(Photos) First Look At Van Gogh Alive Exhibit In Pavilion Bukit Jalil

For the first time ever, “Van Gogh Alive” is finally coming to Malaysia! Regarded as one of the most sought-after exhibits in the world, “Van Gogh Alive” is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you should not miss.

Brought to you by Grande Experiences, KKLive and Gravitytai Co., Ltd., this never-before-seen, fully interactive, and Instagram-worthy exhibit will transport visitors into the brilliant mind of Vincent Van Gogh. As you may know, Van Gogh Alive has made its presence known in over 80+ cities around the world.

Unlike any other exhibitions in the world, “Van Gogh Alive” changes people’s preconceived ideas of traditional museum visits. The exhibition displays Van Gogh’s bold colours and dramatic brushstrokes on a projected floor to ceiling display that will slowly unfold the tale of the artist’s past.

While the primary exhibition allows visitors to enjoy Van Gogh’s artwork, the new interactive exhibit will allow visitors to take a deeper dive into the painter’s history. The new AI-powered, fully interactive exhibit will enable visitors to delve deeper into the painter’s mind and get an immersive Van Gogh art history experience through a variety of interactive activities.

YB Khairul Firdaus Akbar Khan, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture (MOTAC) said, “It brings me pride to see our Malaysian corporations evolve and showcase their innovations to the world. This exclusivity is key to generating an international demand for such events and driving tourist arrivals. With that, I take this opportunity to thank the organizers and producers of “Van Gogh Alive” and “The Greatest Artist” for being daring enough to execute the immersive exhibition and providing a platform for Malaysians to learn and grow in this regard. I believe Malaysia has great potential in spearheading such hi-caliber events and I look forward to seeing more of it in 2023.”

Mr. Ken Choo Chee Heong, Chief Marketing Officer of MDW, and Mr. Jeand Pua, Chief Executive Officer of FrameMotion Studio shared, “Visitors can be prepared for a once-in-a-lifetime experience as they enter into another world and immerse themselves in Van Gogh’s art. Since this is the first time Van Gogh Alive is coming to Malaysia, we partnered it with an additional exhibition to elevate the event by letting visitors have a more hands-on, interactive experience that they are unable to find anywhere else in the world.”

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

This once-in-a-lifetime experience of Van Gogh’s masterpieces will be available to the public this coming 17th December 2022 through 16th March 2023 at Pavilion Bukit Jalil. Tickets cost RM75 for adults and RM68 for children and senior citizens. To purchase, click here.

Additionally, to those who have bought early bird tickets are encouraged to pre-register a date and time slot as soon as possible to avoid long lines and overcrowding. To pre register, click here.


Hype’s Movie Review: Mann, That Could’ve Been Handled Better

In light of the recent Sony hack attack and Apple iCloud hack, Michael Mann’s “Blackhat” seems like a perfect movie for cinephiles to delve into the deeper part of the cyber world. As we’ve previously mentioned in our fun facts post, it was the Stuxnet hack attack that prompted Mann to make a film about cyberterrorism.

But what does that have to do with us anyway?

Well, if you’ve seen the consequences of all the cyber hack attacks, you’d know that literally anyone could be the next victim of the “black hat” hackers. Because if they are smart enough to figure it out, they could manipulate everything from the stock prices to bank systems and even political agendas. The first lesson we gained from the film? Hackers are a dangerous bunch of people you wouldn’t want to hang out with OR they could be the ones you’d want to work with to go against hackers with even greater evil plans.

We can’t decide whether the visual or the storyline is more important in a film, but for Mann’s cyber-thriller film, the visuals were slightly better than the storyline itself. The opening sequence of the film is sort of an explanation of how a hack happens, giving us a detailed and hyperrealistic look at how the world was interconnected through the network. With help from technical advisors/former hackers, Mann has also shown us how a hacker could hack into a system with just a few simple taps on the keyboard.

The supporting cast got their brief introductions through 2 hack attacks that had happened in China and America. We were first introduced to Chinese cyberdefence expert Chen Dawai (played by the oh-so-charming actor, Wang Leehom), who was asked by his superiors to find out who were the hackers responsible for the meltdown of the Chinese nuclear plant. This immediately linked to the next hack attack in America, where a bug was deliberately put into the stock market that altered the price of soy future.

As a former MIT student, Chen flexed his mental muscles and immediately finds that the hacker(s) were using the coding he had previously written with his former programming partner, Nicholas Hathaway (played by “Thor” star Chris Hemsworth). This immediately limited the chances for the American government to hire any other hackers because only Hathaway, the head programmer, would know the flaws in the modified coding. Both Chen and FBI agent Carol Barrett (played by Viola Davis) needed Hathaway, and Hathaway was quick to “negotiate” with the Department of Justice if he were to become a rather useful government asset.

This reminded me of Jonathan Demme’s “The Silence of the Lambs”, where FBI agents represent agent Clarice Starling while Chen and Hathaway represent Dr.Hannibal Lecter. Barrett and her co-workers remained wary of Chen’s and Hathaway’s presence, especially when the two began to crack the modified code without Barret’s permission. By now, you should put away all stereotypes you’ve ever had about hackers because Hemsworth’s Hathaway isn’t your average geeky hacker. Perhaps the time he spent in the prison transformed Hathaway into a bulky computer genius (though not as bulky as Hemsworth’s Marvel character) with all the geek factors eliminated.

Chen brought his tech-savvy software engineer sister, Chen Lien (played by Tang Wei) along with him, just in case Hathaway needed some extra technical help or a woman beside him. The dialogues in the film sounded intelligent throughout because it did seem like the characters knew exactly what they’re talking about and what could happen next. The filming style is the classic Mann style, which Mann’s fans would be excited to see. He embraced digital filmmaking and shown us the beautiful cityscape with the help of his cinematographer, Stuart Dryburgh. Though it’s tiring to watch, I could pretend that some of the shaky sequences brought out the intensity of the film.

However, with a forced love line between Hathaway and Lien, the dialogues turned corny and I couldn’t stop rolling my eyes each time Mann ruined the film with the redundant love story. The most redundant part was when the characters flew all the way to Malaysia for one particular scene before they quickly moved on to Jakarta after figuring out what was going to happen next in just a few minutes.

The line between the blackhat hackers and whitehat hackers was drawn when Hathaway developed a sense of justice throughout the action-filled movie. Sometimes I would wonder if Hathaway had a hidden agenda when he agreed to help the American government. However, Hathaway had zilch interest in doing so and the only shocking part was when some of the supporting characters that had only appeared briefly in the film died in an intense gun battle.

Was there a political movement behind the hack attack? Are the hackers doing it for fun? That’s for you to find out when you watch the film.

Perhaps I was expecting to see more from Mann but I struggled to like this film because some parts of the story could have been handled better if Mann doesn’t shove it in the viewers’ faces. Seeing how this is a film made by Michael Mann, I must say, I may have set my expectations way too high for “Blackhat”.

I wish I could like the film but the disappointment is far greater than my prior expectations now. The fact that I found myself rolling my eyes at some sequences shows “Blackhat” is not going to be my favourite Mann’s film, even though the menacing antagonists, Violas Davis, and Wang Lee Hom made it worthwhile to stay. Now, excuse me but I’d like to watch Mann’s “Heat” or “Collateral” again to restore my faith in the visual-oriented director.

Slated for release on 16th Jan, “Blackhat” is a much anticipated film from Michael Mann but now, I’m not sure if this will qualify for the Oscars anymore.

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5 Things We Like About The New Purple iPhone 12

Just a few weeks ago, Apple unveiled the new colour variant for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini – and it’s purple.

Purple is the 6th colour tone for the iPhone 12 and 12 Mini, following black, white, blue, green, Product Red. However, purple isn’t available for the iPhone 12 Pro or 12 Pro Max – which doesn’t surprise us since the Pro models tend to stick to graphite, silver and gold finishes.

Apple is a genius when it comes to launching a new colour, and more often than not, it works. Albeit subtle, the company changes hues on an annual basis. This allows connoisseurs to recognise the latest season’s model.

Although the iPhone 11 was also available in purple, the new purple is different. In comparison, the purple iPhone 12 is punchier and more dramatic than the 11. While iPhone 11 was more of a light lavender, the purple iPhone 12 is richer.

In outdoor sunlight, the colour looks more mauve in brighter exposure, and more violet in the shadows. But regardless whatever light you’re in, it’s quintessentially purple. To quote The Verge’s Dieter Bohn:

“It’s a lightish shade of purple. One might be tempted to call it lavender, but to me it’s a bit more like a lilac or maybe a wisteria. It lacks the redness you’d expect in a mauve or the blue tones you’d see in a violet. There are many shades of purple, but this one is what Apple went with and I like it. It’s unmistakable even at a distance, whereas the light green iPhone 12 models could be mistaken for off-white in certain light. I am also glad it doesn’t have a fancy name. It’s just ‘purple’.”

Thanks to the new makeover, the iPhone 12 line now has flatter sides as compared to the iPhone 11’s rounded design. It also helps that the flatter edges make the retro-modern aluminium frame looks smarter and more appealing.

One of the highlights for iPhone 12 models would be the Ceramic Shield display, which is the biggest design change. Since promising 4x the drop performance, many have vouched that the iPhone 12 drop tests are very promising.

iPhone 12 starts at RM 3899, while the iPhone 12 mini starts at RM 3399. Customers can also complement their iPhone with new spring colours coming to MagSafe accessories including MagSafe leather case (RM 269) or leather sleeve (RM 549) in Deep Violet, silicone case (RM 219) in Capri Blue, Pistachio, Cantaloupe, or Amethyst, or leather wallet in Arizona (RM 269).

This is also the only iPhone where you don’t need to update to iOS 14.5. It comes ready-installed.

For more info, visit the official website here.


#Rio2016: Lee Chong Wei Sails Through Quarterfinals, Will Meet Lin Dan In Semi-Finals Showdown

Last night, Malaysian mixed doubles pair Goh Liu Ying and Chan Peng Soon fought till the very end of the Rio 2016 mixed doubles badminton finals and earned the country a silver. But for one other world-class shuttler, the games had just begun.

Datuk Lee Chong Wei coolly smashed out Taiwan’s Chou Tien-Chen during the quarterfinals of the Rio Olympics men’s singles badminton 21-9, 21-15 in straight sets.

The Malaysian athlete was significantly leading the game with 12-6 in the middle of the first set. The second set played out to be similar as Chong Wei continued to power through with 11-3 mid-set. The world #1 then wrapped up the match in 40 minutes.

