#LeeHyoRi: Is The Sexy K-Pop Singer Making A Comeback?

Heads up, K-Pop fans! Word on the street is that Lee Hyori (이효리) is preparing for her comeback next year.

According to Sports Chosun, a source revealed that the sexy singer recently met up with composer cum producer Kim Hyung Seok, who is also the CEO of Kiwi Media.

A representative from Kiwi Media replied to the reports, saying, “Kim Hyung Seok PD and Lee Hyori have known each other for a long time through collaborating on music together. It’s true that they recently had a discussion about creating music. However, there were no discussions on concrete plans for a comeback or exclusive contracts”.

In October 2015, the Korean diva announced that she will take a 2-year hiatus as she wants to prioritise on other activities such as charities. This means that 2017 is the end of her hiatus and many fans are hoping to see her active as a singer again.

It was also reported that the “U Go Girl” singer will be featuring in veteran singer Uhm Jung Hwa’s new album. “Lee Hyori doesn’t feature in other people’s tracks often and she has been on hiatus from entertainment activities for a long time, but the two of them have a good relationship,” said the source.

Do you think Lee Hyori will be making a comeback next year? What kind of music do you think she’ll produce? Let us know in the comments below :)


#ZaynMalik: Former 1D Singer Releases New Music Video For “BeFoUr”

On his 1 year anniversary since leaving One Direction, Zayn Malik dropped his anticipated debut solo album, “Mind of Mine”.

Just as quickly as his debut album charted at #1 in more than 70 countries, Malik also treated fans with a new music video, “BeFoUr”, as part of his new promotional single on the same day.

Unlike his previous music videos, “Pillowtalk” and “It’s You”, which featured glamour, sensuality, and super sexy supermodels (Gigi Hadid and Nicola Peltz), there are no leading ladies in this one. Instead, “BeFoUr” showcases a more laid-back and relaxed side of Malik.

It’s his world after all, and we’re living in it.

The music clip opens with a shot of his album cover in mural form followed by Malik driving around on a rainy day with his pals. The focus of the video is on youth culture, splitting scenes between Malik hanging out with his peers, working out at a boxing gym, chatting at a pool hall, dancing in the street, and visiting other urban locales.

This time around, the 23-year-old singer rarely looks directly into the camera and never mouths the lyrics to his song. The simple video feels like we’re getting a glimpse into Malik’s life. Perhaps this is a visual representation of the English native before he became an international teenage heartthrob.

“It wasn’t like, ‘I’m still Jenny from the block’. It was more like, this is what I used to do. Go down the chip shop, hang out with my boys in the car park,” Malik told NME magazine about the music video before clarifying that “we never set fire to cars”.

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#PT3: Condom Question In Alleged Trial Paper Raises Issue Of Sex Education In M’sia

A question in an alleged PT3 Science trial paper has raised the ire of netizens.

Although the question itself was problematic, what enraged netizens was the teacher who marked the question wrong. This is despite the question being opinion-based and the answer being morally correct.

The question asked in the exam was, “The selling of condoms openly in shop has a negative impact which will create a social problem in the society. Do you agree? Give your explanation.” To which, the student answered, “No, because condoms are a step for birth control which is needed to prevent pregnancy.”

Originally shared by sex educator and local writer June Low, who was puzzled as to why the answer was wrong, the post has amassed more than 220 shares as of time of writing.

When contacted, Low, who is the creator and host for Popek Popek, Malaysia’s first sex education web-series, told us:

“I think it got so much attention because many Malaysians are increasingly aware and concerned over what goes on in government schools. If we want to talk about social problems, Malaysia is facing epidemic levels of teen pregnancy and baby dumping, and the most important part is that this is not a secret. So I think that’s why many people are outraged that the answer given was marked as incorrect, when all things considered, it is in fact the most logical conclusion anyone can draw.”

Netizens echoed their sentiments, with Facebook user Koh Kek Hoe commenting, “What’s the bigger “social problem” – when people have sex or when they have unwanted babies?”

Others also left comments condemning the teacher’s action and criticizing Malaysia’s education system. For one, Velu Naicker, who shared the post, said, “The correct answer is apparently abstinence. See, the question specifically asked the students’ opinion. As long as there is an opinion, then marks should be given. Are you teaching Science or Moral? Unfortunately, opinion is only valid if the student had gave the official opinion.”

While the question brought to attention the flaw of Malaysia’s education system, it also points to the lack of sex education in the country, which, inevitably, leads to social issues such as teen pregnancies and baby dumpings. Also, due to the conservative nature of Malaysians, sex education is seen as a taboo issue.

Datuk Dr Raj Karim, the former director-general of the National Population and Family Development Board, also told The Star Online, “We always say that we have to teach sex education or family life education in school and for children to remain safe and have a healthy lifestyle. It doesn’t mean when you teach them about family planning, you’re asking them to practise it there and then.”

Deputy Education Minister Chong Sin Woon also stated that investigations are underway. He continued, “Something is wrong somewhere as condoms are used to prevent pregnancies.”

“We need comprehensive sex education in schools, and free access to contraception. You always read about people saying condoms encourage pre-marital sex and so we should curb condom education and also the usage of condoms. This is really ignorant and dangerous, especially when you consider that the highest number of HIV positive people in this country are housewives. We need more open discussion on contraceptive options especially condoms which are easily available and can prevent STIs and pregnancy!”

Sources: June Low’s Facebook, The Star Online.


Fantastic Beasts 2: 8 Fun Facts About The Origins Of Claudia Kim’s Nagini

If you’re a Potterhead, then you’re probably stoked to find out Nagini’s origins will be explored in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”.

Played by Claudia Kim, the news was met with controversy when some accused casting of being “racist”. That aside, most of us were captivated by the fact that the snake girl in the sequel’s trailer was in fact Nagini. So how did she and Voldemort meet? How did their relationship progress?

J.K. Rowling has once again managed to connect “Fantastic Beasts” to “Harry Potter” by including yet another crucial character. It has always been difficult to place Nagini in Voldemort’s life. She’s one of the characters that lacks a backstory, so it’s nice that fans are getting a chance to witness it on the big screen. Let’s explore some theories based on Harry Potter Folklore:

The author herself tweeted that she’s been holding on to this Nagini secret for 20 years. By now, you should know that Nagini is a Maledictus, which is a blood curse that only affects females. According to sources, “Mal” is a prefix of Latin origin meaning “bad”, “wrongful”, or “ill”. “Dictus” in Latin means “spoken”. Together, they could mean “ill spoken”.

The name Nagini is originated from several cultures. Looking at Wikipedia, Nagini is a “female counterpart for a class of entity or being that takes the form of a very large snake… sometimes seen with a partly human form”. So Rowling knew all along what Nagini was.

The Naga are snake-like mythical creatures of Indonesian mythology, hence the name ‘Nagini.’ They are sometimes depicted as winged, sometimes as half-human, half-snake. Indonesia comprises a few hundred ethnic groups, including Javanese, Chinese and Betawi. Have a lovely day 🐍

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) September 26, 2018

When it comes to the character’s transformation, some may bring up a werewolf’s change and that of an Animagus (a witch or wizard who can morph him or herself into an animal at will). One has no control of their change while the other doesn’t. Yet Nagini is supposed to be condemned by this curse – which is to be eventually transformed into a snake for eternity. But until then, she can opt between her human form and snake form.

At what point does her blood curse consumed her? It seems that the affliction takes place at a later age in life. Taking that into consideration, it is unlikely we’ll see Nagini transformed permanently in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”. They’ll probably save it for the next film or the one after.

Some fans believe that there’s a limitation to the amount of Nagini’s transformation. So why would she continue to transform knowing she’ll be stuck that way? There are several reasons to consider.

Eternity. It’s safe to assume that Nagini is her 20s in the upcoming movie. Judging by her death in 1998 while subtracting the timeline of Grindelwald (which was in 1926) – Nagini was approximately 92 years old (72 years difference + 20) when she was killed during the battle of Hogwarts.

The average age of a viper is 20 years. So that’s 70+ years passed the age of a snake’s lifespan. This would support the notion that a Maledictus becomes immortal after being trapped in an animal’s body forever. This also probably results in Nagini’s change of heart.

It is believed that Nagini is against Grindelwald rather then with him. She’s a good character with a good heart but falls into darkness after being stuck in an animal’s body that she wasn’t born with and doesn’t belong in.

Can you imagine growing up as human with the privileges that comes with it, only to become a reptile? You loose the ability to run and communicate. Your source of food is now other animals while having a human mindset. Anyone in Nagini’s unfortunate position would clearly go insane. Not having anyone to talk is also a hard blow, as parseltongue is incredibly rare.

Grindelwald falls in 1945 just as Tom Riddle graduates with his evil plans for world domination. Tom is a parselmouth and has a strong connection to snakes. It has always been this way since he was a boy. He’s been drawn to them, and them to him.

Imagine Nagini’s surprise when she comes across a boy who can hear her speak. Now where would the duo could have met one another? Harry Potter Folklore suggests that it could had happened at a certain cave during a field trip. According to the books, young Tom scared Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop (fellow orphanage children) beyond belief to the point where they never spoke a word of it again. Did Tom asked Nagini to scare both Amy and Dennis?

A post shared by 수현 • Claudia Kim Shampine (@claudiashkim)

Harry Potter Folklore also believes that Tom and Nagini meet again in the forest of Albania when Tom went to locate the lost diadem. Perhaps now that he is older and wiser, Tom felt that he may have use of Nagini down the road. Seduced by his charm and need for companionship, Nagini might have pledge her loyalty to Tom right there and then. Given their long history together, Nagini is perhaps the only being that Voldemort came close to caring about.

It wouldn’t come as a surprise that Nagini might have allowed Voldemort to take control of her several times. Nagini became Voldemort’s one true friend, the only being the Dark Lord could trust without question, the only one would never betray him. He turned her into a freaking Horcrux, and that says it all.

As aforementioned, the racist controversy made quite a splash. Here’s what the 33-year-old South Korean actress had to say about an Asian woman playing a “slave” to Voldemort:

“It was unexpected. When I found out that I’m playing Nagini, I thought it was meaningful because it’s an important character in the ‘Harry Potter’ series. Harry Potter’ is a franchise film with many Caucasian actors, so I thought many Korean viewers would be happy,” she told AllKpop.

