#Shanghai: Would You Want To Be Cremated In This Death Stimulator “Ride”?

Ever wondered what it’s like to be cremated and then be reborn through a latex womb? A business in Shanghai that’s opening on Monday is hoping to give people that experience.

At the “ride”, participants are asked to discuss a life-or-death scenario and are then asked to either sacrifice themselves or the life of another and explain why. The person with the worst explanation then “dies”.

Lu Siwei, who took part in the media preview, was voted by the other 11 people in the group to go into the crematory.

The 33-year-old participant said in Mandarin, “It gives you the chance to calm down, give in to some deeper thoughts and think about some of life’s problems. I think this (feeling) is different. When you walk through that door, you will experience changes in your mentality, and it will be different from what it was before you entered. I think this is really great, and very worthwhile.”

The entrepreneurs behind it say they want to help people forget their problems and gain a different perspective of life.

The attraction has 3 stages where first one gets killed by one’s peers, then gets cremated, and finally experiences birth by squeezing through a giant latex vagina-like chute.

Participants will get to write down their final words, a process that’s like meditation and a chance to reflect upon life. After their “rebirth”, each person can decide whether to hold on to their final words or shred them into eternity on the spot.

Crowd funding for the project started back in 2014 and some heavy research went into making the attraction. This include the ride’s founder, Ding Rui, putting himself through a real-life cremating furnace with the flames off, at a crematorium.

The attraction opens for public this week. A ticket to “play” in the game costs about $68(RM265).


TikTok Mom Slammed For Risking Toddler’s Safety For Content

Admit it, you’ve probably spent too much time scrolling TikTok even though you have other work to do. We don’t blame you, the platform is addictive, with its creative user-generated content. It’s hard to stay away from the app since they’re always new trends emerging on TikTok.

One such trend now is wearing a scarf in the car after the music’s beat drops. Of course, TikTok user @azlienalegacy caught onto the trend. However, her video quickly nabbed the attention of netizens as she roped her toddler into the trend too!

The short video showed TikTok user @azlienalegacy in the car with her husband and her toddler. After the beat drops with Mike Posner’s “Please Don’t Go”, the trio were all wearing scarves wrapped around their head and tied at the chin. While @azlienalegacy and her husband maintain a straight face through the change, the toddler looked confused. Netizens joked that the kid was trying to figure out which one is mom.

Although plenty of netizens gushed about how cute the kid’s reaction was, there were several who were concerned about the toddler’s safety. In the video, the child was not seated in a baby car seat. Instead, the toddler was positioned between the parents, with only the father’s arm acting as a seatbelt. Some even noted that @azlienalegacy herself was not wearing a seatbelt.

These netizens were not impressed with TikTok user @azlienalegacy blatant disregard for her toddler’s safety. “The car seat seems expensive,” Twitter user @rabiahalipah noted. “Where’s the baby car seat? It would be concerning if the car were to break suddenly.”

Another Twitter user @mohdyunuszaki bluntly commented, “Bad parenting.” “I know it’s tagged because it’s cute,” Twitter user @amir_rool admitted. “But it’s still scary to watch.” Check out comments from others who felt the same way:

While TikTok challenges can be fun, it isn’t worth the risk. It especially isn’t worth risking your toddler for the trend either.

Netizens hope these parents will take better care of their toddler and add a baby car seat to avoid accidents. After all, prevention is better than cure. Watch @azlienalegacy’s TikTok video here:

TikTok user @azlienalegacy has personally clarified to us that she did consider the safety of her family while filming the less-than-a-minute video. While she was in charge of filming the video, her husband was focused on driving the car.

According to her, the hubby was driving very slowly around their neighbourhood, which was empty at the time and has wide roads. She insists that they would never do anything to endanger their child.

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(G)I-DLE Announces World Tour; Malaysian Concert Tix & Seating Plan Revealed

Ready to experience a mind blowing show from (G)I-DLE ((여자)아이들)? The K-pop girl group has just announced their world tour – both their international dates and stops in Asia.

Neverlands (as fans are loving called) will be pleased to know that (G)I-DLE will also be coming down to Southeast Asia for their “JUST ME ( )I-DLE” world tour – both Malaysia and Singapore are included.

Following the departure of Soojin in August 2021, (G)I-DLE released their 8-track new studio album titled “I Never Die” featuring the lead single “Tomboy”. As you may know, majority of the songs on this record was written by member Soyeon. It’ll be interesting to see how these girls bring this record to the live stage.

As usual, (G)I-DLE kicked off their world tour in Seoul just this past month. The girls will be travelling to America to perform before coming down to Asia for the later part of August onwards. The details for their show in Malaysia are as follows:

Take note Neverlands (as fans are lovingly called), the concert ticket prices for (G)I-DLE Live in Kuala Lumpur have been announced. Presale tickets will go live on 16th July, while general sale will go live the following day, on 17th July via ticket2u.com.my. For those curious, here’s the seating plan:

Pre-Sale is exclusive only for Great Eastern Life MY UPGREAT Malaysia mobile app users and Yoodo subscribers.


WhatsApp Will Stop Working On These Phones Beginning 31st December

Did you wish for a new smartphone this Christmas? As we approach 2018, WhatsApp will be making several changes that will inevitably effect some users.

By the end of this month, the popular messaging app will will no longer support a number of old smartphone systems. According to the company, these old platforms won’t have the capabilities to assist the app’s latest features.

The following platforms are no longer supported:

For the following platforms, you can no longer create new accounts, nor re-verify existing accounts. However, you’ll be able to continue using WhatsApp:

For more information, do refer to WhatsApp’s website here.


100 Green Turtles Killed On A Malaysian Beach; Suspects Have Been Identified

Remember the shocking image of 8 dead turtles on the beach at Bum Bum Island that went viral recently? As it turns out, this appalling activity has been going on for quite a while.

After carrying out investigations, Malaysia wildlife authorities made a more troubling discovery. Some 100 turtle skeletons were found scattered on the beaches of Kampung Pantau-Pantau, Kampung Amboh-Amboh, and Kampung Sampolan; all of which are within the vicinity Semporna, Sabah.

“An investigation was conducted this morning on the report in Bum-Bum Island in Semporna with the assistance from Semporna police, marine police, Sabah Parks, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Omadal Island Women Association,” Sabah Wildlife Department Director Augustine Tuuga was quoted as saying.

“Further investigation in coastal villages around the island revealed that the poaching activities (by Bajau Laut people) have been going on for quite some time,” Tuuga said, before adding, “They (the suspects) do not live in the area but are always on the move by boat and come to the area occasionally. Some suspects have been identified and investigation is continuing”.

As aforementioned, photos of 8 green turtle carcasses with exposed stomachs that was uploaded by the Semporna Viral Facebook page spread like wildfire online. Although their names and pictures have not been revealed, several suspects behind the killing have already been identified.

If convicted, the culprits could be slapped with a fine of up to RM50,000, a jail term of up to 5 years, or both, under Section 41(1) of the Wildlife Conservation Enactment 1997.

Sources: The Malaysian insight, Bernama via Channel NewsAsia.

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#MadMax: George Miller Confirms 2 Sequels Are In The Works

Buckle up and get ready for another wild ride with Tom Hardy in the upcoming sequels to “Mad Max: Fury Road“.

The “Mad Max” series is on its way to become a bigger, better money-making franchise because apparently, 2 more sequels are currently in the works at Warner Bros.

Though “Mad Max: Fury Road” did not top the weekend box office in its debut frame, it brought in USD370 million worldwide and became one of the best blockbuster films this summer. Critics and fans alike even called it “the best action movie of all time”.

Not one to shy away from sequels, director George Miller confirmed to Top Gear that he has already written the scripts for 2 more “Mad Max” movies.

“This film (Fury Road) was green lit 3 times and fell over 3 times over a decade,” Miller said.

We went to shoot with Mel Gibson back in 2001, but then 9/11 happened, and the American dollar collapsed against the Australian dollar close to 30 per cent, so we lost that amount of budget overnight.

Thus, the 4th film fell into development hell for another few years and Miller was forced to recast Max when Gibson was in his well publicised meltdown.

Before coming back to “Mad Max: Fury Road”, Miller directed 2006’s “Happy Feet”. Then, it rained in the Australian desert.

We were then rained out of Australia. The desert rained for the first time in 15 years, and we ended up in South West Africa, Namibia. But in this process, we had dug down deep into the backstory, not only of the characters, but of every vehicle. How the steering wheels became religious artefacts and things like that.

“So we ended up with 2 scripts, without really trying. We’re talking to the studio (Warner Bros) about it as we speak, but which one of the 2 stories will happen next, I’m not so sure,” he concluded.

However, we reckon the “Mad Max” sequels won’t arrive so soon because Miller further revealed that he wants to “do a small film without special effects” next.

We shot “Fury Road” for 8 months… that’s a lot. Every day in the heat and the dust, doing these stunts, it’s very wearing. We’ve got 2 more planned, but at some point in the future.

This is the same reason why he decided to pass on directing “Man of Steel” follow-up.

Back then, it was long rumoured that there’s a sequel that will focus on Charlize Theron‘s character, as it was tentatively titled “Furiosa”. However, Miller later revealed that the sequel has a new title – “Mad Max: The Wasteland”.

This spurred confusion among fans, as it was unclear whether the screenplay has been rewritten, or whether there are titles for 2 different sequels. It certainly aroused curiosities as to whether a spin-off movie based on Furiosa will be developed instead.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” arrived in theatres 30 years after the original trilogy was released. It starred Hardy, Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Hardy is already contracted for 3 more Mad Max movies, but Theron doesn’t appear to be locked in for any follow-ups just yet.

What do you think of the report? Would you like to see 2 more “Mad Max” movies? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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Knife Party Reveals Album Premiere And Epic Launch Party

It looks like Knife Party is trying to make up for pushing back the release date of their forthcoming album “Abandon Ship” by hosting sneak peaks via various networks.

On November 10th (Monday), one week before the official release date, Zane Lowe will feature “Abandon Ship” as his ‘Album of the Week’ on BBC Radio 1 complete with an interview with the brains behind the project, Rob Swire. The following week will see Knife Party and Thump team up foe the full album premiere.

