Here’s How You Can Now Take The MRT To KLIA For Only RM 8.50!

With many public transport services being available to the public like the newly launched MRT Putrajaya line, we certainly have more options and alternatives for travelling to our destinations.

However, with all these options available, it does make us wonder which of these would be the cheapest or most affordable option to reach our destination. If you’re wondering what would be one of the cheapest ways to reach the Kuala Lumpur International Airports (KLIA), we’ve got you covered.

It was recently brought to our attention that there was an option for people to consider if they wish to reach KLIA without spending too much. According to KLIAEkpres, a standard single trip to KLIA from the Putrajaya Sentral station with KLIA Transit will cost you only RM8.50 if you purchase the ticket online!

So for those who would like to take this opportunity but are not too familiar with the website or how to purchase the tickets online, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

As for terms and conditions, your purchased ticket(s) is valid for 31 days from your selected Travel Date and the ticket(s) can be used to travel on the selected sector from the origin station only. It’s important to note that the RM8.50 price only applies if you’re taking the train from the Putrajaya Sentral station to KLIA. This does not include your mode of transport to the station.

KLIA Ekspres also uploaded a poster of other alternate stops to KLIA (including the one-way fare). Check it out:

Another Sidenote: For those who are not subscribed to the My50 Pass, you would still be charged accordingly if you were to transit from any station to reach the Putrajaya Sentral station. But you can still enjoy free rides on the new MRT line till 31st March. So there you go, folks! Start making your travel plans now! Happy trip everyone.

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Byron Bay Bluesfest Fourth Lineup Revealed

If the acts that have already been announced in the first three lineups were not enough to convince you to go to Australia next year, more specifically Byron Bay then this just might!

With the release of the fourth lineup to the Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014, the five-day festival which features seven stages and over two hundred performances will see the legendary Buddy Guy as one of the headliners at the event! The fourth lineup also includes Jake Bugg, The James Cotton Blues Band, Booker T. Jones, Charlie Musslewhite, Eric Bibb, Beth Hart, North Mississippi Allstars, Devon Allman, Walter Trout, Candye Kane Band featuring Laura Chavez and Saidah Baba Talibah.

The release of the fourth lineup has made Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014 one of the biggest lineups in the history of the event. Rumour has it that there are more acts to be added to the already amazing lineup so stay tuned for updates!

For those interested, ticketing and travelling details are attainable at Byron Bay’s website.

Ain’t Nothing Like The Blues At The Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014

Byron Bay Bluesfest – Third Lineup Announcement


(UPDATE) Local Supermarket Spotted in K-Pop Group’s M/V

What are the chances of witnessing a K-Pop group film their music video here in Malaysia? Well, the chances are low but there’s always hope, especially since Super Junior’s “Dancing Out” M/V  was filmed at various locations in Malaysia 8 years ago.

However, JYP Entertainment’s latest boy group GOT7 surprised us with their latest MV teaser because we spotted some familiar places in the video! Yes, we are talking about familiar places such as our very own local supermarket and café!

According to fans’ information, the group was spotted heading to Malaysia for music video shoot from 9th of June to 10th of June. They further added the details that their filming locations were at Tesco Kota Damansara, Holy Smoke Café, and Shah Alam.

All these places can be spotted in their teaser video and image as well.

GOT7 is currently having their comeback showcase today before they officially make their comeback for their upcoming mini album “A” on the 23rd.

More teaser videos will be released soon so for now, let’s just wait and hope to discover more familiar places in their teaser videos!

GOT7 finally released the full M/V of their new song ‘A’! Check out the full video below:


#ShakeThatBrass: f(x) Amber’s Solo Debut Title Track’s All-Star Teaser

You probably already know by now that f(x) member Amber will be releasing her solo debut in just a few days. It has been a long time coming!

Earlier, SM Entertainment teased fans by uploading a pictures of a mysterious broken fortune cookie. The word “beautiful” was written on the fortune paper but the picture was uploaded without a caption. The agency also released colourful teaser pictures of Amber and confirmed the singer had direct involvement in the album as she took part in writing the lyrics for the songs.

Now, we spot a star-studded teaser video for her upcoming solo debut title track, “Shake That Brass”. To date, it’s the third teaser released and it boasts an impressive cast Amber’s close celebrity friends such as:

Amber will be performing her solo debut single “Shake that Brass” for the first time on KBS’ “Music Bank” on 13th Feb. Her solo album “Beautiful” will also be released digitally on 13th Feb at midnight KST. That’s today!

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#StarWars: Director Josh Trank On Rumours About His Departure From Spin-Off Film

Perhaps you thought that you’ve heard it all, thanks to the interwebs – but you most certainly haven’t.

Recently, Josh Trank‘s announcement of quitting his role as director in the “Star Wars” spin-off went viral. Following which, false statements and speculations started to spread.

After handling “Chronicle” and 4 years of production for “Fantastic Four“, Josh Trank quoted that the pressure he encountered was the main reason for dropping out of the Disney-Lucasfilm project a month ago.

In his first public interview last month, director Josh Trank clarified to the Los Angeles Times about news of him leaving the “Star Wars” spin-off. He claimed that he wants to do a lower profile project instead of a “Star Wars” movie after producing Fox’s “Fantastic Four”.

I want to do something original after this because I’ve been living under public scrutiny, as you’ve seen, for the last four years of my life. And it’s not healthy for me right now in my life. I want to do something that’s below the radar.

He also revealed that he had hoped that there would be no misleading news with regards to his decision to exit the “Star Wars” movie but unfortunately, that’s not the case.

At first I was like, I’m just not going to say anything because it will blow over but I was shocked – it just hasn’t blown over. People get so excited to raise their pitchforks. I knew that this was going to be questioned and it was going to come under skepticism as to why I left “Star Wars”. And it was hard. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my life.

Well, rumour has it that Trank was fired from the “Star Wars” film because of his erratic behaviour on the set of “Fantastic Four”, on top of a conflict that had opened up between Trank and Simon Kinberg, co-writer and producer for “Fantastic Four”.

Trank underlined endlessly to L.A. Times that he wasn’t fired nor a part of any feuds. He asserted, “None of those facts were true – and any of the facts that were true were spun in such a maliciously wrong way.”

Kinberg, on the other hand, marked that Trank’s vision and passion for “Fantastic Four” had convinced him to commit and to be part of the project. Kinberg said of the rumours:

This, I would say, is particularly cruel. I haven’t really seen this level of vehemence against a filmmaker. And it’s surreal and unfair.

Trank also mentioned that his bond and Kimberg have become “closer friends” as a result:

It feels sometimes like I’m living in a Paddy Chayefsky script or something like that,” he said. “Every misconception that could possibly be made about this has been made to a hilariously satirical degree. And it’s people who haven’t met me before. If they met me – I don’t know, I feel like I’m a pretty harmless person.

Trank’s exit was not a surprise after all as it was previously reported that he was absent from the Disney’s “Star Wars Celebration” at the 11th hour. He made a disclosure and apologised on Twitter later on, and stated that he was unwell.

But alas, it prompted internet speculations that something was not right.

The as-yet-titled “Star Wars” film is not expected to hit theatres until 2019. Directed by Gareth Edward, “Star Wars: Rogue One” stars Felicity Jones and will be released on 16th December.

Meanwhile, starring Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Jamie Bell and Michael B. Jordan, “Fantastic Four” is slated to hit theatres on 7th August.

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Covid-19: WhatsApp Limits Forwarding Messages To 1 Contact At A Time

WhatsApp has made the decision to limit message forwarding to just 1 chat at a time in order to curb the spread of Covid-19 misinformation.

The Facebook-owned messaging platform said that there has been a “significant increase” of forwarding ever since the coronavirus crisis.

“We’ve seen a significant increase in the amount of forwarding which users have told us can feel overwhelming and can contribute to the spread of misinformation. We believe it’s important to slow the spread of these messages down to keep WhatsApp a place for personal conversation.”

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has been prompting social media companies to help combat the issue. A spokesperson said that this new implementation is in effect and will be in place indefinitely.

The best thing to do is verify the information at hand before sharing it.


Westlife’s Anticipated First Single In 8 Years Is Titled Hello My Love

Are y’all prepared for Westlife’s comeback?

It’s been 8 long years, but fans are finally getting some new material from the beloved British group. Shane Filan, Mark Feehily, Nicky Byrne and Kian Egan have all teased fans of their comeback single artwork and song title “Hello My Love”.

The quartet will be kicking off “The Twenty Tour” in May, marking their first tour in 7 years. Thankfully, fans will get to hear their new track “Hello My Love” this week. The comeback single is reportedly co-written by Grammy winner Ed Sheeran and it’s apparently an uptempo track.

According to Official Charts, part of the lyrics from “Hello My Love” reads: “I know that I’m punching way above, so lucky that we fell in love”… “You could have someone without a belly or temper, perfect teeth, hair growing where it’s meant to – you know my lips are all I can hold against you.”

Westlife will also be releasing their full-length album this year.


#MH17: Jason Biggs Trashed For Bad Joke About Crash

American Pie actor Jason Biggs is getting the heat for joking that he now wants to sell his Malaysia Airlines frequent flier miles and you’d think he would back down, but he’s not, not until now at least.

Biggs tweeted shortly after the crash of the 777 jetliner, “Anyone wanna buy my Malaysia Airlines frequent flier miles?”

His tweet drove people nuts and Biggs had people saying, among other things, “Go f**k a pie you piece of s**t.  You’re such an attention seeking f**king whore,” and “You’d laugh if your kids died in a plane crash?”

Retaliating in anger, Biggs replied saying, “Truly – you losers are literally trying to find s**t to get angry about. Channel your issues elsewhere,” and, “Hey, all you ‘too soon’ assholes – it’s a f**king joke.  You don’t have to think it’s funny, or even be on my twitter page at all.”

Biggs later then tweeted an apology for his tasteless remarks and jokes regarding the MAS #MH17 crash. The 36-year-old actor has since deleted his previous tweets.

1). Hey all- ok, so- I am deleting my previous tweets. People were offended, and that was not my intent. Sorry to those of you that were. — Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014

2). This is obviously a horrible tragedy, and everyone-including myself- is sad and angry about it. Sending positive thoughts to the — Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014

3). victims and their families. P.S. No one is making me send these tweets- I simply understand that my comments might have come off — Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014

4). as insensitive and ill-timed. For that, I apologize. — Jason Biggs (@JasonBiggs) July 17, 2014

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian militants yesterday, killing all 295 people aboard.