Kim continued, “I’m looking forward to viewers being satisfied and the controversy fading away once the film premieres. I don’t perceive such controversy solely in a negative way. I believe changes can be made by giving attention to an Asian’s promotions (like this) and through the people that look into such issues.”

“I think Nagini should’ve been played by an Asian. Scriptwriter JK Rowling probably searched for an Asian actress because she researched the origin of Nagini. I’m not sure if it’s just my pride, but I think I was able to bring out a different vibe as a Korean in Hollywood where there are many Korean Americans,” quipped Kim.

She added, “I was a fan who believed in (J.K.) Rowling. She’s always shown that she’s interested in the marginalised. Since this is just the beginning of Nagini’s story, I think there will be more stories that will help forget these kinds of controversies.”

“When I first learned about Nagini, I thought that (J.K. Rowling) was the queen of plot twists. There’s a lot of depth to each of the characters. I thought that that’s what fans loved so much. There are a lot of people who think Nagini is a pet snake. But as I read the books, I thought she was a powerful medium because she’s an animal who houses a part of Voldemort’s soul.”

Sources: Harry Potter Folklore, Next Shark.

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Netizens Criticise Touch ‘n Go eWallet’s New GOpinjam Loan Scheme

A lot of people struggle financially nowadays especially after being affected by the Covid-19 pandemic for the past 2 years. Some used up what’s left of their savings while others chose to apply for loans.

Recently, Touch ‘n Go eWallet introduced their latest digital loan scheme known as GOpinjam. The new product’s goal is to educate first-time borrowers on debt management while also assisting Malaysians in obtaining appropriate finance. But the launch of GOpinjam is met with criticism from the public.

A post shared by Touch ‘n Go eWallet (@touchngoewallet)

Here’s a bit of info on the new product’s function. GOpinjam provides personal loans from as low as RM100 to as high as RM10,000. Customers can choose from a repayment period of one week to one year, with an interest rate ranging from 8% to 36% based on the loan amount and repayment period.

Netizens aren’t too happy with this scheme. It was the high interest rates that got everyone riled up and questioning this new initiative. Netizens took to social media to express their dissatisfaction regarding the new loan scheme and the interest rates saying that it’s unnecessary.

Some netizens compared the GOpinjam interest rates to be way higher than that of PTPTN’s which only has a 1% interest rate. Many say that GOpinjam is too dangerous for those who struggles financially and warned others to not fall for this loan trap.

Despite Touch ‘n Go eWallet’s intention to help those in the B40 category and below, many questioned how GOpinjam will actually help them get back on track if they’re still struggling financially and can’t afford the repayment. Netizens are even asking why loans are normalised and encouraged by the Government instead of solving the high living cost in Malaysia.

So far there has been no official statement by Touch ‘n Go eWallet responding to people’s concerns. For more information regarding the GOpinjam scheme, you can access it directly from the Touch ‘n Go eWallet app which you can download on Google Play Store and Apple App Store.


Whoopi Goldberg Confirms “Sister Act 3” Is In The Works

Whoopi Goldberg virtually joined “The Late Late Show with James Corden” on Tuesday (6th October) to reveal some very exciting news!

During the endearingly candid chat with James, the award-winning actress stated that the “Sister Act 3” is currently in the works.  Much to our excitement, Whoopi confirmed that they’re trying to “figure out how to get the gang together and come back.”

If you love great comedy, captivating musicals and talented actors, then you already know that “Sister Act” is one of the greatest movies to have ever been made.

While there’s already the sequel “Sister Act 2”, fans have been eagerly waiting for a “Sister Act 3”. Among these fans is none other than talk shows James Corden himself, who curiously asked Whoopi if we can see the nun’s legendary storyline back on screen.

“For a long time, they kept saying no one wanted to see it,” explained the “Ghost” star when talking about why they haven’t made another movie. “And then quite recently, it turns out, that it may not be true. People may want to see it.”

And now here we are, Whoopi and the Sister Act gang know we want another movie – and, they’re doing it! Hallelujah.

Watch the full interview with Whoopi and James here:


Rootz Club Hall Of Fame Presents “The Best Of A$AP ROCKY”

Rootz Club Kuala Lumpur presents Hall of Month — a  monthly party series that pays tribute to the biggest names at the moment in music. Every month, Rootz Club Kuala Lumpur will pay all their attention to one legendary artist and definite Hall of Famer. This month, DJ CZA, T-Bone and MC Frank Loco will be playing some of A$AP ROCKY’s best productions, edits and remixes throughout one epic night revelry.

Happening on Friday, at Rootz Club Kuala Lumpur, the event details are as follows:

Cover charge: RM50 for both men and women (Inclusive of 1 drink)

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

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G.I.Joe: Retaliation, Deploy The Heroes!

“G.I. Joe: Retaliation” (also known as “G.I. Joe 2” or “G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation”) is an upcoming 2013 American science fiction action film directed by Jon M. Chu. Based on Hasbro’s G.I. Joe toy, comic and media franchises, it is a sequel to 2009’s “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”.

The film was written by Zombieland writers, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick and it features an ensemble cast – Bruce Willis and Dwayne Johnson, with Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, and Lee Byung-hun reprising their roles from the first film.

“G.I.Joe: Retaliation” centers around the G.I. Joes currently fighting not only their mortal enemy Cobra; they are forced to contend with threats from within the government. After the G.I. Joes are framed as traitors by Zartan, who is still impersonating the President of the United States, the Cobra Commander now has all the world leaders under Cobra’s control, with their advanced warheads aimed at innocent populaces around the world.

Outnumbered and out gunned, the Joes form a plan with the original G.I. Joe General Joseph Colton to overthrow the Cobra Commander and his allies Zartan, Storm Shadow and Firefly:

[youtube id=”4TPPWVoXBUk” width=”600″ height=”350″]

The movie will be released in a cinema near you on 28th March 2013 (Thursday).

For more information, visit their official website.


Twice In Tears At Malaysian Airport After Cancellation Of KL Concert

Legions of Onces came out in numbers to bid Twice (트와이스) goodbye following the cancellation of their “TWICELAND ZONE 2: Fantasy Park”.

The concert, which was supposed to take place tonight (Saturday, 28th July) at Malawati Indoor Stadium, Shah Alam, was abruptly called off by JYP Entertainment. The label cited “safety issues” as the main reason but did not elaborate.

China Press reported that the authorities “found out the stage base was tilted after setting up and it’s due to the stage prop and LED too heavy so they cancelled it as safety is most important“.

Knowing that their idols were flying off today, Ones showed up at the Malaysian airport hours before Twice arrived. Clearly touched by the fandom’s dedication, Sana and Dahyun were in tears. Mina also bowed in appreciation. Beside them, Nayeon was seen holding out a pink paper with a slogan specially for the fans.

Several fans also pointed out on social media that the entire group from Twice decided to pay tribute to their Malaysian fans with a simple gesture by wrapping batik cloths around their body. “It’s kinda like a symbol, how they embraced Malaysian culture even if just a part of it in the short amount of time that they were there,” @MlNACHAEYU commented.

Sana also took to the group’s Instagram to personally apologies and send out her sympathies to Onces who have invested their time and money by flying into Malaysia. She admitted that Twice was slightly embarrassed by this mishap but hope to return to our local shores again and perform for fans. Her post was accompanied by a cute selfie snap.

TWICE stayed around the area for a good 1 minute+ to bid farewell 😭

Sana and Dahyun cried and Mina bowed to us. Nayeon gotten the slogan as well

All the ONCE shouted "사랑해" too 😌#TWICELANDinMY #TwicelandinKL pic.twitter.com/vDIZBfhnat

Twice waving us goodbye while wearing kain batik 😭😭We’re crying together.. THIS IS SO HEARTBREAKING 💔💔 Never in my fangirl life i cried seeing idols but today… 😭😭😭 #TWICELANDinMY pic.twitter.com/BfOOnewvoK

— Sheila 쉴라 (@sheilabcdefghi) July 28, 2018

i cant believe i cried infront of twice because i saw sana and dahyun crying. that showed that twice really wanted to perform for us but due to safety reasons, they couldnt & they also kept apologising. 😔😔 my heart 💔 #TWICELANDinKL #ONCELOVETWICE @JYPETWICE pic.twitter.com/ZUw6cClZoy

Both IME Malaysia and Twice themselves have assured fans of their return. As for the time and place – that is still up in the air.

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#AskForTheBil: Meet Bil Musa, The Music Talent Recruited By Yuna’s Label

Bil Musa (real name, Nabilah Musa) has always loved writing and composing music but never dreamt of becoming a singer herself. This all changes when she attended the wedding of one of her friends and was approached by a music label that changes the course of her life.

The label is none other than the brainchild of Malaysian pride Yuna which she started 10 years ago together with her friend, manager and partner, Wawa. The music label Yuna Room Records, approached Bil Musa in 2014 with a deal after hearing her singing at a wedding and reviewing some of her self-written songs.

Under Yuna’s guidance, Bil has been performing at various events and festivals like Urbanscapes, Laneway Festival, Festival Belia, Rock The World, Iskarnival and more. She released her self-titled EP in 2015 and an album called “Young Adults” in 2017.

Bil sings and writes songs in both English and Malay, and she also knows a little bit of French as she previously collaborated with indie band, Enterprise to write a part English – part French song.

Most of her songs has a dreamy feel to it with hints of R&B, pop and alternative rock, while her lyrics hit pretty close to home as her music is influenced by real life events.

Bil is part of the upcoming Urbanscapes festival’s lineup together with breakout R&B star Khalid, Grammy-nominated British rock quartet Wolf Alice, Brooklyn punk band Bodega, Korean rock trio Se So Neon, Thai crooner Phum Viphurit, and fellow Malaysian indie artist Midnight Fusic.

Urbanscapes 2018 will be happening from 3rd to 18th November. But before you let Bil Musa enchant you with her bewitching tunes, get to know her first through our exclusive interview!

How do you feel performing at Urbanscapes?

I’m very excited because I just love performing at festivals in general. I’ve always been a fan of Urbanscapes, so it’s great to finally have my own set in it.

Who are you most excited to meet at Urbanscapes?

No doubt, I’m excited to see Khalid because who isn’t? I’m also excited to see Phum Viphurit and Midnight Fusic.