NST quoted Chong Wei as saying, “The fact that my teammates have already made two finals is a source of motivation and I am looking to create history by making it three. I felt comfortable on court and will prepare mentally and physically for the semi-finals.”

Chong Wei is now one step closer to achieving his dream – cinching the elusive Olympic gold medal. But first, he has to go head-to-head with archenemy and 2-time defending champion, Lin Dan of China, in the men’s singles badminton semi-finals.

Lin Dan worked hard to defeat current world India’s Kidambi Srikanth in their quarterfinal match. It was a brave match for the Indian shuttler, who is about a decade younger than Lin Dan, as he valiantly fought tooth and nail against his opponent. Alas, he came up short as the game ended with 21-6, 11-21, 21-18 in Lin Dan’s favour.

It’s a known fact that Lin Dan, one of the best badminton players of all-time, is a master of deception and skilled at bluffing his opponents. A pro at mind games, he has met Chong Wei many times in the past. In fact, previously, Chong Wei lost to Lin Dan in both the men’s singles badminton finals for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2012 London Olympics.

The Malaysian shutter, who is now bent on bringing home the gold medal after taking silver in the last 2 Olympic editions, will meet Lin Dan in the Rio 2016 men’s singles semi-finals showdown on Friday at 7:30pm Malaysian time.

As always, we’re cheering you on from home, Datuk. Stay focused, be strong. You have it in you. You can do this!

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Park Bo Gum Drew Thousands Of Screaming Fans To Pavilion KL

It was pandemonium at Pavilion KL yesterday (Thursday, 15th March). The reason being? Park Bo Gum (박보검).

The 24-year-old superstar was in town for the launch of Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Although the event drew the attention of tech lovers and enthusiasts, the majority of the crowd were there to catch a glimpse of their favourite “Love In The Moonlight” actor.

There to officiate the event were Yoo Jin Hyun (Business Director, IT & Mobile Business, Samsung Malaysia Electronics), Yoonsoo Kim (President of Samsung Malaysia Electronics), and KM Liew (Head of IT & Mobile Business, Samsung Malaysia Electronics). Joining Park Bo Gum on stage was also Miss Astro 2016 and “Think Big Big” actress, Serene Lim.

Although the man of the hour only made his appearance at approximately 7pm, some fans were already waiting in line as early as 9am! True dedication right there, no? The super sweet South Korean actor mostly spoke in his native language with a translator on hand to assist. However, he still managed to utter a few Bahasa Malaysia wishes to the fans. “Aku rindu padamu”, and “Aku cinta padamu” were some of them.

Take a look at more photos and videos below:

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

For more on the Galaxy S9 and S9+, check out its details at our brother site, Lowyat.net.


Latino Boyband CNCO To Hold KL Showcase On 20th September

It’s official you guys! CNCO (pronounced seen-co) will be making their Malaysian debut in 2 weeks time.

After teasing fans, Sony Music Malaysia finally released details to CNCO first showcase on our local shores. The comes after the music company posted a shadowed picture of the “Se Vuelve Loca” single cover.

A post shared by Sony Music Malaysia (@sonymusicmy)

The Latin boyband consist of members Christopher Velez (from Ecuador), Richard Camacho (Dominican Republic), Zabdiel de Jesus (Puerto Rico), Joel Pimentel (Mexico), and Erick Brian Colon (Cuba). They won a 5-year contract with Sony Music Latin after coming out on top as the winners of Univision’s “La Banda”.

Since establishing themselves as the best new artist to watch, CNCO has gain a wider fan base after featuring Little Mix on their hit single, “Reggaetón Lento (Remix)”. It peaked at No.5 on the UK charts. Needless to say, CNCO also has a large following in Malaysia.

The details to CNCO’s Kuala Lumpur showcase are as follows:

Local punk rock quartet Insomniacks and Aisha Retno have been billed as the show’s opening acts.

Do note there are no tickets available for sale as showcase passes will be given out via invitation only.


#ScoobyDoo: Warner Bros. To Launch Hanna-Barbera Universe Starting With S.C.O.O.B

Warner Bros. is certainly announced a lot of projects at this year’s CinemaCon.

After confirming that Batman will have its own solo movie, CEO Kevin Tsujihara stated that they will be launching an expanded Hanna-Barbera (William Hanna and Joseph Barbera) cartoon universe, starting with our favourite crime-loving dog, Scooby Doo!

According to /FILM, Warner Bros. has been aggressively expanding its bigger franchises such as the revival of the Harry Potter universe (“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them“) and the LEGO universe (“LEGO Batman“, “The LEGO Movie 2”).

The Scooby Doo reboot titled “S.C.O.O.B” will be directed by Tony Corvine and is set to be released in 2018. In an announcement video, they said that “S.C.O.O.B” will be their “first shot at unlocking the whole Hanna-Barbera Universe”. Warner Bros. has not announced the release dates for any other Hanna-Barbera movie yet.

Other Hanna-Barbera works include “Flintstone”, “The Jetsons”, “Yogi Bear”, and “Wacky Races”. It was also reported that DC Comics will reboot the retro franchise line with a modern touch (such as the above image).

“S.C.O.O.B” centres on the Mystery Inc. gang, a paranormal investigating group formed by 4 teenagers and a talking dog – Daphne, Fred, Shaggy, Velma, and Scooby-Doo. Despite the differences in their personalities, the members of the gang stick with each other while solving mysteries involving supernatural creatures.

The film is slated for release on 21st September 2018.

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Cat Lover Taylor Swift To Star In Movie Adaptation Of Cats Musical

Cat lover Taylor Swift is set to star in a movie that fits her best – the movie version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash musical “Cats”.

The movie will be the pop singer’s biggest movie role so far, and she will star alongside Jennifer Hudson, James Corden and Ian McKellen.

A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats known as the Jellicles and the night they make what is known as “the Jellicle choice” where they decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer (a metaphor for Heaven) and come back to a new life.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hudson will play Grizabella, a former “glamour cat” ostracised by the Jellicles, McKellan will play Old Deuteronomy, the elderly Jellicle Leader, and Swift is being eyed for Bombalurina, a flirtatious red cat.

Oscar-winner Tom Hooper, who brought “Les Miserables” to the big screen, will be directing the movie which is due to begin shooting in UK this November.

“Cats” musical is the fourth-longest-running show in Broadway history, and was the longest running Broadway show in history from 1997 to 2006 until it was surpassed by “The Phantom of the Opera.”

The musical features some of the best known songs from the stage, including “Memory.”

Taylor Swift has previously starred in a handful of movies including “Valentine’s Day”, “The Giver” and as the voice of Audrey in “The Lorax”.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter / Featured Image: We Heart It


Boom! It’s Music Conference Asia 2012

After three successful events, Music Conference ASIA (MC Asia) returns for the fourth time on the 28th of April (Saturday) with a difference!

Promoted and organized by Global Sound Masters, Music Conference ASIA 2012 promises a bigger and better dance festival with two tiers of events. The festival shall feature a conference during the day with international speakers and followed by the music festival with outstanding DJ performances by the world’s super talents.

Get blown away with energetic DJ sets that will rip up a storm at the festival! Featuring world’s highly praised DJs with the likes of Germany’s most successful progressive house DJ/producer Jerome Isma-Ae and for the first outdoor debut in Malaysia, extraordinaire talent, Dash Berlin will perform for their fans at this Music Festival.

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This installment, Global Sound Masters is bringing back Richard Durand, the artist/producer that embraced the “In Search of Sunrise” series from Tiesto, for his second appearance at M.C. Asia. A special guest, Julie Thompson, the angelic voice behind Durand’s “Diamond in the Sky”, shall shine her magical lyrics and vocals in this festival.

A sensational line up that will leave devastating pleasure to the dance music devotees in a musical frenzy with elevated beats.

Tickets to MC Asia 2012 are priced at RM88 and is available at any AirAsia RedTix counter and here.

For more details, please visit their website.

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“Crazy Rich Asians” Sequel Is Happening, Jon M.Chu Returns To Direct

Okay, that was fast. It hasn’t been a week since “Crazy Rich Asians” meets its worldwide audience, and now a sequel is already in the works!

The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Warner Bros. Pictures is already moving forward on a Crazy Rich Asians sequel which will be based on Kevin Kwan’s 2nd book, “China Rich Girlfriend”.

A post shared by Crazy Rich Asians (@crazyrichasians)

Director Jon M.Chu, as well as the creative team from the 1st movie including producers Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson and John Penotti, and also the screenwriters Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim, will return to work on the sequel.

The follow-up film will introduce the character Charlie Wu (Harry Shum Jr.) and follow the development of his relationship with Astrid Leong (Gemma Chan). At the same time, the story will also follow Nick (Henry Golding) and Rachel (Constance Wu) to China on a search for her father.

A post shared by Harry Shum Jr (@harryshumjr)

“The idea is to tell the story in the next movie, I made a promise to Harry, so I’m going to do it,” Jon M.Chu told THR.

Warner Bros. has the rights to author Kevin Kwan’s entire trilogy so it is likely that “Crazy Rich Asians” will also have a 3rd sequel. “We have a plan with Kevin for the next two films,” says producer Simpson. The 3rd book is titled “Rich People Problems”.


#KLTU: 2 Major Roads In City Centre Closed For New Year Celebrations

The year 2015 will end in just a few hours and thousands of people will assemble to usher in the brand-new year with countdown celebrations.

For those who are going to celebrate the occasion in the city centre, Dang Wangi OCPD Asst Comm Zainol Samah advised people to come out earlier because parts of Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail will be closed for the new year celebrations.

The road closure is to facilitate the mass amount of people during the celebrations around Kuala Lumpur.

He said that both Jalan Bukit Bintang and Jalan Sultan Ismail will be closed starting from 9pm onwards. They will remain closed until 8am on Friday.

Jalan Sultan Ismail would be closed from the Jalan Imbi intersection near Park Royal Hotel until the Jalan Raja Chulan intersection near Hotel Istana. As for Jalan Bukit Bintang, it will be closed from the Jalan Raja Chulan intersection (next to the Pavilion Mall) until the Jalan Bukit Bintang intersection (next to Pasaraya Lot 10).

People were advised to use alternative roads or take public transport for the New Year celebrations in the capital. Zainol also said that motorists should be patient and avoid parking their vehicles on the side of the road as they may risk being summoned or even getting their vehicle towed.