For more timely and verified updates regarding MH17, please visit Malaysia Airlines’ official website and follow their Twitter account. Families of passengers and crew may contact +603 7884 1234 (Malaysia) or +31703487770 (Netherlands).

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#Hellboy: “Stranger Things” Actor David Harbour In Talks To Star In R-Rated Reboot

Now that we have the good news out of the way, we have some bad news for you – director Guillermo del Toro and star Ron Perlman won’t be coming back for the reboot.

Instead, we have David Harbour, who plays Chief Jim Hopper in “Stranger Things”, in talks to star. “Game of Thrones” and “The Descent” director Neil Marshall is also attached as director, with sources telling Variety that Millennium Films is currently in negotiations to produce the film.

The news was revealed by Mike Mignola, the comic book artiste who created the character “Hellboy”. In his Facebook post this morning (Tuesday, 9th May), he also explained that it will be an R-rated reboot.

The “Hellboy” comics were started by Mignola in 1993 and tells the tale of a well-meaning demon by the name of Anung Un Rama.

It spawned a movie adaptation in 2004 with a sequel in 2008 titled “Hellboy II: The Golden Army”. Perlman starred as the superhero in both installments with del Toro at its helm. However, last year, Perlman shot down rumours of a 3rd movie, saying that “Hellboy 3” “probably will never happen”.


Avicii Goes K-Pop With 2AM’s Seulong

So, it looks like one of the world’s Top 100 DJs decided to get busy reworking his chart-topping track, “Levels”. Released in 2011, Initially named, “ID”, “Levels” have sold over 4,000,000 records and its music video has had 63,155,871 views to date on YouTube. It has also previously reached #1 on the Billboard English Dance Chart.

But was young EDM king Avicii ready to let it go? No.

The 23-year-old Swedish DJ/producer recently released a new “Levels” single titled, “Levels with Seulong from 2AM”. Yup. It is indeed a version of Avicii’s crazily popular trac featuring vocals from JYP Entertainment’s K-Pop idol group 2AM. But see, here’s the thing, 2AM is a ballad group. And Seulong’s voice sounds like, well, this:

Thoughts, anyone? For what it’s worth, if you’ve ever wondered what the Korean version of “Levels” would sound like, there’s your answer!

Meanwhile, Avicii is due to perform in Korea at Ultra Music Festival Korea aka UMF Korea on 14th and 15th June 2013.


#NewEra: Swaggalicious New York-Based Lifestyle Brand Opens First Malaysian Outlet

After what seems like forever, international lifestyle brand New Era has finally landed on Malaysian shores!

For those of you who are not in the know, New York-based New Era boasts products that have been a canvas for consumers to showcase their individuality and personal style for over 90 years. With billions of headwear styles, it’s best known for being the official on-field cap for Major League Baseball as well as creating the iconic 59FIFTY fitted cap.

Currently, New Era operates facilities in Canada, Europe, Japan and Hong Kong, and is a Participating Company (PC) of the Fair Labor Association.

The 338 sq ft New Era store in Sunway Pyramid is the brand’s first official store in Malaysia, with more than 148 selections of caps on display, creating a variety as one walks in with a range of cap selections from New Era’s sports legacy of MLB, NFL, NBA and other sports league to the entertainment icons we know so well like Disney, Simpsons and others.

There’s also a cap blocking service that will reshape New Era caps, a first of its kind for Malaysia ;)

If you’re around the area on 21st June, do drop by as they’ll be celebrating their grand opening! The New Era store is located at F1.58A, First Floor, Sunway Pyramid.

For more information, hit up their Facebook page.

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Concert Review: Ne-Yo Drew Audiences “Closer” With Future & Classic Hits At KL Show

The hype for American singer Ne-Yo’s return was real! Last year, after the announcement of his concert in KL, fans rushed to get their hands on tickets as soon as they were available. Those who grew up listening to the R&B superstar’s music would not miss the chance to see him perform his hits live on stage.

Brought to you and organised by Hitman Solutions and HappyMoon, the “Self Explanatory World Tour” concert was held last night at Plenary Hall, KL Convention Centre. We can tell you that the energy from the crowd was insane! Here’s what went down:

Kicking off the night with “Miss Independent” in a nice blue suit, Ne-Yo got the audience screaming as soon as he appeared on stage. With a total capacity of 2994 seats, the sold-out show got members of the audience on their feet singing and dancing along while the singer performed songs like “She Knows”, “Closer” “Monster” and “One In A Million”.

The 43-year-old captivated fans with his stage presence, dance moves, and amazing live vocals all through the night, reminding us just how much of an impact he’s made in our lives. To thank his fans for their never-ending support throughout the years, the three-time Grammy winner introduced everyone to some new songs (what he referred to them as ‘future classics’) like “Handle Me Gently”, and “U2 Luv” from his new album “Self Explanatory”.

And speaking of classics, the R&B artist knew exactly what the people wanted as he slowed things down with “Mad” and the one-and-only, legendary fan favourite, “So Sick” accompanied by a beautiful sea of lights from everyone’s smartphones. One can’t help but sing along to those emotional hits while being completely mesmerised by the songwriter’s soulful vocals. During certain parts of the show, some lucky fans got a sniff of the “Battle: Los Angeles” star (literally) whenever he threw a hand towel into the audience after wiping himself with them.

The fun didn’t end there as Ne-Yo not only treated us fans with old and new music but also to songs that he has written and produced for other artists like Beyonce’s iconic “Irreplaceable”, and Rihanna’s “Take A Bow”. Believe us when we say that there wasn’t a moment of idle whenever the singer was on stage. Was there an encore? Well, you wouldn’t think the solo artist would just end his show without one, would you?

As soon as the American celeb left the stage and the lights went out, audience members could be heard screaming “WE WANT MORE! WE WANT MORE!” and of course, our wish came true when Ne-Yo returned to keep the party going with “Let’s Go”, and “Give Me Everything” before ending the night with “Time Of Our Lives”.

We were definitely ‘So Sick’ that the show ended but Ne-Yo did not disappoint anyone with his intimate yet extremely energetic show. Throughout the whole night, the singer got everyone’s full attention, and all eyes were glued to him.

What a way to start the year 2023 and we look forward to the next time he comes to Malaysia! Check out a sneak peek of the concert below:

@NE-YO brought down the house during his “Self Explanatory World Tour” concert at KL Convention Centre last night! Brought to you by Mola TV #Neyo #neyoliveinconcert #neyoliveinkl #hitmansolutions #happymoonlive


Suicide Squad: Director Teases Jared Leto’s Joker Look

Director David Ayer certainly wasn’t joking (no pun intended) when he said Jared Leto’s role in his upcoming DC Comics film“Suicide Squad” would be “majestic“.

Having recently shared a full cast photo on Twitter, the “Fury” director released another photo to show us Jared Leto‘s transformation into the Joker:

— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) April 10, 2015

Produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, “Suicide Squad” will be executive produced by Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson, and Geoff Johns. Ayer is attached to direct the film, based on Justin Marks’ screenplay.

The film is based on the original DC Comic of the same name, where a group of supervillains find themselves going on a most unlikely mission for a shot at redemption. However, the mission will probably kill them all. Although The Joker isn’t a member of the squad, he is the frequent accomplice and boyfriend of Harley Quinn.

Leto may not be in his full costume and make-up, but it helps that he dyed his hair green and paid homage to the cover of Alan Moore and Brian Bolland’s “Killing Joke”.

Leto is joining the film alongside Will Smith‘s Deadshot, Margot Robbie‘s Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney‘s Captain Boomerang, Joel Kinnaman‘s Rick Flag, Cara Delevingne‘s Enchantress, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje’s Killer Croc.

Jay Rodriguez, Scott Eastwood, and Viola Davis are also set to appear in the film

Ed Harris and Jackie Earle Haley are rumoured to appear in the film, but Warner Bros. has yet to make the official casting announcement. Latino Review reported that Jim Parrack will play Deathstroke because the studio “decided to go younger with the character”. Ike Barinholtz is said to be portraying Dr. Hugo Strange while Adam Beach is rumoured to be playing Ravan.

“Suicide Squad” is slated for release on 5th August 2016.

So, are you excited to see the film? Do you think it’ll become one of the best movies in 2016? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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#Grab: RM15 Off GrabCar Rides To Or Fro Penang, Senai, & Kota Kinabalu Airports

With the public and school holidays upon us, it’s no wonder that families are taking a sweet escape to several popular holiday destinations.

And if you’re travelling to Penang, Johor, or Sabah via plane, Grab is here to lighten your burden! They’re offering RM15 off your rides to and fro the airports in Penang, Johor, and Sabah.

The airports mentioned are Penang International Airport, Senai International Airport, and Kota Kinabalu International Airport.

Wanna know how to grab yourself a discounted ride?

However, take note that you’ll be able enjoy the discount only 2 times during the promo period. It is also limited to only 300 redemption per day, so be fast!

The “Travel with Grab!” promo runs from today (Friday, 9th September) until 18th September (Sunday).

For more info, visit Grab’s official website and Facebook page.


Hype’s Now Playing: Taylor Swift – Look What You Made Me Do

Taylor Swift (otherwise known as Tay Tay to her fans) completely wiped out her social media presence last week, and all for good reasons.

Moments ago, she debuted a dark, slightly aggressive new concept at the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards with the official premiere of her new music video, “Look What You Made Me Do”. In the music video, Tay Tay depicts herself rising from the dead (literally, she crawls out of a grave) before we see her in a tub of diamonds. Oh, and much like the teasers that she released in the past week, fans can expect to see a lot of snakes.

The music video also features various iterations of Tay Tay – from her guitar-totting self for her self-titled debut album, “Taylor Swift”; to her 2009 VMAs appearance where Kanye West interrupted her acceptance speech; her girl-next-door pyjamas outfit from the “You Belong With Me” music video; and even her iconic “Red” tour maestro-esque outfit; before finally culminating in her current, edgy self.

“Look What You Made Me Do” ends with Tay Tay saying, “I would very much like to be excluded from this narrative”, a play from when Kim Kardashian “exposed” her controversial phone call with Kanye West (cue the snake emojis) and Tay Tay wrote a note to address the issue.

Yay or nay, guys? Take time to digest this and let us know what you think in the comments!