How has your music career been for you so far?

It’s been very exciting. As with anything else, there are ups and there are downs. I’ve had so much fun, though. Every bad experience is a lesson to learn and I’ve met so many great and inspiring people. This past year has especially been great for me, having just released my full length album just before the start of 2018, so many opportunities have been given to me and I’ve taken them, aiming to do better and better with each opportunity that comes my way.

Do you enjoy singing / writing Malay or English song more?

I actually don’t have a preference. I write what I feel or think. So, if I’m thinking in English, I’ll write in English. The same goes for Malay.

When it comes to writing songs, writing in English and Malay are both easy for me. It comes naturally. When I write songs in Malay, I feel that I write more “poetically”. My vocabulary is definitely bigger in the English language, though.

Where do learn French and how good are you at it?

I took a gap year after my SPM, before I went to college. That’s when I took intensive French lessons at Alliance Francaise in Jalan Gurney. I went for classes, took exams until about what would be considered secondary school level of the French language. I lived, breathed and ate French culture. Now, my French is very rusty. My skills would probably only get me far in a conversation with a Frenchman in a short elevator ride.

You have released several French songs, do you plan to break into the French market?

Right now, I just want to focus on English and Malay because that’s what I’m fluent in. If an opportunity comes up in the French market, though, of course I would work at improving my French language skills.

Is this the music direction you will be going, or are you open to experience different genre and style as well?

I think this is a good start in the right direction. However, I do want to work on having a very distinct style, maybe mesh other genres with the ones I’ve already experimented with. A good benchmark would be to have people recognise me through a very unique sound.

Are there any different genre that you would like to explore?

I would like to explore more of R&B. I grew up with that in the 90s. I grew up with rock music too, but I don’t think my voice is suitable for that genre. When it comes to hip hop, I myself am not interested in rapping but I am definitely considering collaborations and features.

Yeah, definitely. I try to surround myself with people in the industry whom I respect, hoping that all the things I love about them will rub off on me haha. One of the ways I do that is by following people like NJWA and Taka, just to name a couple.

So you’re related to Joe Flizzow. Have you catch up with him lately?

The last I saw him was at a show he had and I had just performed at a nearby venue. We haven’t had a proper catch up recently but I’ll always remember how he really helped me out, giving me advice on what to do, when I was first diving into the local music industry. I have great respect for him and he’ll always be “abang” to me, that’s why I really value his advice.

Do you plan to do any collaboration with him?

That’s a question you have to ask him haha. Of course I would want to but I don’t think I’m at that level in my career yet. Who knows, maybe in the future!

What are some of the songs that you are currently obsessed with?

That’s easy. Fair-Weather Friend by Bruno Major, New Light by John Mayer and Don’t Tempt Me by MiC Lowry.

What is the weirdest rumour you ever heard about yourself?

It’s not a weird rumour, it was more of a joke that I kept making that people started to think it was true. People started thinking that producer, Izzy Musa was my real brother. He was the one who produced my song ‘Leave it All’. When people asked us, we would just go along with it. It doesn’t make it any better that I call him “abang” and he calls me “adik”.

A post shared by I Z Z Y M U S A (@izzymusamusic)

What do you wish to achieve in another 5 years?

Win a Grammy. Just kidding. I mean of course I want to but I feel like that would be further down the line. I want to spread my music across Southeast Asia and ultimately break into UK Charts, play festivals around the world, collaborate with people overseas.

I just want to get into the studio and start on new singles, work on collaborations and features as well. Hopefully by the start of next year, I’ll have new music out for everyone to enjoy.

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Sophia Urista Breaks Silence After Peeing Video Went Viral

Recently, the internet was stupefied by Brass Against’s lead vocalist’s act on stage. It angered some, confused some, and even turned some people on (we don’t judge but what even)!

The singer, Sophia Urista, had let down a stream of Niagra Falls on a fan’s face during their band’s previous show in Daytona. Fans certainly got more than what they anticipated on that day.

The Brass Against band was also as flabbergasted as the public were, and apologised on an Instagram post the day after their performance. They have stated how Sophia got carried away. Not long after, Sophia too, released an apology through her official Instagram account.

She stated how she has “always pushed (her) limits in music and on stage“, and that night, she went too far. She mentioned how much she loves her family, band and the fans, and proceeded on to apologise for offending or hurting anyone because she didn’t mean it. She ended the apology in stating that she is not a shock artist, then thanked everyone for their continuous support and love.

In the comments below the apology, fans can be seen supporting her and saying that she is a true rocker. Some even said that she didn’t need to apologise, while some respected her for taking accountability.

Having said that, it looks like this slight hiccup hasn’t slowed Sophia one bit as she is already schedule to perform at another venue next week. For those who are still harbouring ill feelings towards her, she said, “If you’re not over the incident yet, feel free to use my comment section to take a piss.”


#TreatYoSelf: The 8 Most Underrated Korean Restaurants In Klang Valley

“Hallyu” (Korean wave) may have won over many hearts in the past few years but the best way to win a Malaysian’s heart is through their stomach! That’s right, Korean culture has not only conquered our entertainment industry, it also made its way to dominate our taste buds.

K-food franchises like KyoChon Chicken and Daorae are currently the hottest go-to places for those who crave Korean food but little do they know that there are so many other places that are worth trying! Luckily for you, we’ve done the legwork and have come up with a list of the 8 most underrated Korean restaurants in Klang Valley to spoil you with choices:

Named after a popular historical chef, Dae Jang Geum serves very authentic Korean food and is located at the heart of Taipan, USJ. The restaurant provides an extensive selection of marinated meat and if you are up to try something new, the ox tongue is definitely a must-order. They also serve many of our Korean favourites such as bibimbap (Korean style mixed rice) and sundubu jjigae (tofu seafood stew).

The restaurant is usually packed on Friday nights and weekends, so try to make reservations before you plan to get your fill of some K-goodness.

Dae Jang Geum is located at 15-G, Jalan Usj 10/1F, Subang Jaya 47620, Malaysia.

If you are not too keen on eating Korean BBQ, you should definitely try the Dakgalbi from Asa Dakgalbi. It is a popular Korean dish made by stir-frying marinated chicken in a gochujang (chili pepper paste) based sauce on a hot plate. It is usually cooked together with sliced cabbage, sweet potato, scallions, onions, and tteok (rice cake). They also serve Korean-style fried chicken and other dishes like pajeon (Korean pancake).

The restaurant has a lively environment and an awesome view facing Oasis Square’s water fountain. Great for some soju after work with some friends, eh?

Asa Dakgalbi is located at R-08 Ground Floor, Oasis Square, No. 2, Jalan PJU 1A/7A, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia.

For more information, visit Asa Dakgalbi’s Facebook page.

Literally translated as “fire stove love”, Huo Lu Ai is a hidden gem situated at Setiawalk, Puchong. The interior of the restaurant is very similar to the BBQ joints in South Korea and they even have the stools where you can keep your bags / jackets under the cushion to prevent it smelling like BBQ!

Huo Lu Ai offers affordable BBQ sets that come with a bowl of kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew). You should also try their soju cocktails, which is not something commonly served in other Korean restaurants around Klang Valley.

Huo Lu Ai is located at D3A, Ground Floor, Block D, Setia Walk Persiaran Wawasan, Puchong, 47100 Selangor.

For more information, visit Huo Lu Ai’s Facebook page.

Wow Chicken is a humble joint decorated with many vibrant and colourful pop art paintings that will make you feel like you are at a diner in Hongdae. Managed by a Korean couple, this place serves up a variety of fried chicken, but their must-tries are the deep fried chicken breast with green onions and the fried chicken covered in spicy sauce. If you can’t make a decision, savour both of their signatures by ordering the “ban-ban” (means half-half)!

All their chicken will be made fresh, so please allow about 30 minutes waiting time after you place your order. Now, doesn’t “chi-mek” (chicken and beer combination) sound like the ideal Friday night plan? :)

Note: They offer delivery service around Mont Kiara till 2am!

Wow Chicken is located at 66-1, Jalan 27/70a, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480, Kuala Lumpur.

Located in the “Korean Hub” of Klang Valley, San Mae Eul is a lively place to enjoy a good hearty Korean BBQ meal. With exposed bricks and dark woods as the main interior element, the joint gives off a rustic vibe.

Thanks to the charcoal grill, the nicely cooked meats will be infused with a unique hint of smokiness, making it more flavourful and delicious (as compared to using a normal gas grill). If you need to take a break from the protein-filled dinner, make sure to try their signature jumokbap (spicy seaweed rice balls) that is worth getting your hands dirty for ;)

Note: There are other outlets located in different parts of Klang Valley as well.

San Mae Eul is located at No1, GF 1-1,1-2,1-3,Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, visit San Mae Eul’s Facebook page.

Jung Won Korean BBQ Restaurant is housed in a lovely bungalow with sprawling landscaped grounds all around. The quaint setting is complete with a “koi” pond with a water wheel, swings, and long wooden pavilions. Diners can either sit at the few outdoor tables or sit cross-legged on the wooden floor.

The chefs use Korean spices and blended pears in the marinade, giving the meats a subtle sweetness. Their must-order items are the duck loins, lamb cutlets, and beef spare ribs.

Jung Won Korean BBQ Restaurant is located at No. 255 Jalan Ampang Hilir,Hampshire Park, 50450 Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, visit Jung Won Korean BBQ’s Restaurant’s Facebook page.

Seoul Garden in Kuchai Lama is the kind of place where families gather for some homely Korean food. The restaurant has a huge variety of choices that will certainly satisfy your cravings. If you have not tried Korean food before, the menu offers reasonably priced meal sets that come with 12 different kinds of complimentary side dishes!

If you don’t like the smell of BBQ lingering on your shirt, you can even request for the waiter to grill your meat for you before serving it on you table.

Seoul Garden is located at Jalan Kuchai Maju 7, Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, 58200 Kuala Lumpur.

Pyongyang Koryo is the only one on the list that specialises North Korean cuisine. The restaurant offers a wide selection of cold noodles, rice dishes, stews, and hot pots. On top of that, you can grill your own meat here with their built-in tabletop grills. Some of the must-order items include the seafood hot pot and samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup).

Not only that all the servers in Pyongyang Koryo are dressed in traditional costumes, they also have North Korean traditional folk song and dance performances starting at 8:30pm every night.