We Are The Emergency Live At Laundry

Five years later, the six-piece Perth outfit have well and truly backed up their bold name by becoming one of the city’s finest band, having shared the stage with scene-leaders Scary Kid Scaring Kids, Emery and Tonight Alive to name a few.

We Are The Emergency (WATE) also play their own sell-out shows and even showcasing their diversity by headlining their own acoustic shows. Since their inception, WATE have been at the forefront of the nation’s “screamo” movement, but after the line up changes in 2011 WATE are back with a more mature sound.

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We Are The Emergency have adopted stronger elements of the sound of pop-infused rock that highlights the band’s musicianship and unique three-way vocal harmonies. They are currently working on their full-length record, which is a continuation of their musical progression shown on Rations.

And this month, Laundry is bringing them to you.

For more information, hit up Laundry Bar’s Facebook page.

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K-Wave 3 Music Festival: FT Island Joins Monsta X & EXID In Lineup

FT Island (에프티 아일랜드) rounds up the final lineup for the upcoming K-Wave 3 Music Festival.

That’s right K-pop fans, members Choi Jong-hoon, Lee Hong-gi, Lee Jae-jin, Song Seung-hyun, and Choi Min-hwan will be returning to Malaysia to perform with the other K-pop acts. Are y’all as excited as we are?

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

Last month, FNC Entertainment confirmed that Choi Min-hwan and former LABOUM member Yulhee have already registered their marriage after news of their wedding and pregnancy made headlines. The F.T. Island drummer also revealed that he will be releasing a solo single album, which contains 2 tracks – “Tomorrow Will Come…” and “You That Day”.

Besides F.T. Island (short for Five Treasure Island), other K-pop acts that will be performing at the K-Wave 3 Music Festival include Monsta X (몬스타엑스), EXID (이엑스아이디), AOA (Ace of Angels/ 에이오에이), Boyfriend, Cosmic Girls, and Jeong Se Woon.

The details to “K-WAVE 3 Music Festival” are as follows:

Now that all the performers have been announced, fans are eagerly waiting to know the concert ticketing prices and seating plan. Stay tuned to this page for more updates.


Newly Opened Sri Damansara Link (SDL) Is Toll-Free Until 22nd November 2017!

Tired of the traffic congestion at the Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) and the Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP)?

You’d be pleased to know that the Sri Damansara Link (SDL) has officially opened.

Not only will it shorten the journey (we hear that it’s estimated to reduce travel time by 10 minutes!), alleviate headaches, and possible decrease stress levels for those who travel in and around the Kepong, Segambut, and Sungai Buloh areas, motorists will also enjoy toll-free travel for an entire month!

On top of that, the SDL is also unique as it offers the first “Park and Ride” service to connect motorists to train services. Motorists will be able to park at a rest and service area at Segambut and walk to a currently-under-construction KTM Komuter station about 200m away which will be ready in 2 years. The rest and service area has 300 parking lots and has the potential to be expanded to 4,000 lots once the station is in operation.

It truly is fantastic news for those who commute to the city from Sri Damansara, Rawang, Kepong, and Sungai Buloh. And don’t forget! The SDL is toll-free until 22nd November 2017 so it’s a good time to familiarise yourselves with the route :)


#AshleyWestwood: Ex-Manchester United Player To Coach Penang FA Team

The Football Association of Penang (FAP) has confirmed that former Manchester United player Ashley Westwood will be replacing Croatian Nenad Bacina as Penang FA team’s head coach.

Westwood, who previously coached Bengaluru FC I-League, has signed a 2-year contract with the team and will guide them in the upcoming Malaysia Super League (MSL) 2017 season.

“Westwood is a well-respected coach because under his guidance, Bengaluru FC had won several titles, including the I-League, Federation Cup and made it to the AFC Cup quarterfinals for 2 consecutive years,” said Penang team manager Zairil Khir Johari.

However, the 40-year-old English footballer will not be working with Bojan Hodak, who masterminded Penang’s highest-ranked survival on the final day of the season, as he has stepped down as the team’s chief executive officer.

“My contract with Penang ends on 30th November and I will not continue after this. The management and myself have different views on the team moving forward, so we will be going our separate ways,” said Hodak.

According to Goal, Westwood has reportedly turned down offers from Europe and Asia that included the technical director role at Kitchee in Hong Kong.

In other news, Penang football player Mohd Faiz Subri’s has been shortlisted for FIFA’s 2016 Puskás Award.

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Jayesslee APAC Tour 2012 (Malaysia) Details!

So the Malaysian media (us, including) got a bit excited over the rumors that a pair of gorgeous Australian-born Korean twins might be coming to Kuala Lumpur for the second time around. And dare we say that today, we are totally celebrating the confirmation of those rumors! The good people of Creative Central are, in fact, bringing Janice and Sonia aka Jayesslee to us once again.

If you haven’t heard their syrupy voices over YouTube, there’s no reason not to start now. Check out their latest video, a cover of Maroon 5 ft. Wiz Khalifa’s “Payphone”:

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To date, Jayesslee are Australia’s No.2 all-time most subscribed musicians on YouTube. Their YouTube channel has more than 370,000 subscribers and over 63 million upload views! Still counting and still going strong, of course. True story. You’re wondering, how did these two 24-year-olds manage to win over the hearts of tens of thousands of viewers?

Normal seating  at RM99, VIP seating at RM199 (includes exclusive VIP pass, lanyard, and priority entrance), VVIP Seating at RM349 (includes exclusive post-concert Jayesslee Meet & Greet, VVIP pass, lanyard, and priority entrance).

Tickets can be purchased online via AirAsia RedTix or via these outlets:

For more information, hit up the Jayesslee APAC Tour 2012 (Malaysia) Facebook page.


3 Reasons To Get Hyped About Zouk KL’s 15th Anniversary Party

Zouk KL celebrated their 15th anniversary with an anniversary party titled “Show Your True Colours” last Friday (29th March).

Throughout its 15 years of operation, Zouk KL has achieved quite a number of milestones. For instance, this year it was crowned the 13th best club in the world. To celebrate this milestone, Zouk KL entertained party animals with a number of incredible things at the club.

Being the awesome club that Zouk is, Zouk KL brought not 1 but 2 international acts to entertain the crowd. Party animals were treated to Dutch DJ Brennan Heart and The Leng Sisters. No doubt, they brought their A-game to Zouk. Both acts electrified the dance floor with their anthems.

Sometimes partying in the club can take a toll on your wallet. Zouk understands. That’s why Zouk KL gave out promotions for their anniversary party. Some even got to enter for free and walk home with amazing prices.

Good times are always worth remembering. One way to remember a good time is through a tattoo. At Zouk’s premium lobby, visitors were allowed to get their own tattoo for free. There are also a variety of tattoo sizes to pick. The station also offered a temporary tattoo that eventually wears off.

This anniversary party is also in conjunction with Zouk’s new partnership with Fintec Global Berhad. It was officially announced that Fintec Global Bhd has agreed upon purchasing 75% of Zouk’s equity interest for RM28.95 million.

Zouk KL is set to unveil their brand new sports bar and entertainment outlet that will accommodate up to 150 pax. The new bar, which is replacing the old Zouk Cafe’ Bar will feature DJ performances, live entertainment, and bar activities that include beer pong tables.

For more information, visit www.zoukclub.com.my.


#QZ8501: Australian PM Tony Abbott On AirAsia & MH370/MH17 Comparisons

So it looks like we’re not the only ones who are quite done with the Malaysia Airlines MH370 and Malaysia Airlines MH17 references when it comes to reports of AirAsia’s missing Flight QZ8510! According to The Star, Australian Prime Minister Toby Abbott said that the plight of Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501 that went missing over the Java Sea cannot be equated with Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 which vanished without a trace in March.

Note: Australia is leading the search for MH370 which was on a routine flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing when it disappeared off radars on 8th March with 239 people on board.

Tony Abbot told Sydney radio station 2GB:

I think it would be a big mistake to equate what has happened here with MH370.

MH370, as things stand, is one of the great mysteries of our time. It doesn’t appear that there’s any particular mystery here. It’s an aircraft that was flying a regular route on a regular schedule, it struck what appears to have been horrific weather, and it’s down.

But this is not a mystery like the MH370 disappearance and it’s not an atrocity like the MH17 shooting down.

MH17 was believed to have been shot down on 17th July over rebel-held territory in eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board – among them 38 Australian residents.

MH370, on the other hand, is believed to have crashed in the Indian Ocean far off Australia’s west coast after diverting off course for an unknown reason and flying for several more hours over the remote waters. An intense air and sea search failed to find any wreckage from the aircraft, while an underwater search has been underway for weeks in the area considered the plane’s most likely resting place with no result.

The disappearance of MH370 provoked a string of theories, including that it had been hijacked. But aviation expert Neil Hansford said that such a scenario was unlikely for Indonesia AirAsia Flight QZ8501, an Airbus A320-200.

Neil Hansford told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, “These are very different circumstances to MH370. This plane does not have the range to go very far for a major detour.”

Tony Abbott also said that Australia would make itself “as available as we can be” to assist Indonesian authorities in the search for the Indonesia AirAsia plane which was heading to Singapore from Surabaya in Indonesia’s east Java when it disappeared in bad weather on Sunday (28th Dec).

An Australian air force AP-3C Orion joined the search early Monday (29th Dec).

Meanwhile, The Star also reported that Indonesia AirAsia is planning to retire flight code QZ8501 following the disappearance of its aircraft en route to Surabaya to Singapore. Its chief executive officer, Sunu Widyatmoko said however the process may take time before it could take effect.

“We have forwarded our suggestion to the headquarters, but we are still waiting for the approval and coordination from the headquarters,” he said.

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The Beatles’ Vinyls Now In Malaysia!

Beatles fans, dust off your record players. The band’s original studio album remasters, which were released on CD and iTunes to much fanfare in 2009 and 2010, have made their stereo vinyl debuts on 19th November in Malaysia as part of an elaborate box set. The Beatles individual vinyl can also be purchased at all retail outlets in the Klang Valley.

The titles include the band’s 12 original U.K. studio albums, as well as the U.S. version of “Magical Mystery Tour,” and “Past Masters, Volumes One & Two.” The Beatles’ first four albums have never been released in North America in stereo on vinyl.

Each 180-gram album will be available for individual purchase, or fans can own one of 50,000 copies of the box set, which will be housed in a retro travel case and include a 252-page book by radio producer Kevin Howlett. There will be chapters dedicated for each album, plus rare photos and audiophile-geared details about how the vinyl records were prepared.