To top it all off, the Knife Party team will be  throwing an epic launch party for the album through Mixify on November 23rd (Sunday). Open to all, the party is guaranteed to be a bomb.

Check out the track list below, and don’t forget to pre-order the album on iTunes.

Track List:
1.       Reconnect
2.       Resistance
3.       Boss Mode
4.       EDM Trend Machine
5.       404
6.       Begin Again
7.       D.I.M.H
8.       Micropenis
9.       Superstar
10.     Red Dawn
11.     Give It Up
12.     Kaleidoscope

For now we leave you with one of our favs from Knife Party “Centipede”.

For more on Knife Party, stalk them via these platforms: Website, Facebook, and Twitter.


#Uber: Cash Payments Feature Now Accepted In Johor Bahru

Uber is currently experimenting with cash payments in Malaysia, starting with Johor Bahru.

Starting today (18th March 2016), Uber users in Johor will have the option of paying their fares with cash. This is the first time the ride-sharing service is testing out the feature in this country.

Seeing that this project is still on trial, Uber said not everyone will be able to see the cash option right away. Those that do will be able to select the cash payment option when requesting a ride. At the end of the ride, they are expected to to pay the amount shown in the app directly to the driver. Rollout to all riders should be completed over the next few weeks.

Since its launch in 2014, Uber has relied on its users to pay via credit cards for their rides. “With the introduction of this cash payment test, our technology becomes instantly accessible to more people in Johor Bahru,” said Uber Malaysia general manager, Leon Foong. There are also plans to expand this feature to the rest of Malaysia.

The company has rolled out cash payments in other major markets including the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, with India being the first market to promote this feature. Many other developing countries, where credit card usage is low, still find this paying method necessary.

Uber users in Johor can sign up at get.uber.com/go/ubercashjb and see if the cash payment method is available to them. New users will also get to enjoy RM15 off their first ride when they key in the promo code UberCashJB; regardless if it’s being paid via cash or credit card.

For more information, you can visit Uber’s page.

Sources: Lowyat, The Star Online, Tech in Asia.


Get To Know The 4 Asian Acts Performing At Coachella 2019

One of the world’s biggest and most popular music festivals Coachella has announced a massive lineup for its 2019 edition.

Some of the headliners at Coachella 2019 include Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino, Janelle Monae, Diplo, Solange, Khalid, ZEDD, and more.

But what got fans more excited about this year edition is the presence of several prominence Asian acts at the festival, creating history along the way.

Without further ado, here are the 4 Asian acts who will be performing at Coachella 2019.

K-pop music has been making waves internationally over the years, and 4-member girl band BLACKPINK is without a doubt one of the biggest K-pop names in this century. Featuring members Jisoo, Jennie, Rose and Lisa, BLACKPINK is set to make history as the first K-pop band and Korean girl group to perform at Coachella. The festival will also mark the first time the group has ever performed in the country.

Trio group from Japan Perfume will also be making history at Coachella as the first J-pop group to ever graced the festival. Consisting of Nocchi, Kashiyuka and A-chan, Perfume is considered to be one of the most successful acts in Asian music. The group is no stranger in America, having previously toured the country in 2014 during their 3rd world tour.

South Korean indie band Hyukoh made up of leader, singer, and guitarist Oh Hyuk, bassist Im Dong-geon, guitarist Lim Hyun-jae, and drummer Lee In-woo, is also set to make their mark at Coachella this year. Their visit to Coachella will mark the band’s third time in America. The band previously toured North America in 2017 and 2018 to promote their album and EP, “23” and “24” respectively.

Traditionally-inspired Korean avant-rock band Jambinai will also make their debut at Coachella. The group is known for combining modern rock instrument like drums and electric guitar with traditional Korean folk music instruments such as haegeum, piri, and geomungo. Made up of Kim Bo-mi, Lee Il-woo, and Sim Eun-yong, Jambinai recently performed at the closing ceremony of 2018 Winter Olympics.

Coachella 2019 will take place from 12th to 14th April, then again a week later from 19th to 21st April at the Empire Polo Field in Indio, California.

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Contest: We’re Giving Away Concert Passes To K-Wave 3 Music Festival!

We hope you’re not sick of K-pop concerts yet, cause things are just heating up. For K-pop fans who haven’t bought tickets to K-Wave 3 Music Festival, we’ve got good news!

Brought to you by Mcalls, FT Island, EXID, AOA, Monsta X, Jeong Sewoon, WJSN, and BOYFRIEND will be the performers for the 3rd instalment of the music festival. It’s not going to be much fun without some company. Would you like to join us?

A post shared by Trumpet International Sdn Bhd (@trumpet_international)

Unlike K-Wave 1 and 2, this year’s concert will be moving indoors this time to bring fans closer to their favourite idols. K-Pop fans will also be able to enjoy non-stop music for more than 2 hours! Aside from the free standing rock zone, the rest comes with numbered seats.

Details to K-Wave 3 Music Festival are as follows:

Wanna know how to win a ticket? All you need to do is follow the instructions below:

For more information, hit up Mcalls Asia’s official website.


#MitsuiOutletPark: Largest Outlet Mall In Southeast Asia To Open In Sepang In May

Shopaholics and bargain hunters, lace up your walking shoes because a pandemonium is headed our way soon!

MFMA Development SDN. BHD. will open the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang to the public with an exciting array of offerings ranging from luxury and branded products, fashion apparel and accessories, perfumes and cosmetics, chocolates and confectionery, kids wear and sportswear to household items and luggage as well as a scrumptious choice of gastronomic delights spanning over a commercial space of 24,000sqm under Phase 1 of the development.

It will be launched in Kuala Lumpur as the flagship mall of the Southeast Asia outlet market with a new brand concept which is developed and adapted to Malaysian customs based on Mitsui Fudosan’s know-how. The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang plans to expand the facility in 2018 as well as 2021, and it will be the largest outlet mall in Southeast Asia, larger than any other of the company, including those in Japan, at approximately 250 stores and an entire floor space of about 44,000㎡.

It is part of the KLIA Aeropolis initiative spearheaded by Malaysia Airports in an effort to develop KLIA Sepang as an airport city.

The mall comes with a highly attractive concept where leading luxury brands and international brands, as well as popular Malaysian brands, Japanese brands’ off-season items, overstocked items, discontinued items, trial products, etc. are made readily available through the official route for greatly discounted outlet prices.

On 30th May 2015, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang will be opened and gradually completed to approximately 130 stores by late of July, with a rich variety of food and beverages from around the world to meet the needs for tourists due to the location (nearby KLIA and klia2). It will offer a huge variety of more than 100 outlets of leading luxury brands such as Ermenegildo Zegna, and also promote authentic Japanese culture like Japanese traditional arts and crafts, tea, sake, and sushi through “JAPAN AVENUE” a brand new concept first of its kind in Malaysia. Locals and foreigners with a penchant for luxury brands will be spoilt for choice at the offerings made available throughout the year with attractive savings ranging from 30% to 70%.

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang has aptly adopted the architectural design concept of “Paradise Village” that evokes a tropical ambiance. Natural light from the stylish skylights enriched with greenery creates a relaxing setting.

Embodying the local environment, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang is an enclosed 2-floor designed mall and fully equipped with air-conditioning to offer a comfortable shopping experience.

The Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang which is located very near KL International Airport is directly accessible from the highway and will offer ample parking of over 2,000 lots, banking services, facilities for the handicap, baby nursing and changing room, first aid facilities, strollers and wheelchairs for loan.

Additionally, free shuttle bus service to KLIA and klia2 as well as bus services from Kuala Lumpur and major cities such as Ipoh and Genting to further ease accessibility to the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang will be provided.

Specifically to facilitate travelers who would like to enjoy their shopping experience within a limited amount of time before taking off, the Mitsui Outlet Park KLIA Sepang provides Flight Information Display System (FIDS) in the outlet mall for checking flight information without leaving the premises, flight SITA check-in KIOSK services and free baggage storage service to promote hands-free shopping.

For the latest information and development on the Mitsui Outler Park KLIA Sepang, hit up their website.

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#LegendaryPictures : A Live-Action Pokemon Movie In The Works?

Pokemon craze has been sweeping the globe ever since the Pokemon Go app was launched last week.

Now, word on the street has it that Legendary Pictures is working on securing a deal to turn Pokemon into a live-action movie. While nothing has been finalised yet, the company is reportedly throwing pokeballs at the film rights, and according to Deadline, a deal may soon be finalised.

There have been rumours of various film studios pursuing a live action version of the franchise for quite some time. One early rumour claimed that “Chronicle” scribe Max Landis was onboard to write the script but no word yet if he’s still attached to the project.

According to reports, Legendary was previously close to inking the deal but then everything went silent. After the success of Pokemon Go, the studio has renewed their interest in the property.

Pokemon Go, while not yet available in Malaysia, has already become a sizable pop culture phenomena thanks to its location-based augmented reality mobile game that allows players the chance to catch, trade, and battle virtual Pokemon in the real world by utilising one’s GPS location information.

Since the launch of Pokemon Go, Nintendo’s stock has seen a massive jump of 25% (that’s more than US$9 billion in revenue)! It’s no wonder Hollywood is jumping on this franchise at the height of its craze.

Sources: Movie Web, Coming Soon, Deadline.


#ColorPlayAsia: Taiwan Water Park Inferno Claims 2nd Death, A 19-Year-Old Student

Another person has died from injuries on Thursday (2nd July) in the aftermath of a fireball explosion at a Taiwan water park, according to the Central News Agency.

CNA wrote that Liu Chih-Wei, a 19-year-old student, suffered 99% burns in the incident which took place on Saturday (27th June) evening.

He is the 2nd fatality from the disaster, which saw crowds of young revellers engulfed in flames after being sprayed with clouds of multi-coloured corn starch. Around 1,000 spectators had attended the Color Play Asia event at the Formosa Fun Coast water park, just outside the capital Taipei. More than 200 suffered serious injuries and are being treated across 43 hospitals.

