Contest: 3 Pairs Of High On Sugar Weekend Buffet At THIRTY8 Up For Grabs

If you have a sweet tooth like us and desserts happen to be your weakness (there’s no shame in admitting it), the High On Sugar weekend buffet is the place where you can start and end your meal with desserts.

Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur returns this month with a couple of festive offerings ranging from Christmas gastronomic delights to special offers and entertainment at THIRTY8.

THIRTY8 is famed for their breathtaking 360-degree backdrop of Kuala Lumpur and beyond. It is impossible to not get excited for the restaurant’s elaborate buffet of pastries, cakes and other desserts. It’s also worth mentioning that the chocolate selections here are top notch.

In case you’re wondering if this is sugar overload, Afternoon Tea also comes with an ala minute menu that offers a good selection of Western and Asian to suit your cravings. Shepherd’s Pie, Turkey Meatballs, Seafood dumplings and Deep fried prawn rolls are some of the hot items.

Our favourites, however, were the Steamed Sea Bass with tofu, bamboo and cabbage (it was simple yet flavourful) as well as Plain and raisin scones that were serve with homemade strawberry jam and clotted cream (reminding us of our time in Cameron Highlands).

Thanks to our friends from Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, we are offering our loyal readers at Hype Malaysia a chance to win:

Here are a few important things to note:

For more information, check out their official website.


Fans Worried For Gugudan Members Following Their Alarming Confessions

K-fans are currently discussing the recurring future of girl group Gugudan (구구단) following some of the members’ devastating confessions online recently.

Group leader Hana initially posted on Instagram, “I have to get back to my senses. I feel a tremendous amount of helplessness for not being able to let go of what I wanted to do. Today was a very sad day.”

Soon after, fellow teammate Soyee uploaded a screenshot of her text conversation with Hana, further raising everyone’s curiosity. The translated conversation reads:

Not only that, member Sally also revealed her group’s hardships after they were forced to undergo their career hiatus. “A year and a half ago, the company suddenly told us to go back to our homes, but I didn’t dare to return to my hometown,” the Chinese starlet shared in an interview with GQ Magazine.

She added, “I was afraid that I’d give up (on my dreams) completely after returning home. The only thing I could do was to hold on to the letters that fans gave me and cry in front of the mirror every night in order to relieve my stress. But I’m still grateful for not giving up at that time.”

As for now, it hasn’t been revealed what’s the real reason behind the girls’ cry for help. But some fans believed that this might have to do with Gugudan’s inactivity as a whole group. For those who don’t know, their last music release dated back in November 2018, which was nearly a year and a half ago.

Besides Sejeong and Mina, the other members have rarely seen sighted in the spotlight as much. Ultimately, Gugudan’s home label, Jellyfish Entertainment has been receiving backlash from fans for not promoting the group properly.

Some also expressed their concerns that the “Not That Type” jam-makers may receive the same fate as the now-defunct group Pristin. For those interested, check out some of the comments posted by netizens here:

As at time of writing, the agency has yet to come up with any official statement to address the issue.

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Christina Makes Falling In Love With Her So Easy

At just 25 years old, she has already lived a handful of lives. Touring the world as an assistant to a rock band, spending a year at the prestigious University of Arts with a sizeable scholarship, becoming a wife and then an ex-wife, producing popular music videos, making olive oil in Italy (it’s true!), and even serving as a fashionista barrista in Beverly Hills, evidently her resume is anything but unimpressive.

Here’s the thing though; Christina Perri didn’t expect music to be her career path. But she knew that it was tapping on her shoulder for a long time now. It was after her split from her husband that she locked herself in the house and wrote music.

And so began her life as a singer-songwriter, and a talented beyond words musician.

Just yesterday, we were invited to have a little chat (read: interview) with the sweetheart herself. We must say, as much as she was surprised by the response that she was getting on this side of the world (Christina said that fans are now sending her jars of hearts, literally. Candy hearts, chocolate hearts, paper hearts, you name it!), we were genuinely surprised by how gorgeous she was in real life and also, what a warm person she is.

Hi Christina! You’re a big Beatles fan. Which of the Beatles members is your favourite?

“Oh that is the hardest question ever. I go through phases and I’ve been on a George kick for the past couple of months but Paul..I just met him and that was on my bucket list. I met him twice in one month! I didn’t know what to say to him because I didn’t prepare. I didn’t know I was going to meet him. I had like 25 years to prepare and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner. What do you say to Paul McCartney?”

Are the songs that you write just you and all you or is it just something you do for your albums?

“I’d say that my songs are really me. I mean, I wrote them all. I’m definitely really emotional but in real life I’m a little bit more charismatic than what people think from just hearing those songs. If you listen to the album, it definitely goes up and down but the singles have been a little slow in tempo. But that’s where I put all that stuff – in my music. It’s how I get through life. Writing songs.”

What’s your songwriting process like? Do you have a routine you have to do before getting into a song like ambience or atmosphere or..some tea?