NU’EST’s Segno KL Concert: What Is Allowed & Not Allowed In The Venue

L.O.Λ.E, are y’all excited to see NU’EST (뉴이스트) this weekend?

JR, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren are expected to set the stage at Malawati Indoor Stadium on fire for their “Segno” concert. But before that though, the concert organiser has posted some helpful information for K-pop fans.

For concert-goers coming by public transport, you may get down at KTM Batu Tiga station. The SA02 bus will drop you off at Aeon Shah Alam, which approximately 10-12 minutes walk to the concert venue. Alternatively, you may also call a ride-hailing service to get there.

Below are the list of things allowed and prohibited into the venue:

For more info on the NU’EST’s concert seating plan, go here.

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#UB40: British Band Set To Thrill Reggae Fans In Kuala Lumpur

Here is a treat for Malaysians who enjoy listening to reggae music. UB40 will be making a pit stop in KL to showcase a selection of their memorable covers and hit songs as well as songs from their latest album.

The UK reggae group is probably best known for their signature hit single, “Red, Red Wine”, and their interpretation of Elvis Presley’s classic “Can’t Help Falling In Love”.

UB40 was first formed in 1978 and have went on to established themselves as one of the world’s most successful acts in music history with over 70 million albums sold worldwide and over 50 singles in the UK charts alone.

Since reforming in 2013 after going their separate ways, the 3 founding members of the renowned band – Ali Campbell, Mickey Virtue and Astro – have been on a world tour and they have add Malaysia as one of their stops.

Here’s your chance to catch UB40 live! Check out the details below:

Tickets are now available for purchase via Galactix and TicketPro.

For more information or to obtain updates on UB40 show, hit up Livescape Group’s website or Facebook page.


When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom At The Hyoseok Cultural Festival In PyeongChang

It is without a doubt that PyeongChang (평창) is one of South Korea’s most beautiful counties. Yet to be discovered, hence unmarred by tourism, PyeongChang boasts mountains, parks, trails, temples, museums, villages, and a whole lot more.

Thanks to its mountainous regions, come 2018, PyeongChang will play host to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics (평창 동계 올림픽). But beyond its cold winter that’s perfect for the games and its winter attractions, PyeongChang is almost home to the Hyoseok Cultural Festival (평창 효석문화제), which takes place in September.

The Hyoseok Cultural Festival is held to commemorate modern Korean writer Lee Hyo Seok (1907-1942) and his popular novel, “When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom”, one of the most celebrated Korean short stories to date. Lee Hyo Seok’s novel demonstrates the connection between human life and beauty of nature through the dazzling scenery of Bongpyeong. The festival offers various participatory programs such as poem exhibition, literature night, Hyoseok essay contest, nature experiences (i.e. fingernail colouring using balsam), buckwheat food cooking, and many more.

Visitors who tour Lee Hyo Seok’s birthplace and memorial hall will be amazed by the endless flower field in the Lee Hyo Seok culture village. The village is where the author was born and raised, and also the setting of “When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom”.

The village is comprised of the author’s birth house, a water mill, Chungjujip, Gasan Park, Lee Hyo Seok Memorial Hall, and a buckwheat museum. At the height of the blossoming season, visitors will enjoy the beautiful scenery of snow-white fields of buckwheat flowers and from late August to early September, when the annual Lee Hyo Seok Cultural Festival takes place.

In 1990, the village place was designated “first national cultural village” by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

And while you’re in area, don’t forget to check out the Bongpyeong 5-Day Market too!

The market opens on days with “2” and “7”, with the interval of 5 days. As of late, buckwheat (메밀) has been the top product in the market, so you can expect a variety of buckwheat-related foods such as buckwheat noodles, buckwheat pancake, buckwheat crepe, buckwheat steamed bun, buckwheat noodles hotpot, buckwheat bibimbap, and more.

Opening Dates: Every 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd, and 27th.

For those of you who are diehard “Goblin” (도깨비) fans, you’d remember the significance of buckwheat flowers in the Korean drama. The first time Ji Eun Tak (played by Kim Go Eun) unknowingly summoned Goblin (played by Gong Yoo) at Jumunjin Breakwater, she asked him to give her the flowers in his hands. When asked for the meaning of the buckwheat flowers, Goblin explained, “Lovers.”

Thus signalling the start of their very unexpected but also very special relationship in the Korean drama ;)

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

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

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

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

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#WhatsApp: Finally, iOS Users Get Voice-Calling Feature With Latest Update

Earlier in April, WhatsApp quietly rolled out its voice-calling feature for anyone who’s an Android smartphone user. At that time, WhatsApp founder Brian Acton said that the feature could reach iOS “in the near future” too but no exact date was given.

Now, we spy that the feature is starting to roll out to iOS users! We know this because an update to the iOS app hit the iTunes Store less than a day ago, indicating that you too will soon be able to call just about anyone using WhatsApp for free, regardless of where they are in the world. Of course, like most modern-day voice-calling features, it uses your internet connection (read: data) to complete these calls.

We haven’t personally seen the update ourselves yet but according to The Verge, the other big WhatsApp update is that it now plays nicely with iOS 8’s new sharing system, which means that you can share photos, videos, links, and other bits of info using the share button in other apps. Other new features include a quick access button to the camera and your camera roll and the ability to send multiple videos at once.

But let’s be honest – voice chat is the real killer new feature here.

Note: No word on whether the WhatsApp update for iOS will also allow users to get on the web version of WhatsApp though.

You can update to the latest version of WhatsApp now, but you’ll have to be at least a little patient and wait for them to flip the switch on voice calls for your account because the cross-platform messaging service says it’ll roll out “slowly over the next few weeks”. So don’t throw a tantrum if you don’t have access to the feature just yet!


Exclusive: Calum Scott Spills Secrets On Album #2, Getting In Trouble With The Label & His Thoughts On K-pop

English singer, Calum Scott was here in Malaysia earlier this week to perform tunes off his debut album, “Only Human”.

Fortunately, we got the golden opportunity to watch him perform not once but twice! One being an intimate performance at Sheraton Hotel, Petaling Jaya. The other being a special appearance at Samsung’s “Era of Live” event.

As we all know, Calum rose to fame as a contestant on the highly popular singing show, “Britain’s Got Talent.” During his time there, Calum was memorable for his cover renditions sang including Robryn’s “Dancing On My Own”, the song that launched his career.

Calum has come a long way since then. These days, he’s busy touring around the world promoting his debut album, “Only Human”. With the help of our friends at Universal Music Malaysia, we had the pleasure of speaking to him about his debut album, his approach to songwriting, his friendship with Leona Lewis, and also K-pop.

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There was a big gap between the time you were in “Britain’s Got Talent” (2015) and the release of your debut album (2018). Why did it took such a long time? Were you just being very cautious with the market?

I don’t even think it was that strategic. I think it was just simply because I had an overnight success with my audition on “Britain’s Got Talent”. Let’s not forget I was working in Human Resources. So I was just like everybody else; loved to sing but had no idea on how to make an album or how to write a record.

Being signed to Capitol Records was a monumental moment for me in my career. But it meant that I really had to start working hard to be able to achieve where I am now. That meant starting from scratch with an album. So I had to learn how to become a songwriter, how to get my feelings down on paper, and ultimately to be able to write a record that people were going to listen to for hopefully years to come.

So, it took a little time to get that together, to get those skills working but I feel like I finally got there. But now that I am there, second album will be a lot more confident and hopefully, not take as long but then again Rome wasn’t built in a day. I didn’t want to rush this, writing songs that was going to relate to people ,and to save people’s hearts was my mission. So, I didn’t want to be stuck to a time frame or be told this got to be done by a specific date. Although it’s important to keep deadlines, it was incredibly important for me cause I only get one shot at writing a debut album. That probably explains the time but I promise it won’t be that long with the second.

I started to go on a journey of writing songs that didn’t have a real order or real thought process. It was more of getting into the studio, sit with my co-writers, pouring my heart out, crying most of the time and just really getting things of my chest and using songwriting as a bit of a therapy. That’s when the songs start to take a real part or shape. I wrote 70 songs for the first album. So I have many many demos, not all which are great.

My mom hears my demos before anybody else. There were quite a number that were discarded before the label heard them. She’s just like “Hmm, not that none” and I am like “Okay, throw that in the bin.”

To really give the album a sense of shape and real depth and quality, I had to choose the songs that I felt best describe me as an individual and as an artist. I feel like I am at a position where I can do something I love but I can also transfer positive messages and try to inspire people, (as well as) make people feel comfortable and strong and happy with who they are. So I think once I had written the 70, out of those, there were a few golden nuggets, really, that made the album like this. I just hope I can write another 70 more.

Why was it important to write all of your songs on your debut album? [Side note: Only bonus tracks “Not Dark Yet” and “Dancing on My Own” are covers.]

I did write the majority of the songs on there because songwriting is incredibly important to me and being a part of the stories. Telling it from my perspective, I think it’s what gives the songs the edge. I think it also gives the humility. I think coming from a very normal upbringing, having a 9-5 job, and know what it feels like to get up at 6 in the morning and travel to work in traffic. And sit at a desk and do your job. Spending your hard earned money on the things you love to do. It comes across in my songwriting and that’s why people can really relate (to the songs).

I take my inspiration literally from living my life one day to the next. And all the highs and lows of that. Missing home, falling out with people, making up again, falling out with them again, and making up again. So, that’s the basis of my songwriting.

During writing sessions, you are required to share deeply personal things. So, if it’s a stranger you’ve never met before, how do y’all warm up?

For me, songwriting starts as soon as you email to say you’re ready for the session. For the labels and the management side, they think that it’s when you step into the room and you say “Right, what do you want to write about?”. It’s just not simple as that when you’re trying to be creative. If you could bottle up creativity, then everybody would buy a bottle right? So I think for me, the relationship with the producer and co-writer starts as soon as you have that exchange.

Like me, I am a very open book. I lay my heart on the line and sometimes it gets squash. That’s one of the downsides but I do that because I just wanna let people in and I think if I can do that then the songs that we are going to write is going to have real quality and a real sense that I am being honest and genuine. I think these days people can see past B.S. To put it plainly, people can see when something is being made to make money. I got in trouble with the label couple of times for saying to people “You know, I am not interested in making money, it’s more about the songs.” and they are like “It’s a little bit about making money.”