On Monday (29th June), a 20-year-old partygoer died after suffering 90% burns from the fireball that injured nearly 500 people in total, with organisers facing charges after plumes of decorative powder ignited.

The company which produced the starch said users had been warned of a potential fire hazard. While it has yet to emerge exactly how the blast was triggered, authorities have speculated that heat from the stage lighting or cigarettes could have ignited the corn starch. Full story here.

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, news of the Taiwan blast caused panic as The Color Run Malaysia uses a similar concept i.e. coloured powder for its fun run. The Color Run’s organiser IMG Worldwide has since clarified that “the powder used in its events have been tested for flammability and successfully passed the required EU standards”.

Source: CNA / Featured image from ETtoday.


Let Your Friends Think You Have The New iPhone 12 With This Instagram Filter

If you’ve been tricked by your friends with the PS5 box filter on Instagram, keep calm because it’s time for revenge.

A new Instagram filter created by user, @zacwzd, will make people think that you own the all-new iPhone 12, which hasn’t even been released yet.

The “iP12” filter is available on IG Stories and it lets you conjure an iPhone 12 box, which you can place anywhere on your screen. The placement and the size of the virtual box can also be adjusted before taking a picture or video, making it easy to adapt the filter to your surrounding.

Like the PS5 filter, it uses augmented-reality technology and it allows you to place the “box” on real-life objects and surfaces. The only downside is, we found that the box looks too smooth as it lacks “realistic” details, but it can still make a very convincing photo because of it’s texture and shadow effects.

The creator of this filter, Zac Wong, has created various kinds of filters for IG Stories before this, which you can check out on his Instagram, @zacwzd. He is also a digital graphic designer who has worked with well-name brands such as Bad Lab, Strepsils, and Alcon, in making artworks for their social media.

As this becomes a trend, we wonder what kind of products would be turned into an IG filter in the near future.

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Cetaphil Bright Healthy Radiance Range Promises Brighter Skin In 4 Weeks

There are plenty of brands promoting skin care, but not all brands are made for all types of skin.

Cetaphil is introducing the Bright Healthy Radiance Range of products which celebrates all skin types for Malaysian women. It promises a bright and radiant complexion while taking into consideration a person’s skin health.

These new range of products make the skin smooth and soft by gently cleansing impurities and deeply hydrating the skin. It focuses on brightening and evening the skin tone while correcting and reviving the skin complexion at night.

The range is made in Korea using Gentle Bright Technology which consists of sea daffodil and niacinamide (Vitamin B3). The sea daffodil extract is proven to help reduce dark spots while Vitamin B3 lightens and evens out the skin tone.

The cleanser is used to wash away the skin’s dullness without removing natural moisture. The toner illuminates and hydrates the skin making it brighter, softer and smoother. The Brightening Day Protection Cream works on brightening and evening out the skin tone while the Brightening Night Comfort Cream continues the process while you sleep.

After four weeks of daily application, the range promises a brighter and even skin tone. The best part? It is available for all skin types, including sensitive skin. As Lizz Chloe, MYFM’s radio host, model and social media star said, “The new range is dermatologist-tested, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free, and clinically-proven allowing for skin to brighten even if you have sensitive skin.”

To purchase the Bright Healthy Radiance Range, either individually or in a bundle, visit any leading pharmacy in Malaysia or get it from Cetaphil’s online stores in Lazada, Shopee, and Hermo.


#MACC: Officer Says Submitting False Sick Claims Is An Offence

Thinking of faking a sickness to get a day off? Well, you’ve been warned.

In a report by The Star Online, a Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) officer said that employees being absent from work under the pretense of being sick are considered committing corruption.

Source: GovDocsMohamad Tarmize Abdul Manaf, the commission’s community education division officer, wrote a post about submitting fake sick claims being a crime on MACC’s official blog.

In a post titled “Menipu Sakit, Satu Kesalahan Rasuah” (Faking Illness, A Corruption Crime), the officer offered his explanation on why producing a medical certificate with false information or claim was an offence under Section 18 of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission Act. He said that submitting a sick claim was no different from submitting a claim, a receipt or an invoice.

Did you know that producing a medical certificate with false information about one’s illness is corruption? It is under the fake claims category.

Source: pcwlawfirm.comMohamad Tarmize wrote that people shouldn’t take sick leave and MCs lightly, further citing a legal precedent where the accused was found guilty for falsely taking 2 sick days with full salary. Though the defence said MCs were not covered under the Act, the judge ruled that MCs had monetary value. The accused was then ordered to refund the money and slapped with a fine.

The officer added that “doctors also have a responsibility to be cautious when a patient applies for sick leave”.

Source: HR ReviewMACC Deputy Chief Commissioner (Prevention) Datuk Seri Mustafar Ali confirmed that it was an offence to submit fake MCs to employees, adding that it deceived the principal. He said that employees who submit false claims could be jailed for up to 20 years and fined under Section 24.

Meanwhile, the Malaysia Employers Federation revealed in a 2014 report that employers are losing a whopping RM2.9bil annually to pay staff who are replacing colleagues on medical leave. It was also reported that Malaysian employers were incurring more than RM1bil in losses annually because of workers who faked sickness to get sick leave or MCs.

What do you think? Is it a crime to submit false sick claims? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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#Uniqlo: Sex Video Shot In Beijing Store Goes Viral; Chinese Govt Angry

A couple shot a “velfie” of themselves having a quick romp in one of the dressing rooms of Beijing’s flagship Uniqlo store in Sanlitun. The short clip was uploaded onto the interwebs and needless to say, it quickly went viral and set the Chinese virtual world alight.

The sex video was leaked onto social media via WeChat (messaging app) and Weibo (China’s Twitter) a few days ago and has since been viewed by millions of people, leaving Internet censors scrambling to take it down.

A bespectacled man, dressed in black from head to toe, is heard telling a naked woman to kiss him as he tapes their steamy session in the mirror. “Call me husband” and “Say we’ll be together” were a few of other phrases he uttered to her ear as piped music played in the background.

Then, towards the end of the video, another female voice over an intercom:

Dear customers, welcome to the Uniqlo store at Sanlitun. There are no fitting rooms on the first floor. Please proceed to the second and third floor if you need to try clothes on.

While it angered the Chinese government, China’s Internet watchdogs, and Chinese fans of the leading Japanese fashion retailer, it also quickly turned the Uniqlo outlet into a tourist attraction.

Memes have also been created and commemorative T-shirts celebrating the Uniqlo encounter could be found on online shopping portals.

Uniqlo Sanlitun has become selfie heaven! pic.twitter.com/10edFZfoVd

— Tom Phillips (@tomphillipsin) July 16, 2015

Dozens of chinese make selfie in front of Uniqlo after the viral smartphone video #sextape in #UNIQLO , in #beijing pic.twitter.com/aNGsSlHcuO

— Fred Dufour (@freddufour_DOP) July 15, 2015

Some Internet users even questioned whether the video was a form of commercial hypemasterminded by Uniqlo, leaving the retailer no choice but to jump in to the rescue.

In a statement released on Wednesday (15th July)  morning, Uniqlo said it has reported the indecent content to websites where it appeared “immediately”. “We would like to remind the public to uphold social morality and use our fitting rooms in a correct and proper way. We also firmly deny some online allegations saying the video is our publicity stunt,” Uniqlo said.

Meanwhile, the Beijing police have started an investigation on the sex video.

The Cyberspace Administration of China, too, has condemned the video as “unsocialist” and promised a clampdown on such “vulgar” material on the country’s tightly controlled social media sites. “The viral circulation of the obscene fitting room video on the internet has severely violated socialist core values,” the agency cited an unnamed official as saying.

According to China.com, the couple’s names are Hou Tianxu and Yutian and they are thought to be students at the Business College of Beijing Union University. Hou Tianxu fuelled speculations with his online posts yesterday:

I don’t know whether it was the virus on my phone or my laptop. The video was recorded because my girlfriend and I had to spend some time apart. I hope everyone can give us some private space, let this go and don’t pressurise my girlfriend and I.

Yutian also posted on her account admitting that she was the naked woman in the video.

However, since the messages were posted, both accounts have been deleted.

Sources: The Guardian, Shanghai Daily, CNN, TODAY, People’s Daily Online, Daily Mail.

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Cute-sify Your Life With LINE Play!

LINE Play, the latest family app of LINE, conquered the Top Free App charts immediately after global release in a number of countries, including Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, and Indonesia, achieving six million users worldwide.

Second life games are nothing new to the gaming community but these games have always only been available for PC. LINE takes second life gaming to a new level with LINE Play by optimising it for mobile use – bringing the dynamic virtual world to everyday life and presenting a boundless place where people can meet and share thoughts and ideas with each other. LINE Play offers an unparalleled joy by allowing all users to personalise avatars and virtual space, while making new friends with similar interests and hobbies.

Express yourself with personalised avatars, My Room & diary!

LINE Play avatars can be created in a variety of ways. First, users can use their own headshot to create an avatar that closely resembles them, or select from a wide range of facial features. In LINE Play’s virtual world, users can style their avatars and decorate personal space as well. More than 200 new fashion and interior items are updated every week, including local and seasonal themed items such as traditional costumes and Christmas decorations.

Users can purchase the latest items with LINE Play’s virtual currency, known as Gems. They can be earned by either helping other avatars or taking care of one’s own space. Users can also win special fashion and interior items by playing “Gacha” under “Shop”, a fun vending machine for rare items.

Expand your friend network with LINE Play!

On LINE Play, users can connect with their LINE friends, while expanding their network by meeting new friends with similar interests and hobbies. By visiting friends’ rooms, users not only check out their friends’ fashion and interior style, but also share stories find out their interests and hobbies by looking through the diary.

Users can engage in one to one chats with their friends using new Action Stickers which make avatars become more animated and lifelike. Avatars can jump, laugh, wave and much more with the 18 different Action Stickers. With Lounge Chat, users can talk about music, games, sports, and movies with those who have similar interests.

[youtube id=”zDBw7-zCOc8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

For more information, check out LINE’s Facebook page.