“That would be awesome! (laughs) Magic tea! It’s differently every day for me because I never know when a song is going to come. A genuine one. I write all the time just in case a good one’s in there but I believe in the idea of a song coming through me and not right from me. So I have to almost catch it. I try to get to an instrument, or a pen, or my voice memos. I wouldn’t know what I would do without my iPhone’s voice memos, I mean, it’s filled with album materials. The only thing that’s consistent is how emotional I am. So a song has to come out. It’s how I feel better.”

You were launched into the world of stardom so..do you think you’ll ever get used to all the attention?

“That’s a great question! I try not to think about it too much. I think if you really get into it too much then that’s how you’d change and lose yourself in it. I just have too many amazing people in my life and most days I’m depending on my family, friends, my band, and my crew to smack me on my head if I was being a weirdo. I really try to stay out of it and enjoy every moment that comes.”

As they say, all good things have to eventually come to an end but before we ended out little chat with the super sweetheart, Christina Perri, she dishes out that her upcoming album (slated for a 2013 release) was inspired by, well, a lot of chocolate milkshakes, running, and crying a lot.

And she says that it’s going to be a lot more relaxed! So fans, take heed.

Special thanks to Warner Music Malaysia for the exclusive interview. Click to see pictures from Christina’s show at KL Live!

For more information, visit Christina Perri’s official website and if you haven’t already, go like her on Facebook!

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#MADEinMY: Seungri Pulls Daesung & TOP Away From Fireworks, Saves The Day

Phew. Thanks to BIGBANG “maknae” (youngest member) Seungri, members Daesung and TOP narrowly escaped bodily harm during BIGBANG’s “2015 World Tour (MADE) in Malaysia“.

BIGBANG performed 2 separate concerts in Malaysia, one on 24th July and one on 25th July at the Putra Indoor Stadium.

On 25th July, during the group’s “Fantastic Baby” performance, Seungri was seen running over to TOP and pulling him back from the edge of the stage. Shortly after, he ran over to Daesung and did the same thing – pulling him away from the edge. Seconds later, fireworks erupted and had it not been for the maknae’s attentiveness and quick action, both TOP and Seungri could’ve been seriously hurt.

Meanwhile, GD&TOP are scheduled to make a comeback via BIGBANG’s “MADE” series “E” with a track titled, “ZZUTTER”, slated to be released on 5th August.


#BeautyAndTheBeast: Emma Watson Reveals That Belle’s Backstory Has Been Changed

Earlier today, the first look at Emma Watson’s Belle and Dan Stevens’s Beast was unveiled along with a series of movie stills from the live-action remake of “Beauty and the Beast”.

Like any good remake, a few changes is to be expected, such as new songs, new characters and altered appearances. One of the more interesting changes will come in the form of the movie’s female protagonist, Belle. In addition to being an avid reader, the new “Beauty and the Beast” will also be turning her into an inventor.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Watson noted how the original animation didn’t provide much explanation on why Belle was an outcast other than the fact that she was a bookworm. So the new adaptation decided to give fans a more detailed insight into this iconic character’s backstory by expanding her intellectual pursuits.

“In the animated movie, it’s her father who is the inventor, and we actually co-opted that for Belle. I was like, ‘Well, there was never very much information or detail at the beginning of the story as to why Belle didn’t fit in, other than she liked books. Also what is she doing with her time?’ So, we created a backstory for her, which was that she had invented a kind of washing machine, so that, instead of doing laundry, she could sit and use that time to read instead. So, yeah, we made Belle an inventor,” said the actress.

In one of the promotional released pictures, we also see Belle and her father Maurice behind a work table, surrounded by music boxes. In the forthcoming Bill Condon-directed movie, Maurice will simply be a music box maker, while the music boxes seen in the image above will add another layer to Belle’s backstory.

“Kevin Kline as Maurice, is making all these music boxes that have to tell the story of Belle not traveling. She’s overprotected in a way, by her father, because she’s lost her mother. So, we’ve made all these music boxes that represent different countries of the world, so she can see what she’s missing,” set decorator Katie Spencer told EW.

After spending the majority of her time at her home and village, Belle will finally embark on an adventure similar to the ones in her story books where she will come face to face with a true Beast.

“Beauty and the Beast” will hit cinemas on 17th March 2017.


#SpiceGirls: Group To Reunite For 20th Anni; Posh Spice Might Make An Appearance

The last time the Spice Girls officially reunited was in 2007 for the “The Return Of The Spice Girls” world tour. It was also a reunion to celebrate the release of their comeback single, “Headlines (Friendship Never Ends)” and their greatest hits album.

Then, in 2012, the girls were seen together once again at their London Olympics closing ceremony performance.

As the Spice Girls, Melanie Brown (Scary Spice), Melanie Chisholm (Sporty Spice), Emma Bunton (Baby Spice), Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice), and Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice) were a global phenomenon.