Obviously, it’s a business but I don’t see it as a business. I see this as almost diary entries that I am publishing online. I am putting my heart on my sleeve and I am saying “This is Me, this is what I’ve been through and I am not the only person who’s gone through that”. Let’s share this together in the form of music which let’s face it, is the language of the world. People might not necessarily understand the lyrics that I am singing but they can definitely feel the emotions I am trying to portray. Sometimes that takes a little time and a few cups of tea to get that conversation started but as long as I can be honest and they can work with that, then we usually get along fine.

Speaking about collaborations, which singers do you want to work with?

I feel personally that there is a real gap for a male duet. I think that a male-female duet is great. I think we had a fair share of female-female duets but there are not a lot of male and male duets that I can think of. I always take myself back to David Bowie and Freddie Mercury “Under Pressure” and I watched the YouTube clip with just their vocals. That is just insane and it’s two very characteristic voices working with each other. So, I would love to do something with Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Adam Levine maybe and just have a male duet.

Being in the position that I am, I would love to do something with my sister for my second record. My sister, Jade is such a massive part of my life. Without her I wouldn’t be where I am. So I feel like that would be really, really special too.

Who knows, maybe a BTS and Blackpink collab would be insane. I don’t wanna split fan groups but maybe something like that would be really cool. When I sang french, it was cool enough. So I love to do something like that.

Woah, we like that you’re open to K-pop. Do you enjoy K-pop music?

Yea. I really do. There’s so much energy in there. These guys (BTS and BlackPink) are doing incredible things all over the world. To be working with them, it would be an absolute privilege.

You worked with Leona Lewis for the remix of “You Are The Reason”. What is something that we would be surprised to know about her?

Leona is an incredibly special person. I think maybe one thing I could say – this might not be the last time we work together. It’s exclusive. So, don’t tell anybody. Me and Leona get on so well. She’s very like me. Had a very normal background and had worked very hard to get where she’s gotten. She’s acting now and she is also a massive animal lover. She has a charity foundation in the UK and US. So I know she’s working hard on that. She’s also coming up with new music. She’s writing the album. I haven’t heard anything yet. She’s very secretive about that but yea it might not be the last time we work together.

Do you see yourself doing acting in the near future? I mean, Ed Sheeran did it.

Yeah I saw him in “Game of Thrones”. He did a great job. I met him a couple of times. He’s very much a regular guy. I think it would be pretty hard for me because I don’t have a persona. I don’t have a front or a character, it would be strange for me to play somebody else. I will give it a shot though. I mean I have been asked a couple of times to have my debut with a couple of TV programs.

Before we let you go, what can you tease about album #2? Will there be more upbeat songs?

I have been asked a lot how come “No Matter What” wasn’t included as the second album and was released via a special edition. The answer to that solely is that “No Matter What” fits so perfectly under the umbrella of what “Only Human” is, what it stands for, about celebrating human emotions, about being true to ourselves and being confident and happy. But I think that it gives me the opportunity to write a completely new album for the second time around.

I am conscious that I have amass my fan base through what I’ve written already. So, the last thing I wanna do is go too left field or change direction completely from album #1. I look to people like Adele, who’s written three albums of complete heartbreak and we still buy them. We still listen to them. With her third album, it was bigger than any of her previous. It’s still heartbreak. It’s still about emotions. It’s still about yearning for the one. So, I think I am going to write more of the same.

Of course, I don’t wanna write an album full of sad songs. So, I will have tempo places but the most important thing for me is to take my audience on an adventure.

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Top 5 Christmas Feasts

Every year during Christmas week, we ask ourselves these questions: Where should we have dinner? What should I cook for dinner? How much food I need to prepare? Will my guest enjoy my cooking?

If you find yourself pondering on these questions and if you’ve not decided on your Christmas plans, fret not! Providing you with a variety of restaurants that ranges from Italian to Thai to Chinese to Japanese, here’s a list of the top 5 restaurants you should visit this Christmas season.

If you’re one who prefers a more intimate and cozy atmosphere then Tuscany is the place for you. Decked out with romantic low lights and plush seats, Tuscany will not disappoint. This Christmas, Tuscany embraces its Italian roots by offering the Christmas Day Bubbly Set Lunch and Set Dinner.

Address: Putrajaya Marriot Hotel, IOI Resort, 62502 Putrajaya.

Price: Christmas Day Bubbly Set Lunch, RM160++, RM280++ with champagne; Christmas Candlelight Set Dinner, RM150++

Back with their special Christmas menu, have a spicy Christmas dinner at My Elephant Thai Restaurant. Designed specially for Christmas, the Khantoke set menu features 5 dishes and feeds 4 people. It also comes with refillable brown rice and their signature drink; Pandan Cooler.

Address: Block C-G4 Happy Mansion, Jalan 17/13, Section 17, Selangor, Malaysia 46400.

Available From: December 13th, 2013 – January 15th, 2013

Don’t fancy Italian nor Thai? It’s okay! We’ve got a Chinese restaurant for you too! Pay Tai Zi Heen a visit this holiday season as the head chefs at Prince Hotel & Residence’s signature Cantonese restaurant have created a special holiday themed all-you-can-eat menu, with dim sum as the star attraction for lunch and Asian dishes for dinner that combines the best of both east and west flavours.

Address: Tai Zi Heen, Level 2 Prince Hotel KL, 4 Jalan Conlay, 50450 KL.

Available from: December 24th, 2013 to January 1st, 2014. 4, 2013

Price: Lunch RM75++; dinner RM88++; half-price for kids below 12

If the three restaurants listed above doesn’t suit your taste, maybe this will! This Christmas, indulge in good Japanese cuisine and enjoy an à la carte buffet featuring turkey served with three Japanese sauces, grilled eel, chicken teriyaki, sashimi and tempura dishes at Tatsu.

Address: Tatsu, InterContinental Kuala Lumpur, 165 Jalan Ampang, KL.

Available From: December 24th, 2013 to December 25th, 2013

If you’re looking for something a little more traditional and close to the heart, this could be just right up your alley. This festive season, Flavours Restaurant hits close to home on Christmas eve with traditional Christmas offerings that include traditional roast turkeys with chestnut stuffing and giblet sauce as well as herb-crusted lamb cutlets with mint brown sauce and turkey chaud-froid. For dessert, indulge in mince pie, Christmas stollen and assorted cookies. The Christmas Day high tea delivers a more elegant menu with lobster bisque and seafood on ice.

Address: Flavors Restaurant, Swiss-Garden Hotel Kuala Lumpur, 117 Jalan Pudu, KL.

Time: December 24th, dinner; December 25th, hi-tea

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12 Former Celebrities Who Have Swapped Showbiz For Normal Jobs

Life in the limelight may appear glamorous to the public, but many are simply not cut out to be in Hollywood. Some have gotten their 15 minutes of fame and decided that normalcy is still the better option.

Fame is unpredictable, as many famous people will attest to. One minute, they’re on top of the world. The next, they might’ve fallen from greatness and are now telling whoever willing to listen what a big deal they used to be. The smart ones though, do their best to prepare in advanced.

Here’s a list of Hollywood celebs who now have normal occupations:


Doraemon: Local Netizens React To Nobita & Shizuka’s Wedding Photos

The internet is abuzz after netizens found out that the two characters of the popular animated series, “Doraemon”, Nobita and Shizuka are tying the knot.

The topic has become the talk of the town after the poster of the movie “Stand By Me Doraemon 2” started trending on Twitter.

In the image, both the groom and the bride are pictured side by side wearing their wedding outfits. The famous robot cat is also seen in the poster, with his teary eyes looking at the couple. The replies section has since been flooded with tons of amusing remarks left by netizens.

In this case, many netizens shared their excitement upon hearing the delightful news. Some even congratulated the sweet pair in their most creative commentaries. Check out what they said here:

“Stand By Me Doraemon 2” is expected to hit theatres next month. Watch the trailer here:

We’re stoked that Nobita finally weds the girl of his dreams ;)


Hype’s Now Playing: Emblem3 – 3000 Miles

American reggae, pop rock band consisting of brothers Wesley Stromberg, Keaton Stromberg and their friend Drew Chadwick, Emblem3 first formed as a band in 2007. Currently opening for Selena Gomez on her blockbuster Stars Dance tour, Emblem3’s latest music video 3000 Miles premiered today!

Focusing on the loneliness of being on the road, 3000 Miles takes you on a tour bus with Emblem3 as they get homesick.


Cozy & Functional Capsule Hotel in Malaysia

The first airport capsule hotel in Malaysia has arrived. Located at the (still) new Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA 2), Capsule by Container Hotel allows transit travellers, backpackers, or frequent flyers to book a place to crash overnight or recharge during a long transit before catching the next flight.

Cozy and smart, the hotel is as minimalist as you can imagine, which bodes well for its “hassle-free, value-smart lodging” style. It has a very industrial feel as it comes complete with shipping crate-style walls – almost like a warehouse.

Designed for transit travelers, backpackers on-the-go, and frequent fliers, it allows those who needed a place to crash overnight, or recharge before catching the next flight. It is great for a short stay, and for people who are trendsetters, value-smart, and eager to experience a Capsule styled lodging without worrying about lengthy stop-over.

Enjoy a cold beer, a glass of sky juice, or a soft drink at our Capsule Bar upon check-in. Expect to be mesmerized by the ambiance of artistic vibe the moment you step into the foyer. To foster a creative community, we transformed the corridor into a creative space for the local aspiring artists to display and share their works of art. For that, we strive to make your stay a hassle-free, artful, and a unique experience imbued with lively energy; a dose of rejuvenation which you could take with you for your next journey.

Each capsule comes with a few convenient amenities. More than enough if you’re planning to just sleep, if you ask us:

And judging from the photos, the capsules do look comfortable albeit probably not so much for people with claustrophobia. There are also a few common/shared areas such as the Capsule bar, lounge, library, locker rental, washroom/shower, etc. Of course, some facilities come with a small fee but at least they’re the pay-per-use type.

Fancy a few hours’ or a night’s stay at the comfy-looking Capsule hotel? Guests can stay up to 3 hours (cost RM45), 6 hours (cost RM70), or 12 hours (cost RM90) per day. Book here!

Check out this gallery for more pictures:

For more information, visit their website.

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Minimalism Comes To Town

Known for being a minimalist design retail company, Muji (derived from the word, “Mujirushi Ryōhin” which means, “No Brand Quality Goods) has finally arrived in Malaysia.

The brand has, over the years, garnered a huge following from fans around the world when their store mushroomed across the asian region such as:

Don’t deny it. Making a stop at Muji is one of the first few things you would do if you were on holiday in Singapore. Right?