Miriam Yeung To Bring “My Beautiful Live” Tour To KL This March

Miriam Yeung (杨千嬅) will be making her triumphant return to Malaysia with her latest tour titled “My Beautiful Live”.

Take note peeps, 10% discount will be awarded to the first 1000 concert tickets (except Cat 4 & 5 tickets) sold, based on a first-come-first-served basis.

The Hong Kong singer-cum-actress will be stopping by Kuala Lumpur after performing at Singapore Indoor Stadium on 8th February. Since kicking off the tour in Guangzhou last year, Miriam has since performed in Australia, New Zealand, United Sates, Canada and throughout China.

According to a press release, “My Beautiful Live” signifies that “the road to a beautiful life can be achieved by the experience gained after going through challenging times, and that includes the setbacks that make you grow and improve“. The 45-year-old star is a firm believer that those who embrace their strengths as well as imperfections can experience the beauty in life.

Audiences will be able to see Mariam share different stages through her biggest hits including “Small City”, “Teenage Girl Prayer”, “Wild Child”, “Living Very Happily”, “Too Bad I’m An Aquarius”, “Sister” and “Brave”!

Jointly organised by Unusual Productions (China) Ltd, Entertainment Impact and Star Planet, the details to Miriam Yeung’s “My Beautiful Live” concert are as follows:

Concert tickets will go on sale from 18th January at 12pm onwards via www.starplanet.com.my.

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#KARD: Co-Ed Idol Group To Make Official Debut In July!

DSP Media’s K.A.R.D (카드, or stylised as K♠RD) will finally make their highly-anticipated debut in mid-July!

According to All Kpop, the co-ed idol group has already finished recording their title track. It was also reported that they shot their debut music video in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in May.

K.A.R.D is made up of 2 male and 2 female members – J.seph (제이셉), B.M (매튜김, aka Matthew Kim), ex-APRIL member Jeon Somin (전소민), and former FNC Entertainment trainee Jeon Jiwoo (전지우). Each member has a card type (or card name) that represents a letter in the group’s name – B.M is King (K), J.seph is Ace (A), Jiwoo’s is Colour JokeR (R), while Somin takes on Black JokeR (R).

Although details for the group’s debut album/single are still scarce, expectations are extremely high and it’s not hard to see why because K.A.R.D have dropped 3 very well-received pre-debut releases – “Oh Nana” (featuring KARA’s Heo Young Ji), “Don’t Recall”, and “Rumour”.

The group is currently starring in their own reality show, titled “Secret K.A.R.D”. It features behind-the-scenes footages of their recent world tour “Wild K.A.R.D”.

Meanwhile, read why we think K.A.R.D should be on your K-Pop radar in 2017.

For more information, hit up the group’s official Facebook page and Instagram.


(UPDATE) #YGFamily: Girl Group Named “BLACKPINK” To Debut In July; Weekly Reveal Of Members

Nevermind the “Who’s Next” social media campaign which ran last week, leading up to iKON’s new release. We’ve got something more exciting to spaz out over!

Apparently, South Korean entertainment powerhouse YG Entertainment will finally be debuting its long-awaited girl group! Yes, the one that was supposed to debut way back in January 2013 but for whatever reason just kept getting delayed repeatedly over the years.

But they’re ready to meet K-Pop fans now!

Codenamed “Pink Punk”, the girls’ debut was pushed back again in 2014 to make way for iKON.

Little is known about the group e.g. members, concept, album title, debut song, but last we checked, Kim Jennie and Kim Ji Soo, both of whom have been featured in G-Dragon‘s tracks, are said to be confirmed as members of the yet-to-be-named (at least officially by YG Entertainment) girl group.

Alas,”K-pop Star 3″ finalist Jang Hanna will not be in the final line-up because the YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun Suk has plans for her to debut as a solo artiste.

As for concept, In 2012, a video titled “Future 2NE1 (4 years later)” was uploaded by the company on YouTube, fueling speculations that the girl group will be modelled after 2NE1.

That having said, it has been quite a few years in between so take that with a pinch of salt as plans may have changed for the girl group.

In the next few weeks leading up to July, YG Entertainment will be revealing the group’s members one by one i.e. one member per week.

Upon the announcement, Yang Hyun Suk, who is said to be currently producing the girls’ music video, revealed, “They’ve been training for a while, and their talents are proven. They’ve been trained like they were in the military. They won’t have the feel of being a second 2NE1 because they are slightly different. We’re a little burdened because it’s our first girl group in 7 years, but we’re confident.”

Fingers crossed that we’ll get to meet the girls soon. No more delays please!

YG Entertainment is also home to K-Pop super group BIGBANG, edgy idol girl group 2NE1, talented hip hoppers Epik High, relatively new groups WINNER and iKON, as well as popular solo artistes PSY, Lee Hi, and more.

This new girl group will mark YG Entertainment’s first girl group since 2NE1’s debut back in 2009. The girls are produced by none other than Teddy.

The first member reveal was just posted up on YG Entertainment’s Facebook page this morning and it’s none other than Jennie Kim (김제니). Surprising nobody, of course, since she has been featured in YG Entertainment’s rookie videos, G-Dragon’s track (“Black”) and music video (“That XX”), and on music shows.

One thing to note though: Jennie definitely has the face that can pull off just about any look. Check out her pictures:

The 2nd member reveal has happened and it’s none other than Lalisa Manoban aka Lisa! From what little we know, Lisa was born in 1997 in Thailand and is full Thai. Her real name is Pranpriya Manoban. Lalisa is just her stage name and Lalice is her nickname.

She is said to be quite a good dancer, as she has mastered the styles of hip hop and the shuffle. As for her voice, they say her voice is similar to Sandara Park of 2NE1.

YG Entertainment has unveiled the 3rd member of their upcoming K-Pop idol girl group and it’s none other than Kim Jisoo (김지수).

No stranger to the K-entertainment industry, Jisoo has appeared in several YG Entertainment artistes’ music videos including Epik High’s “Spoiler” (스포일러) and Hi Suhyun ft. Bobby’s “I’m Different” (나는 달라). She has also made her mark as a model, having appeared in multiple commercials such as 2015 S/S Samsonite RED (alongside Hallyu superstar Lee Min Ho), Nikon 1 J5, SMART School Uniform, and more.

Are you ready to meet the 4th member of YG Entertainment’s new K-Pop idol girl group? Say hello to Park Chae Young (박채영) aka Roseanne Park. This 19-year-old vocalist lived in Melbourne, Australia before she joined YG Entertainment as a trainee when she was 14 years old. She has been training for 5 years and was previously featured in BIGBANG leader G-Dragon’s “Without You” (결국). Yes, she was that mysterious girl featured in the song.

To give you an idea of how powerful her voice is, listen to the song here.

We still don’t know how many members are in the new girl group or if they’re really going to be called “Pink Punk”, but keep checking back with us for more updates in the coming weeks :)

YG Entertainment has just revealed that their new girl group will be named, “BLACKPINK” (블랙핑크) it will consist of the previously unveiled members. The 4 girls who made the final cut and will debut with BLACKPINK are none other than Park Chae Young (박채영), Jennie Kim (김제니), Lalisa Manoban aka Lisa, and Kim Jisoo (김지수).

Although no further details were revealed regarding the girls’ debut date/song/album or concept, at least fans can look forward to seeing them very, very soon :)

Check out more teaser images of the girls in the gallery below:

The girls of BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) has finally joined Instagram!

Although YG Entertainment’s new 4-member girl group opened their social media account just 2 days ago (Saturday, 2nd July), it has already garnered over 121,000 followers! Their sunbae (senior) BIGBANG’s G-Dragon even took to his Instagram to share a screenshot of BLACKPINK’s account.

A black-and-pink yin yang symbol was revealed in the first few posts and fans are speculating that the symbol is actually the group’s new logo.

The girls will be making their debut in the end of July.

What are you waiting for? They’re on Instagram as @blackpinkofficial :)

Sources: akp, SBS, One Hallyu / Featured image: kpopstarz.com.

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Hype Eats: Delectable Snacks To Try In The Klang Valley This Week (28th November – 4th December)

It’s time to break out the holiday spirits because December is almost here. The season of giving, gathering, new beginnings, and all things jolly! This festive month, bring your loved ones along for an adventure of new and exciting snacks to try.

Let’s usher in the last month of 2022 with good company, good vibes, and most importantly, good food! From Waffles to Paos, you have to try it all! Scroll down to see some of the best places to eat this week.

A post shared by 5haus Waffles Cafe (@5hauscafepudu)

Location: 5, Lengkungan Brunei, Pudu Kuala Lumpur

This new hidden camping-style cafe located in the heart of Kuala Lumpur is a definite must-try! If you are a fan of desserts, this is the place for you. Serving mainly waffles, customers can choose their own ingredients and toppings to make their own ideal version of a waffle! Apart from a wide serving of waffles, there are many other delicacies that you need to check out.

A post shared by Check Point @ Setapak (@checkpoint.setapak)

There is a new Muslim-friendly bakery cafe smacked right in Setapak, Kuala Lumpur. This bakery cafe serves a variety of food from fish head noodles, pasta, and even Italian pastries that you should definitely try once in your life. This hangout spot also gets points for being Instagram-worthy so bring your friends along for an exciting food adventure.

A post shared by Texas Chicken Malaysia (@texaschickenmalaysia)

Do you love to snack? Are you often confused when it comes to choosing a delicious piece of chicken or a light potato chip snack? What if we tell you that Texas Chicken has combined two of the best snacks into one? Your favourite potato chip flavour, Sour Cream, and Onion, is now a chicken flavour!

A post shared by CU Malaysia (@cu_malaysia)

Date: 22nd – 30th November (Fried Rice Series only)

Annyeong, CU is back with a new menu! This time they are breaking out two new delicious menus for you to try. For Pao lovers, make sure to get a taste of CU’s new Paos ranging from three different flavours; Curry Chicken Pao, Red Bean Pao, and Chicken Supreme Pao.

If you are looking for something a little heavier, try out their Fried Rice series. Customers can enjoy 20% off the new series from 22nd to 30th November. The Fried Rice series consists of two different variations such as the Classic Egg Fried Rice and Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice. It’s perfect for those looking for a quick bite.