True crusaders of the “girl power” movement, they were the pop culture icons of the 90s and a regular fixture in the British as well as the international press. To date, they’ve sold over 80 million records worldwide, making them the best-selling female group of all time, one of the best-selling pop groups of all time, and the biggest British pop phenomenon since the intense frenzy over the Beatles.

Long story short, the Spice Girls invaded the world.

When we heard that they had plans to spice up our lives once again, we were elated. Almost as excited as we were when we found out that a “F.R.I.E.N.D.S” reunion was happening!

According to US Weekly, the next reunion is supposed to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Spice Girls’ debut hit single, “Wannabe”, and it will include a tour. Emma Bunton kind-of-but-not-really confirmed it on a UK television special back in December 2015 when she said, “It’s our 20th anniversary this year, and it would be rude not to celebrate.”

She also told The Telegraph about a week ago, “We adore each other. There’s so much we’ve been through. I would love to do something.” and added that it is really all about figuring it out because the girls have such different lives and different managers now.

Alas, when the news first broke, TMZ put out a report to say that Victoria Beckham had no intentions whatsoever of donning on her Posh Spice alter ego for the celebrations.

Victoria’s rep reportedly told TMZ, “She has been very respectful about the fabulous time they had together in the past, however her focus is now very much her family and fashion business.”

Bummed? Heartbroken? We were too! But fret not because apparently, the 41-year-old Posh Spice recently had a sudden change of heart. A source told US Weekly, “(Victoria) won’t sing or dance. There’s a small chance she’ll film something with them or make an appearance at a show here and there.”

What does it mean? We don’t know, but at this point, we’ll take whatever we can get. Say you’ll be there, Posh Spice!

Sources: US Weekly, International Business Times, Yahoo! Style, TMZ, The Telegraph / Featured image from news.com.au.

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#KeowWeeLoong: Malaysian Photographer & Wife Travelled To 11 Countries To Take Stunning Wedding Photos

What’s the perks of being a professional photographer? You get to shoot your own wedding photo album, says Keow Wee Loong.

Remember the daredevil from Malaysia who sneaked into a radioactive zone in Fukushima, Japan and later scaled the world’s tallest bridge to pull off a dangerous wedding proposal? If you thought those photos were cool, wait till you see his own wedding photoshoot.

“As beautiful as ever, I knew her when she was working in Family Mart a year ago,” Keow recalled how he first met his then Polish girlfriend Marta Sibielak last May. “Photography took me to many interesting places around the world. I was there to document the ghost town of Fukushima last year and ended up getting lost in the middle of Tokyo.”

He continued, “Who knew, my wife was waiting for me in the convenient shop all this time. Someone with different culture, different time zone, different language, will be together. That’s how we met each other. Many people think that photography is lame, but I guess my life is pretty kick ass as a photographer“.

“As a photographer, I felt that it’s kinda annoying having other people capture my wedding photos. So I decided to do it myself. Since I know what kind of shots I wanted, I can waste less effort describing it to someone else as they may not get it. Plus, instead of hiring someone to travel around with me to take our photos, I figured that I’d use the money to actually travel,” Keow was quoted as saying.

During their travels across Europe and Asia, the couple faced the likes of wind, rain, and cloud cover to get those stunning shots. Those countries included Norway (Kjeragbolten and Trolltunga), Indonesia (Mt Sinabung), Japan (Mt Fuji), Italy (Venice), London (Westminister bridge), Austria (Vienna), Germany (Mehlweg and Riesenbichl), Poland (Warsaw), Malaysia (Bukit Tabur), Sweden (Angelholm), and Denmark (Copenhagen).

“If you find someone you love, hold her hand and never let go; opportunity don’t always comes twice,” Keow advised. Aw ;)

Sources: Daily Mail, Keow Wee Loong’s Facebook.


#MASTER: Kim Woo Bin & Kang Dong Won To Visit Singapore For Movie Promotions

Wanna feast your eyes on Kim Woo Bin and Kang Dong Won? Here’s your chance ;)

The South Korean heartthrobs will be making their way to Singapore on 12th January 2017, so remember mark your calendar as you’ll have to make your way down south! The duo will be in the region to promote their upcoming movie, “Master (마스터/偷天对决)”.

They will be joined by director Cho Ui-seok, and the trio will be attending various events for the highly anticipated movie. According to Hallyu SG, this will be the movie’s first promotion outside of South Korea.

While details are currently scarce, we know that there will be a meet and greet session at Plaza Singapura. A gala premiere will also be held at Capital Theatre. “Master” will also be the first Korean movie to premiere at the iconic Capital Theatre in Singapore.

Aside from the 2 handsome actors, the movie also stars Lee Byung Hun, Uhm Ji Won, Oh Dal Su, and Jin Kyung. It tells the story of Jin Hyun Pill (Lee Byung Hun), who operates a massive pyramid scheme through his “One Network Corporation” with the help of software genius Park Jang Gun (Kim Woo Bin). However, the scheme is being investigated by Captain Kim (Kang Dong Won) of the Financial Crimes Unit. Just when Kim thought he had pinned Jin down, Jin uses his shadowy supporters to stay one step ahead of the investigations.