The stereo albums’ titles are as follows:


#EmpireDamansara: 3-Month-Old Abused Pomeranian Found In Car Park

Animal cruelty is wrong, inhumane, and it has to be stopped.

A 3-month-old abused Pomeranian in a paper bag was abandoned at Empire Damansara’s basement car park yesterday (Wednesday, 22nd June). When a Facebook user known as Liew found it in the parking lot, the poor puppy’s mouth was taped tightly with its tongue sticking out and its 2 front legs were broken.

Due to her fear of dogs, Liew passed it over to the building’s security guard and posted photos of the wounded puppy on her Facebook.

“I guess maybe it was purposely abandoned by it’s owner. It’s too unethical because when I found it at the car park, there wasn’t any food and drinks! Also, there’s a high chance it will get hit by a car. Thus, I brought it to the security guard directly,” commented Liew.

Fortunately, her friend Wee, who travelled all the way to Empire Damansara to collect the puppy, took it to the nearest vet shortly after she saw Liew’s status. According to the vet, both of the Pomeranian’s armpits were broken and it needs special medical attention.

Many kind hearted netizens offered to chip in for the puppy’s medical cost while some took to the comments to express their anger.

Dog abuse is happening everywhere but there is little or no effort at all from the authorities to educate the people about animal welfare!

Remember, a pet is a commitment and like human beings, it needs love, time, and effort. We hope that the abused Pomeranian will get well soon and that someone can give it a loving home.

Source: Liew’s Facebook page / Featured image: Liew’s Facebook page.


Rockaway Fest 2012 Full Line-Up Announced

Late yesterday, our friends from Livescape Asia announced the full method of mayhem for the long awaited Rockaway Festival 2012 at its official press conference. Yes, Rockaway, the one that’s slated to happen on 20th October 2012 (Saturday).

With an already extensive line-up announced back in July, Livescape announced another wave of acts which includes a total of an international band, two regional acts, and three more local bands. The main highlights of the newly announced acts are the return of ‘ska specialists, “Gerhana Ska Cinta” and the highly prolific underground scene legends, “Koffin Kanser”.

Speaking on behalf of Livescape, Rahul Kukreja (Director of LIVE events) said, “We’re more than excited with the additions of these two amazing bands of our times. Gerhana Ska Cinta are celebrating their 10th anniversary at Rockaway Festival and we couldn’t deny that Koffin Kanser is the perfect band to open up for Soulfly. So now we’ve got two heavy metal legends rocking up the Rockaway stage. This is what we’d like to call a festival!”

In addition to that line-up, American pop punk punters, “Set Your Goals” will be joining the mainstage alongside Macbeth chosen bands, which includes, the fun loving Indonesians, “Pee Wee Gaskins” and the highly energetic, “Plainsunset” from Singapore. If that’s not enough, Malaysia’s scene heavyweights, “Hujan” will be joining in all the fun too.

A new act has been added to the bursting list of bands. Guess who, guess who?

Yup! Malaysia’s most loved indie music icons, OAG have been into the “WKND Sessions Stage” line-up! After a five a year hiatus from the music scene, Radhi and his band of brothers are back to show their fans they are back to rock it out at Rockaway Festival.

Oh, also, this year’s Rockaway Festival will be held in conjunction with the inaugural, Moto GP. Hence, Moto GP ticket buyers are entitled to 20% discount off Rockaway Festival tickets. Ace!

Venue: Helipad, Sepang International Circuit

Ticketing: Pre-sale – RM138, RM178 at the door

*Pre-sale tickets are available via AirAsia RedTix and its ticketing outlets and also at additional ticket outlets including Mukha Café, Mollydookers Coffee Bar, Dolls Store and all Guitar store outlets in the Klang Valley.

For more pictures from the Rockaway Festival 2012 press conference, click!

Addressing the issues of transportation to the venue, Livescape Asia also revealed that there will be FREE shuttle busses for Rockaway Festival ticket holders that will take them from KL Sentral to Sepang International Circuit and vice versa. These shuttle busses will begin their route at 11am on festival day.

Updates on the full timetable as follows:

And of course, the time slots for the bands that are scheduled to play so you won’t miss out on any of them:

For more information, visit Livescape Asia Facebook page. You may also obtain more timely updates via Rockaway Festival’s Twitter account.

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After 7 Failed Candidates, M’sian Man Marries 8th Candidate As 3rd Wife

Earlier this week, a photo of a Malaysian woman accompanying her husband during his solemnisation with his 3rd wife went viral on social media.

Shockingly, the aforementioned lady, Rosyilah Abd Rashid, who is the 2nd wife of the man, Khubaib Ramli, was responsible for making all the preparations for the event!

In speaking to Sinar Harian about the recent viral topic, the science teacher said that she never prevented her husband from pursuing polygamy. In fact, she even encouraged him to find an additional wife.

As stated by Rosyilah, there were a total of seven candidates before the right one came along. All previous 7 women couldn’t see eye to eye in committing to a polygamous marriage. Things worked out with the 8th candidate due to the fact that Khubaib and the woman had already been acquainted.

Rosyilah further added that the new wife, known as Nurul Ain, first got noticed when she attended an interview at her husband’s company on 1st February. “During the interview, I could tell that my husband really liked her from the way he reacted, and vice versa. A week after that, he expressed his wish to marry Ain. They eventually got engaged on 15th March,” shared Rosyilah.

During the interview, Rosyilah revealed that she has been mentally prepared for polygamy for some time now. Before marrying Khubaib in 2015, Rosyilah was a single mother of 2 daughters from her previous marriage. The couple currently have 1 daughter together.

In case you’re wondering, Khubaib and his 1st wife are already divorced and is residing in Kelantan. The religious figure has 6 children, 2 girls and 4 boys, from his 1st marriage.


#RuleYourself: Under Armour Invades Malaysia’s Pearl Of The Orient

With about 20 years of experience in making and marketing performance footwear, apparel, and equipment, Under Armour is now set to revolutionise how athletes in Penang dress.

On Friday (4th March), Under Armour opened a new brand house in Queensbay Mall, Penang, taking a step further to expand the business one year after it made its way to Malaysia.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Penang will be the first in the northern region of Malaysia and it’s undeniably a good chance for athletes and fitness enthusiasts in Penang to grab their favourite Under Armour sports apparel at their homeland.

Penangites are increasingly getting more conscious about health and fitness and this has led to an uplift of demand for sporting apparels. Under Armour strives to assist Malaysians to perform better and by bringing the brand into the northern region, it will definitely promote the knowledge of fitness to a whole new level.

The Queensbay Mall brand house measuring 1,600 square feet features a high energy yet clean facade that adds to the ethos of the sporting phenomenon.

Fitness enthusiasts will find the environment empowering, what with the inclusion of accented metal and wood furnishing, and the distinctive Under Armour Throne; large black leather seats with the logo stitched in red, prominently installed within the footwear zone.

Along with the brand house launch, we were also introduced to Under Armour’s “Rule Yourself” campaign, a movement that will bring sporting professionals and aspiring athletes a step close to ruling oneself. The campaign represents athletes’ and fitness enthusiasts’ willpower to never give up, and the constant push to better themselves.

We were given a small taste of what “Rule Yourself” entails.

Prior to the Under Armour Queensbay Mall brand house launch, we were whisked away to a little media retreat with our friends from Under Armour Malaysia. Armed with the latest Under Armour technology, the CoolSwitch gear, we got right into an intense sweat session with trainers from Orient Fitness, starting with some warm ups and then a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) around Straits Quay.

This was followed by a sunset yoga practice with established actor and TV host Hansen Lee, who also happens to be a movement coach and yoga teacher, as well as his partner Robyn Lau.

Working out with such intensity and under such intense “Penang island heat” would’ve been quite a challenge had it not been for Under Armour’s CoolSwitch wear, which kept us cool throughout.

The CoolSwitch technology does exactly what its name states – it cools your body and skin when you start to heat up and sweat with its three unique active cooling agents. As a result, during a workout, CoolSwitch wearers (like us!) feel cooler, less physically taxed, and their skin temperature stays lower, allowing them to exercise longer.

With Under Armour’s CoolSwitch technology, it is a leap forward for athletes and fitness enthusiasts everywhere to maintain and further their fitness and wellness journey.

The CoolSwitch gear is available at all Under Armour outlets near you now.

For more information, hit up Under Armour Malaysia’s website or Under Armour Southeast Asia’s Facebook page.

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#FantasticBeasts2: Young Albus Dumbledore Confirmed For Sequel

Before Harry Potter’s epic battle against You-Know-Who, there was the “Harry Potter” prequel, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them“.

Although “Fantastic Beasts” hasn’t hit theatres yet, news about the wizarding franchise has been pouring in from various outlet with the latest one confirming that a major character from “Harry Potter” universe will be making an appearance in the movie sequel, “Fantastic Beasts 2”.

Dumbledore, or to be more proper, Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, was a huge presence in “Harry Potter”, so we were super stoked when director David Yates confirmed that we’ll be seeing a younger version of the Hogwarts headmaster down the line.

Yates even teased that Dumbledore and Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander will be sharing a handful of scenes together in the next film. “In the 2nd movie, Dumbledore comes back. He’s got a couple of good scenes with Newt… We’re discussing who would play Dumbledore, any suggestions would be good,” shared the director.

As Ryan Scott points out, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is set in the 1920s, Dumbledore doesn’t take over as headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry until the 1950s, so there’ll be a lot of room to explore the character during his prime years.

Recently, it was reported that Johnny Depp was cast in an unspecified role, mostly likely to be Gellert Grindelwald – the dark wizard who was once the gay lover of a young Albus Dumbledore. In their pursuit of the Deathly Hallows, Grindelwald and Dumbledore were involved in a deadly 3-way duel together with Dumbledore’s brother, Aberforth, which ultimately resulted in the death of Dumbledore’s sister, Ariana.

Casting for the younger version of Dumbledore is currently underway. We’ve already had 2 previous, older Dumbledores. Those are certainly going to be some big shoes to fill.

“Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them” will premiere on 17th November 2016.


#OpenYourWorld: Heineken Malaysia Launches New Era With Nationwide Celebration

Heineken Malaysia Berhad (Heineken Malaysia), formerly known as Guinness Anchor Berhad, marked its name change milestone in style with over 1,000 guests comprising trade partners, distributors, the media, employees and agencies, all across Malaysia through the “Open Your World” celebration.

The nationwide celebrations were held simultaneously across four locations – Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu – where invited guests enjoyed a specially tailored Heineken experience combining exciting music, lights, dance, food, and drinks.