Well, making a stop will take less traveling time (obviously!) and less planning now because Pavilion Kuala Lumpur is going to be home to Malaysia’s first ever Muji store. Aherm. Muji Malaysia.

This is especially exciting news for the environmental-conscious shoppers because not only does the brand pride in its minimalism, it also carries a variety of household and consumer goods that places emphasis on recycling as well as avoidance of waste in production and packaging.

Ah, that explains why most of their products are mostly barefaced – with no logo and no branding.

So get ready to charge right into the heart of the city come 14th April 2012 (Saturday) when Muji Malaysia officially opens. See you at the front of the line!

For more information, visit Muji Malaysia’s official Facebook page or visit their website.


#MCF2017: First Ever Malaysia Coffee Fest Happening At KLCC Next Week

Attention coffee lovers, the first ever Malaysia Coffee Fest is taking place next week!

On 5th – 7th May, come spend some time with top-class baristas, local artisan roasters, and fellow enthusiasts at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).

From hip and trendy cafes that serve up creative brews of specialist coffee to rustic coffee shops that serve local Malaysian kopi, it is enjoyed by everyone, everywhere in Malaysia. It’s also encouraging to see that the vibrant coffee culture has been showing promising growth thanks to the country’s urbanisation.

For this upcoming event, visitors will not only get to the opportunity to taste various coffee beans from all over the world but also learn how to whip up a mean cup of hand-brewed coffee. There will be a series of workshops and seminars that will cover topics such as “Introduction to Brewing Skills” and “A Basic Guide for the Home Coffee Drinker”.

That’s not all, the festival will also have several food trucks at the Food Truck Fiesta. Whether it’s the famed LaFamiglia Food Truck serving delicious Italian pastas or the Guac Taco serving authentic nachos, tacos, and burritos, there’s bound to be something for everyone.

In addition, the DOREMi Music Cafe will further accentuate the ambience with open mic performances from some talented musicians.

Speaking of talents, there is also going to be a showdown among the group of Malaysia’s top baristas and latte artists as they compete to claim the winning title of the first ever Malaysia Open Barista Championship and Malaysia Open Latte Art Championship respectively.

Brought to you by CEMS Conference & Exhibition (M) Sdn Bhd, the details to the Malaysia Coffee Fest 2017 are as follows:

Since parking can be a tad inconvenient, the organiser is suggesting for you to skip the hassle and just Grab. You’d be able to enjoy RM5 off 2 rides by keying in the promo code MYCOFFEEFEST.

For more information, check out Malaysia Coffee Fest’s official website or hit up their Facebook page.

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#CNN: SMART Ranked Among World’s Greatest Tunnels

CNN (Cable News Network) has listed Malaysia’s Storm Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) in Kuala Lumpur as one of the greatest tunnels in the world.

Spanning across 9.7 kilometers, SMART is the longest stormwater tunnel in South-East Asia and 2nd longest in Asia. It was listed alongside other great tunnels including the Gotthard Base Tunnel (Switzerland), Laerdal Tunnel (Norway), Tokyo Bay Aqua Line (Japan), Guoliang Tunnel, and Bund Sightseeing Tunnel (China).

Opened in 2007, SMART is expected to prevent billions of dollars of possible flood damage and costs from traffic congestion. CNN also added that the tunnel can operate 3 ways.

Besides that, SMART has been recognised several times by the United Nations as an innovative plan to deal with road traffic and floodwater management.

Sources: The Star, Malay Mail Online, CNN, Says.


deadmau5’s Album Title Goes..Where?

After two whole years and an epic gig at Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia in 2011, he’s finally releasing a new album!

On the 9th August 2012, Joel Zimmerman aka deadmau5 announced that he’ll be a releasing a new album titled, “> album title goes here<”. Uh, yeah. Album titles are hard? The new album is a follow-up to one of the world’s biggest names in electronic dance music’s 2010 album, “4×4=12”.

We know, we know. The previous album title hardly makes any sense either.

“> album title goes here <” will soon make its mark as deadmau5’s sixth studio album, and it will feature a total of 13 tracks. He has let on that the album (said to be a whole lot more epic than his previous one) has collaborations with My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way, Cypress Hill, and Imogen Heap. The tracks in mention are such as “Professional Griefers” (Gerard Way), “Failbait” (Cypress Hill), and “Telemiscommunications” (Imogen Heap).

[youtube id=”FTNN2LHNOsM” width=”600″ height=”350″]

A lot of deadmau5 awesomeness is headed our way, huh? “> album titles goes here <” will be released on 24th September so keep a look out for it!

For more information, visit deadmau5’s official website.


Hype Eats: Our Picks Of The Best CNY Gastronomic Offerings This Week! (16-22 Jan)

It’s the season for all things red, angpao-giving, and, of course, reunion feasts. Chinese New Year reunions, whether they involve getting together with extended family members, friends or coworkers, are at the core of what the holiday is all about – and at the core of the gatherings are – you guessed it – FOOD!

To cater to upcoming CNY reunion feasts, eateries far and wide have come up with all sorts of seasonal offerings. From fast food to traditional Chinese cuisine and a wide range of beverages, get ready to huat together with your loved ones with our picks for this week’s Hype Eats.

A post shared by Official Marrybrown Malaysia (@marrybrownmy)

Getting ready to usher in the new year? Marrybrown’s got you covered with the much-anticipated Egg-stra Ong meal to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit with egg-stra abundance and joy! A fan favourite, the Egg-stra Ong menu is making a comeback, and new items this year are Egg-stra Ong Fish Pau, Salted egg fries, and Banana pie, available in 2-pc for à la carte from RM7.80; and 2-pc combo from RM14.80.

Can’t get enough of the signature Crispy chicken and burger coated with rich salted egg sauce? Go for the 2-pc Egg-stra Ong Chicken Combo and Egg-stra Ong Burger Combo, priced from RM20.80 and RM16.80 respectively. You can also indulge in both Crispy chicken and burger with the Egg-stra Ong Box Meal priced from RM25.80. All combo meals also come with a cup of Fruity Fizz, infused with refreshing flavours of orange, pineapple, mango, and dragon fruit; while the Egg-stra Ong Box Meal comes with mashed potato, fries and a beverage.

In celebration of the Lunar New Year, The LIBRARI’s Spring Afternoon Tea takes traditional fare to new heights with a heavenly ice-cream pairing, specially-devised by The LIBRARI’s very own in-house ice-cream master. Sample both savoury and sweet ice-cream flavours such as Truffle and Béarnaise Ice-Cream, or Rhubarb and Mascarpone Ice-Cream, matched beautifully with added treats. Accompanying this afternoon tea is a complimentary bottle of Kronenbourg 1664 ROSÉ beer. The LIBRARI’s Spring Afternoon Tea will be available daily from 2:00PM to 5:00PM and is priced at RM 158 nett per person or RM 298 nett for two people.

Don’t forget to check out The RuMa’s Shanghainese Peddlers Gin – an award-winning craft gin from Shanghai. Inspired by the Shanghai underground, it boasts diversity in its ingredients, infused with notes of Sichuan pepper, Buddha’s hand, lotus flower, Xinjiang almonds, Guangdong liquorice, Chinese cassia and coriander seeds. Three varieties of Peddlers will be offered at SEVEN Lobby Bar: Craft Gin, Salted Plum Gin & Barrel Aged Gin.

Of course, you can’t forget the cookies. From Pineapple tarts to Peanut Butter Cookies and Sable to Linzer Raspberry, The RuMa Hotel and Residences is ready to serve you with a delectable array of traditional favourites. Grab these auspicious cookies for RM128 per box.

Date: The LIBRARI’s Spring Afternoon Tea (13 January – 31 March 2023)/ Shanghainese Peddlers Gin (10 January – 28 February 2023)

A post shared by Maria's SteakCafe (@marias.steakcafe)

For diners looking for non-oriental cuisine, but want a touch of Chinese New Year tradition, Maria’s SteakCafe Abundance Set and Prosperity Set will give you both. The sets will start with its signature Yee Sang toss. Do try Maria’s signature Smoked Salmon Yee Sang or Pulled Beef, which is a twist on the traditional raw fish salad dish.

Starting at RM788++, Maria’s SteakCafe’s Abundance set is designed for an intimate group of 4 to 6 pax; with a Prosperity Set created for a bigger party of up to 10 pax. Enjoy your Chinese New Year dinner with Maria’s signature Ribeye, tender baby cutlet, and spaghetti seafood Aglio Olio that pair with Spicy Mussels, Caesar Salad, and creamy mushroom soup to start your palate; and end your meal with a prune loaf. If grain-fed ribeye is not your choice of steak, Maria’s SteakCafe offers upgrade options, ranging from Australia Black Angus to Wagyu MB9, which you can pair with a bottle of wine, too.

A post shared by Tummour Malaysia (@tummourmy)

Thai food lovers are in for a treat, because one of Thailand’s most coveted brands has made it’s way to Malaysia. TUMMOUR’s first outlet is located at Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya, where its Muslim-friendly menu was introduced for the first time. Famous for bona fide Thai cuisine, TUMMOUR’s customers can indulge in a variety of classic flavours, along with some unconventional ones that are sure to tickle their taste buds.

TUMMOUR serves a simple yet deeply satisfying Thai menu that features many Malaysian-favourites, such as Papaya Salad (Som Tum), Spicy Prawn Soup (Tom Yum Koong), among others. You’ll definitely be pleased to find a selection of meat and seafood dishes, soups, salads, desserts, and much more on TUMMOUR’s impressively extensive Muslim-friendly and pork-free menu. Head over to Empire Shopping Gallery this week and check out this new Thai food restaurant.

Location: Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya

Celebrate the auspicious season with newly-curated and limited-edition “Fortune Flavors the Bold” beverages from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

A post shared by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf MY (@coffeebeanmy)

A new year is all about fresh starts, and fresh brews! Have an extra peachy one with the new Peaches & Cream Cold Brew Tea (small, RM16.90, regular, RM18.50); and Peaches & Cream Ice Blended® (small RM17.90, regular RM19.50). For coffee lovers, set off on your fortuitous adventure of flavors with a flair of the sea with the new Seasalt Caramel Latte (hot/iced) (small RM17.90, regular RM18.90), Seasalt Caramel Cream Cold Brew (small RM14.50, regular RM15.50) and Seasalt Caramel Gibraltar Latte (hot/iced) (RM15.80).