“Master” is slated for cinematic release in Singapore and Malaysia on 12th January 2017.


Chucky Is Coming To The Small Screen With “Child’s Play” TV Series

The iconic murderous doll Chucky is back to play.

Don Mancini, creator and producer of the long-running horror / slasher movie franchise “Child’s Play” has announced via Twitter that the franchise is coming to the small screen.

— Don Mancini (@RealDonMancini) June 22, 2018

Last Friday, Mancini, who wrote the original story of “Child’s Play”, confirmed the news of a new TV version of the movie on his Twitter page with a GIF tease, featuring the scrambled image of Chucky and the words: “Child’s Play the TV series. Do not adjust your set.”

Together with his co-producer David Kirschner, the two have started developing the series this year, which was “deliberately set up at end of the last movie,” while and the tone would be “dark and disturbing”.

“We plan to use Child’s Play in the title,” Mancini explained to Bloody Disgusting. “We want to definitely signal that we are going dark, darker than ever before. It’s going to be very creepy.”

Kirschner added, “I’m incredibly excited about the series and to explore a world in which we’ve never done before. Don has taken the franchise in a wonderfully frightening direction. He seems to outdo himself every time.”

The two producers also confrimed that the original voice actor for Chucky, Brad Dourif will reprise his role in the series.

The upcoming “Child’s Play” series will be an hour-long, 8-part TV series.

The original 1988 film centres around Chucky, a notorious serial killer whose soul is transferred inside a Good Guy doll using a voodoo ritual to avoid going to hell.

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World’s First Angry Birds Splash Waterworld Opens In Malaysia

Young kids are going to be spoilt for choices this holiday season as another attraction has just opened its doors to the public in Malaysia. We’re referring to the world’s first Angry Birds Splash Waterworld!

The water park was launched last Friday (22nd November) at Setia Ecohill and will remain in Semenyih for the next 2 months before continuing its tour across Asia.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of “Angry Birds”, Finland’s Rovio Entertainment Corp and Malaysia’s One Universal Production Sdn Bhd (OUP) joined forces to bring the world’s largest mobile-themed water inflatable park to fruition. What started out as a popular video game has since evolved into numerous entertainment and consumer products globally.

Fan favourite characters such as Red, Chuck, Bomb, Terrence, Mighty Eagle and the Hatchlings can be found in Angry Birds Splash Waterworld. The Bomb Smackdown is said to be one of the highlights. At 12 metres in height, it’s the tallest water slide at this fun attraction.

In addition, there are 3 pools in varying sizes (Hatchlings play pool, Kids pool, the Hero pool) as well as several rides and water slides to enjoy a splashing good time. For those who prefer to stay dry, there’s also the Go Kart Drift Challenge circuit to check out.

Of course, the experience wouldn’t be complete without some memorabilia right? You can purchase some merchandise at the Angry Birds Pop-Up store. That’s not all, other activities including meet and greet with the franchise characters will also take place at Angry Birds Splash Waterworld. While you’re there, join in on the fun at their non-scripted dance activities.

The details to Angry Birds Splash Waterworld are as follows:

For more information, tickets details and purchases, please visit Ticket2U.


U2’s Bono Apologises For Forcing New Album Down Everyone’s Throats

So, it seems that U2 is really feeling it now from all the flak they’ve been getting since Apple gave away the band’s new album, “Songs of Innocence”, for free to everyone with an iTunes account. As such, Bono acknowledged he and his bandmates may have gone “too far”. The singer has responded to the people who complained about finding an unwanted album in their iCloud purchase history (read: forced down their throats). The apology came as part of a video interview hosted on Facebook.

The interview video featured U2’s members asking questions from fans which were submitted through Facebook.

One such fan happened to ask Bono, “Can you please never release an album on iTunes that automatically downloads to people’s playlists ever again? It’s really rude.”

Oops … I’m sorry about that. I had this beautiful idea. Might have gotten carried away with ourselves. Artists are prone to that thing. A drop of megalomania, a touch of generosity, a dash of self-promotion, and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years might not be heard. There’s a lot of noise out there. I guess, we got a little noisy ourselves to get through it.

That having said, according to Apple, more than 26 million people have downloaded the album and 81 million have listened to at least part of it as part of the promotion. But for those who aren’t big fans of U2 per se, Apple released a handy tool to purge “Songs of Innocence” from users’ respective iCloud libraries.

Alas, that wouldn’t be the last you hear from U2, forcefully or otherwise, because U2 posted a message on their website to say that they will continue to work with Apple. They specifically said, “We’re collaborating with Apple on some cool stuff over the next couple of years, innovations that will transform the way music is listened to and viewed. We’ll keep you posted.”