Puteri Teja contributed to this article.


#Oscars 2015: 8 Best Moments Of The 87th Academy Awards

When it comes to hosting award shows, “Gone Girl” star Neil Patrick Harris has plenty of experience. Although Harris has successfully hosted 2 of Emmy Awards and 4 of Broadway’s Tony Awards, he arrived at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles as a first-time Oscars host. This may be his first time, but Harris’ hosting experiences allow him to soar high at the Academy Awards with his hilarious monologues. His jokes are slightly offensive but perhaps they can serve as a reminder for him because this year’s Oscars lasted nearly 4 hours, and not many people were happy about it.

As you’ve probably seen from the live updates on our own Twitter and Instagram, there are a number of Oscars moments that are worth the buzz.

Congratulations are in order for Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “Birdman” and Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel” as both movies won 4 Academy Awards at the Oscars. Patricia Arquette, Julianne Moore, Eddie Redmayne, and J.K. Simmons took home 4 major acting prizes and gave some inspiring acceptance speeches. However, an award show is incomplete without some satirical monologues and great performances in between.

From Lady Gaga’s tribute to “The Sound of Music” to a tear-jerking performance by Common and Legend, to the winners’ heart-wrenching acceptance speeches, take a look at some of the most memorable moments from this year’s Oscars telecast.

1. Neil Patrick Harris’ magical Disney-like opening number

Neil Patrick Harris, the first-time Oscars host kicked off the awards ceremony by delivering a hilarious opening monologue that addresses the racial controversy:

Tonight we celebrate Hollywood’s best and whitest – sorry, brightest.

After making a surprise appearance at the 82nd Academy Awards with an exciting musical number, the host pulled off the same trick by opening the ceremony with yet another awesome musical number called “Moving Pictures”, a song written by “Frozen” team Kristin and Robert Lopez.

During the performance, Harris found himself making “cameo” appearances in several screen classics including “Star Wars”, “The Wizard of Ox”, and “Avengers”. He was later joined on stage by Anna Kendrick before Jack Black interrupted their performance and belted out his solo.

2. Best real-life advice in acceptance speech

“Whiplash” star J.K. Simmons accepted the first award of the night, “Actor in a Supporting Role”. Instead of just thanking everyone for the award he earned, J.K. Simmons took the opportunity to give a life-changing advice to everyone.

Call your mom, call your dad. If you’re lucky enough to have a parent or two alive on this planet, call ’em. Don’t text, don’t email, call them on the phone. Tell them you love them. Thank them and listen to them for as long as they wanna talk to you.

3. Everything is awesome when Oprah receives a LEGO Oscars statue

So, the Oscars admitted that everything about brick flick “The LEGO Movie” is awesome because the movie once again won our hearts with a high-energy performance of the movie anthem, “Everything is Awesome”.

Despite being snubbed by the Oscars, the movie anthem is incredibly addictive that not even the Oscars can deny it.

Alongside dozens of backup dancers, Tegan and Sara performed the song with The Lonely Island and Questlove. Will Arnett even donned a Batman costume to deliver his Batman persona from the movie and sang, “Darkness! No parents!” However, the best part of the performance was when the dancers channeled their inner “Oprah” and handed out the LEGO Oscar statues to the attendees including Oprah Winfrey. Yes, they totally went like, “You get a Lego! And you get a Lego! And you get a Lego statue!”

One of the moments that deserved a standing ovation was when Patricia Arquette started addressing the issue of gender equality. The actress won the “Best Supporting Actress” award but as soon as she thanked everyone she needed off a list, she used her remaining time on stage by delivering an oh-so-inspiring speech on equal pay for every woman in the United Sates of America.

We have fought for everybody else’s equal rights. It is our time to have wage equality once and for all — and equal rights for women in the United States of America.

Very quickly, everyone stood up and gave a round of applause for her courage. Meryl Steep and Jennifer Lopez were seen freaking out over her speech and gave their utmost support to the actress.

Harris just had to do this. One of the most iconic scenes in the “Birdman” movie was when Michael Keaton’s character ran through New York City’s Times Square in nothing but his underwear.

Thus, Harris decided to spoof “Birdman” by reenacting the scene. With his bodacious bod, he unashamedly went on stage in his tight whities (bulge alert!) and black socks to poke fun at Michael Keaton’s persona in the Oscar-winning “Birdman”.

6. A standing ovation for Common and John Legend’s “Glory”

Ava DuVernay’s “Selma” received critical acclaim and garnered heavy buzz for actor David Oyelowo and director Ava Duvernay, but the movie was only nominated for the “Best Picture” and “Best Original Song” awards. Despite being snubbed in the acting and the directing categories, Common and John Legend moved everyone including “Selma” star David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey to tears with their rousing rendition of the film’s nominated song, “Glory”.

The song went on to win “Best Original Song”, creating another Oscar-buzzworthy moment with a powerful acceptance speech from John Legend and Common:

We say Selma is now, because the struggle for justice is right now. We know that the voting rights, the act that they fought for 50 years ago is being compromised right now in this country today. We know that right now the struggle for freedom and justice is real. We live in the most incarcerated country in the world. There are more black men under correctional control today than were under slavery in 1850. When people are marching with our song, we want to tell you that we are with you, we see you, we love you, and march on.

That was a glorious speech, no doubt about it.

7. Lady Gaga’s tribute to the 50th Anniversary of “The Sound of Music”

Judging by how people were raving over Lady Gaga’s performance on my social media timeline, I believe Lady Gaga deserves an award for bringing an unexpected rendition of the “The Sound of Music” songs. While everyone was expecting Mama Monster’s eccentric performance, the singer surprised us instead and successfully grabbed our attention with her note-perfect medley from the 50-year-old musical.

We all know how talented she is but her 15-minute tribute is one of the reasons of why this year’s Oscars is worth watching. The best part of the performance? It was definitely when “The Sound of Music” star Julie Andrews came onstage afterwards and gave her a warm hug. Excuse us while we cry over this beautiful moment.

8. Most inspirational message from Graham Moore

Yet another acceptance speech was a buzzworthy moment and this time around, it came from “The Imitation Game” screenwriter Graham Moore. He won “Best Adapted Screenplay” for his Golden Globe-winning script and talked about his suicide attempts in his Oscars acceptance speech. He talked about Alan Turing, who never got the opportunity to stand on stage to make an acceptance speech because of his homosexuality.

He said it was “the most unfair thing” he ever heard and went on to reveal that he once tried to kill himself when he was 16. As most young adults are struggling with their paths, he encouraged young adults to “stay weird, stay different”. He added:

And then when it’s your turn and you are standing on this stage, please pass the same message to the next person who comes along.

The 87th Annual Academy Awards will air again on HBO (Astro Ch 411/431) Friday (27th Feb) at 11.10pm and Sunday (1st Mar) at 4.30pm.

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

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Netflix Unveils 7 Upcoming Original Korean TV Series For 2019 & 2020

Great news for K-fans out there! Netflix is set to premiere more titles for the 2nd half of 2019 as well as for earlier next year. The announcement was made during 2019 Asia TV Drama Conference. Representatives from Netflix Asia revealed during the ceremony that a total of 7 new, original Korean productions are set to greet Netflix streamers worldwide.

For those who are curious, here is the list of Korean shows that are set to be available exclusively on the online streaming platform. Keep in mind that most of the titles – except for “Kingdom 2” – has yet to come out with its release date.

The Netflix-original series that managed to catch K-Fans’ attention, “Kingdom”, is slated to premier its 2nd season next year! The series will continue the journey of Joseon’s crown prince Yi Chang (Ju) as he delves deeper into mysterious plague occurring in his land.

In case you missed what happened last season, here is the trailer:

The Netflix original TV show is slated to make its comeback for another season! Reports said that they have finished their filming, with actor-singer Lee Seung Gi tagging along as the brand new addition to bring a fresh new perspective to their original cast members.

Based on a novel of the same name, the drama tells the story of the titular character Ahn Eun Young (Jung Yoo Mi) who is a student nurse as well as an exorcist. She has a special ability which allows her to see ghosts and she can also eradicate these ghosts. Armed with a knife and a BB gun as a weapon, she discovered a mysterious event occurring at the school.

Eun Young tries to be a good student and eradicate the bad ghosts with the help of fellow teacher Hong In Pyo (Nam Joo Hyuk), who possesses strong spiritual power.

Also known as “Round Six”, the series is directed by filmmaker Hwang Dong Hyuk (pictured), who is famous for his works such as “Miss Granny” (2014) and “Silenced” (2011).

It tells the story of a group of people who fail at life for various reasons. They suddenly receive a mysterious invitation to participate in a survival game to win 10 million U.S. dollars. The game takes place at an unknown location, and the participants are locked up until there is a final winner.

The interesting part is, the show will incorporate popular Korean children’s games from the 1970s and 1980s, including the squid game (literal translation of its Korean name) – version of tag game where the offense and defense use a squid-shaped board drawn in the dirt.

Korean comedian Park Na Rae is set to have her own TV show entitled Glamour Warning. The series will feature Park in her own solo comedy act featuring several stories and languages that are deemed as not suitable for general Korean television. In this case, the show will mostly discuss sexually explicit content on love and relationships.

“Me Alone and You” tells the story of a lonely woman who meets an AI-powered hologram called Holo. Yoon Hyun Min will play the roles of Holo and its creator, Go Nan Do—a genius owner of an IT research company who has done a lot of tech projects alone. Despite Go Nan Do’s countless contributions to the company, the only people who are aware of his existence are his stepsister and the company’s official CEO. 10 years ago, he worked as a hacker in a major case that supposedly caused his death and since then the general public thinks he is dead.

Also known as “Extracurricular”, the drama follows a group of high school students committing serious crime without guilt. In this case, they are willing to do so in order to make more money. The series take its turn when all of the teenagers discovers a hard lesson in life they might have to learn.

Which of the above titles that you are looking forward to? Hit us up in the comment section! ?