The main event was held in KL at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian Club, where Managing Director, Hans Essaadi launched the beginning of a new era for Heineken Malaysia as it officially becomes part of the global Heineken family.

Addressing guests at all four venues, Essaadi said, “Today is a celebration of our new identity and a promise of many more great moments to come. As we open up to a world of new business possibilities by becoming part of the world’s most international brewer, we are also opening up a world of exhilarating experiences to our partners and consumers.”

“We are delighted to share this joyous occasion with our partners and exclusive guests – thank you for your continuing support. Tonight, we take a step into the world of HEINEKEN. This is what you can expect from us moving forward – great parties, great drinks and great moments. In essence, more reasons to celebrate,” he added.

The KL event was hosted by the charismatic regional TV personality, Henry Golding, who ensured that the guests savoured an evening full of memorable moments.

Attendees were personally welcomed by the Company’s representatives at the foyer and then ushered down the corporate memory lane, captured on an elaborate wall mural, which gave way to a hallmark green unveiling a passage that led guests into the Heineken World.

Guests were treated to an epic night of celebration with Heineken Malaysia’s award-winning portfolio of brands including Heineken, Heineken Extra Cold, Guinness, Tiger, Tiger White, Tiger Radler, Kilkenny and Strongbow.

Guests also revelled in the high octane electric dance music beats spun by Heineken Resident DJs, Goldfish and Blink, BATE, and Hulkas, who have amped up Heineken events over the years.

For more information, visit Heineken Malaysia’s website.

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#Dengue: MPAJ Identifies 5 Dengue Hotspots In Ampang

What is the world’s deadliest killer? Here’s a tip: It’s small and you can identify it by the distinctive black and white stripes on its body.

If you had guessed mosquitoes, bingo! The Aedes mosquito does not discriminate against age, race or gender. To the nuisance creature, you’re merely a 2-legged source of food for her eggs. The dengue fever outbreak continue to raise alarms with 5 dengue hotspots being identified by the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council (MPAJ).

We reported earlier this year that there have been more than 50% jump in the number of deaths caused by dengue in 2015 compared to the year before. MPAJ president Abdul Hamid Hassan stated that there have been numerous reported cases of dengue including 3 deaths in the past 2 months.

“To date, there have been 734 dengue cases here, and MPAJ has already carried out a search and destroy programme around the affected areas and at construction sites, playgrounds and public areas,” said Abdul Hamid.

Apart from activities such as larviciding, oiling, and using thermal spray, MPAJ has also carried out 22 gotong-royong programmes since January. Preventing dengue is a collective effort but unfortunately, many residents are still not taking serious measures in eradicating the Aedes mosquito breeding cycle.

Health deputy director-general (public health) Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman said the main causes adding to the sharp rise in the disease were poor environmental cleanliness, littering and poor garbage management, The New Straits Times reports.

Early prevention is key. For tips on how to prevent mosquitoes from breeding, go here.


#JaredLeto: “Suicide Squad” Actor To Portray Andy Warhol In New Biopic

It was reported that the singer-turned-actor will be taking up the role of iconic American artist, Andy Warhol, in Emmy-winning writer Terrence Winter’s (from “The Wolf of Wall Street”) new biopic, titled “Warhol” (working title). The film is said to be based on Victor Bockris’ non-fiction novel, titled “Warhol: The Biography” (1989).

Michael De Luca (from “The Social Network”) will produce the film alongside the “Suicide Squad” actor and his production company, Paradox.

Just in case you didn’t know, Andy Warhol, who died in his sleep in 1987 due to illness, was a leading figure in the visual art movement aka pop art during the 1960s. He gained fame through his contrasting yet colourful paintings of iconic American objects such dollar bills, Campbell soup cans, and celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley.

He has been portrayed many times onscreen by several actors including Crispin Glover, David Bowie, Jared Harris, Guy Pearce, and Bill Hader.

Yup, he was the father of all those “hipster” paintings hanging on the walls of many trendy cafes.

No director or a release date for “Warhol” have been confirmed yet, but we’ll be updating this post with more information as soon as we get ’em details.

In other news, Leto will also be starring in the sequel to Scott Ridley’s 1982 sci-fi classic, “Blade Runner”, along with Ryan Gosling, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, and the franchise’s original cast Harrison Ford.

What do you think about the casting news? Yay or nay? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!


#SmartMamak: This New Food App Allows Malaysians To Order Food From Mamak Stalls

What’s not to like about mamak food? It’s cheap, fast, and convenient!

Thanks to an upcoming food app called “Smart Mamak”, Malaysians will soon be able to order their favourite roti canai and mee goreng on their smartphones. How awesome is that?!

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) was responsible for developing “Smart Mamak” with the intention of providing mamak food lovers a quicker and more efficient method to take your orders.  The app basically serves as a self-service approach for customers to check out the menu of any mamak stores listed in the app.

“This will reduce costs and increase profits for the restaurants. Customers can just pick up their food when they arrive at the restaurant,” said UKM deputy vice-chancellor (research and innovation) Prof Dr Mohd Ekhwan Toriman. He also added that this concept will reduce waiting time for the food when customers pre-order.

“Smart Mamak” users can even review and rank the eatery according to a number of criteria, one of which includes hygiene level. The food app hopes to have all 4,000 Malaysia Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) outlets onboard.

The demo version is currently available on the Google Play Store here.

Source: The Star/ Featured image: Smart Mamak.

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Hype’s Exclusive: Meet The Leads Of JinnyboyTV’s “By MY Side” The Movie

Meet the ambitious girl who harboured big dreams of someday starring in a feature film and the talented boy who scored a stint in the entertainment industry by sheer luck – Marianne Tan and Brandon Ho.

If their names are familiar to you, it’s probably because you recognise Marianne Tan for not only being a YouTube short film/skit mainstay (“Unfold: Part 1“, “Unfold: Part 2“, “The Rose“, “How Girls Play Tricks on Your Mind“, just to name a few), but also for her breakthrough film role in the wildly successful “Ola Bola“.

Brandon Ho, on the other hand, started his career as an 8TV Quickie host after he joined the Quickie Search in 2013, and then moving on to becoming a Fly FM announcer on weekends. Now, together, they will play the leads in Malaysian YouTube content creator JinnyboyTV’s first full-length feature film, “By MY Side” (#byMYsideTheMovie).

We got to spend a little time with the power duo on set during the early productions days of the movie.

Hi guys! Sorry to disturb you mid-shoot but thank you for agreeing to chat with us. So, tell us about your roles in “By MY Side”.

Marianne: I play Faye, a 17-year-old girl that kind of goes through her high school life like every other Malaysian girl. But the thing is, she has a bit of an abandonment issue and at some point she will have to face that fear of abandonment. And that takes place with her boyfriend at that time, Ben (played by Brandon). You will sort of see a transformation in her character as to how like..at some point she is dependent on somebody and then how she evolves into a lady, into a woman who is independent. It is a coming-of-age sort of character.

Brandon: Ben is a character who is also 17 years old. The movie will take you through his life from when he was 17 all the way up until he’s 27. Ben is very much in love, you know, from a young primary age he was already in love with Faye. However, he’s not as simple-minded as you think he is. Maybe it’s because of his background, maybe it’s because of his family as well. He wants to explore beyond Malaysia, he wants to see the other side of the world. It’s more complicated in that sense that he wants to experience new things because obviously because he has a relationship in Malaysia with Faye. So he finds it a little bit more difficult and has to come to terms with..whether it’s going to be Faye or whether it’s going to be overseas. As you will see, he will choose to go to Australia. But even though he goes to Australia, there’s a part of him that will still come back and always belong in Malaysia and also with Faye.

Brandon, we understand that this is your first full-length feature film. Congratulations! How did it feel when you knew that you were going to be doing this?

Brandon: Thank you! Wow. It’s..I’m very, very grateful and to be honest, I’m still in quite a shock and in disbelief. I’m pretty sure that if we spoke about this one or two months later after the movie is out, if you asked me the same question, I’d probably be telling you the same thing. To be in a movie is a completely different ball game. And it’s truly something very exciting, also something very new, and that’s why I’m very grateful for the faith that Jin and Reuben has in me. It’s a chance of a lifetime and when I got it, I told them and promised everyone around me that I’m going to work very hard. I’m gonna give it my all and do my best to make sure that it’s a great production. I couldn’t have asked for a better co-actress, Marianne has been very nice..

Marianne: I paid him 50 bucks to say that! (laughs)

Brandon: Actually 100 bucks lah! (laughs) No, but she’s very giving. So it makes it very easy, it makes it a breeze to be acting alongside her. She gives a lot of directions, she helps in the sense that she looks out for me. It’s such a pleasant feeling. To be able to work on a movie with this bunch of people, it’s really a blessing.

Let’s talk about the first ever scene that you shot for “By MY Side” together. Do you remember the kind of emotions that rushed through your system?

Brandon: Oohh. Wowww. That was intense. When I first got the schedule, and they told me that I was going to shoot this particular scene on the first day, needless to say I was super nervous because it was a really heavy scene. I would say it was one of the pinnacle points of the movie where you see the two characters being emotional because it’s where they part ways. It was tough! I struggled a lot, to be honest with you. But with this bunch encouraging me and supporting me, I couldn’t have asked for more and I’m very thankful. It was one of the most difficult things that I ever had to do in my career.

Marianne: It was really stressful because I think, on that day, mentally-wise..if it’s your first day, you don’t want to fail. You don’t want to do something that would disrupt the rest of the shoot so you’d wanna make sure that your first day goes really smoothly. Unfortunately, the first day happened to be the toughest scene as well because I had to cry. For me, no matter how many times I’ve done it, I always feel like it’s something that’s not easy to come by and I work hard at maintaining my emotions throughout the day. On the first day we had to shoot at night and that was right after our press conference. Which was..I would say a little bit more stressful because you’re already there and there’s some sort of anxiousness for your first day, and you’re being introduced to the world. So there was that level of stress. On top of that, you have to maintain your emotions until night time, and all the way to the point where the camera is rolling and you have to be ready with your tears and your lines. Let’s say if the camera isn’t ready or the light isn’t right, they would yell, “Cut!” and suddenly you’re in disarray. The first day really tested my limits.

Brandon: I was like, somebody give her some water and rehydrate her! Like how does she even cry like that? But she did amazing, she really did.

Marianne: After the first day, once we got past that, everything else felt like, “Alright, I got it. I can do this.” There was a sense of instilled confidence after the good first day. It kept the train going, and kept our spirits up.