Pyongyang Koryo is located at No. 1 & 3, Jalan Kamuning, Off Jalan Imbi, Bukit Bintang, 55100, Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, visit Pyongyang Koryo’s official website.

What are you waiting for? Gather your friends and family to try one of these Korean restaurants today! If you know of any Korean restaurants that you think the world should know about, leave us a comment and we’ll add them to the list too! ;)

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Hype’s Now Playing: Kurt Schneider & Jayesslee – Wildest Dreams (Taylor Swift Cover)

We can’t say enough how much we love one take music videos. Oh, you know, those music videos that consist of action, continuous in time and space, from the perspective of a single camera. And more often than not done in a single long take.

You may or may not already know that we’re huge fans of Taylor Swift (but of course), as well as American YouTube star Kurt Schneider and talented Australian twin sensation Jayesslee. So when we found out that Kurt and Jayesslee recently worked together to produce a “Wildest Dreams” collaboration, we just about screamed the house down.

What more, it came with a one take music video which was, although nothing like the Taylor Swift version, still incredibly impressive.

According to Kurt, the “Wildest Dreams” music video that he did with the beautiful Korean twins were shot inside a hotel room in Australia. That’s right. The entire thing, in a hotel room. In one take. We don’t even know how but we’re not going to question it because we’re busy picking our jaws off the floor.

For more information on Kurt Schneider, visit his Facebook page. You may also stalk Jayesslee via their Facebook page or Instagram account, if you like ;)


Bung Moktar’s Apology: LONG LIVE BUNG

Brazil in the FIFA World cup 2014, MP Bung Moktar Radin is finally apologising.

The offensive tweet, praising Adolf Hitler (who was responsible for the death of millions of Jews) caused an international stir and made international headlines via the BBC, Time, and The Washington Post, among other news outlets. A few hours ago, Bung Moktar tweeted:

When Germany whacked Brazil, I unintentionally said something that hurt d feeling of d ppl in Germany.MY SINCEREST APPOLOGY.LONG LIVE BUNG..

A few minutes later, PM Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak responded to the controversy and made three posts on Twitter saying:

The comments made by Datuk Bung Moktar are unacceptable and wrong, and he will withdraw them. He does not speak for Malaysia, or for ordinary Malaysians, who understand Europe’s tragic past, and respect its modern unity. This should be a time of celebration for Germany, and we wish them all the best in the final.

Here’s the thing though. A few minutes ago, Bung Moktar tweeted:

It’s no wonder that sites like this one assume that he was being forced to apologised. Oh dear. We have no word. What do you guys think?


#TreatYoSelf: Escape From Reality In These Unique Containers

Originally used as a form of transportation, shipping containers have evolved into restaurants and hotels, popping up across the country in recent years.

While these steel boxes aren’t necessary ideal to make great houses, they can be utilised for many cool commercial purposes. As such, these containers have been modernised and infused with functional elements to create a unique experience for urbanites.

So whether you’re looking for somewhere cost-effective for a quick getaway or maybe someplace unique to hangout and catch up with your friends on a weekend, here are several container cafes and container hotels that might pique your interest.

Believed to be Klang Valley’s first container café, Chaiwalla was originally launched in Johor Bahru in 2013 before making its way to The Curve. Founder Mr Nazrul Hakim Putra was a sailor for 13 years before he decided to venture into this business of selling “honest tea”.

Chaiwalla serves up the standard coffee but seem to specialise in cold beverages such as their signature drink, the Thai Milk Tea. Pastries and brownies are available on its menu too if you’re deciding to have some food.

Note: Chaiwalla & Co’s original outlet is located at Tan Hiok Nee Street, Johor Bahru.

Although the food and beverages at Bxie Blonde are so-so at best, the 2-level shipping container café uses its cutesy charm (notice the eye-catching yellow sculpture with wings?) and photogenic atmosphere to lure the hip urban youngsters over for some Instagram-worthy moments. Besides, who wouldn’t want to experience the novelty of eating inside a refurbished container at least once?

The Garage KL, or Gaffe and Co, is situated at Jalan Hillview (beside the intersection of DUKE and MMR2 highways). This container street market houses several F&B outlets that are affordable and delicious, boutiques offering a variety of apparel, and a barbershop. Additionally, Star Wars memorabilia, vintage trinkets, as well as automobile detailing are also available here. Besides providing ample of free open parking spaces, it helps that this place is also a Pokestop.

Looking for a place to “dine, chill, and swag”? The Port reminds us of a large food court thanks to its extensive selection of Asian Fusion, burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, seafood, Italian, Middle Eastern, and Thai cuisines. The open and airy container themed setting is the perfect space to host your everyday mamak sessions until the wee hours. If you’re interested, there are also small aisles provided with shisha stands.

Since making its debut in October 2014, Le Gardenz Café has flourished thanks to the word of mouth from its customers. The container-built café cum restaurant offers various dining sections. Upon entering, you’ll feel as if you are walking into someone’s garden as the compound is filled with flowers, shrubs, and lots of greenery. The hipster outpost also has a red London bus replica and an open-air deck that gives you the full view of the surrounding vista. Recommended dishes include chicken skewers, seafood pizza, and pasta dishes.

Located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s city centre, the eco-friendly Container Hotel takes inspiration from the Japanese concept of “Kyosho Jutaku” – which translates to living large on a tiny footprint. The stylish container rooms come in 2 sizes –   Container Deluxe Room and Container Suite. The strategic location allows guests easy access to several main tourist attractions including Pavilion Shopping Mall, Berjaya Times Square, and Sungei Wang Plaza.

Note: Container Hotel also has other branches in Ipoh as well as Penang.

With the introduction of Capsule by Container Hotel in 2014 at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA 2), transit passengers have been taking advantage of the minimalist accommodation to grab a few hours of rest comfortably. The CapSpace is where containers are divided up into smaller capsule spaces – there’s the male section, female section, and mixed section. Patrons can opt to stay up to 6 hours (cost RM80), 9 hours (cost RM100), or 12 hours (cost RM110) per day.

Looking to spend some time close to nature yet still nearby the city? The Kabin (the Malay word for cabin) is a unique family-run boutique resort located at Remis Beach in Kuala Selangor. The venue has a total of 17 furnished containers and can house up to 78 adults. To pass time, there is a 50ft swimming pool, a games room in a tree house, karaoke, kayaks, bicycles, and barbecues. Visitors can also purchase fresh seafood at the wet market situated by the beach.

If you’re traveling to Johor, you can experience living in a container hotel by making your way to Taman Desa Tebrau. Container Gardenstay is situated right next to Bangkok Village, the famous Thai food restaurant (we’ve heard good reviews about their green curry!). This place is also remotely near to several hotspots such as Aeon, Tesco, Johor Jaya, and Kota Tinggi Waterfalls.

Swimming pool? Check. Golf course? Check. Breathtaking panoramic view? Check. The Sekinchan Container Hotel, or Farm Ville Café and Homestay, at Site B, Sekinchan is a countryside hotel that is uniquely designed with stacks of bright red containers overlooking a beautiful landscape of the paddy fields. It’s a great place for those who are on a budget.

Oh, and do request for rooms that faces the sunrise. The view is spectacular!

Sources: KL Now, Discover KL, Kaki Sini, Hungry Go Where, Yelp.

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#AntMan2: Will Sharon Stone Be Playing The Original Wasp?

Here’s an interesting theory by Bob Chipman – the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a working formula where the leading superhero or villain tend to go to lesser known actors, while guest roles and supporting parts are often taken up by established actors. Case in point: Anthony Hopkins as Odin and Jeff Goldblum’s Grandmaster in next year’s “Thor: Ragnarok“.

Another Hollywood A-lister who is set to join the MCU is actress Sharon Stone.

While details about her mysterious role in an unidentified Marvel movie remains shrouded in mystery, new clues suggest that she may be taking on the role of Janet Van Dyne, aka the original Wasp in the upcoming Ant-Man sequel, “Ant-Man & The Wasp”.

Last month, the 58-year-old actress dropped a big bombshell when she appeared on CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden. “I’m just doing a wee part in a Marvel movie, upcoming, and I can’t tell, because you know, you have to sign confidentiality agreements. But I’m going to do a wee part in a Marvel movie now. That’s it,” she told the host.

The fact that she described her role as a “wee part” could be a direct reference to the Wasp’s shrinking powers (yes, the same one as Ant Man). Jane Fonda and Alfre Woodard from AARP also very recently revealed, “Stone has been cast as a superhero — she’ll only reveal that her secret power is heat — in a yet-to-be-named movie, also for Marvel.”

Screen Rant has a few theories on why it would make sense for Stone to play the original Wasp.

Firstly, the actress seems to be the right candidate to play a superhero from the 80s and be the mother of Evangeline Lilly’s Hope Van Dyne. Although Wasp doesn’t possess any heat powers per se, her ability to produce bioelectric sting blasts could very easily be labelled as such.

The fact that AARP pointed out that she’ll be playing a heroine also limits the possibilities of villain roles and human supporting characters. Factor in the announcement that “Doctor Strange” and “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” are already in production while the cast of “Thor: Ragnarok” was recently unveiled, it would make sense for Stone’s character to appear in a Marvel film that’s further down the production schedule pipeline.

Wasp did appear in last year’s “Ant-Man” during a flashback scene, without revealing her face. The movie also suggest that Janet Van Dyne may not be dead after all, but lost in a subatomic universe. If the theory plays out, Stone could be playing Janet either in the present day or as a flashback.

While we wait for more clues to unfold, the speculation continues.

“Ant-Man & The Wasp” is slated for release on 6th July 2018.

Sources: Movie Web, Screen Rant, Comic Book Resources.


Hari Raya 2022: 18 New Ads For You To Enjoy This Festive Season

For many, Hari Raya is mostly associated with open houses, its wonderful feasts, and also the nostalgic festive tunes.

Not to mention, Hari Raya will never be complete without its seasonal advertisements and short films. Similar with every festive season, various advertising creatives are thinking outside of the box to make Raya ads more special this year, after technically missing out on two back-to-back celebrations due to the Covid-19 SOPs.

We compiled a list of up to 18 heartwarming and entertaining Raya ads for you to enjoy this season. Check them out:

We hope that you’ll enjoy the list, guys, and Selamat Hari Raya from all of us at Team Hype Malaysia!