#Produce101: Trainees You Should Be Looking Out For This Season

Mnet’s “Produce 101” (프로듀스 101) is a large scale idol group survival program with 101 trainees from different entertainment agencies. The aim is to select the best 11 trainees from the pool and “produce” a unit of idol group that will debut under a temporary contract.

While the first season featured female trainees, the show’s highly anticipated return will include male trainees from at least 39 companies. Hosted by SM Entertainment’s BoA, “Produce 101” season 2 is slated to make its premiere at 11pm KST (10pm Malaysian time) on 7th April.

A post shared by Mnet PRODUCE X 101 OFFICIAL (@produce_x_101)

Last week, the boys performed the show’s 2017 theme song, titled “Pick Me” aka “Me, It’s Me” (나야나), on “M!Countdown”. And as expected, the track has been gaining a lot of attention from both Korean and international netizens. The official performance video has since garnered more than 1.7 million views on YouTube.

However, not everything is sunshine and rainbows for the contestants.

Recently, one of the trainees was embroiled in a sexual harassment and bullying scandal while another is being heavily criticised for impersonating BIGBANG’s G-Dragon in the past. But despite the controversies, many other trainees in the pool have become well known for their talents (and good looks). Yes, we know, focusing on 101 people can be pretty taxing. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of contestants that you should look out for this season.

Formerly a JYP trainee, Brand New Music’s Lee Dae Hwi was chosen as the centre of “Produce 101″‘s first “Pick Me” stage. According to insiders, the 17-year-old aspiring idol won the #1 spot due to his immense talent and “outstanding stage manner”. Besides that, he is also skilled in singing, dancing, acting, rap, composing, and songwriting. Seriously, is there anything that he can’t do?

Hailing from Maroo Entertainment, which houses “Running Man” star Kim Jong Kook, Park Ji Hoon is currently attending the School of Performing Arts in Seoul. But the adorable 18-year-old trainee melted our hearts when he winked at the camera during his “Pick Me” performance and hence earned him the nickname “Wink Boy”. Man, that’s one killer wink right there ;)

When we first saw Jung Sae Woon, he was a participant in SBS’ “K-Pop Star 3” in 2013. So you could say that we’ve been waiting for him to debut for a while now. During his time in the talent show, the Busan-born singer-songwriter impressed the judges (Park Jin Young, Yang Hyun Suk, and Yoo Hee Yeol) and viewers with his heavenly vocals as well as outstanding guitar skills. He is currently training under Starship Entertainment.

Psst, he kinda reminds us of singer Lee Seung Gi :)

Prior to joining Ono Entertainment, Jang Moon Bok auditioned for Mnet’s “Superstar K” (슈퍼스타 K) in 2010. During his participation, he was given the nickname “hip hop president” due to his passion for rap. But unlike most K-Rappers (most notably BIGBANG’s T.O.P.), 22-year-old Jang has a high-pitched rapping voice. While there’s no denying that he first caught our eye with his ridiculously luscious long hair, we hope to see new sides of him in the upcoming episodes.

Believe it or not, this “Produce 101” contestant is 29 years old! He was dubbed the “tiptoe man” after a 7-second fancam of him tiptoeing went viral. The HIM Entertainment heartthrob is the eldest out of all the other contestants. He has probably completed his mandatory South Korean military training, so you don’t have to go through the torturous 2-year wait for him :)

Born in 2002, Samuel Kim aka Punch was a potential member of Pledis Entertainment’s large scale boy group, SEVENTEEN. Prior to joining “Produce 101”, he and rapper One formed a hip hop duo called 1PUNCH in 2015. Although the group disbanded shortly after, the Brave Entertainment trainee has always been popular among K-Pop fans due to his boyish charm and smooth singing voice.

Listen to his cover of Justin Bieber’s “What Do You Mean?” here.

23-year-old Ong Seong Woo is trainee from Fantagio Entertainment. Thanks to his good looks, many netizens who watched last week’s “Pick Me” performance dubbed him the “Jeon Somi of season 2”. The 179cm-tall model is also a talented drummer and dancer.

“Real Man” Yoon Yong Bin is a 23-year-old trainee under EXID’s label, Banana Culture Entertainment. In an episode of “I Can See Your Voice”, the former SM Entertainment trainee revealed that he was in the running to become a member of EXO. However, he decided to leave the company to complete his studies. Apart from his attractive features and cute dimples, Yoon is also a brilliant singer and dancer.

9. NU’EST (Ren, Baekho, Minhyun, and JR)

Okay, so these boys aren’t exactly trainees. 1995’ers Ren, Baekho, Minhyun, and JR made their debut in 2012 through Pledis Entertainment’s 5-member idol boy group NU’EST. Their debut single, “FACE”, is one of the most viewed K-Pop debut MV on YouTube. So technically, we (like most of NU’EST’s fans) have mixed feelings about their participation in “Produce 101”, a program designed for trainees. It just makes no sense why Pledis would send seniors to the competition. While some say that it’s a PR move to regain/increase the group’s fame, others are speculating that NU’EST is heading towards disbandment. Whatever the reason, these boys are a talented bunch and we hope to see them do their best in the show. We’ll be rooting for you, NU’EST!

Note: It is believed that member Aron did not join the program due to conflicting schedules.

Think we left a promising contestant out of the list? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments box below!

Sources: Wattpad (1)(2), Koreaboo (1)(2), Soompi, All Kpop (1)(2), One Hallyu, Wikipedia.

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Ludi Lin Talks About His Ideas For Captain Murk In “Aquaman 2”

There is currently a lot of questions surrounding “Aquaman 2”. Jason Momoa confirmed that the DC sequel will start filming in the UK this June and has been given the working title, “Necrus”.

As many DC fans may know, Necrus is another underwater city similar to Atlantis. Referred as the “Black City”, Necrus has no set location and can never be found in the same place twice. Ruled by tyrant king Mongo, Necrus has fought with the people of Atlantis before.

Although details for “Aquaman 2” are still kept under wraps, writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick recently spilled that the storyline isn’t just based on a single comic book adaptation. “But if you want to know the vibe we’re going for, pick up pretty much any Silver Age story featuring Black Manta,” he said.

Returning to the director chair is James Wan and of course, Jason Momoa. The hunky actor revealed that he contributed in the creative process. “After we ended the first one, I went in with my writing partner, and we dreamed up the second one, and we went in and pitched the idea. The best thing I can give you is that I love it so much that I participated in the writing of it,” Momoa teased.

He continued, “We did the first treatment, and then James and our original writer David finished it off. And all of our hearts are in it. Instead of just like getting a script and doing that, you are 100% being encouraged by your director and co-writers. So that’s exciting for me, and I’m excited to go over there. I leave in July, and we start filming.”

Patrick Wilson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II are also expected to reprise their roles as Ocean Master and Black Manta. But what about fan favourite Ludi Lin?

In speaking to the hunky actor, we recently asked the Chinese-Canadian if he’d be keen to play Captain Murk again. After all, it seemed that we barely scratched the surface with the Atlantean soldier – who was a loyal supporter to King Orm Marius.

“I don’t know what’s happening with ‘Aquaman 2’. There are just so many things going on. But Murk’s story wasn’t finished. I hope I do. I don’t know much about it right now. I know they’re working on it,” Ludi exclusively told us, when asked about the possibility of returning to the DCEU.

So what would the 33-year-old star personally like to explore? “He was just beginning his journey as a captain (in the first movie). In fact, he had two hands. In the comic book, he had one hand missing and replaced with a sword and he was a general. Because under the old kings’ and the old princes’ influences, obviously, he’s a very strict and mean guy. But under the new law and under the new king, I like to see how he advances in the army to become the general of the whole Atlantean army and what kind of army he gets, which should be a really cool story,” Ludi added.

Would you like to see Murk on the big screen again? Share your thoughts in the comments below.


Hype’s Now Playing: 2NE1 – Crush (Japanese Version)

After releasing the Korean music videos for their hit songs, “Come Back Home”, “Happy”, and “Gotta Be You”, 2NE1 is now releasing one for “Crush”, too – except, the girls will be using the Japanese version of the song. While some Blackjacks are disappointed that there’s no Korean version of the music video (for now), we think the release is apt because it’s just slightly ahead of the release of 2NE1’s album, “Crush” in the Japanese market.

The Japanese version of the album is slated for a 25th June release. Following which, the girls will kick off their World Tour “All or Nothing” at Yokohama Arena on 5th and 6th July, and at Kobe World Memorial Hall on 12th and 13th July. It’s a notable milestone for 2NE1 because this is all happening for the first time in about two years for them!

Watch the Japanese version of “Crush” here:

Love it or don’t love it so much? Let us know what you think in the comments! Meanwhile, don’t forget to check out this post where we gush about that one time the girls were here to rock Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur.

For more information, visit 2NE1’s Facebook page.


#BatmanvSuperman: Tao Okamoto Is Reportedly Playing Mercy Graves

Fans of the DC Cinematic Universe were given a first look at “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” through the teaser trailer that was released earlier in April.

A few months later, Warner Bros. debuted another exclusive trailer during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) and released it online. Through this trailer, we were also given a first look at Tao Okamoto‘s role in the film, whose identity has yet to be unveiled until now.

According to comingsoon.net, DC All Access revealed in their latest episode that Okamoto is playing Mercy Graves, a character originally created for “Superman: The Animated Series”.

Mercy Graves is a fictional character voiced by Lisa Edelstein in 1996 on “Superman: The Animated Series”. She is the personal assistant and bodyguard of Superman’s archenemy, Lex Luthor. Similar to Harley Quinn and Livewire, Mercy Graves has since crossed over into comic books and is part of the DC Universe. She was later brought into DC Comics’ continuity and was a heavy influence on Cassidy Freeman’s “Smallville” character, Tess Mercer (which combined Mercy with the “Superman: The Movie” character, Valerie Perrine’s Eve Tessmacher).

Graves’ appearance in the film has been rumoured for some time, but DC Entertainment has finally confirmed that she will be portrayed by Okamoto, making it her first official live-action appearance.