As for the Lunar New Year seasonal menu, be sure to try out their Golden Prosperity, a delicious orange and white chocolate creation; Red Fortune, red and white velvet and raspberries; and Carrot Cake, loaded with carrots, plump raisins, walnuts and pistachios topped with cream cheese frosting.

For those who cannot get enough of The Coffee Bean’s new Peaches & Cream beverages, have them in dessert form with the new Peaches & Cream Tart. Meanwhile, the Peanut Butter Swirl serves as a rich, easy snack. Finally, Spaghetti Bolognese and Aglio Olio are perfect for those who want a warm, savoury meal in their tummy. Alongside the new beverages and food, special rabbit-themed Lunar New Year merchandise in the form of mugs and tumblers are also available for you to carry good fortune – and your favourite beverage.

Oh Cha Matcha, well-known for its colourful, playful concoctions, is offering a healthy and perfect gift option to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Matcha Prosperity Bag!

A post shared by Oh Cha Matcha (OCMC) (@ohchamatcha.kl)

You’ll find not just the matcha-infused drinks in a luxurious sustainable bamboo bag, but snacks such as vegan-friendly and dairy-free homemade Matcha Pineapple Tarts, homemade Tofu Crisps, and Chinese new year must-have Roasted Plant Seeds (kuaci). Oh Cha Matcha has also launched four new and refreshing flavoured matcha, namely, Grape Matcha, Mango Coconut Matcha, Pineapple Coconut Matcha and Tropical Matcha.

A bag full of love, antioxidants, and tasty treats is available from now till 29th January 2023 at the TTDI store, selling at RM168; and you may pre-order at www.ohchamatcha.com. Back by popular demand, the Matcha Pineapple Tarts are also available on an a la carte basis at RM45.

Date: Treats available till 29th January 2023

A post shared by Shin’Labo by James Won (@shinlabobyjameswon)

For fans of SHIN’LABO BY JAMES Won, it’s an occasion for thanksgiving, with a brand-new menu designed exclusively for Chinese New Year to evoke memories of family reunions and traditional nostalgia.

Hosted at Asia’s only first-of-its-kind KRUG CHEF’S TABLE with a luxurious curated menu hand-crafted around the principle of big spirited meals exclusively for groups of ten (10) or more, the feast comes packaged with two (2) complimentary bottles of top-quality sparkling Sake, and a unique Japanese Jyuu Sang celebration, coupled with state-of-the-art hi-fi professional music audio systems with karaoke to turn a dine-out into a full-blown party.

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ZUS is about to shake things up this 2023 with the launch of their new line of iced shaken drinks. Modelled after the Italian shakerato (a combination of an espresso shot, ice and sugar syrup, shaken together in a cocktail shaker), the new beverages are the Iced Shaken Double Espresso and Iced Shaken Orange Osmanthus.

To celebrate the upcoming Chinese new year with good fortune, prosperity and new year blessings, ZUS also introduces a line-up of Prosperous Orange beverages. The series is led by the new Iced Shaken Orange Osmanthus Espresso. Other drinks featured in the series also boast a zesty orange bite, including the Orange Chocolate Frappe, the Iced Orange Latte, the Iced Orange Chocolate, and Hot Orange Chocolate.

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Planning a reunion dinner but can’t figure out how? CookX Asia is here to help. This festive season, CookX Asia, the all-in-one social cooking app, has introduced the newest member of its ambassador line-up, Chef TK Dong, a seasoned chef who specializes in Hook Chiew-style cooking, and a new collaboration with Beacon Mart, Malaysia’s one-stop healthy food mart chain.

The new CNY ecopack series features 6 different recipes carefully curated by Chef Dong. The CNY ecopack contains everything you need to take your reunion dinner to the next level — with recipes that bring together the best of the Chinese New Year tradition with a Malaysian twist. All you have to do is select the recipe you want and CookX Asia will prepare, pack and deliver it to you!

Among Chef Dong’s recipes in the Chinese New Year ecopack are the traditional two dishes of whole fish, Steamed Pomfret, which features fresh pomfret from Beacon Mart steamed with delicious sauce; and Portuguese Steamed Fish. Other dishes featured on the menu include three types of chicken dishes in the form of Herbal Chicken Soup, Lemon Hand Shredded Chicken, Potato Curry Chicken; and to round it up, a dessert of Jujube Millet Tong Sui.

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Spread the joy on Lunar New Year and welcome this auspicious day with a delectable Chinese New Year Buffet brunch at Zenith Hotels and Resorts Putrajaya, as you treasure family reunions over an abundance of seafood and scrumptious culinary delights. The hotel’s famed Chinese restaurant, Tong Yuen, will delight guests with a special Chinese New Year set menu, starting from RM888 nett, which includes several traditional dishes to enjoy, representing good fortune and prosperity, abundance of wealth, and a healthy and more fulfilled year.

There is also the option for guests to order Yee Sang from now till 6 February, and pick from the options of Fruity Veggie, King Salmon or Tiger Prawn Yee Sang to toss to greater fortune for the year ahead. Vegetarians are in luck too, as Tong Yuen also offers special Chinese New Year vegetarian set menus starting from RM1,188 nett for 10 persons.

Chinese New Year Buffet Brunch
Date: 22nd and 29th January 2023
Time: 12 pm to 4 pm
Venue: The Dining Room (Lower Ground)
Price: RM128 nett (Adult) | RM 98 nett (Senior Citizens) | RM78 nett (Child)
*Cupcake decoration activity for kids at 1 pm

Daily Yee Sang
Date: Now to 6 February 2023
Time: 11.30 am to 3 pm ; 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm
Venue: Tong Yuen (Lobby Level)

Date: CNY Buffet Brunch (22nd and 29th January 2023)

Location: Zenith Hotels & Resort Putrajaya

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Hype’s Movie Review: #FantasticBeasts Isn’t The Best #HarryPotter Movie, But Will Still Please Longtime Fans

Long before there was Harry Potter, there was a different young wizard – an awkward and sheepish “magizoologist” who is more at ease with furry and winged creatures than people. Say hello to your unlikely new hero, Newt Scamander.

To echo Erin Whitney, how do you make a successful “Harry Potter” prequel without the wizard himself? J.K. Rowling’s new spinoff, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, captures a dark time in global history e.g. the coming Depression, the age of Fascism. There’s something gloomy and scary lurking nearly around every corner. Still, we’re shown that there’s delight in Rowling’s world, and it comes in ample doses.

The year is 1926 where Newt Scamander arrives in New York City, mostly clueless about the ways of local witches and wizards. What makes Scamander’s situation even more alarming is the fact that he’s carrying a suitcase full of banned magical critters.

These magical beasts are illegal to possess in America for good reason – they’re unpredictable, mischievous, sometimes even life threatening. Yet Scamander reminds us of big ol’ Hagrid, who has the tendency to see the beauty in these creatures. It doesn’t take long before one of those creatures escape and havoc soon ensues.

While chasing down the Niffler inside a bank, Scamander meets Jacob Kowalski, a chubby human (or No-Maj as they call muggles in the US) who gets suck into the world of magic. Due to his unabashed wizardish attitude, Scamander catches Tina Goldstein’s attention, who is an American witch working for MACUSA (the US version of the Ministry of Magic).

Together with Tina’s younger sister, Queenie, the quartet find themselves racing against time when Scamander is held responsible for a presumably invincible monster causing destruction in the streets of the city. But Scamander may be their only hope in facing the deadly threat.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is most enjoyable when the spotlight is on the actual fantastic beasts. Audiences will finally get to see what’s really inside Scamander’s magical suitcase. This particular scene was easily one of the most memorable takeaways from the film.

Each creature here has personality to spare and it’s easy to be charmed by most of them, as the magizoologist clearly has. As Eric Kohn points out, these creations come equipped with Rowling’s usual inventive language, from the Nundu (a reptilian lion) to the hulking, rhino-like Erumpent and the majestic avian Thunderbird. But no beast steals the show more than Niffler, who can’t seem to quit stealing shiny items.

One of the other highlights viewers will get to experience is seeing this new discovery through the eyes of Jacob Kowalski. As an outsider, we share his wonder at all of Scamander’s magical creatures. He doesn’t look at these strange beasts with loathing and fear; he may be shocked but he isn’t disgusted.

It helps that he also provides the movie with a much needed comic relief with his sense of enthusiasm and endearing attitude. Such is the case when he falls head over heels for Queenie Goldstein. Although the witch can read whatever he’s thinking, he’s totally into her. Their chemistry is believable and we’re totally shipping this couple!

Meanwhile, we see troubled young man Credence being goaded by head auror Percival Graves to track down a young wizard who may be responsible for unleashing a dark magical force upon the city. We don’t really see the full nature of their relationship until towards the end of the film.

The movie also makes it a point to highlight that there is a looming threat of the Dark Wizard that suggests that the franchise will explore the origin story of Gellert Grindelwald. Even though we’re excited at the prospect of getting to know Grindelwald’s relationship with a young Dumbledore, we can’t help but wonder if “Fantastic Beasts” is about Scamander and his beasts, or a decoy for the franchise to progress into Grindelwald’s backstory.

Another drawback is the fact that “Fantastic Beasts” lacks a strong central protagonist like Harry Potter. Scamander’s awkwardness, although done intentionally, is hard to warm up to. The wizard himself admits that people don’t really like him that much. It’s only when he’s interacting with the animals that he opens up and becomes likeable.

There’s nothing bad with Eddie Redmayne’s performance per se. It’s just that the movie tries to cover so much ground with subplot after subplot that Scamander gets the short end of the stick. Even so, his performance has more than earned our trust and we look forward to see more of Scamander in the future.

The magic in “Fantastic Beasts” is more grown up – that’s to be expected, given that the wizards here are not kids – but still playful and creative.

So is “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” the best movie in the “Harry Potter” franchise? Of course not. But if you’ve been a fan of the “Harry Potter” books and films, then revisiting this magical world is going to be a wonderful treat for sure ;)

Before you watch “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” in cinemas, get to know the wizard, witches, and No-Majs in our movie fun facts.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is currently out in Malaysian theatres.

Hit up the movie’s official website or Facebook page for more information.

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#Penang: Dog Dies Trying To Fend Off Cobra From Owners

An 8-year-old husky by the name of Anna sacrificed her life in a bid to save her owners from a cobra. The serpent slithered into their home in Perkampungan Berapit, Penang.