(Video) Solar Received Surprise Birthday Cake During MAMAMOO Concert In KL

How long has it been since K-pop girl group MAMAMOO last came to Malaysia? Long enough cause fans were all willing to wait in the rain for the gates to open and witness their idol group perform live in concert! The band’s show was held at Stadium Malawati Shah Alam last night (Saturday, 12th February) and it was nothing short of amazing!

Blown away is an understatement as words simply cannot describe the power and energy the singers brought on stage. The vocalists performed many of their hits such as “Dingga”, “AYA” and “Egoistic” as well as their iconic solo songs which they’ve performed as a group. Other than serving outstanding live vocals and visuals, the idols also served something special for their fellow member, Solar (김용선).

malaysian moos are so loud. look at their reaction 🥹💚#MYCONinKL #MAMAMOOinKL pic.twitter.com/7fEWOOrWgD

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

After a very energetic first half of the concert, MAMAMOO slowed things down with some ballads such as “Paint Me”, “I Love Too” and “Star Wind Flower Sun”. The girl group along with fans were then presented with a video projection of Malaysian MOOMOOs showing their appreciation for the girls but the heartwarming moment didn’t end there.

Before carrying on with their next set, Solar received an early surprise birthday cake that was brought onto the stage by the stage crew while the members and MOOMOOs sang “Happy Birthday” to her. Judging by the reaction in the video above, the 31-year-old was definitely surprised and thanked everyone for the kind gesture and gift.

For your information, the main vocalist will be turning 32 on 21st February and what better way to celebrate than with her members and MOOMOOs? It also wouldn’t be a proper birthday surprise without a group photo of everyone in the indoor stadium. After enjoying the nice surprise, the girl band proceeded to entertain their fans with more hits like “gogobebe”, “HIP” and “Starry Night”.

For Malaysia 🇲🇾 MooMoo, our special Malaysian mix of language by MAMAMOO during #MYCONinMY #MAMAMOOinKL #MAMAMOOinMY #MYCONinKL #MYCONinMY #마마무 #MAMAMOO @RBW_MAMAMOO pic.twitter.com/c5xA5fJDAu

— MyKpopHuntress (@MyKpopHuntress) February 12, 2023

A post shared by 마마무 (MAMAMOO) (@mamamoo_official)

Needless to say, fans would love for the concert to go on and on. MAMAMOO left the audience wanting more and more, and boy, did they deliver as the K-pop idols performed not 1 but 4 songs for their encore performance! Now that’s how you end a show!

In all honesty, we’d do anything to relive this concert experience. From production to choreography to setlist to, of course, the vocals, last night was simply amazing.

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(UPDATE) #ChrisCornell: Soundgarden & Audioslave Musician Dead At 52

American musician, singer, and songwriter Chris Cornell, best known as the lead vocalist, primary songwriter, and rhythm guitarist for Seattle rock band Soundgarden and as lead vocalist and songwriter for the group Audioslave, has died.

The news was confirmed by his representative, Brian Bumbery, who told The Associated Press via a statement that Chris passed away on Wednesday night (US time) in Detroit. Bumbery called the death “sudden and unexpected” and said his wife and family were shocked by it.

The manner in which Chris died is not immediately known, but his family will be working closely with the medical examiner to determine the cause of death and asked for privacy.

Chris Cornell’s death has been ruled a suicide by hanging, preliminary autopsy shows. According to ClickOnDetroit, the grunge rocker took his own life in a Detroit hotel bathroom.

Hours earlier, Chris performed with his band Soundgarden at the Fox Theatre in Detroit. Detroit was Soundgarden’s 12th stop on their tour, and the band initially had 6 shows left on their tour schedule. However, Chris’ death has left an uncertain future for Soundgarden.

Watch the footage from Chris’ final show:

Meanwhile, The Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office said “a full autopsy report has not yet been completed”.

Sources: AP, ClickOnDetroit, Billboard / Featured image: Universal Music Enterprises.


12 Places To Party & Countdown For New Year’s Eve 2020

Can you believe that we’re approaching the end of December already? What a year 2019 has been. But guess what? We bet better things awaits in 2020!

What better way to conclude the year with a bang! So in order to ensure we end 2019 on a high note, Hype Malaysia has picked out a list of hot places to be, this coming new year’s eve:

Back at it again with their New Year’s Eve 2020 Countdown Party, the Sunway Velocity party will feature a lane filled with tasty food trucks and fun filled carnival games as soon as early as 5:30 pm. At 10pm, be ready to party as a concert will be held featuring some of the best in local talent, before finishing off the night with some an amazing display of fireworks. Oh, did we forgot to mention that there is no entrance fee?

However, if you spend over RM800 in 4 or less receipts, you’ll receive a pair of VIP passes that grants you and a plus 1 access to a VIP standing zone to get the better view on the amazing fireworks.

Time: 5:30pm onward (food) & 10pm onward (concert & firework)

If you want to start 2020 with a bang, then Heineken’s “Holiday Troubles” campaign might just be the party that you are looking for. The campaign aims to bring a fresh new perspective to people by celebrating the unfortunate mishaps in the festive season.