Considering that it’s Brandon’s first gig in a full-length feature film, how’s Brandon so far, Marianne?

Brandon: We’re going to stop the recording now! (laughs)

Marianne: Brandon, I would say, is someone who really would make the time and effort for his character. For example, when we got our first script, he actually made the effort to meet up with me and he was like, “Let’s go through the script together.” and “How do you feel about this?” or “How can we do this better?”. There’s that sense of..knowing that the person is emotionally invested in a character, to the point where you feel like yeah, that’s what you want in your partner. I felt like we were able to develop our characters much more solid because of the amount of time he invested into it and the amount of thinking that he put into it. We were able to really flesh out our characters and that was something that was very important in my co-actor.

We know that you’ve both worked with JinnyboyTV before, but what’s the best part about working with Jin and Reuben on “By MY Side”?

Marianne: They are like machines! Literally, Reuben will be shooting on one side of the room and he’ll be like, “Do, do, do, do, do!” and then next thing you know, once he goes, “Cut!” and it’s break time, and then you look at Jin, and he’s already editing.

Brandon: Three days into the production, we’ve actually already watched the opening..first two minutes of the movie. We weren’t even halfway into shooting and Jin was like, “Guys, guys, come and watch this!” and then we were watching the opening, establishing montage of the movie. That’s the level of efficiency that they operate on.

Marianne: They replayed it over and over again, and each time they replayed it they would react to it naturally over and over again. And it makes you feel satisfied as an actor. When you see it as well you’d feel reassured like, “Yes!”, you’re on the right flow right now.

Brandon: I’ve worked with Jin and Reuben before so to work with them again it’s really..I think it’s easy as well because they’re so understanding. They give very good directions and that’s one thing I really appreciate because this is my first time and I don’t have a lot of acting experience. So when they give directions, they’re very clear because they know what they want. And if they know what they want, then it makes it easier for us.

Alright, last one for the road, guys! What is your biggest wish and hope for “By MY Side”?

Marianne: I wish that somehow we’ll be able to screen “By MY Side” in the cinema. At least like a private screening with our friends and our families, that would be my ultimate hope.

Brandon: My ultimate hope and wish is that every Malaysian will watch it, whether it’s going to be on a streaming site or in the cinemas. Because it’s so relatable, it can connect with every other Malaysian out there. It doesn’t matter if you’re a mom or a teenager or a young adult or anything like that, we know that this story can connect with Malaysians on so many different levels. So my hope and wish is that every Malaysian would take the time to watch it and appreciate it, and laugh and cry with us.

Aww :) Special thanks to Marianne and Brandon for taking time to do this with us!

The #byMYsideTheMovie cast and crew are currently on tour so if you happen to be around any of these areas on any of these dates, be sure to go see them and, you know, say hi and stuff!

Directed by Reuben Kang and executive produced by Jin Lim, #byMYsideTheMovie, which also stars Nadia Nash, Arwind Kumar, Adam Shamil, Maggy Wang, and Josephine Yap, will premiere on 16th September 2017 at selected TGV Cinemas nationwide.

For more information on JinnyboyTV, hit up their Facebook page.

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#Malaysia: Cooking Oil Subsidies Will Be Removed Starting 1st November

The Star has confirmed that the subsidies for all cooking oil packages, except for the 1kg polybag and 5kg bottle, will be removed starting 1st November. This marks the first price increase of cooking oil in 10 years.

In a statement, the Malayan Edible Oil Manufacturers’ Association said, “All retail prices of blended cooking oil in various packing sizes will also no longer be subsidised”.

The also added that this was in line with Restructuring of Cooking Oil Price Stabilisation Scheme (COSS) implemented by the Government in June 2007 due to the high price of palm oil back then.

For a better understanding of the COSS, refer to the chart below:

Food prices are also expected to increase, as Yaw Boon Choon, president of the Federation of Malaysian Hawkers Association, said that the removal of subsidy for cooking oil would affect food traders.

However, Fomca deputy president Mohd Yusof Abdul Rahman promised, “The Government needs to ensure that traders will not increase prices by too much”.

The retail ceiling price for the 1kg polybag revised upwards from RM2.50 to RM2.90 while the 5kg bottle will increase from RM13.35 to RM15.25. But the subsidy for the 5kg bottle will be removed next year and shall be sold at open market price in the retail market.

What do you think about the subsidy removal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

Sources: The Star, Malaysian Digest, The Sun.


Review: Ong Seong Wu’s Fans Reminded Him Of A Patch Of Flowers

23rd of March waltzed into our calendars fasted than any of us expected. However it may seem that Wannables were rather expectant of this particular date, as it marked South Korean pop star Ong Seong Wu’s debut fan meeting in Malaysia. Organised by Hatchery, a Thailand based production and entertainment company, the ex Wanna One heartthrob was making his first solo appearance at Axiata Arena, for an estimated crowd of over 4,000 fans.

Seong Wu’s fame exceeds borders it may seem, as the Malaysia show attracted fans from all over the world. With 800 fans coming from Thailand alone, it really brings perspective to how passionate K-pop fans are. A mix of American, Australian, Thai and of course, Malaysian fans were all gathered excitedly hours before doors were opened.

Walking into Axiata Arena in the pouring rain was an experience to say the least. Despite being sweaty and bothered—  there was audible Produce 101 songs blasting away on the speakers, filling up the spaces between vendors and fans bustling around to out bargain each other for a better deal on merchandise. Fans were ever chipper despite the weather; excitedly squealing about their favourite K-pop star and collecting freebies.

Being punctual as most K-pop events, the show started at 6pm. After all fans had taken their seats, the lights went out to play the introduction video. Then out came Ong Seong Wu; decked in double denim, complete with back-up dancers as Bruno Mars’ “Treasure” started playing on the speakers. After a nice appetiser for the fans, Seong Wu ducked out behind the stage as the emcee came out to officially begin the night.

After hyping up the crowd, MC Hani finally brought out the star of the night; Ong Seong Wu himself. The ferocity of 4,000 fans screaming to greet him alone was enough to bring down the whole of Axiata Arena. Seong Wu could only sheepishly smile at their passion; half embarrassed, half proud. From the way they were cheering at every little thing he did, it was evident that he had them wrapped around his finger. He seemed a little shy at first, but slowly warmed up as the show progressed.

The first event of the night was a segment called “ONGTALK” which took place in the style of a talk show. With an app by the same name, Seongwoo and Hani glanced at the screen which showed a stream of questions that fans had asked prior to the event. Amongst the Q&A, Seong Wu also showed off his sick moves when a fan asked about his style of dancing – poppin’.

Then came the second session; “ONGSTAGRAM”. Named after everyone’s beloved app, Seong Wu took the stage to explain the meaning behind all his photos. Ranging from selfies, travel and even photography; Seong Wu was delighted to explain the context of his photographs. It was breathtaking to see his shots of Japan, capturing the essence of the beautiful country so aptly. Despite only recently dabbling in photography, Seong Wu’s work showed that he was well versed with the concepts of depth and composition; making him even more impressive. A surprise in the form of a lucky draw was then announced; with five lucky fans winning autographed postcards of his photographs.

The third session was named “ONGPLAY”, which was a music playing app. Fans erupted with screams the moment the words “Wanna One Medley” filled the screen and Seong Wu knew that was his cue. Dancing to a mix of the iconic “Energetic”, the firecracker “Burn It Up”, the easy sing-a-long “Beautiful” and the sultry “Day by Day”— which included a rather interesting dance move.

After leaving fans breathless and dizzy, the lights dimmed for him to take a breather as fans were treated to a VCR of Seong Wu during one of his shoots. When the lights came back on, out stepped the singer in a tweed suit as he raised the mic to sing a soulful, dramatic ballad. “Please” was not an easy number to perform, considering the amount of emotion that required being poured into it but he managed to sail through it without any hiccups.

With the end of the song came the start of the next session; an interactive segment titled “I Will Catch A Star For You”. This included a session that tested Seong Wu’s skills with a claw machine, where he had to try his best to win plushies like one would in an arcade. Being ever the entertainer, he dramatically posed against the glass of the machine and said in a low voice, “I’ll catch it for you”, which sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The first round was successful for him but Lady Luck seemed to have only shined once on him, as Seongwoo struggled for the next few rounds. When he finally won another plush, the arena burst into cheers almost as loud as football stadium would have. Even though this win gave him the confidence he needed for the final countdown, Seong Wu came close but missed. Regardless, it was still a win for fans as not only did Seong Wu autograph the plushies but even gave them each a kiss before giving them up as lucky draw prizes!

With the reveal of Seong Wu’s favourite coffee being caramel macchiato, the next game had begun. “What’s In The Coffee?” included a spread of 5 mason jars, all filled with a mysterious liquid in them that seemingly resembled coffee— or did it? Seong Wu’s task was to guess which one was the real caramel macchiato but the twist was that he could only do so by tasting it… and keeping a straight face for seven seconds. Naturally, Seong Wu jumped at the challenge— claiming that he was an expert at it. After selecting one of the drinks, he took a long sip but failed to maintain a poker face for the duration necessary. He then noted that the sip of coffee reminded him of the sea— which gives us an inkling of how horrendously salty it must have been. However even though he failed at the challenge, fans still received gifts via the lucky draw.

The lucky draw itself felt like a segment of its own, as Seong Wu kept on drawing lots for the “Mango” section of the arena. Every time he broke into a smile when glancing at the drawn lot, the crowd already knew what he drew. His adorable pronunciation of “Lychee” also earned an array of “awww”s from the fans.

Next, fans had to teach him a Malaysian song — which would wrap up the “Catch A Star” segment. Every Malaysians’ childhood memories came alive as the crowd sang along to  “Rasa Sayang”, letting Seong Wu get familiar with the tune and lyrics of the original classic. Seongwoo however, struggled to grasp the melody and tune of the song but eventually after several tries managed to successfully sing it.

With the end of that segment, Seong Wu was told that fans had prepared a special video for him. The lights in the arena were dimmed, and Seong Wu turned around to face the massive screens. A video that included clips of the pop star from his fresh Produce 101 days all the way up to his current ventures played, making everyone there extremely emotional. However a lovely twist came in the form of the video asking him to turn around and face the fans, where the whole arena was holding up hand banners with a warm message.

Seong Wu was shaking with gratitude and was stumped by the effort fans put into him. “I will walk the flowery road and become a beautiful flower— like you guys,” he said with a huge smile. He then mentioned how that this event reminded him of a time when he took a walk and discovered a patch of flowers. In that moment, he was reminded of all his struggles in life and how despite it all, he learnt to appreciate how precious they were. And it was the faces of the fans today that reminded him of those flowers.