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Fans React To Influencer Siew Pui Yi’s Debut As A Singer; Can She Sing?

Siew Pui Yi, or MsPuiyi, recently made headlines after becoming the first Malaysian and first Southeast Asian to be featured on the front cover of adult magazine Penthouse.

As one of the top Malaysian Instagram influencer in the country, the 23-year-old is known for her many talents. Aside from being a sex bomb, Pui Yi is now venturing into music.

Yep, you heard it right. The model is now adding singer into her resume after debuting her single titled “Men-Mory” under Purple Fly record label. It’s described as “a perfectly produced pop track with upbeat melodies” in collaboration with Malaysia’s biggest DJ & award-winning producer Goldfish.

Here are some comments from netizens after listening to the song:

While the majority of her fans felt that it was good effort on her first attempt, some couldn’t understand why someone without singing talent would release a song. We’ll let you be the judge of that.


Contest: #Lucy Premiere Screening Winners

Thank you all for being such troopers! As promised, here is the list of the lucky winners who will be attending our LUCY screening on 20th August (Wednesday)!

Congratulations, peeps! That’s a pair of passes per winner. Of course, all of this was only possible thanks to our awesome friends from United International Pictures Malaysia.

Time: 9:15pm (Ticket redemption from 8pm onwards)

Venue: Hall 3, TGV 1 Utama, Petaling Jaya

IMPORTANT: As stated in our contest T&C, winners are required to redeem their tickets at the cinema. Please present your IC for identification purposes. Tickets are strictly non-transferable. Hype Malaysia reserves the right to refuse the collection of tickets for those who attempt to transfer it from one contest winner (in whose name it is registered) to another person.

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


#RayaniAir: “Syariah-Compliant” Airline Takes To The Skies For First Flight

Malaysia’s first “Syariah-compliant” airline, Rayani Air, has begun operations today (19th December, Saturday), with its maiden flight from klia2 to Langkawi.

According to Astro Awani, the airline was granted the Air Service License (ASL) and Air Operator’s Certificate by the DCA Director-General Datuk Seri Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, in Putrajaya on Friday (18th December).

The news outlet also quoted Rayani Air Managing Director Jaafar Zamhari as saying:

We are an airline that provides full service, just like Malaysia Airlines Berhad. We porvide 16 business class seats and 128 economy class seats.

He stressed that Rayani Air, which has now 355 employees including 8 pilots and 50 cabin crew, is not a low-cost airline nor a hybrid airline.

“All of our employees in Rayani Air are experienced workers, and have at least 5 year experience in the aviation industry,” he added.

As far as we know, Rayani Air only serves halal-certified food and beverages, and does not serve alcohol. It’s compulsory for their Muslim women cabin crew to don the hijab and for non-Muslim to dress decently. There will also be doa (prayers) recitals before the departure of each flight.

Rayani Air is currently using 2 Boeing 737-400 aircrafts, which was purchased from Neptune Air Limited. As a start, Rayani Air will serve 5 destinations – klia2, Langkawi, Kota Baru, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu.

It plans to add more aircrafts and expand its network in the Asia region by next year. The Langkawi International Airport will be its home base.

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

Sources: Astro Awani, MMO, The Star Online.

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Teenage Boy In Perak Pleads Guilty To Committing Incest With Sister

A 14-year-old boy recently pleaded guilty to committing incest with his sibling since two years ago.

The shameful act was allegedly committed with his biological sister, who is two years older than him.

The boy pleaded guilty in the Magistrate’s court in Kampar, Perak, where the plea was made before Magistrate Nur Faizah Muhamad Saleh. According to NST, the court has set 20th February for mention pending his probationary report from the Social Welfare department, while he was allowed bail of RM3,000 in one surety.

It was allegedly committed between December 2017 and May 2018 at their house. The offence is under Section 376B (1) of the Penal Code, which states “Whoever commits incest shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of not less than ten years and not more than thirty years, and shall also be liable to whipping.”

Even though it involved two individuals, there was no report regarding the sister on whether she was charged or not. When a local portal posted the news on their Facebook page, netizens took to the comment section to question why the boy was the only one being punished.


#AmplifyFM: Guinness Launches First Radio Station That Will Only Play Local Music

Malaysians have always complained about the lack of good local music, but Guinness is here to prove us wrong.

They are introducing Amplify FM, an online music radio station that will only play local music. The station is available for streaming on computers, tablets, and even phones.

Exclusive music and full albums will be played 24/7, and the best thing is, it will also be commercial-free! Popular musicians will be featured, but so will lesser-known groups and artistes, as Guinness aims to help them get more exposure.

The Malaysian bands and musicians that will be playing on the channel are as follows:

Amplify FM is part of the Guinness Amplify initiative, a music programme to support up-and-coming musicians. Apart from the radio channel, free shows featuring local acts will be held in Klang Valley, Ipoh, Penang, and Johor, starting from September. A 2-day celebration will also be held on 30th September and 1st October at Publika.

For more information or to listen to the station, visit Amplify’s website.


#IMSAsiaPacific: Paul Oakenfold Gives Us A Starry Eyed Surprise

As we’ve previously mentioned, the International Music Summit (IMS) is a 3-day electronic dance music (EDM) conference that takes place in Ibiza. Spearheaded by Pete Tong, IMS made its Asia-Pacific debut on December 11th (Wednesday) at W Singapore − Sentosa Cove.

Featuring speakers and global acts including Steve Angello, Richie Hawtin, NERVO, and Damian Lazarus, we personally felt IMS Asia-Pacific was a huge success and we are truly honoured to have been part of it. Apart from hearing what the speakers had to say during panels, we also managed to catch up with organisers JC Anh and Frank Cotella, DJ duo, Australian sensations NERVO, and the legendary Pete Tong.

Our time at IMS Asia-Pacific was made even more epic as we sat down with Paul Oakenfold, one of the founding fathers of trance before the cocktail party. Here’s what went down:

Hey Paul, how are you? What are your thoughts about IMS being held in Singapore for the first time and what do you think the response has been like?

That is a very good question. Realistically, I should ask you that question. We partners felt that it was a great opportunity for IMS to come here, to support this part of the world in terms of electronic music, to share and get the local community involved. Not just Singapore, but the whole region. Hence, the wonderful lineup which we’ve been very lucky to have. And of course, Lincoln Cheng, we all love him and believe in what Zouk has done. So really, you should give us your opinion on what you think and how you feel? Was it a good start?

I thought it was great, a really good start to be honest.

I’m going to be interviewing you instead. This is how it works (laughs). No, I mean, truthfully, joking aside, we are looking for a reaction. We are planning to do it again. We’re looking at a 2-day event next year and we need the support of the local community, the industry and we need feedback.

Personally, I thought it was great. Did you have any expectations before bringing IMS here?

Well, I’ve been to this region many times. I was very lucky to do some incredible shows in this part of the world – from playing at the Great Wall of China many years back to being one of the first to come and support Zouk. For me, it’s always been an important part of what I do. I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my radio show, it’s in Singapore, I’ve been to many different countries in this part of the world and I see the change. I think what we’re going to see..we saw happened in Europe. We nailed the sleeping giant in America most recently and I think the next nail we’re looking at is this part of the world. So timing wise, IMS here was held at perfect timing. Hopefully, we can support the likes of you guys. Let’s try and find a local superstar DJ, a local producer who can go on and be part of the world community, rather than a local DJ. That’s important, very important, because for me, I’m all about that.

Touching in on the EDM industry in general for a bit, what do you think of the current EDM scene?

Well, I think we know where it is at the current moment – it’s commercial. The world has gone EDM. I agree with what Steve Angello said earlier on actually. Maybe we should just pause, take a step back, breathe and let’s all work together because we’re all part of this. If there is a downside to the community at the moment, it is that everyone’s out for themselves so I agree with Steve’s comments. Let’s try and work together more as a community and let’s support one another. In England we have a phrase, “the pie’s big enough for everyone” and it is. I do think that..out at this part of the world, we need to support young producers, we need to be aware of the music they’re making, we need to support the DJs, the promoters, and the club owners. If we do that, we will all enjoy the fruits of what comes with working hard and being part of the community, rather than try do things on your own.

And what do you think about upcoming/new DJs who put fame before the music?

That’s exactly the problem. The lane is very busy. There’s a tremendous amount of people who are in it for the fame, the money, and all the wrong things and a lot of them can’t deejay. The change came where you could be a good producer, but not necessarily a good DJ. Technology has made it very easy to deejay. Look, a true DJ comes with anything – experience, knowledge, understanding, deejaying. Understanding arrangement, structure, key, how to tell a story with your music, how to connect – these things come over time and a lot of practice goes into becoming a great DJ, and that, we unfortunately lack at the moment. There are a lot of DJs but I don’t know how many are going to be around in 10 years time. I think, a lot of people are in it possibly, as Steve said, for the wrong reasons.

Speaking of being a true DJ, as someone who’s been in the industry for a quite some time now, can you give us an example on an artiste who has created a genre around himself?

Yes, Skrillex. I think what Skrillex has done is great. I think he’s very interesting because his background is not electronic music. But I think because he’s very talented and he understands music, he has embraced his culture, developed his sound and people followed him for his passion and really, what he does. His live performances are really good so you know, I’m a fan of what he does and how he does it. He’s definitely someone who’s going to ride the way and will be around in years to come.

Lastly, looking back at 2014, what have been some of the most significant moments for the dance music industry?

Well, every week there’s a music festival somewhere in the world − that’s something new and possibly too many music festivals. I found that I’m going to the most remote places to perform, like Turks and Caicos in the Caribbean Islands. Unique and wonderful places that I am very lucky to get an opportunity to go to. That’s how far electronic music in our community has come. You get a chance to go to these places and share your passion, your belief, and your music so for me it’s wonderful and I’m very lucky to have that happen.

It was nothing short of an absolute honour for us to have been able to sit down and chat with the legendary Paul Oakenfold.

Big thanks to IMS for everything and we look forward to being part of IMS again next year!

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#TheHobbit: Tauriel, Smaug, & Sauron Join #Funko Pop Series

And the Funko Pop craze continues! After announcing Marvel’s first official Dancing Groot toy from “Guardians of the Galaxy”, the Funko Toys company has once again surprised their fans with the latest release of Funko Pop! series for the upcoming fantasy film, “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”.