The campaign will then be accumulated into a New Year’s Eve countdown party that will be happening at TREC. Featuring musical performance by DJs Jhin and BATE, the countdown shows will blend seamlessly around Heineken’s newest celebration piece, the Heineken® Star Tower.

Also happening at TREC will be a rooftop party at Elements. Said to house the biggest rooftop bar, visitors will get to experience a splendid view of Kuala Lumpur’s fireworks when the clock strikes 12 midnight. From Christmas eve till New Year’s eve, local and celebrity DJs will be there to keep the party going.

Psst, ladies will get a first free drink per entry (between 20th – 30th December) so gather your gal pals ;)

Prepare for a night of partying at The Square, Jaya One, where they are celebrating both Christmas and New Year’s Eve countdowns. Happening on the 24th and 31st December 2019, be charmed by live DJ performance from beautiful artists DJ Joleen and DJ Jodie. There will also be fire shows, live bands, snow party and so much more when you visit one of Petaling Jaya’s newest and hottest late night hub.

If you prefer to spend your New Year’s Eve in a more family friendly environment, then look no further than KidZania Kuala Lumpur with their New Year Countdown. Filled with fun kid-friendly games such as Balloon Pop Charades, Cookie Challenge and many more, the party will also have several role-playing activities, where children can learn from AirAsia Flight Simulator, Tourism Malaysia Tourist Information Centre and several others.

Tickets for the party can be purchase at Eventbrite, PouchNATION or Directly at KidZania Kuala Lumpur ticketing counter. Tickets are priced at RM100 for 4 or RM35 for 1 advance tickets. Tickets purchased on event day will be RM50 for each.

Laugh out loud as Malaysia’s stand-up comedy legend, Harith Iskander, and friends will make the hours before midnight pass by in a flash. Audiences will be entertained with killer jokes and stories all night long at The Joke Factory in Publika Shopping Centre. Tickets can be booked at the link here or call them at 013-5231491.

Foodies of Malaysia, this one is for you. Filled with food, drinks and more yummy stuff, the event promises a car park filled with a dizzying array of cuisines featuring a variety of food stalls for you to enjoy all night long. Happening from 28th to the 31st of December 2019 from 3pm to 12am, the festival is sure to draw in crowds that are looking for more meat in their New Year’s Eve celebration.

Going back to the wilder side of things, why not celebrate the end of the decade at one of the best clubs in town. Hosted by Big Camp Group and presented by VIVO, the group would like to invite all Malaysians who like live performances to the party.

Priced at RM10 for the entrance fee, the money will go to a good cause as it will be donated to Persatuan Insan Istimewa. There will be games, food, dance performances and a photo competition, where people will stand a chance to bring home their very own Vivo Smartphone. So if you want to party while doing something good along the way, you might want to check this out.

In terms of firework displays, few are as spectacular as the one that will be happening at KLCC. So why not grab one of the best seats in town at ACME Bar + Coffee, from their private terrace that is just next to KLCC park. Leading up to the fireworks will be a series of activities, along with plenty of foods and drink for you to enjoy. Book your favourite tables now at RM129 per person.

Why not end the year of 2019 on a high note (literally), at Resort World Genting, where they house some of the best clubs and cafes our shores have to offer. People who seek to end the year with partying can head right over to Zouk Genting. Occupying an entire level at SkyAvenue, expect a bewildering of games at RedTail and a symphony of killer tracks at Zouk Genting.

The nearby FUHU will also be featuring a special New Year’s Eve set menu that start at RM150 and will include a free entry to Zouk, a glass of Champagne and an exclusive spot to view fireworks at Zouk. What’s more, there will also be a “King Of Zouk” package that comes with a 3 feet high, 30L champagne bottle. Ticket price can be found here.

They’re bigger, they’re better, and they’re back with the largest New Year’s Eve glow-in-the-dark music festival, at Sunway Lagoon. The Cloudora Festival boasts an international cast of renown DJs like Hook N Sling, Tori Levett and Woodland, alongside 20 or more food vendors for you to choose from. This will all lead up to a grand finale of a spectacular firework display at Malaysia’s biggest New Year’s eve party.

Have you ever dreamt of flying on Santa’s Sleigh? Hop on and get ready to be wowed with exciting fireworks. As part of Dinner In The Sky’s promo, Santa In The Sky is an approximate 1-hour session that include an exclusive 3-course meal, free flow of wine, New Year’s celebration kit and a special 2020 takeaway gift.

P/s: Santa told us that there’s going to be enchanting surprise in the sky at midnight (during the New Year countdown at 12am).

You may check out our previous review here.

If you want to countdown in the sky and celebrate the new year at a rooftop party, then Lounge In The Sky at Elements Kuala Lumpur in TREC is the place to be. A welcome drink and small bites will be presented upon arrival. While experiencing Lounge In The Sky, you’ll get to enjoy free flow of champagne with your canapes. There will also be live performances while you absorb KL’s city view.

P/s: Those who purchase Lounge In The Sky will also get free entry to the rooftop party at Elements plus a free cocktail.