This won’t be the first time Okamoto is portraying a role in a superhero film as she has portrayed the female lead in James Mangold “The Wolverine”. She also played Chiyo, a sharpshooter and the attendant of Hannibal Lecter’s aunt on the 3rd season of NBC’s “Hannibal“.

She will be teaming up with Jesse Eisenberg‘s Lex Luthor in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”.

The film also stars Henry Cavill as Clark Kent/Superman, Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, and Jeremy Irons as Alfred. Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane will return to star their respective “Man of Steel” roles while Jason Momoa is expected to make a cameo appearance as Aquaman.

Directed by Zack Snyder, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is written by Chris Terrio from a screenplay by David S. Goyer. It is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder with Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Wesley Coller, David S. Goyer, and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is slated for release on 25th March 2016.

Source: comingsoon.net / Image source: dcmovies.wikia.com

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X-Men: How The Mutants Could Enter Into The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Alas with “The New Mutants” coming release, the saga of Fox’s X-Men film franchise draws to a close. It had a good run but now mutant-kind is under new management. With Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox, all creative properties, including the X-Men, have now been handed over to Disney.

The day draws ever closer when the House of Mouse will consolidate all Marvel properties under one roof. One question has been keeping us up at night, though. How will the mutants enter into the Marvel Cinematic Universe? They can’t just very well pop up out of nowhere without any proper explanation.

After doing digging and research, we believe that we’ve found the way in which Marvel will introduce the X-Men and mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The seeds are being sown in Marvel’s Phase 4, even as we speak. So get out your comic book collections and Wikia tabs ready because we’re taking a deep dive into Marvel’s mutant history!

Before we get to the MCU, we need to do a quick crash course on Marvel history to better understand mutant-kind. Ready? Let’s begin! Long before the First Avenger appeared on the scene, mankind was in its early stages of development. They were primitive and ordinary until a group of giant energy-based aliens called the Celestials came to Earth. They were god-like in their ability to manipulate the biological structure of living organisms. They could accelerate a species’ evolution beyond the natural order. Which is exactly what they did to the human population at the time.

This is where things get slightly complicated, so stay with us. In an event known as the First Host, they created three new races out of early man. The first subrace to emerge were the Eternals. They are humanity at our highest potential. Think of them as the end product of human evolution. Perfect superhumans with abilities such as flight, energy manipulation, superspeed and superstrength.

Then there is the subrace of the Deviants. Genetically unstable creatures that varied wildly in physique and structure. Some of them have scaly skin. Some of them have strange appendages. The only thing these creatures have in common is that they look nothing like the Eternals or early humans.

Which is brings us to the third and final race: humans.

Now, most humans are your regular, old garden variety Homosapien. Some humans, however, such as Steve Rogers, Peter Parker and Bruce Banner have beneficial mutations. Mutations that allow their body to react in unique ways to radioactive substances. So instead of becoming horribly deformed or getting a tumour, they get superpowers instead. Then there are those born with the X-gene. Humans who already have superpowers and abilities within themselves. They are known as mutants. This is where heroes like the X-Men come in.

Unlike some members of the Avengers, they do not need exposure to certain chemicals or substances to gain fantastical abilities. They inherited it from their parents. These powers will eventually manifest at some point in a mutant’s life or remain dormant. For those looking to control their powers and serve the greater good, they can always find a friend in Professor Charles Xavier. A powerful mutant who runs a school and a team of heroes known as the X-Men.

Now that we’ve gotten the history class out of the way, we can now talk about how all this fits in the MCU. Believe it or not, there are already clues in the MCU leading to the eventual coming of the mutants. Remember those energy giants that created the Eternals, Deviants and mutants? Turns out that they already made an appearance in the MCU, in 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” to be exact.

There’s a scene in which the Guardians meet with Taneleer Tiva aka the Collector who shows them a video of a Celestial, Eson the Searcher. We see the Eson use the Power Stone to wipe out an entire population, something that the Celestials in the comics are also known for doing. Now, we aren’t exactly sure if Eson was acting on behalf of the Celestials or if he was acting on his own but we do, at the very least, know that these beings exist within the cinematic canon.

Furthermore, we’ve also gotten confirmation that the Celestials will be playing a major role in the upcoming “Eternals” film. Disney’s Marvel never does anything without a reason. There’s always some longterm game plan that drives their every decision. Why would they have this random scene showing a Celestial using a Power Stone? They could have shown literally any other cosmic being doing it. We believe that Marvel was teasing the prospect of possibly having the X-Men come in.

It got even more interesting when we found out that the “Eternals” film would see the Eternals clash with their longtime nemesis, the Deviants. All the pieces seemed to be lined up in place right now. If the film features the Celestials, the Deviants and the Eternals surely the subject of the Celestials; genetic tampering must be broached. Which would eventually lead to the introduction of the mutants in the MCU! We don’t know whether if they’ll be revealed in a post-credit scene or in flashback or exposition but we’re fairly certain that some reference to mutant-kind will be made in the film.

Don’t get us wrong, there’s still a long way to go before we get to see Wolverine unfurl his claws in the MCU. It took us nearly 8 years before that teaser of Thanos in the post-credits scene of “The Avengers” paid off in “Avengers: Infinity War”. We predict that the mutants will probably arrive around the end of Phase 5. Don’t lose heart though, true believers. Someday, we’ll see our beloved mutants appear in the MCU. Until then, we’ll just have to wait.

So what do you make of all this? Do you think we could see the X-Men enter the MCU around Phase 4? Or do you think we’ll only see them appear much later in the future? Be sure to let us know in the comments down below!


The Full List Of Concerts Postponed/Cancelled Due To Coronavirus

The entertainment industry as a whole has taken a hit ever since the coronavirus outbreak. Not only have movies been postponed indefinitely, but concerts have also experience a domino effect.

It’s no surprise that the majority of shows from now till mid year have either been called off completely or postponed. To avoid the confusion, we’ve compiled a list of concerts in Malaysia and will update them accordingly.

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#Marvel: “Guardians of the Galaxy 3” Will Take Place After Avengers 3 & 4

With “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” opening in cinemas all around the world, new details about future instalments are already in discussion.

Director James Gunn revealed that “Guardians of the Galaxy 3” will conclude the trilogy of the existing Guardians and introduce a new team of heroes. Earlier this morning, Gunn addressed where the 3rd instalment will take place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline.

The first movie took place in 2014, while “Vol. 2” picks up 2 months later. It was previously teased that “Avengers: Infinity War” will be set 4 years after “Vol. 2”, meaning it takes place in 2018. Now that it’s been confirmed that “Vol. 3” will take place after the next 2 Avengers films, it’s possible that we’ll be getting a full grown Groot squaring off against the Hulk.

It has also been hinted that “Guardians of the Galaxy 3” will feature more of Zoe Saldana’s Gamora and her estranged sister Nebula (played by Karen Gillan).

“I mean, yeah, I feel like we are definitely going to explore more and more with Nebula. In the 1st movie she was this angry, bitter villain and we sort of understood why, but we didn’t really get into the details. This movie we dive right into it and we know exactly why she is the way she is and I feel like she is definitely going to make some self discoveries through that. You know, she is having quite a cathartic experience with her sister in this movie and I think she is going to get to the point where maybe she’ll get to the good side, but also I kind of want to maintain a little bit about the bad,” said Gillan while promoting “Vol. 2”.

In the meantime, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” is currently playing in cinemas. If you’re interested, check out our  “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” fun facts feature here.

Sources: Movie Web (1)(2), Screen Rant/ Featured image: Movie Web.


5 Exciting Reboots & Remakes To Cinematic Classics To Watch In 2023

Recently, we’ve had the pleasure of seeing the return of some awesome classic film franchises by way of reboots and remakes. They can come in the form of long-awaited sequels that ignore the most questionable instalments, like “Ghostbusters: Afterlife”, or as prequels, like “Bumblebee” that sneakily tidy up the canon and clean the slate to make way for a new direction.

Then, of course, we’ve got Disney coming in with the live-action remakes of our childhood animated favourites from the golden age. Some of them are great and others not so much. Well, come 2023, get ready for a fresh batch of reboots and remakes of some of cinema’s most iconic films. So join us as we run down upcoming films that will have you pining for the good ole days!

Revealed at 2022’s D23 Convention, we got our first look at Disney’s live-action remake of 1989’s “The Little Mermaid” with Halle Bailey serenading us with her own beautiful rendition of “Part of Your Word” as she sings below the sea surface as Ariel. Starring alongside Bailey is Jonah Hauer King as Prince Eric, Javier Bardem as King Triton, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Daveed Diggs as Sebastian, Jacob Tremblay as Flounder, and Awkwafina as Scuttle. It’s a star-studded cast for this aquatic fantasia!

Needless to say, the teaser was met with great contention from the online community with some absolutely adoring Ariel being played by a woman of colour and others not so much. We’re excited to see how Director Rob Marshall’s remake will innovate on the original while still staying faithful to the beloved animated musical. Also, the original composer and songwriter for the 1989 version, Alan Menken is returning to give voice to the film with some fresh new songs as well. So at the very least, you know there’ll be some bangers here!

It seems that 2023 won’t simply see Timothee Chalamet play the role of the messiah-to-be in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two”. The rising star will also be taking up the role of the whimsical Willy Wonka in a reimagining of Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”. The first adaptation of Dahl’s popular children’s book came in 1971 with comedian Gene Wilder playing the role of the quirky and mysterious Willy Wonka. Then in 2005, the role was passed on to actor Johnny Depp in a remake of the film. In 2023, it’ll be Chalamet’s turn to roll up the factory with his bright purple jacket and tall top hat in “Wonka”.

“Wonka” diverges from Dahl’s original story by having the plot focus on a young Willy Wonka and his adventures before he builds his famous chocolate factory. Joining Chalamet in Wonka is comedian Keegan-Michael Key from “Key and Peele”, Rowan Atkinson of “Mr Bean” fame and Sally Hawkins from “The Shape of Water” along with a host of other delightful British thespians. Paul King, the man responsible for “Paddington 2”, will be directing the film so expect a sweet, fun time! Oh, and did we mention Hugh Grant will be playing an Oompa Loompa in the film? That alone is worth the price of admission.