But of course, this isn’t the first time Funko has released the chibi-sized characters from “The Hobbit” trilogy. Gandalf, Bilbo, Legolas, Gollum, and Azog were previously featured in Funko Pop! figure series. By popular demand from fans, Funko has decided to release more characters from the film to be featured in the collection.

Smaug that first made its appearance in “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” will be featured not once, but TWICE in the collection! Plus, both figures will come in giant 6′ sizes but the Smaug with non-blacked out eyes figure only comes in limited chase variant.

Despite being a character created for the Hobbit movie, Tauriel the Elven guard will be featured in the Funko Pop! series.  However, Tauriel will only come in the regular 3.75″ sized figure and will share the same size as the rest of the major characters from the film.

The much beloved character is a surprise addition to the collection, but ultimately an essential as a collectible figure.

Sauron will be added to the Funko Pop! series as well but the character has been filed under the “Lord of the Rings” collection. Despite having a brief appearance in “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” teaser trailer, Sauron was only presented visually in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

The new toys will made available in Funko’s retail stores this October and we simply can’t wait to get them! But hey, where is Thranduil the Elven King? Or Fili & Kili? You heard us, Funko! We want them!


(UPDATE) #Deathstroke: Joe Manganiello Cast As Main Villain For Ben Affleck’s “Batman” Solo Film

Yesterday (29th August), Ben Affleck uploaded a cryptic video on his social media accounts showing the legendary DC Comics assassin, Deathstroke, while filming “Justice League”.

Earlier this year, when “Arrow” creator Marc Guggenheim was asked whether Deathstroke would make a return to the TV show, he replied that DC villain was “tied up in another DC project”. Now we know why – that’s caused he will be the main baddie in Affleck’s upcoming “Batman” solo movie!

Fans were quick to speculate that the Deathstroke video clip is actually a test footage based on the movie Affleck is currently developing with DC Entertainment. Word on the street also has it that Deathstroke will be making his big screen debut appearance in “Justice League” before serving as the main antagonist in the Batman solo film.

Created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez in 1980, Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, first appeared in DC Comics’ “The New Teen Titans #2”. According to Brian Gallagher, he even received his own standalone comic book series (a total of 65 issues), thanks to his rising popularity.

Although Deathstroke was initially created as a villain opposing the Teen Titans, the comic series also saw him clashing with the Dark Knight on several occasions. The duo’s first encounter was 1991 standalone arc “City of Assassins” where Batman was brutally beaten up by Deathstroke.

We have no doubt that the dangerous and hard-edged mercenary will make a nice match for Affleck’s older iteration of the Caped Crusader in his solo adventure. To echo the sentiments of many DC fans, Deathstroke is long overdue for a starring role in a movie, especially one with him starring as the primary villain.

Watch the first footage of Deathstroke below:

So now we’re left with this question – who’s playing this villainous character? Joe Manganiello is heavily rumoured to be in talks for the role of Deathstroke. For the record, the actor is currently in UK right now; that’s where “Justice League” is also being filmed.

It’s official guys. DC Entertainment president and chief creative officer Geoff Johns confirmed the news yesterday (8th September) that Joe Manganiello is set to play Deathstroke. However, he wouldn’t spill the beans on whether or not fans can expect to see the supervillain in “Justice League” first.

What do y’all think of Manganiello’s potential casting? Think he’ll be perfect for Deathstroke?

To check out the full list of DC future films’ release dates, head on over here.

Sources: Movie Web, Screen Rant, Forbes, Wall Street Journal.

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


The Face Shop Is Looking For A New Personality & That Could Be You!

The Face Shop is kicking off a new #EcoBeautySquadMY campaign in search of a fresh-faced talent to represent the brand.

What does it mean to be bold? The campaign encourages everyone to “Dare to Be” confident in one’s own skin and features. If you already possess those qualities, then you’re a right fit for the #EcoBeautySquadMY.

“We are advocates for inner and outer beauty that comes from treating our skin and our planet with respect. At The Face Shop, our products are designed to care for various skin types and needs using natural, plant-based ingredients that are proven to be both gentle and effective,” said Mr Steven Jeong, Business Director of LG Household & Health Care Sdn Bhd.

He added, “With this nationwide search in both Malaysia and Singapore, we seek up-and-coming talents who share our philosophy and relate to the clean, simple and natural approach espoused by The Face Shop and we hope to build them up to become the next big social media star.”

The #EcoBeautySquadMY Malaysian winner will win a comprehensive Grand Prize package that includes:

The applicants will be shortlisted to 100 people who will be eligible to attend Malaysia’s first ever series of virtual workshops, consisting of an introductory course, followed by three thematic sessions.

Social media personality Venice Min will serve as a mentor. Under her guidance, participants will get to learn techniques and strategies on how to navigate the competitive digital world. Each workshop will focus on a specific topic. There will be an elimination round during the workshops and each winner will walk away with a prize. The 10 finalists will then proceed to a full-day finale event where the grand prize winner will be selected.

The #EcoBeautySquadMY Competition is open to all Malaysian residents aged 18 years and
above. Here’s how you can enter:

All entries will be judged on creativity and originality, engagement level and how well it
complements the brand values and image of The Face Shop. Do note that the competition deadline is 10th August 2020.


Hype’s Now Playing: Red Velvet – Dumb Dumb

Red Velvet has officially made their comeback!

The cute SM Entertainment K-Pop idol girl group released their first full-length album, “The Red”, at midnight. Along with the release are 10 songs including title track “Dumb Dumb”, which is as offbeat and quirky as you would expect a Red Velvet song to be.

Also with the release of “The Red” is the official music video for “Dumb Dumb”.

The song tells a cute story about a girl who becomes awkward or behaves awkwardly in front of the person that she likes. But the music video, on the other hand, tells a different story.

In the super trippy music video, the girls are seen playing multiple roles e.g. office employees, clones, factory workers, dolls, and also playing themselves. You may or may not remember seeing some of the scenes in the music video from the Red Velvet teasers that were released recently.

Red Velvet is also expected to perform their comeback stage on this week’s “M! Countdown” so keep a look out for it :)

For more information, visit their Facebook page.

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


Can You Walk On Water?

For more information visit We Are Kix on Facebook.


Skyfall: Bond Returns

This year, “Skyfall” is going to continue the tradition of all the 007 movies you’ve ever seen in your life – only better! With Daniel Craig taking on the role as James Bond once again, this would mark the 23rd installment of the most popular spy film in the history of mankind.

It’s true, it’s never going to end. As for the story line for “Skyfall”?

After an operation in Istanbul ends in disaster, James Bond is missing and presumed to be dead, and the identities of every active undercover MI6 agent are leaked onto the internet. In the aftermath, questions are raised over M’s (played by Judi Dench) ability to run the “Secret Service”, and she becomes the subject of a government review over her handling of the situation.

When the service itself is attacked, Bond’s sudden reappearance gives M the pretext she needs to seek out Raoul Silva (played by Javier Bardem) a dangerous villain claiming a personal connection to both of them – but as he follows a trail from London to the South China Sea, Bond soon finds his loyalty to M challenged over secrets from her past. Tough! She is the head of MI6 and Bond’s commanding officer, after all.

And as MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost:

[youtube id=”6kw1UVovByw” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Find out when “Skyfall” is released at a cinema near you on 1st November 2012 (Thursday).

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


Four-Year-Old Rape Victim Dies

On 17th April 2013, a four-year-old Indian girl was kidnapped from her resident in Ghansor and was apparently abandoned in the fields after being raped. She was found by some villagers in the next morning. She was then taken by air ambulance from central Madhya Pradesh state to the Care Hospital in Nagpur city on 20th April 2013, where she remained in a coma.

The girl had suffered severe brain damage and was on life support system and drugs. She continued to battle for her life for nearly two weeks before she died of a cardiac arrest at 7:45pm on Monday. “She died from a cardiac arrest at 7:45 pm on Monday. We were taking all measures..but yesterday her condition got bad and her blood pressure went down. She was not reacting to medications”, P.A. Sriram at the hospital told AFP.

Allow us to stress that she was only four years old.

The police have arrested some men in connection with the rape. One of the two accused men is 28-year-old Firoz Khan, who was a friend of the girl’s uncle. He was arrested from Bihar’s Hussainabad srea in Bhagalpur district after evading arrest for six days. The other accused, 24-year-old Rakesh Chaudhary was arrested earlier.

The case is the latest in a string of high-profile sex attacks that have sparked outrage in India over the treatment of women and girls, with protests first erupting in December over the savage gangrape of a 23-year-old student.


“Army of The Dead”: 20 Bloody Facts About Zack Snyder’s Zombie Heist-avaganza

They’re faster, stronger, and more organised! Netflix’s new teeth-gnashing feature “Army of The Dead” is going to leap at your small screens soon and it’s a real doozy! Zack Snyder, the visionary mind behind “300” and “Justice League” ditches the superhero tights and spears of Leonidas to hunt a horde of zombies in Vegas.

And you know what they say about zombies in Vegas… (wink*)

Taking place after an outbreak leaves the city in ruins, Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a former zombie war hero, is given a task by casino boss Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), to break into the zombie-infested zone. The mission? Retrieve a $200 million stash sitting in a vault beneath the strip before the government nukes the city.

Seeing this as a chance to redeem himself with his estranged daughter, Kate (Ella Purnell), Ward assembles a group of ragtag experts to find the cash. However, Scott soon faces an unexpected emotional hindrance when Kate joins in to search for Geeta (Huma Qureshi), a mother who vanished within the city.

High stakes. Gnashin’ undead. Zombie tigers. The clock is ticking. What are we waiting for?

We recently had the fine opportunity to attend a press conference where the film’s director was shedding some light on the new undead world, the long road to get the movie made, and the crazy filmmaking process among other things.

1. Zack Snyder got the idea for “Army of the Dead” right after he completed his very first feature in 2004.

Now, before Snyder became known for his DC feature spectacles and the epic retelling of the Battle of  Thermopylae, he got his first big-screen break with… you guessed it… a zombie movie! “Dawn of the Dead”, a remake of the George A. Romero film of the same name, was one heck of a thrilling gorefest. That movie, released seventeen years ago, laid some seeds for Snyder’s future.