The incident happened at about noon on Tuesday (17th May). Anna’s owners, a 75-year-old woman and her son, had just returned from the hospital when their dog started barking.

My son had just let Anna out of her cage and into our compound when she suddenly started barking.

The woman owner turned around, only to realise that the husky was fighting off a 2.4m-long cobra. In fear of the snake, both owners stayed inside the house.

We were too afraid to go out, so we called our area’s security volunteer team for help.

When the volunteer team arrived, the dog was already in a semi-conscious state. The owners rushed Anna to the vet, unfortunately, the dog did not survive the attack.

Snakes do not usually come out of their natural habitat, but the changing weather patterns could have forced them out in search of cooler land conditions.

According to The Star, hospitals in Malaysia have recorded 730 cases of snake bites since January, with Kedah recording 195 cases and Perak with 107 cases.

All dogs go to heaven. Rest in peace, brave doggie :(


Fifth Harmony Goes On Hiatus To Pursue Solo Careers

This is a sad day for Harmonizers. Fifth Harmony is officially taking an indefinite hiatus.

Dinah Jane, Normani Kordei, Ally Brooke and Lauren Jauregui, collectively posted a statement on the group’s social media accounts to announced their decision. The reason for the break is so that the quartet can focus on their individual careers.

“Reflecting on the past six years since we started on ‘X-Factor’, we’ve realised just how far we’ve come and we appreciate everything so much, more now than ever. We’ve really had one hell of a memorable journey together and can’t begin to express our gratitude to y’all for coming along with us on this wild ride!” the group wrote.

The note continued, “After six years going hard, non-stop, we also realised that in order to stay authentic to ourselves and to you, we do need to take some time for now to go on a hiatus from Fifth Harmony in order to pursue solo endeavours.”

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The foursome added, “We are all very excited and grateful to be able to take this time to learn and grow creatively and really find our footing as individuals. In doing this we are allowing ourselves to gain new experiences, strengths and perspectives that we can bring back to our Fifth Harmony family.”

The fans were also not forgotten. “To our Harmonizers, thank you for everything we have been able to build as Fifty Harmony. With your love and encouragement we will continue to build on ourselves, support one another in everything we do, and keep making you proud, each other proud and ourselves proud,” they said.

Not long after the announcement, many fans around the world were clearly devastated. One of them was British crooner Sam Smith. The Grammy winner, who met Fifth Harmony during James Corden’s “Carpool Karaoke”, tweeted a resounding “NO!” – with 20 exclamation points.

If you’ve been following the Fifth Harmony group members, this “break” isn’t a total blind side. The girls have been keeping busy with various collaborations as a way to ease into their hiatus. Lauren Jauregui recently released “All Night” with Steve Aoki in January. She was also featured in one of Halsey’s songs titled, “Strangers”.

Aside from making it to the “Dancing With the Stars” finale, Normani has also collaborated with R&B singer Khalid on “Love Lies”, taken from the “Love, Simon” soundtrack. Similarly, Dinah Jane appeared on RedOne’s song “Boom Boom” along with Daddy Yankee and French Montana. Ally Brooke also dropped “Perfect” with Topic earlier this year.

Check out their individual projects below:

Although their hiatus is indefinite, Fifth Harmony will finish their remaining tour dates for 2018 as planned.

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Kelly Osbourne Talks Oscars With Us!

As most of you might already know by now, the Oscars are happening in just a few days – in four sleeps, to be exact. Four! Count’ em. If you haven’t checked out this year’s nominees, we’ve got ’em for you here. While we wait to see which of our favourite Hollywood celebrities will be taking home the highly sought after golden statuettes, we take a minute to speak to Kelly Osbourne. She spills the deets on prepping for the Oscars and how they sometimes serve small bottles of Moet and granola bars on the red carpet.

Hi Kelly! What’s happening? How are you?

“I am very good thank you, I have just woken up because it is only like 9.30 in the morning in L.A and I have a day off and it’s nice to not have to do anything so I am staying in bed.”

How long do you need in the morning on a normal day to pick what you are going to wear?

“Depends what mood I am in or what I am doing. If I am waking up and going to the gym it takes me five minutes. If I’m waking up and going to a meeting it will take me half an hour. If I am waking up and doing something fun it will take me an hour. I’m not one of those people who spend that much time getting ready. It’s very easy for me, I just look at something and say I’ll mix that with that and that with that, ok done. “

Everybody has a piece of clothing that they really love in their wardrobe..

“I have this one jacket that my mum gave to me, it’s black and it fits for the summer and it’s thin like a blazer and has a bicycle cut at the front. I have had it for so long and washed it so many times it’s not even black anymore its grey (laughs). My mums always like you have 1000’s of beautiful clothes that people throw at you every single day and give you whatever you and you still wear that thing and I’m like yeah… I love it.”

Now, we know that you’re used to meeting celebrities but..are you still star struck when it comes to certain people?

“Yes, it’s really weird people that nobody usually cares about like people that I used to watch on T.V shows when I was a kid. For example, when I met Cyndi Lauper, and every time I meet her, there is something about her that I get like… there’s not many people that leave me with my mouth shut (laughs) but I am speechless every time I am around her because she is so smart and so inspiring.”

What does your get-ready-for-Oscar plan look like? When do you start?

“I look on Style.com everyday so we will have already sent in requests of what we want to wear and everything gets sent to us, sometimes it’s a month before, sometimes a week before and sometimes it could be a day before. If it’s a month before they will fit it for me, they will send it to a photo-shoot like at Vogue or something and then they send it back to me. For example, the dress that I wore to the Golden Globes I did the fitting for that before Christmas had to send it to Vogue and they delivered it back to me like two days before ready for the award show.”

Usually when a dress is used for Vogue, it is a very special dress!

“Oh definitely, I am very lucky like that because I have become very close with many designers and amazing designers that are just like ‘Save that for Kelly!’ and I’m like ‘Thank you so much!’ (laughs). Sometimes you get designers fighting over you for what dress you are going to wear and I’m kind of like ‘Oh my God!’”

“I don’t like that part of it because it makes me feel bad and then I try to figure out a way to wear both of them (laughs).”

What do you carry in your clutch when you go to the Oscars? What do you have on you?

“I have tissues, my lipstick, a powder puff that already has powder on it, and my phone. Because everything else is in my jacket pocket that is waiting for me on the stage that I do all of the fashion commentaries from so I just leave everything there.”

Because the Oscar show is quite long, do the stars have time to eat or snack in-between?

“It used to be that the only one that you would eat at was the Golden Globes and everybody would just complain how hungry they are at the other awards. Sometimes the red carpets are sponsored by people like Moet, Smart Water and Granola Bars. So they have these fancy stands that we can like get a little bottle of champagne or a granola bar it’s like really strange.”

Thank you so much for that, Kelly! We look forward to seeing you on television.

Don’t forget to catch “Live From The Red Carpet: The 2013 Academy Awards”, premieres Monday, 25th February 2013 at 7am or encore on Monday, 25th February 2013 at 9pm; “FASHION POLICE: THE 2013 ACADEMY AWARDS” 1st March 2013 at 10pm only on E! (Astro Channel 712).

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TGV Cinemas Turns 17 In Style

Malaysia’s top exhibitor and multiplex cinema chain operator celebrated its 17th year of establishment last weekend at The Pool with exclusive business partners, members of the media, and friends of the brand.

Joining the celebration were TGV Cinemas’ prominent business partners like Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing, United International Pictures (UIP), and 20th Century Fox Film, just to name a few. Our gorgeous local celebrities and avid moviegoers such as Jojo Struys, Taiyuddin Bakar, Azura Zainal, and Chelsia Ng were also present at the “Funky Sweet 17” bash.

The evening’s entertainment began with an exhilarating show by the “No Noise Percussion Unit“, better known to us as the epic “STOMP”-like performance. Guests were also treated to a special synchronized swimming performance by the effervescent twin sisters, Jillian and Jacqueline Ng.

An extremely elated Mr. Kenny Wong (CEO of TGV Cinemas) took the stage some time in the night and said, “We are very thankful for the support from our partners, the media, and friends of TGV who have played a crucial part in TGV Cinemas’ success today.”

“I am proud to say that in the last 17 wonderful years, TGV Cinemas has boldly showcased ground-breaking ideas that have continually set the benchmark for the industry and moviegoers. We are committed to take the cinema industry up a notch by providing moviegoers with an even more enhanced cinema experience”, he added.

For the past year, TGV Cinemas has been put through a transformation exercise, adopting a fresh “look and feel” in its cinema chain. This change includes new concepts and advances in cinema technology such as digital IMAX, the Beanieplex beanbag hall, TGV Club premier halls, tiered seating options, and the Cantina lifestyle cafe hangout as well as the new F&B concepts like Popcorn Royale, Smokin’ Hot Minis, imported Nachos, and limited edition movie Tumbos that make for a vibrant concessions offering.

The great night of fun with good company was topped off with attractive lucky draw prizes up for grabs. Prizes included a Samsung TV and Tabs, iPod shuffles, and Nokia Lumia phones. Needless to say, lucky draw winners and guests alike went home with big smiles plastered on their faces!

Congratulations, TGV Cinemas on the super success of your “Funky Sweet 17” party. And a very happy birthday. Here’s to many more years, and milestones of success to come!

For more information, visit TGV Cinemas’ official website or follow them on their Twitter account for more timely updates (hint: promos).


8 Letters Tour: Boyband Why Don’t We To Perform In Kuala Lumpur

The 5-member American boyband – which consists of Zach Herron, Jack Avery, Daniel Seavey, Corbyn Besson, and Jonah Marais – will be bringing their “8 Letters Tour” to Southeast Asia later this year.

The pop group first made their debut in 2016. The talented boys has released 5 EPs before debuting their full studio album “8 Letters” last year. The LP charted in the top 10 both in the US and Australia. This tour will be in support of their latest release.

Besides Malaysia, Why Don’t We’s Asia tour will also include South Korea (Seoul), Singapore, Philippines (Manila) and Indonesia (Jakarta). This will mark the boys’ first performance in our country, so get ready to give them a warm welcome.

Organised by PR Worldwide, the details to Why Don’t We’s “8 Letters Tour” Live in Malaysia are as follows:

Ticket sales will go live on 31st July from 11am onwards. For more info, go here.