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#100PLUSStayThirsty: World’s Football Greats Pelé & Oscar Grace Launch Event

Last Friday (29th May), 100PLUS welcomed 2 of football’s finest, Pelé and Oscar, to Malaysia in conjunction with its “The Great Stay Thirsty” campaign. Also as part of the campaign, the beverage giants rewarded 100 lucky winners with the once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet the legend and the prodigy.

Pelé and Oscar are the first international ambassadors signed by 100PLUS and were chosen to inspire youths across the nation via the “The Great Stay Thirsty” campaign. With Oscar having recently won the premiership with Chelsea FC and Pelé being regarded as the greatest footballer of all time, the 2 superstars are the embodiment of turning dreams into reality through hard work, determination and a thirst for life.

During their visit to Malaysia, 100PLUS hosted Pelé and Oscar for a variety of activities at the KL Convention Centre.

Oscar shared his knowledge and skill for the sport through the “Stay Thirsty” Football Clinic with the four leading teams in the Ministry of Education Football League: SSM Tunku Ismail (Johor), SSM Pahang, SMK Za’ba (Negri Sembilan) and SMK Putera (Kelantan). The Ministry of Education League is a partnership between 100PLUS, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Youth & Sports in an effort to develop young football talents in Malaysia and encourage a healthier, sportier lifestyle among youths.

In support of this partnership, the Minister of Youth & Sports, Y.B. Khairy Jamaluddin was also in attendance.

“As Malaysia’s leading sports beverage, 100PLUS plays a large role in paving the way for successful sports initiatives that inspire the community to strive and push beyond their limits, and hunger to do better,” said Y.B. Khairy Jamaluddin. “The progress of sports in Malaysia is only achievable with sponsors and brands like 100PLUS supporting and developing youth initiatives such as this,” he added.

Also in conjunction with its partnership with the Ministry of Youth & Sports, 100PLUS presented a cheque worth over RM2million to Y.B. Khairy Jamaluddin at the press conference in support of the National Football programme.

Pelé, on the other hand, shared his vast experience in an audience with the National Football Team. Noted as the most successful league goal scorer in the world, Pelé divulged his triumphs and hardships throughout his history on the field, encouraging current and future athletes to “Stay Thirsty” for greatness.

100PLUS engaged viewers from across the nation by providing a live stream of the “The Great Stay Thirsty” Team Talk with Pelé on the official website. Through this, viewers were also able to partake in the Q&A with Pelé by submitting their questions via Twitter.

On top of that, a hundred 100PLUS winners were also given the opportunity of a lifetime to meet the Pelé and Oscar at an exclusive Meet & Greet at Chinoz on the Park. One lucky winner received an added surprise from 100PLUS when Oscar selected a card to reveal the winner of an all-expenses paid trip to the United Kingdom for a Premier League match.

For all the pictures from the event, check out the gallery below:

“The Great Stay Thirsty” is a nationwide campaign that encourages Malaysians to push their boundaries and strive to be better. As exemplified by Pelé and Oscar, the path to greatness never stops, keep it going with 100PLUS.

For more information, visit 100PLUS Malaysia’s Facebook page.


Going Back To Basics: ICE-Watch Introduces New ICE Generation Collection

There’s nothing wrong with going back to basics. Sometimes the only way to move forward and progress is to go back and remember our roots because we might find something interesting or new to work on.

That’s exactly what ICE-Watch did by bringing back an icon. Time has never quite been the same since the arrival of Ice-Watch to the watch market in 2007. A watch with a vibrant, fashion-focused, and accessible concept that would grow into a successful multinational, multigenerational, and intercultural brand.

Introducing ICE-Watch’s new collection, ICE Generation! The brand took what’s old and turn it into something completely new by re-imagining its star watch of the 2000s by creating a soft silicone collection. Now as fluid as water and as light as air, it ticks joyfully towards summer under the new name.

The ICE generation’s palette is a kaleidoscope of bright, fruity, flashy and pastel tones. For the more glamorous moments, the ICE generation also glows in black or white, punctuated with clear or gold touches. Holidays will be even more fun and colourful when you go from sun ray dials to iridescent rainbow dials or a waterproof casing to a waterproof strap.

The new vibrant coloured collection embraces the happy-go-lucky spirit and the magic of letting your mind wander or even travelling thousand of kilometres away. But that’s not all, these watches also comes with their own presentation boxes – the iconic BeCubic.

These boxes are in synch with their respective watches as they display the same colours of each watch. Keeping up with ICE-Watch’s increasing willingness to develop an environmentally responsible approach to current climate challenges, the BeCubic boxes can be re-purposed into multi-use boxes.

The dimensions have been re-imagined and the sides are now made of recycled plastic waste from the manufacturing process of the plastic industry. The ICE-Watch is firmly in line with a more responsible economy, as it uses less plastic and requires less transportation.

The ICE Generation collection comes in small and medium sizes for the same price at RM459 and purchases can be made online on their official website.