According to Snyder, the idea was there, but he was not directing it. The pages of the script were merely floating around for a decade. It wasn’t until Netflix and the man were sitting down for a couple o’ beers by the coast that the planets began to align.

“I told them that there was a script, but I said that I’d really love to start up, write it from scratch. It wasn’t really written for me to direct and if was the director, I really wanted to kind of write it myself. I got Shay to partner with me and we wrote the script and then we shot it. We wrote pretty quick ’cause I knew it really well. When we finished, Netflix was like, “This is great, let’s go do it.”

2.  Dave Bautista ditched James Gunn in Favour of “Army of The Dead”.

Dave Bautista is a significant face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (although his actual presence may seem like a mystery to some – just where the heck is Drax in all these outings!?). Lately, the WWE wrestler turned actor has been bagging roles left and right, with many fans appreciating his dedication to shaping himself as an actor. In 2017, he appeared in Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner 2049”, a critical darling of that year. We will be seeing the actor next in a new adaptation of “Dune” as Glossu Rabban. It was also announced that he would be joining Daniel Craig in Rian Johnson’s “Knives Out” sequel.

Nevertheless, in an interview with Digital Spy, Bautista revealed that he turned down another collaboration with James Gunn for DC’s next comic-book caper “The Suicide Squad” because he really wanted to work with Zack Snyder. The actor cited this as a smart career move as he also got to be the lead.

“I had to call James, and I told him, ‘It breaks my heart because as a friend, I want to be there with you, but professionally, this is the smart decision for me.'”, the actor said.

The “Guardians of the Galaxy” director was all cool with it and was even proud that his friend had gotten to a point where he to make difficult career decisions. But, we need not fret here. While we won’t be getting that Bautista-Gunn dynamic this year, the actor is returning for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” a couple of years from now.

3. Zack Snyder has a shiny cameo in “Army of the Dead”.

Zack Snyder may have made headlines for appearing alongside Amy Adam’s Lois Lane while she was getting coffee. While it’s a rare appearance from the director, it was a neat little detail that audiences seemed to love.

Indeed, Snyder himself revealed that, yes, he does make an appearance in the movie. No, he will not be a zombie. According to him, it was never his intention for him to be in the movie in the first place.

“You can certainly watch it 100 times over to find Zack Snyder. It’s a very tricky moment. But I’m in there. I’m operating the camera. It’s in a mirror. It’s only for a few frames. But it’s in there, for sure. We were gonna take it out. And I was like, ‘Oh leave it. It’s good.'”.

4. “Army of The Dead” took inspiration from “Aliens” and “Planet of The Apes”.

Iconic monsters and horrific figures have always populated the world of sci-fi cinema. Naturally, Zack Snyder took several cues from films such as James Cameron’s “Aliens” and John Carpenter’s “The Thing” for his zombie fest. As a matter of fact, a shot of Lady Liberty in the film was inspired by the Statue of Liberty from 1968’s “Planet of The Apes”.

5. Tig Notaro, Christopher Plummer reborn?

In one of the movie’s ballsiest moves, a performer was digitally removed and replaced with another actor. Chris D’Elia was originally going to feature in the movie and had completed all of his scenes. However, the actor received several allegations of sexual misconduct against him, prompting the filmmakers to replace him with actress, Tig Notaro.

One may compare this move to when Ridley Scott’s “All the Money In The World” replaced Kevin Spacey. Christopher Plummer was brought on after the shooting had completed for the feature. What completely blew everyone away was how Christopher Plummer owned the role and made it to the stage where he earned an Academy Award nomination.

Now, Notaro was shooting all her scenes solo with an acting partner in order to immerse herself into the scenes. Nonetheless, all of it was post-production work. The actress never acted a scene with a single castmate, an experience she described as a joy, but hopefully does not have to be repeated.

“It was a joy to do what I did, but I would love to be in the next movie that I do. That’s my dream! I’d love to interact with the cast.”

Nevertheless, this move also serves as a testament to the digital magic that goes into making these films. Chroma-keying has come a long way and it just continues to work wonders for the filmmaking industry.

6. When in Vegas, you get rabid flesh-eating social commentary.

You know, when you think of Las Vegas, you see bright neon signs and the endless calls of casinos begging you to place all your chips in. But, you don’t go… “haha, Vegas, that’s where all dem zombies live”. Nonetheless, there’s a good reason for that and Snyder tells us why:

“Well, look, you know the best zombie movies have social commentary. I just felt like casinos and humans make for a good zombie setting. It’s also a place where there’s a lot of money. There are a couple of times when I felt like I turned into a zombie, much like Romero uses shopping malls to say that as consumers we were becoming zombies – that aspect was pretty straightforward.”

The filmmaker then went on to provide some similarities to the real world and what it meant to for the film to depict such parallelisms.

“Recently, it was all the talk of building the wall and what it meant to build walls and borders that gave rise to the refugee camps we see in the film, we wanted to focus on how a zombie plague would affect the disenfranchised and how the government might use something like a zombie plague to take away certain freedoms. The interpretations are completely different now from when we first started. But the catch-all for zombie movies is still the same. In the end, the humans are worse than the zombies.”

7. “Army of The Dead” brought Zack Snyder back to the cinematic experience.

As we all know, Zack Snyder is a significant player in the comic-book superhero game but that does not mean that the process of making those films felt authentic to his cinematic vision.

“When you do these giant superhero movies you get further and further away from the camera. And for me just shooting the movie and-and operating it all was an enjoyable experience. So, I had a great time doing “Dawn”. This was really kind of my favourite sort of cinematic process. The process of making the film was incredibly satisfying.”

“Army of The Dead” may only be debuting on Netflix next week, but it’s not a one-off thing. Indeed, the idea has already spawned a couple of spinoff projects; one is based on Matthias Schweighöfer‘s character, Dieter, a German safecracker and the other will be an anime-style outing. Bringing life into this crazy flesh-eating world was an enjoyable experience for the filmmaker.

“When I did “Dawn of The Dead”, it was based on another film. And this is based on an original IP, so, it’s really a chance for me to create a world, frankly. For me, starting this world from scratch was really fun. And I think for an audience, they’re gonna get to just sort of go into a zombie world that you’ve never seen before.”

“For me. It was about digging into all the tropes and really having fun with it – not doing something because it’s expected in the genre, but adhering to the rules we know and love and then breaking them. I was one of those ideas that just wouldn’t go away.”

9. “Army of the Dead” will still feel like an all-out blockbuster film made for the big screen despite debuting on a streaming service.

The pandemic has sped up the transition of cinema over to the small screen. Some have criticised this move, stating that the small screen fails to capture the awe and wonder that a conventional theatre would provide. Nevertheless, Zack Snyder has some interesting thoughts on this.

“I felt like when I decided to make “Army of The Dead”, I knew it was gonna be straight to the service. Netflix didn’t say, “Oh, maybe we’ll release it in the theatres too.” That’s only been a recent development with this film. I hope it’s just because they’re confident in the film, and they just want people to see it in the theatre. Yes, I made it specifically for your TV but my approach to it was, I wanted to make a big giant movie for you, regardless. I wanted that quality, that feeling of a movie, but you’re getting it at home, day one when it comes out.”

Well, looks like we are in for a summer blockbusting treat. There is no doubt of the filmmaker’s dedication here. The film was shot in whopping 8K after all.

10. Zack Snyder drew inspiration from his own parental journey to craft his lead characters.

The best bits of writing comes when they are personal, and that’s what the director chooses to do when building the relationship between Scott and his estranged daughter, Kate.

“Yeah. The father-daughter relationship has always been the core of the movie. Frankly, it evolves quite a bit. When I was writing those scenes between Kate and Scott, you know, my own experience with my own children played a huge role. Your children can hurt you with a word worse than anybody else. But they can also bring you joy and sorrow. Your greatest pain can come from your children. Your highest highs and lowest lows. So I brought all that pain and joy to writing this relationship between Scott and Kate.”

Dave Bautista and Ella Purnell were also deeply involved with their characters’ journeys. Purnell, specifically felt that this aspect was really touching and something that she could relate to in an action movie.

11. Zack Snyder served as his own director of photography for “Army of The Dead”.

Zack Snyder was adamant about getting the look and feel for “Army of the Dead” right. Collaborating with Red Studios, he custom-ordered cameras that combined digital filmmaking with 1960’s era Canon Dream lenses. When we say he was committed, oh hell yeah, he was. Snyder spent about a year purchasing every Canon Dream lens he could find on eBay to get the look he wanted specifically for the movie.

“I had been going down this rabbit hole with Canon Dream lenses that I wanted to use in the movie. They have a very shallow depth of field. There are these candid lenses that open to an aperture of .95, which provides an incredibly thin depth of field. It was really difficult as I really wanted to do the whole thing with this very sort of organic lighting. I wanted to shoot at a specific time of the day with a certain level of exposure. It just felt really ballsy at the time, and I felt like if the studio saw that it wasn’t working, the DP could get in a lot of trouble. And that would be the first person they would ask me to get rid of. In the end, I felt it would be unfair to bring someone in and really impose all these parameters on them.”

“And so I was like, “Look, I’ll do it myself. I know how to do it.” Um, it’s not a thing I haven’t done. You know, for 10 years I was a director of commercials. Um, I’ve seen every piece of equipment. I operated every commercial I ever did. And so, I was like, “Okay, well, um, I’ll just do it myself.” And it just seemed like an easy choice.”

Throughout the course of filming, Snyder was working on the B-camera alongside his trusty collaborator, John Clothier, who had been working with him since 2009’s “Watchmen”. “Army of The Dead” also marks the first time the director is using digital cameras for a full-length feature as most of his previous works involved him shooting in film.

12. No sacrifice, no victory for cinema.

The amount of dedication that went into the cinematography is astounding. Aside from the commitment to shoot almost entirely with natural light, the crew was working with whatever limited resources they had in a day to get the shots they needed.

Nonetheless, in order to film one of the car sequences, the crew sacrificed one of their custom RED camera packages. They soon found the memory card intact in the grass. Since it contained all the footage Snyder needed, it was probably a noble sacrifice. Nevertheless, the camera’s remains were gathered and are currently put on display at RED Studios.

13. “Army of The Dead’s” zombies are one tough nut to beat down with a barbed baseball bat.

