into the category is The Penicillin, specifically in Southeast Asia because it has a little bit of spice to it. The Penicillin has freshly juiced ginger syrup so it has got that spiciness. It’s basically a whisky sour with ginger syrup, honey, and a touch of smoky whisky on top, and it just works really well. It’s a modern classic in terms of..it was only created 4 or 5 years ago but the world knows about it because they just love it. So that’s the easiest way for me to get people into it because I know that it’s going to be a hit straightaway,” he added.

Of course, this is coming from the same guy who spent hours after our chat whipping up cocktail after cocktail in a frenzy from behind The Locker & Loft bar to a cozy crowd of enthusiastic Malaysian drinkers. Alternating between his 3 signature cocktails – Frisco Fizz, Zhivago, Old Fashioned Nutcase – without skipping a beat, Jay most definitely kept the buzz going, culminating in an informal but fun night out with Monkey Shoulder.

Finally, Jay shared his thoughts on what he thinks makes a good bartender: “Heavy focus on what the aim of the game is, which is hospitality. It doesn’t matter if your dog just passed away, your girlfriend just broke up with you, or whatever that has happened. When you come in to work, you’re there to serve, present, and entertain. A great bartender doesn’t necessarily have to know every classic cocktail under the sun, that kind of stuff you can learn in your own time. It’s about being hospitable, providing really great service, adding little touches, and having the ability to make people feel special from the moment they walk through the door.”

Monkey Shoulder is bottled at 40% ABV and priced on average of RM280 per bottle.

It is available at major hypermarkets and selected cocktail specialty bars such as Omakase + Appreciate, Souled Out, W.I.P, HYDE at 53M, Healy Mac’s Irish Bar & Restaurant, Splash.

For more information, visit Monkey Shoulder’s official website.


Isla Fisher & How She Could’ve Died Filming “Now You See Me”

In “Now You See Me”, actress Isla Fisher plays a glamorous escapologist named, “Henley” (a female Houdini), which starts with dramatic shots of her freeing herself from shackles while submerged in a tank of water. The scene also demanded she bang desperately on the glass walls to give the impression of being in distress.

The 37-year-old recently revealed that when her chains became entangled, she started to panic for real. Isla said she was unable to reach a safety “kill switch” button that would’ve drained the thousands of gallons of water in 70 seconds, while a safety diver with a canister of oxygen was too far away to reach her. Keep in mind that she was submerged for two-and-a-half minutes before trouble hit!

They had a guy who was off camera, but he was a long way away with a can of oxygen. By the time I realized I couldn’t get up and beckoned for him, I realized that I had run out of air. Luckily, I managed to get free and stay level-headed and got out before it went even more horribly wrong.

She also said that in her moment of panic she thought, “Not in a swimming costume. No one wants to go in a swimming costume”. Oh, Isla. Still funny at a time like that! You’re a brave one.

And in case you haven’t seen it, here’s the trailer for “Now You See Me”:

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Contest: Win Tickets To Watch Le French Film Festival 2022 Movies In KL

Calling all festival enthusiasts and movie buffs, Le French Film Festival is back and we want you (YES, YOU!) to experience it in person this year. The Le French Film Festival 2022 promises to immerse all 5 of your senses via award-winning French films, mouth-watering gastronomy, enriching culture and more.

As mentioned in our previous article, the Le French Film Festival 2022 will be visiting cities, starting with Kuala Lumpur, before moving to Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu. Thanks to the good people from the company, we’re selecting 30 winners to check out the French films on the big screen.

Take note of the cities and dates below:

A post shared by Le French Festival Malaysia (@lefrenchfestival_my)