Indie’s back baby and he’s fighting them dirty Nazis again! After the lukewarm reception to 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”, we thought we’d seen the end of Harrison Ford as Indie. They had planned to have passed the baton over to Shia LaBeouf, who played Indie’s son, Mutt Williams, as the next lead adventurer in the franchise but eventually decided against it. The film was set in 1957. Now after 15 years, Ford makes his triumphant return as the explorer with no son in sight. The film is set in 1969 with Indie looking to foil a deadly plot involving by a former Nazi working with the U.S. government to beat the Soviet Union in the Space Race.

Grindelwald actor Mads Mikkelsen will be playing said former Nazi, Jürgen Voller and will serve as the main antagonist of the film. Some new faces also include Phoebe Waller-Bridge as Indie’s god-daughter Helena and Boyd Holbrook from “Narcos” appearing in the film as Voller’s right-hand man, Klaber. One familiar face set to return to the film is the legendary John Rhys-Davies, reprising his role as Sallah. If you’re looking for a whip-cracking, globe-trotting thrill ride, then you’ll want to mark “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” on your calendar.

The “Evil Dead” franchise has always held a special place in the hearts of gore fiends and cheesy 80s horror fans. The 2010s saw a revival of the franchise with 2013’s creepy “Evil Dead” remake and the hilarious and spooky “Ash vs Evil Dead” series on Netflix with Bruce Campbell returning as the Deadite slaying jefe Ash Williams! Then like the cursed Book of the Dead, also known as the Necronomicon, the franchise went dormant and silent for five long years, waiting to be unleashed onto a whole new generation.

The wait is over gang because we’re getting yet another instalment to the franchises with “Evil Dead Rise”. A film that ignores the continuity of the 2013 reboot for its original spin. The plot revolves around two sisters, Beth and Ellie discovering the dreaded Necronomicon below Ellie’s cramped apartment which leads to an assault from demonic forces. Ellie is played Alyssa Sutherland and Beth is played by Lily Sullivan. The film is directed and written by Lee Cronin. With fresh talent and faces on-screen, can “Evil Dead Rise” do right by Sam Raimi’s horror legacy? We’ll just have to wait and see.

What’s the scariest horror film you’ve ever seen? For many, it’s gotta be the original 1973 “The Exorcist”. A cinematic masterpiece that won an Oscar, sparked protests from religious communities and was even censored in a number of countries. Next to perhaps John Carpenter’s “The Thing”, we consider “The Exorcist” to be the greatest horror film of all time. Yeah, we said it. Everything from the atmosphere, to the practical effects to Linda Blair’s bone-chilling performance as the Pazuzu-possessed Regan, all of it is so perfectly crafted. By the end of it, you’re left not only thrilled but emotionally exhausted and psychologically, if not spiritually shaken. It is brilliant.

40 years later, we’re getting a reboot and direct sequel to William Friedkin’s horror magnum opus, one that ignores those awful sequels after the original. This film is meant to be the first instalment in a new trilogy within the franchise. This reboot of “The Exorcist” will be directed by David Gordon Green who just recently concluded the rebooted “Halloween” film series with “Halloween Ends”. Green has a titanic task ahead of him and we pray that he honours the unholy spirit of the original.

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#ZoukKLGoesBig: The New Zouk KL Launches; The Parties Are Back

The new Zouk Kuala Lumpur launched last Thursday (20th August) with much fanfare at TREC on 436 Jalan Tun Razak. The grand opening was also a private preview of the newly-built 11-room superclub.

The launch was a resounding success that saw some 4,000 invited guests. They comprise members of the local and foreign press, celebrities, trendsetters, business associates and the Zouk Singapore team.

The night began at 8:45pm with Zouk brand founder Lincoln Cheng making his address.

Zouk KL stands as a monument to the vision and industry of the people behind the Zouk brand in Kuala Lumpur. This building we see before us is the culmination of Zouk’s search for a new lease of life. The new, 11-room Zouk KL is bigger and better. We can expect it to be even more exciting than the pinnacle of entertainment that it had already been in its previous 11 years.

This was followed by Zouk KL and TREC’s founder Cher Ng, who went on to note:

Tonight, is a milestone. A project that has taken us on a roller-coaster journey in its 3-year development. A project that has involved a collective of some of the best curators of their fields in Malaysia, Singapore, the UK and the US, who have worked tirelessly, alongside each member of the Zouk KL team to build what we are all standing in now. The result: A spectacular club with 11 rooms. With this brand new building, Zouk KL takes pride of place on the global stage.

Thereafter, the club opened its doors for the private preview of its 11 spectacular rooms. No prizes for guessing why the new Zouk KL’s Member’s Lounge was our favourite ;)

The 3-hour launch ended at 11pm with a spectacular 3-minute synchronised fireworks display from the statement-making development of Zouk KL.

Zouk KL has been the forefront of electronic dance music in the capital for over a decade, sustaining the metronomic mayhem of the evolving genre. Zouk KL, the rite of passage for many, for whom the dance floors provide a baptism of fire.

Currently, Zouk KL stands at #38 in DJ Mag’s “Top 100 Clubs In The World”, as voted by global consumers. Zouk KL aims to make it to the Top 20 next year.

For more pictures from the launch, check out the gallery below:

*Pictures from Zouk KL, courtesy of All Is Amazing.

For more information, hit up Zouk KL’s website or Facebook page.


The Two One Directions

UK boyband have apparently landed themselves in hot soup recently and it’s not because of their song the “Directioners” (read: One Direction fans) love:

[youtube id=”QJO3ROT-A4E” width=”600″ height=”350″]

As much as we adore the X-Factor phenomenons’ music, the band might soon have to start searching for a new name after being slapped with a lawsuit by, wait for it, One Direction. Are you confused yet?

Formed in 2009, a California-based One Direction, which is fronted by singer/pianist Sean O’Leary, claimed that the UK One Direction’s success has affected them. The lawsuit that the “What Makes You Beautiful” every-teenage-girl’s-dream band was handed with clearly states that the case of the stolen name was causing “substantial confusion and substantial damage” to the US band.

And thus, the US One Direction has asked for a court order that will inadvertently force the Brits to change their name. What more backed by the fact that they’ve actually beat the Brits in the race to the US Patent and Trademark Office, filing a trademark application for “One Direction” in February 2011. Long before their UK counterparts.

Though it sounds a bit amusing, this is what is expected to be a multi-million dollar lawsuit as lawyers for the Californian band are already busy seeking an injunction that would pull the plug on Cowell’s Syco Entertainment and Sony Music from using the name One Direction in promotional materials.

The US One Direction have also made it clear that they also want a share of the profits earned by the chart-topping British boys. The American band is demanding more than $1 million in damages.

UK One Direction have yet to respond due to the fact that they are currently in the Land of Down Under, being swamped by screaming and squealing Australian fans.

We don’t know about you but we’re already confused. One Direction or not, where do we go from here?

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The Strokes Announces “Comedown Machine”

The Strokes announced that their highly anticipated new album, “Comedown Machine” is set for a 26th March 2013 release via RCA Records. Consisting of members Julian Casablancas (lead vocals), Nick Valensi (guitar), Albert Hammond, Jr. (guitar), Nikolai Fraiture (bass), and Fabrizio Moretti (drums), the band previously released four studio albums and has sold over five million albums worldwide!

They’ve also headlined major festivals in the United States and UK, including the Isle of Wight Festival, Lollapalooza, Hurricane Festival, Splendour In The Grass, Rockness, Outside Lands, and Austin City Limits as well as sold out New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

Upon the announcement, The Strokes also confirmed that “All The Time” will be the official first single off the album. “Comedown Machine” has been made available for pre-order on their official website and exclusive album configurations will also be available on the band’s site closer to album release. Pre-orders on iTunes and other retailers, however, will start on 19th February 2013 (Tuesday).

For more information, visit their official website.


3 Malaysian Influencers Share Tips & Tricks To Stay Healthy During This Ramadan

It’s always a norm to change one’s dietary habits, eating and sleeping routines during the holy month of Ramadan. Therefore, many tend to reduce engagement in physical activities which can inevitably affect a person’s strength  and fitness. After all, those who are fasting will experience low energy levels without the luxury of refueling during fasting.

Having said that, we should still remain mindful of our health and wellbeing. Thankfully for those with the Apple Watch Series 7, their device has made their day-to-day life much easier as they prepare for Hari Raya. If you’re looking to stay motivated and active during this season, scroll down to read some tips and tricks from 3 local KOLs’ testimonies:

Dr Say Shaharuddin, general practitioner

A post shared by Dr Shazril Shaharuddin (@say_shazril)

A post shared by Cik Manggis | De Fam (@cikmanggis)

On maximising the use of Apple Watch during Ramadan, Cik Manggis shares: “As we all know Eid is about family bonding time and we will be busy with family and friends. Try to keep your phone away and wear your Apple Watch like I always do. No phone but I can still can keep track of important messages with my Apple Watch!”

Soraya shares “my Apple Watch has been a long companion of mine. One of the key reasons is its function in keeping my fitness in check! Here are some of my favourite personal tips on how your Apple Watch can help you this Ramadan!”

In addition, you can also make the most of Apple Watch with these great third-party apps:


Mercedes-Benz Car Bursts Into Flames Right Outside Of Pavilion KL

A Mercedes-Benz mobile burst into flames right outside Pavilion shopping mall in Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. The incident happened earlier today (Tuesday, 14th January) at 12.40pm.

The chaotic atmosphere was recorded by a few passers-by before it went viral online. In this case, most of the videos were taken before the firefighters arrived on the scene.

According to Operations Command, Head of the Fire and Rescue Station, Jalan Hang Tuah, Kuala Lumpur, PBK II, Mohd Azam Alip, the team received an emergency call at 1.40pm regarding the incident.

“The fire was managed to be extinguished at around 2.01pm. Based on our reports, the damage caused by the burn is estimated to be around 90%,” Mohd Azam said in an official press release.

It’s happened today kereta terbakar depan pavilion kl , be careful everyone. pic.twitter.com/S1QUDDsbB1

The main cause of the fire is still under investigation as at time of writing.

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