We’ve seen all types of zombies when it comes to the genre. Slow zombies. Exploding zombies. Cybernetic zombies. World war zombies. And yeah, the list goes ooooonnnnnnn…

“Army of The Dead” does attempt to give all these other zombies a run for their money because they are some of the most formidable creatures ever put together on-screen. Not, only are some of them intelligent and organised, but they have a zombie tiger for cryin’ out loud.

“Nobody survives these guys. But the interesting thing about is that they represent an evolution because they’re also not ambitious. You know, they are formidable, and they have zombie tigers, zombie horses. You can’t beat them in a fight. But they’re kinda like, they’re like wolves or lions. If all lions did was procreate, create an army, and go out and conquer the world, lions would be problematic. But our alphas are not really ambitious in that way. They’re kinda minding their own business. It’s only when provoked by humans that they act the way they are.”, said Snyder.

Art makes us think in wondrous ways and that’s what makes it so important. It’s the creativity that spawns out of analysing films and understanding various perspectives that give so much weight to a filmmaker’s craft. Needless to say, there may be multiple ways for the audience to interpret Zack Snyder’s latest and he explains why.

“If you want to take some weird deep dive into how the movie represents itself mythologically and you want to write your master’s thesis about the zombie genre; whether it be holding up a mirror to ourselves or whether it be how we interact in casinos, or all-all of the different ways that the allusions come through the zombies, that’s all fine. If you want to be political and talk about the wall, and refugee camps, then that’s a movie for you. If you want it to be like, I’m excited about this heist part of it, like, they’re gonna go get the money. Or the father-daughter relationship. Like, that’s what the movie is. So, that’s what I really want the movie to be. It’s bespoken to the viewer in that way.”

15. Zack Snyder cast each character individually, not how well they played with others.

Castings may be a long and strenuous exercise to get the best player for the part. However, Snyder strived to get each character right first. Such was his approach that he just placed his faith in them mushing up the dynamic later during the actual shooting.

“I’ve always had fun casting. In this case, I really wanted a diverse cast that was globally representative. And I really cast them individually. I didn’t look at them as a package. It was like, let’s do that when the time comes. I just wanted to nail each of them. And then let’s see what happens.”

The helmer then likened the process to grouping an actual team of people to storm a zombie-infested Las Vegas.

“You would be like, “Oh, okay, what is your skillset? Yeah, I need you.” I was doing that for the movie. As a group, that’s where they’re really cooperative throughout. As a group of individuals, each of them is amazing and they form a weird little bond. And because I was with them, operating the camera, a lot of it was right there.”

16. The performers bring out the best comedy in the film.

When asked about the brand of comedy that “Army of The Dead” brought to the screen, Zack Snyder did not hesitate to push his actors to the forefront. The fun and jokes had to be organic in the dire circumstances of the movie and it was only. Due to the comedic timing of these actors, the crew were always managing to accomplish such feats.

Speaking of the film’s comedic tone, Snyder commented, “There was this particular tone I was trying to maintain, where the movie is self-aware but it doesn’t break. But, you know, you have to be careful. ‘Cause as soon as the movie breaks, then none of the stakes means anything. I think the trick is just keeping you in. And frankly, using the comedy just as a little pressure release. So I could put it back, ratchet it back harder next time.”

Easter Eggs tend to be some of the most enjoyable details of a movie. It may subtle inside jokes shared between the crew. It might be a reference to other pieces of cinema or the director’s upcoming work. Needless to say, it’s the joy of finding one that brings a certain delight to movie audiences.

According to Snyder, “Army of The Dead” will be filled with little golden nuggets like these. One of these is a reference to the Snyder Cut, which is in a vault in the movie. Besides, there may be more clues hiding in plain sight, giving away details to the established world.

“In one of the first two or three opening shots in the movie, if you look carefully, you’ll see something in the sky that kind of reveals where all the zombies come from. The dialogue between the guys in the truck kind of start to tell that story a little bit. And kind of took the deep dive on that concept, if you’re looking for it, you’ll find more subtle clues to that within the context of some of the zombies.”

Hmm… UFO’s perhaps? Do keep a lookout for some fun details such as classic roadsters, a taco-truck-menu-turned-kill-counter, and the origin of the zombie tiger, Valentine!

18. There is an undead hierarchy in “Army of The Dead”

We live in a society, where honour is a rabid infection.

Oo boy, these zombies don’t play around. There is no doubt that these undead creatures are some of the most vicious not because they’re fast, but because they are more intelligent.

“Alphas are fast. They can think. These zombies can take orders and organize themselves. We treat them like a pack of wolves. You can’t really reason with them or talk to them, but they certainly will circle you. They know how to fight and how to hunt.”, Snyder said of his undead creations.

There is also a certain pyramid structure that comes with infecting the living.

“The way it works is that Zeus is the Alpha who comes from Area 51. He’s sort of a Patient Zero. If he bites you directly, you become an Alpha. But if an Alpha other than Zeus bites you, you become a shambler. And then if another shambler bites you, you become a shambler.”

Gosh, we wouldn’t wanna mess with these guys.

One thing that might not be answered right away during the course of the film is the origin of these zombies. We probably know that they come from Area 51, but exactly where did they come from? How did they originally spawn? To answer that the director turned our focus to the upcoming animated project.

“Well, wait ’til you see the animated prequel that we’re also working on. That tells the origin story of the zombies. You won’t be disappointed.”

So, if you haven’t been sold by this movie already, we’ll just hand you the money right here. If you haven’t already noticed, we’re gonna say it again [breathes*]

THERE’S A F****** ZOMBIE TIGER IN THERE!!!

Aside from crafting the apocalyptic landscape of a zombie-infested Vegas, The VFX team had the challenge of putting together a photo-realistic undead tiger. It was quite difficult to get to big-cat sanctuaries as they wanted to base Valentine on a real tiger.

However, an interesting individual shows up to the rescue particularly because she realises that the production was using visual effects instead of an actual tiger for the role. And that individual was none other than Carole Baskin, star of Netflix’s “Tiger King” series. According to Marcus Taormina, the VFX supervisor, everything they had needed for the model, Carole gave, and she was the sweetest about it.

After the crew obtained their base reference, it was time to build the fictional animal. They figured that the dry and desolate environment of Las Vegas would have made for a lean cat, and allowed some of the tiger’s bones to pop out of its fur. Oof. Gnarly.

Either way, we’re gonna get one hell of a bloody Valentine!

Zack Snyder’s “Army of The Dead” will be tearing up your screens on the 21st of May 2021!

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


(UPDATE) Hype’s Now Playing: Avicii – Waiting For Love

Avicii kicks our Monday blues to the curb.

Last week, Avicii begin teasing fans on his Facebook page by posting up mysterious lyrics. In case you missed it, here’s an example:

Now, if you’ve been keeping track of Avicii, you’d instantly recognise that the lines came from one of his highly anticipated single “Waiting for Love” off his “Stories” album. As the lyrics of the song deals with days of the week, Avicii would cross out each day as it passed and include a new lyric. Given that Friday was the last day included in the track, Avicii has crossed it off and the track has since been released on iTunes and Spotify for all.

Carrying the potential to be another smash hit from the Swedish DJ/producer, the track opens with a smooth piano intro and instantly memorable lyrics that is guaranteed to have you singing along to. Evoking the same kind of feelings as “Wake Me Up” did when it was first released, “Waiting For Love” is bound to be one of the most played tracks this year.

Don’t trust us? Listen for yourself here:

Hands down, the coolest thing we’ve seen in a while! Avicii’s latest single “Waiting For Love,” has just received one of the most unique music videos ever. The interactive video allows users to spin 360 degrees while Simon Aldred’s vocals and Avicii’s melodies soundtrack an electric troupe of dancers.

Known more recently for his animated and experimental music videos, Avicii, himself makes a brief appearance or two in the video. The new music video and the track serves to build a ton of anticipation going into Avicii’s new album, “Stories”.

Love it? We do too. Keep track of Avicii via these platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


Britney Spears’ Las Vegas Residency

Rumours are rife about Britney Spears quite possible cinching a residency in “Sin City” aka Las Vegas. According to E! News, the pop superstar is currently really, really close to finalizing an agreement to play a series of gigs at a major Las Vegas hotel owned by Caesars Entertainment Group.

Britney’s manager, Larry Rudolph first confirmed the rumours when he stated, “We are in deep negotiations and I’d be shocked if it didn’t happen. Hoping to have a deal done very soon!”. Following which, Britney herself hinted at a #VivaLasVegas possibility when she retweeted and replied a post from her, uh, dog, which read:

Just in case you don’t realize how big of a deal (no pun intended) a Las Vegas residency is, well, let’s put it this way: Industry experts say that Britney Spears’ Las Vegas payday could easily exceed USD100 million. Yup. It’s that big of a deal.

But oh, you know, anything can happen between now and then, or even shortly after. Let’s not forget how Britney abruptly pulled the plugs on both her engagement with Jason Trawick and her role as celebrity judge on The X-Factor show.


Linkin Park Tribute Show To Be Held At The Bee Publika On 18th August

In honour of Linkin Park’s late frontman Chester Bennington, REVOFEV – a youth collective for music and the arts – is hosting a tribute show at The Bee, Publika on 18th August (Friday).

The event will feature Malaysian bands Sekumpulan Orang Gila (SOG), Kyoto Protocol, Patriots, Scarlet Heroes, as well as Night Skies & Visions performing their renditions of Linkin Park’s most iconic tracks.

41-year-old Chester Bennington took his own life on 20th July. He was found dead at his home in Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles. His death was later confirmed by a Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner spokesperson, who said that the singer hanged himself in his bedroom.

Famed for his piercing scream and tattoos, the rock star first shot to fame as a vocalist following the release of Linkin Park’s debut album, titled “Hybrid Theory”, in 2000. The album was certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2005, making it the best-selling debut album of the decade.

To date, the nu-metal band has released several albums including “Meteora” (2003), “Minutes to Midnight” (2007), “A Thousand Suns” (2010), “Living Things” (2012), “The Hunting Party” (2014), and most recently, “One More Light” (2017).

Details for the Linkin Park Tribute Show are as follows:

For more info, hit up the event’s Facebook page.

Sources: Juice Online, The Hive / Featured image: REVOFEV.

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