“Obstacles became the foundation for me to walk on the flowery path,” said Seong Wu, “There will be bad days but a flower needs rain and shine to grow. To me, you all will always be flowers in full bloom.”

With that, the arena turned dark and there was a sea of lightsticks that lit up the place instead. Seong Wu came out and started to sing “Love This Moment”, the perfect ballad to wrap up the show. In contrast to the dramatic number previously, this emotional, acoustic ballad seemed more of his strong suit. Seong Wu truly glows best when he’s performing songs that are close to his heart. His eyes were shining as he sang about his youth, and being alive in the moment.

After a closing video, there were shouts of “encore!” from fans that were met with a long awaited dance number. Out came the back up dancers once more, as Bruno Mars’ “That’s What I Like” poured out of the speakers. Fans were wolf whistling at how sleek and sexy Seong Wu was, effortlessly moving along to the song like it was his second skin. And with that, the fan meeting was over.

However fans weren’t as upset, since this just meant that the real highlight of the night was upon them; the hi-touch session with Seong Wu himself! Fans made orderly lines according to the sections they were in, as they anxiously retouched their makeup, smoothened their skirts and curled their bangs. Despite being a quick session, it was indeed a once in a lifetime opportunity that any fan would kill for.

A post shared by 옹성우 ongseongwu (@osw_onge)

Overall, Ong Seong Wu’s debut fan meeting went extremely well. From being sold out within minutes and even crashing the site the moment it went live; it would be fair to call the show an utter success. To garner this many fans, despite not even having an album out yet is nothing short of impressive. With his drama debut releasing soon, it’s no surprise that if he returns, the number of attendees might just double.  If this is just the start, then Seong Wu has nothing to be afraid of. His future’s so bright that if anything— he’s gonna need a good pair of sunglasses.

Images by Hatchery. Article by Leyasheena Panicker.

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Bihzhu Makes Us Blush. Uh oh, uh oh!

Upon watching her performance and then shyly approaching her at the grand opening of Chatime Galleria, I almost kicked myself for not knowing about her sooner. “Where has she been?”, I inwardly questioned. No, wait. More like, “Where have I been?!?”

But she’s not new to the local music industry, obviously. I’ve just been ignorant all my life!

Formerly one-half of the popular pop-jazz band Rhapsody, she is a wordsmith and a songstress who hails from sunny island up north Penang. Her music is largely influenced by artistes such as Ella Fitzgerald, India.Arie, Caetano Veloso, Fat Freddy’s Drop, Jamie Cullum, Florence & The Machine, and The Beatles.

Bihzhu (who used to go by the name Nicole Foo) continues to sweep us off our feet with her warm, jazzy, somewhat honey-laced voice. Armed with her love for jazz, soul, reggae, acapella, world music, and pop, she meshes her musical influences and her life experiences into a light-hearted and melodic smorgasbord that shines with honesty, earnestness, beauty, and love.

And might we add that her talent has taken her from venues like Melbourne’s Miss Libertine, to our city’s best jazz bar No Black Tie, and the Fringe Stage at the 2006, 2009, 2001 editions of the Penang Island Jazz Festival.

It’s safe to say that she has gone around the world – almost!

In October 2011, she released her debut EP, aptly titled, “Nightingale Tales“.

“Echoing the hills and valleys of life, Bihzhu’s sultry vocals  entice you on a journey that traverses the breeziness of  folk and foot-tapping swing, lifting and swirling before plunging into the groovy soulfulness of reggae.”

“Nightingale Tales’ is but a glimpse into the heartland of  this promising songstress, hinting at a richness of emotion and purity that shines through every note, and lingers in the silences in between..”

Oh swoon! So drop everything and purchase the digital album here or, alternatively, you can buy her physical special print CD album at these locations:

For more information, visit her Facebook page or follow her Twitter account. If you followed closely enough, you might be able to hear her sing.


Hype’s Must Watch: Mr. Holmes

A new trailer for “Mr. Holmes” has dropped!

Now, don’t mistake this with the more mainstream “Sherlock Holmes” movie series, which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. “Mr Holmes” is another adaptation of the novel, but it has a twist to it: Mr Holmes is portrayed as an old and ageing man whose memory is starting to fail him.

Sounds interesting to you? Well, watch the trailer below to get a drift of the movie:

The film, based on the novel “A Slight Trick of the Mind” by Mitch Cullin, was adapted for the screen by Jeffrey Hatcher (The Duchess, Stage Beauty) and begins in 1947 when an ageing Holmes returns from Japan, where, in search of a plant with powerful restorative qualities, he has witnessed the devastation of nuclear warfare. Now in his remote seaside farmhouse Holmes faces the end of his days tending to his bees with only the company of his housekeeper and her young son, Roger. Grappling with the diminishing powers of his mind, Holmes comes to rely upon the boy as he revisits an unsolved case which forced him into retirement, and searches for answers to the mysteries of life and love before it’s too late.

The movie stars Sir Ian McKellen in the titular role, with Colin Starkey as Dr. John Watson, Laura Linney as the housekeeper Mrs. Munro, and Milo Parker as Roger Munro.

It will be released on 19th June in United Kingdom and 17th July in United States. The movie currently has no international release date.

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Concert Review: J-Rock Band Alexandros Set Hearts On Fire In Kuala Lumpur

It seems like it’s a good time to be the Japanese rock band, Alexandros. From being featured in the live-action of Bleach’s soundtrack to contributing songs to video games; the four-piece set has been on a steady rise since last year.

Stylized as [Alexandros] and sometimes ALXD, Yoohei, Hiroyuki, Masaki, and Satoyasu only visited us in 2018 for a taste of their grand debut in Malaysia but it seemed to not be enough. Bringing their latest tour to us, “Sleepless in Kuala Lumpur” was held in all its glory at Bentley Music Auditorium on the 19th of July 2019. The event was organized by Toybox Projects, who also brought the band to Malaysian fans the last time.

At 8:30pm, the lights went out and the screams turned feral. It was finally time. As the members slowly took their places on the stage, grabbed their instruments and waited for the cue, fans could barely contain themselves.

The first song was none other than the first song off their latest album, “Sleepless in Brooklyn”; “Last Minute”. It was an interesting choice to start with, considering its somewhat muted intro. The lights were still on, many fans were still stumbling into the venue as the song played. However, it appeared to be all according to plan as
Yoohei got everyone singing along, worked as the perfect charm to hype up the crowd to the loveable “Dracula La”. It was quickly followed by “Starrrrrrr”. Known for the emotional chords it strikes, the entire crowd came in full swing for the song, especially for the impressive guitar solo in it.

Rockers found a home in the space of Bentley’s auditorium, as the thumping music to “I Don’t Believe In You” ricocheted off the walls and into the hearts of everyone present.
Then came the first English song of the night, “Waitress Waitress” which got everyone clapping along to the familiar drum beat. Up next was the chaotic “Girl A”, complete with a long siren intro that kept everyone on their toes— literally—as fans were waiting to jump along to the iconic crash of instruments as the song began.

After all that energy it only seemed right to tone things down a little. “Party is Not Over” started playing, a new entry to their setlist as it is off their latest album. As fun as it was to party to previous singles, the song got everyone swivelling along to the toe-tapper. The performance included impromptu ad-libs from Yoohei, going in at full energy despite the mellow melody.

After that set, the band took a break. After a quick introduction, the band quickly clarified that their drummer, Satoyasu had to sit this tour out and they had a replacement drummer from BIG MAMA instead. Yoohei coyly asked the crowd if it was “Seronok tak?” (Are you having fun?), which had Malaysian fans whooping in response. With a smile, he told fans to do their own thing while the song is playing, even if they didn’t know the lyrics. “Just have fun,” he said before launching into the firecracker that is “Kaiju”.

It is impressive to note how the members barely took breaks, and yet managed to give their all for each set. Confidence was oozing second time around; these guys didn’t come to play. They were performers who had fun on stage, as it was enjoyable for both parties. This was evident from the smiles and small giggles that escaped their lips every now and then when they saw how the crowd went insane.

Yoohei even mentioned how the wanted to bring the Malaysian crowd back to Japan, to make them learn how to have fun at a concert. Considering the concert etiquette there, seeing how alive the crowd was here made the band feel all sorts of grateful. Masa greeted everyone hello in Chinese, which sent the crowd wild, considering how quiet he usually is. The charismatic Hiro even flexed his extensive Malay vocabulary, which consisted of only one word; “Minum” (to drink). He cheekily gestured by raising a bottle of mineral water before saying, “Cheers, guys,” and taking a swig.

Four songs came up next; two classics of “New Wall” and “Ashita Mata”, followed by two new entries, “Fish Tacos Party” and “Your Song”. With a gentle music box intro, “Your Song”, marked the beginning of slow songs after all the bangers. It filled the atmosphere with romance instead, complete with pink lighting.

As we reached the end of the night, Yoohei smiled fondly at the crowd. “Even though it’s only my second time, I feel like I live here. I wanna see you guys here next time, promise me!”

The romance of the air was maintained with the lovely “Adventure” but all wiped away when the beginning notes of “Arpeggio” started playing. Then the lights all went off, and the members whisked away backstage despite the groans of the audience.

Shouts of encore summoned the members of ALXD for one more go, where the band played their two latest singles; “Pray” and “Gesshoku Horizon”.

As the show simmered down to its final moments, Yoohei started getting somewhat deep with his words. Speaking about identity, staying true to yourself, and appreciating the present, he hoped that the music they create would be able to help fans cherish their lives more.

“Live your life. And I can tell you right now… I’m enjoying mine.”

The final song of the night was “Wataridori”; the song that started it all. The first song released after their rebranding as Alexandros, it reverberated through the hall and the hearts of everyone there tonight. It was perfect send-off, an ultimate party complete with clapping, jumping, and of course, singing your hearts out.

Seeing how many hearts Alexandros has touched with their music and how much their fanbase has grown in the span of a year, it begs the question of what to expect in the future. Even though Yoohei has mentioned that he would like to focus on the present for now, we can’t help but wonder how much bigger the crowd will get by next year. From small-town crooners to world-wide superstars, it looks like we’re all witnesses to Alexandros’ growing case.

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“Iron Man 3” Flies High With Us!