Hype’s Now Playing: Lana Del Rey – Honeymoon

We are ready to go on a “honeymoon” with Lana Del Rey as the talented indie darling is back with the first official single for her upcoming full-length album.

The “Brooklyn baby” singer has been building anticipation for her album since last month, teasing bits of it through various social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. Each time she teases the song, we’d wish that she’d release the album as soon as possible!

Though the New York songstress uses her lower vocals and has produced numerous hit songs such as “Summertime Sadness” and “Born to Die”, Lana is breaking away from her signature musical style with “Honeymoon”. Following her soundtrack contributions to last year’s “Big Eyes”, she continues to put us in a cinematic mood with this slow, blue-hued soul. Compared to her earlier works, this new single hints that her new album is going to sound slightly different. On top of that, Mark Ronson previously told Q-Tip of Interview magazine that he had been recruited by Lana to work together on her 3rd album.

Titled “Honeymoon”, Lana’s new album will consist of a cover of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” (Nina Simone’s version) and 9 songs written by Lana Del Rey herself.

When speaking to Billboard about how her new album will sound, she said:

It’s very different from the last one and similar to the first two, “Born to Die” and “Paradise”. I finished my last one (“Ultraviolence”) in March and released it in June and I had a follow-up idea. It’s growing into something I really like. I’m kind of enjoying sinking into this more noirish feel for this one. It’s been good.

According to Stereogum, LDR’s new album would be out in September.

For more information, visit her official website and Facebook page.

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#TheCrow Remake: Jack Huston Exits; Jack O’Connell Or Nicholas Hoult May Replace

If you’re excited to see “Boardwalk Empire” actor Jack Huston portray Eric Draven in Relativity Studios’ upcoming remake of cult classic “The Crow“, you’re going to be so disappointed by this.

Variety reported that Huston has dropped out of the remake due to scheduling issues. He is the 2nd actor to have dropped out of the project as “Dracula Untold” star Luke Evan was originally slated to play Draven when director F. Javier Gutierrez was attached to helm it.

Director Corin Hardy, who replaced Gutierrez in this remake, said in a statement:

Jack Huston is unfortunately unavailable to continue with us on “The Crow”. “The Crow” is an amazing project, and I am grateful that we have the time and patience to get it right. We look forward to unveiling our new lead and starting to film over the next several weeks.

Regarding Huston’s departure, the Relativity Studios commented:

Jack is a remarkably gifted actor, and we look forward to working with him in the future. Corin Hardy has a tremendous vision for “The Crow”, and we are working closely with him to continue prepping the movie and supporting him as he brings his vision to the big screen.

Eric Draven is a role originally played by the late Brandon Lee in the 1994 dark thriller film of the same name. Directed by Alex Provas, the movie is written by David J. Schow and John Shirley, based on James O’Barr’s 1989 “The Crow” comic book.

The plot centres on Draven, a poetic rock musician who is revived from the dead to avenge his murder and the death of his fiancée. It was said to be one of the cursed Hollywood movies as Brandon Lee was killed on set due to an accidental shooting.

Now that Huston has exited, Relativity Studios is eyeing Jack O’Connell and Nicholas Hoult, among others, as possible replacements.

Jack O’Connell is largely known for playing an angry, troubled youth. Having played the hard-living James Cook on the E4 teen series “Skins”, his breakthrough came when he gave critically-acclaimed performances in 2013’s “Starred Up” and 2014’s “’71”. He also won the BAFTA Rising Star Award for his role as war hero Louis Zamperini in his first major Hollywood picture, “Unbroken“.

Nicholas Hoult’s popularity soared higher than ever after portraying Nux, one of the war boys in George Miller’s latest summer blockbuster film “Mad Max: Fury Road“. He also starred alongside O’Connell in “Skins”, but his breakthrough came after portraying Marcus Brewer in “About a Boy”, Hank McCoy/Beast in “X-Men: First Class”, and “X-Men: Days of Future Past“. He also portrayed R in the 2013’s zombie rom-com, “Warm Bodies”.

The final casting decision must be made soon as Relativity Studios is looking to begin production on the film later this year. A source close to Relativity also told Variety that the studio is currently in negotiations to cast Forest Whitaker for an unspecified role. Whitaker joined the project this spring after Evans exited the production.

“Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown Findlay will play Draven’s murdered girlfriend Shelly in flashbacks while “Birdman” star Andrea Riseborough will play the female version of the original villain, Top Dollar.

Are you upset that Huston has left the project? Who do you think should play Eric Draven? Let us know in the comments box below.


#BBPlaza: Mall To Close Down In March To Make Way For Luxury Condo

BB Plaza, one of Kuala Lumpur’s oldest shopping malls will be making its way out this March. The mall, built and managed by the Federal Government’s own Urban Development Authority (UDA) Holdings, has lost its glow and customers as well as business due to the rise of more upscale and trendier neighbours such as Pavilion and the refurbished Fahrenheit88.

Most damaging to its business is the ongoing construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line right in front of BB Plaza, a project that has completely blocked the facade of the building, forcing front-facing stores to either close up temporarily or shut down for good.

UDA Holdings chairperson Johari Abdul Ghani said last year that the MRT-related development would tie in with BB Plaza’s rejuvenation, with the mall set to be connected to the underground MRT station, The Rakyat Post reports.

Although the plan might still be in the works, BB Plaza itself won’t be around to see it. Come March, the entire mall would have been cleared out as UDA Holding has plans of building a 60-storey luxury condominium tower standing on top of a three-level shopping mall.

So long, BB Plaza :( Share with us your fondest memory of BB Plaza by sounding off in the comments.

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#adidasNMD: adidas Originals’ Latest NMD Collection To Launch In KL On 17th March

Avid sneaker heads are expected to get real busy come 17th March when adidas Originals drops the new selection of their latest NMD collection.

The collection first made waves during its premier launch in December 2015, selling out almost instantaneously across the globe. Limited colourways have since been launched including the NMD_R1 but fans can expect a wider selection of tones and silhouettes, as well as a range for ladies this Thursday (17th March 2016).

adidas Originals debuts a brand new mid-cut iteration of the NMD model – the NMD City Sock. The NMD_CS1 is inspired in equal parts by contemporary functional designs and high-fashion sensibilities, while using a sock-fit Primeknit textile upper in a clean striped motif atop a full-length BOOST midsole with referential EVA inserts. It’s a bold variation on the NMD philosophy that elevates the shoe’s stylistic elements through uncompromised technical drive.

adidas Originals NMD Runner_R1 – City Pack

Making its way in X new colourways for men and women is the NMD Runner City Pack. The shoe blends the progressive design of the NMD Runner with adidas Originals’ most forward-thinking technical elements, constructing the upper from lightweight mesh textile in an all-over noise graphic with welded tape structural overlays, finished with tonal three-stripes atop the shoe’s distinctive midsole with EVA inserts.

adidas Originals NMD Runner_R1 – Details Pack

adidas Originals gives the NMD_R1 a full aesthetic revision for a brand new women’s footwear pack that accentuates the pioneer silhouette’s clean stylistic qualities.
 Constructed from a mixture of premium suede and peached jersey textile, the shoe is offset by a vegetable-tanned leather heel patch and copper midsole plug to add a subtle pop to the design, sat atop the shoe’s signature Boost sole unit. Offered in tonal black and burgundy colourways, the result is a release that champions the NMD_R1 as a technical model with undeniable everyday appeal.

For more information, visit Adidas Malaysia’s website.


It’s A Phone, No, It’s A Camera

Samsung Malaysia Electronics, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, has revolutionised visual communications through the introduction of the new Samsung GALAXY Camera.

The camera is Samsung’s first truly “Connected Camera” by combining high-performance photography features with the freedom of 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity, powered by an Android™ 4.1 (Jelly Bean) platform.

The Samsung GALAXY Camera enables users to shoot, enjoy, edit and share high-quality images and videos on-the-spot through a single device. The camera features the freedom of 3G connectivity and enhanced Wi-Fi capacity that is equipped with Dual Band and Channel Bonding that boosts the speed of connectivity.

This opens up a world of near-limitless sharing and smartphone-like activities, especially for avid photographers who are active on social networking sites, such as:

The Samsung GALAXY Camera is available at all authorised Samsung retailers for RM1,899 from 29th November onwards. As Samsung’s data partner, Maxis Berhad, Malaysia’s leading integrated communications service provider, will be offering a FREE Hotlink Broadband SIM Pack with the first 5,000 cameras.

The Hotlink SIM offer will be available nationwide at selected Samsung retailers, as well as Maxis Centres in KLCC, Sunway Pyramid and Gardens Mid Valley. Upon activation of the SIM pack with a RM30 top up, customers will get 2GB of data, 25GB Loker personal cloud storage space and a one-year SIM validity period.

For more information, visit Samsung Malaysia’s website.


MRT Service Connecting Johor Bahru To Singapore To Run In 2024

We’ve got fantastic news for Malaysians living in Johor Bahru who are working in Singapore.

It has been announced that a new cross-border MRT system connecting the 2 countries is currently in the works and is expected to begin passenger service by December 2024. The rail service will be known as the Singapore-JB Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link.

When it launches, the transportation will run through a high bridge across the Straits of Johor to connect to Singapore. The details were disclosed yesterday (Monday, 31st July) following the 13th meeting between Singapore’s Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Khaw Boon Wan and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Rahman Dahlan.

According to reports, Singapore’s RTS terminal will be located at the Woodlands North station, along the Thomson-East Coast MRT line. Malaysia’s RTS terminal, on the other hand, will be at Bukit Chagar. It was also revealed that the existing KTMB Tebrau shuttle will cease operations when the Singapore-JB RTS starts, since more travel options will be made available.

The Singapore-JB RTS is also expected to carry up to 10,000 passengers in each direction every hour. This will definitely help reduce traffic congestions!

Sources: Channel NewsAsia, Free Malaysia Today.

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#Uber: 10 Free Rides For Riders In Ampang, Setapak, & Wangsa Maju

The ride-hailing app will be offering a special promotion for residents living in Ampang, Setapak, and Wangsa Maju.

You know what that means right? It’s time to ditch your car keys and enjoy some free rides throughout this week. The promotion begins today (Tuesday, 4th October) and will last until this coming Sunday (9th October).

According to the site, applicants are only required to key in the promo code once per account. Uber users will be able to enjoy 10 free rides worth RM5 each, as long as you’re traveling within the highlighted area in the map below.

For more information, visit Uber Malaysia’s official website and Facebook page.