Oh, Tony. For the entire time of “Iron Man” and its sequel, “Iron Man 2”, he has always believed that he was the only superhero. Until he came face-to-face with the nearly unbreakable entourage of power called, “The Avengers”. So, picking up from where he left off, Tony Stark (played by Robert Downey Jr.) is now completely obsessed with himself. If you’ve seen the “Iron Man” suits teasers in the past year, well, yes they were all there for a reason.

He can’t sleep, (sometimes) he can’t breathe, so he stays up all night creating more and more “Iron Man” suits. The latest being one that would fly on command, piece by piece before latching on to his body. In his words, he’s doing all that to protect the “one thing he can’t live without”, Pepper Potts (played by Gwyneth Paltrow).

As cocky as he can seem sometimes, it’s nice to know that his soft spot (and love?) has grown for Pepper immensely in “Iron Man 3”. And he’s no longer afraid to show it.

Meanwhile, a curious Aldrich Killian (played by Guy Pearce) turns up at Stark Industries one day to pitch the funding of AIM’s “Extremis” project to Pepper – but Aldrich isn’t a complete stranger. In the prologue to “Iron Man 3”, he is shown in a brief encounter with Tony Stark. The antithesis also introduced a Dr. Maya Hansen (played by Rebecca Hall), who first tested the “Extremis” project on a plant which exploded due to a glitch.

All of the above, of course, coincides with attacks by The Mandarin (played by Ben Kingsley), who is some “The Ten Rings” terrorist leader. One of his many attacks claimed a victim of collateral damage, Tony’s friend Happy Hogan (played by Jon Favreau), leading Tony to run off at mouth with the press when they approached him at the hospital, promising revenge and giving away his home address.

Needless to say, his beautiful Malibu mansion gets turned to dust by “The Mandarin”. Which brings us to, a Tony Stark with no home, not enough suits, on the run, and apart from Pepper Potts!

But he still has a world to save. Ah, what’s a visionary with a powerful mind to do? Whatever he needs to, by hook or by crook, even if it means having to shop at a DIY/home improvement store for “materials”. And yes, the shopping at a DIY/home improvement store really does happen.

So does that one epic “House Party Protocol” scene where all of his suits come out to “play”:

[youtube id=”Ke1Y3P9D0Bc” width=”600″ height=”350″]

Die-hard fans would enjoy this, for its action-packed plot and the many, many variations of “Iron Man” suits. If you asked us, you’d probably need to watch it twice before deciding if “Iron Man 3” was as good as they’ve hyped it up to be. That also means that we don’t mind watching this a second time. Preferably in IMAX – because that’s how it should roll!

Note: Special thanks to Alcatel Malaysia for the exclusive screening.

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


Iconic TV Commercial “Snatch Thief” Actor Feels Touched After 2006 Ad Resurfaced

Do you remember that one commercial where Wan Maimunah’s jewelleries were snatched by a thief?

Just so you know, the man who played the “snatch thief” recently expressed the overwhelming feeling after finding out that his acting is still remembered by many.

Mohd Uzreen Mohd Kassim, 39, acted alongside Wan Maimunah in a community service advertisement about being vigilant of one’s personal belongings. Even though the commercial was aired 14 years ago, it suddenly rose back to popularity when netizens started sharing it on social media, with some even turning it into memes.

While talking to Harian Metro, Uzreen said, “I’m touched because the commercial is still remembered until now, (even though) it’s no longer shown on television anymore.” According to him, he didn’t have any acting experience prior to the commercial, but took the job due to being unemployed at that moment.

“I was offered to act by a friend of mine who worked at The National Film Department of Malaysia (FNM), and I was surprised because the offer came spontaneously, despite me not having any experience in acting. I thought I’d give it a try, even though (acting) seemed awkward and hard to do,” stated Uzreen.

One of the main reasons he felt nervous was due to the fact that he was performing alongside veteran actress, Wan Maimunah, who he refers to as “Ibu” (mother). However, he recalled, “Ibu is generous when it comes to sharing her knowledge, and she even taught me how to bring the ‘snatcher’ role on the filming set.”

Uzreen told the news publication that he came across a statement from the veteran actress who expressed the desire to meet up with him again. He stated, “I received a call from Ibu’s adopted child who wanted to set a meeting after the story was published on news portals and social media sites. However, it is understood that Ibu currently has health problems.”

He went on to say, “That (offer) was the first and last time I acted but the impact of the video remains popular, especially after it went viral around social media a few months ago.” The one-time actor currently works as a lorry driver, and is a father to a single child.

When asked about how he feels about his face being used as memes online, he responded, “Obviously I was mad at first, but I supposed it was for entertainment (purposes) catered to the followers of the website.”

Imagine acting once, and waking up as a meme 14 years later. This man is definitely a legend.

Sources: Harian Metro, Si Rashid’s Facebook.

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Trust Your Instinct: Garmin Malaysia Launches New Instinct 2 Series Smartwatches

With smartwatches being all the rage now, are ordinary watches still relevant? Everyone has their own preferences. Some would prefer touchscreen smartwatches because of the convenience of accessing certain apps without the need to bring their smartphones with them.

While others are more old-school preferring the normal watches to simply tell the time and date. But what if you can have the best of both worlds? A smartwatch without a touchscreen that will also still help keep your fitness in check. Garmin Malaysia may have the answer for you.

Recently, Garmin Malaysia announced the arrival of the Instinct 2 Series, a new addition to the popular Instinct family of purpose-built smartwatches with robust lifestyle features, new sizes, colour-ways and additional health monitoring features – driven by limitless battery power in selected models such as the Instinct 2 Solar.

The Instinct 2 Series introduces significant battery life gains, providing up to four weeks of continuous use while in smartwatch mode. Equipped with advanced solar technology, selected Instinct 2 Solar models also offer unlimited battery life1 when switched to the smartwatch mode.

“There is more than meets the eye with the Instinct 2 Series. It combines adventurous colors with Garmin’s industry-leading wrist-based technology to be more than just a smartwatch – the Instinct 2 becomes a trusted tool to help you live life on your own terms,” said Mr. Scoppen Lin, Assistant General Manager, Garmin Asia.  Let’s take a look at some of the new watches from the Instinct 2 series and their prices:

The Instinct 2 and Instinct 2S represent Garmin’s continued innovation of smartwatch technology and are available now on Lazada, Shopee, AECO e-store and all authorised retailers. For more detailed information of each watch and their exact prices, you may visit Garmin Malaysia’s official website.


#TheApprenticeAsia: AirAsia Bhd Group CEO Tony Fernandes Suits Up For The Occassion

In just a few weeks “The Apprentice Asia” is set to make waves across Asia. While we’re prepping ourselves to take the heat from the highly challenging, Asian adaptation of “The Apprentice”, we took aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes aside for a little Q&A. Did we already mention that he was wearing a suit during the interview?

“Very good question! Because I’m being sponsored to wear this. I think they want me to be someone who looks more business orientated and my general attire doesn’t really fit my role here. I kinda enjoy wearing this – I normally look like a slob. I look at myself and I feel quite good about it. It’s kinda nice to wear a suit and a tie once in a while.”

Speaking of image, and we know what first impressions are important – what was your first impression of the “The Apprentice Asia” candidates?

“Well, I’ll answer this very delicately because I want you to watch the show but the first thing was the diversity. It was quite a diverse group of people from all walks of life and I thought, wow..this is going to be fun! Cause I love meeting new people, right? I love meeting new people from different countries, different ages, different genders, and different industries. And there was fire in their eyes! They all wanted to win and that..was impressive. I’ve done a lot of things in my life but to go through what these kids have gone through in the show, I admire them. It’s tough, right, to be locked in the room for five days with no ways or means to communicate – no TV, no internet, no phone, I mean..I’d die without my phone. I’d be a mental wreck. So what I saw in them and what I began to learn about them was that there was a real desire – they really wanted to be my apprentice. It was impressive.”

While we’re still on the topic of image and impressions, what do you think is the biggest misconception about you, Tony?

“Me? I think arrogance? Especially for people who don’t know me because I make very acidic comments, right? So they’re like..what an arrogant bastard. But I’m really quite the opposite. Of course misconceptions like those did affect me. I think the show, especially, would make me look like an absolute asshole. But you know, if you wanna be in the public world, you have to everything that comes with it. Will I be channeling Donald Trump? No, no.”

You know, you’re obviously a very busy man. How do you find that work-life balance?

“Mm..there’s no such thing. There really is no such thing. If anyone ever tells you that they’re living a well-balanced life, they’re lying. You’re either having too much fun or otherwise. But in my own way I guess it’s balanced. You see, if you give too much time to your social side then you may think that you’re neglecting your work. You gotta find what your own balance is and adhere to that. Have I found the perfect balance? Absolutely not. But I’m lucky that I enjoy what I do.”

“The Apprentice” was created by reality TV guru Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor) with multi-billionaire Donald Trump as host and co-executive producer. It has been a worldwide runaway success since its debut in the United States in 2004. The Asian adaptation of the mega hit reality series, “The Apprentice Asia” will be hosted by aviation tycoon Tony Fernandes; with the production helmed by Fremantlemedia Asia.

For more information, visit their website.

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Tom Holland Doesn’t Mind If Spider-Man Turns Out To Be Gay

Will there be a gay Spider-Man in the near future? Tom Holland thinks it’s a possibility.

In speaking with Gay Times while promoting “Spider-Man: Far From Home”, the 23-year-old actor was asked about the chances of the web-slinger being gay.

“Yeah of course. I can’t talk about the future of the character because honestly I don’t know and it’s out of my hands. But I do know a lot about the future of Marvel, and they are going to be representing lots of different people in the next few years. The world isn’t as simple as a straight white guy. It doesn’t end there, and these films need to represent more than one type of person,” he told the publication.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe got a lot more diverse in Phase 3, particularly in “Thor: Ragnarok” and “Black Panther“, Phase 4 is expected to introduce even more diverse roles – including a major LGBTQ Marvel superhero in “The Eternals“.

Marvel’s Production Chief, Victoria Alonso, believes that it’s time to bust the door open. “The world is ready, the world is ready… Our entire success is based on people that are incredibly different. Why wouldn’t we? Why would we only want to be recognized by only one type of person? Our audience is global, is diverse, is inclusive. If we don’t do it that way for them, we will fail. If we don’t put pedal to the metal on the diversity and the inclusivity, we will not have continued success. Our determination is to have that for all of the people out there watching our movies.”

Having said that, Rachel Leishman from The Mary Sue pointed out that there is a double standard when a man makes a comment versus a woman. When Brie Larson commented about wanting Marvel to speed up on their LGBTQIA+ representation, she was ridiculed and criticised online. On the other hand, Holland has been praised.