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Calling All Aspiring YouTube Artistes!

Have you ever once or twice in your life dreamed of someday sharing a stage with your favourite artiste? Are you once of those people who hole up in your room writing and performing songs in front of a video camera? Do your friends often tell you that you should be taking part in competitions or sending your demos to record labels?

Then we think we’ve found the perfect avenue for you!

Laundry, a staunch supporter of the local music scene in Kuala Lumpur, is proud to present the “YouTube To YouLive Sing-Off” program with aims to raise the profile of the Malaysian music scene via a new and fresh platform for aspiring singer-songwriters in Malaysia. We’re talking, YouTube and Facebook!

As one of Laundry’s mission is to introduce the diverse genres of music regardless of origins to its audience, the YouTube To YouLive Sing-Off program is open to all Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above. Participants can be solo artists, groups, or bands. Anyone with a webcam and a great voice can audition, as long as he/she is an unsigned musician.

At the press conference, Darrin Lin (Chief Creative Officer of the Chaswood Resources Group of Restaurants) said, “Malaysia is filled with extremely talented musicians and we want to give them the platform to shine. We’re excited to launch the auditions via YouTube. We’ve seen many great artistes come out of YouTube, Zee Avi one of them. Who knows what we might discover this time round.”

Here’s the complete breakdown of the series of YouTube To YouLive Sing-Off events:

Some of the celebrity judges that will be taking part in judging the live showcases states in the above schedule are such as The Azenders, An Honest Mistake, Liyana Fizi, and Pesawat, as well as Darrin himself.

The Grand Prize winner will be awarded RM5000 in cash + RM 1000 Laundry vouchers, and a chance to stage a “Live Concert” in Laundry in July, plus extensive media coverage to start their road to fame. The 1st runner up will win RM3000 cash + RM500 Laundry vouchers and the 2nd runner up will be rewarded with RM1000 cash + RM250 Laundry vouchers.

The program will go live on the 23rd of April (that’s TODAY) and entries can be sent via their Facebook page.

You know what they say; if you’ve got it, flaunt it. So hide no more, aspiring singer-songwriters. You’ve found your calling.


Maroon 5 To Bring Red Pill Blues Tour To 7 Asian Countries In 2019

Rejoice fans! Maroon 5 has just announced their “Red Pill Blues” tour.

The pop-rock band will be kicking their world tour off next month in the US. However, the Adam Levine-fronted group will only visit Southeast Asia next year. We know what most of y’all are thinking – is Malaysia included in their list of pitstops?

Unfortunately the answer is no. Fret not though, Maroon 5 will still be dropping by our neighbouring countries. You may want to start making travelling plans. The 7 Asian countries include:


(UPDATE) Human Centipede 3: Release Date & Official Synopsis Revealed

“The Human Centipede” has an interesting premise, but we can’t stand how gory and twisted it is. In fact, we didn’t even think it would spawn a franchise.

So, if you think the director is officially done with the film, think again. The 3rd instalment of the gross-out horror franchise was already in the works for quite some time and the director is finally ready to release it this coming May.

The Dutch horror film is written, directed, and co-produced by Tom Six. The first film tells the story of a German doctor who kidnaps 3 tourists and joins them surgically, mouth to anus, forming a “human centipede,” a conjoined triplet. According to Six, the concept arose from a joke he made with his friends about punishing a child molester by stitching his mouth to the anus of a “fat truck driver”.

Six also revealed that he did not mention the mouth-to-anus aspect of the plot when approaching investors prior to filming. Thus, the financiers knew nothing about the full nature of the film until it was complete. Despite receiving generally negative reviews from mainstream film critics, it won several accolades at international film festivals. It was released in the US on a limited release theatrically in 2010 and unsurprisingly received generally negative reviews. A sequel, entitled “Full Sequence”, was then released in 2011.

Entertainment Weekly exclusively reported that Diesel Laser, who starred in the original “Human Centipede” film, will return to the threequel to portray Bill Boss, a bully prison warden. It will also star Laurence R. Harvey from “The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)” and franchise newbie Eric Roberts.

Six also told EW that the film is “100 percent politically incorrect”, and we don’t doubt that either.

Bully prison warden Bill Boss (Dieter Laser), leading a big state prison in the US of A, has a lot of problems; his prison statistically has the highest amount of prison riots, medical costs and staff turnover in the country. But foremost he is unable to get the respect he thinks he deserves from his inmates and the state Governor (Eric Roberts). He constantly fails in experimenting with different ideas for the ideal punishment to get the inmates in line, which drives him, together with the sizzling heat, completely insane. Under threats of termination by the Governor, his loyal right hand man Dwight (Laurence R Harvey) comes up with a brilliant idea. A revolutionary idea which could change the American prison system for good and save billions of dollars. An idea based on the notorious Human Centipede movies, that will literally and figuratively get the inmates on their knees, creating the ultimate punishment and deterrent for anyone considering a life of crime. Having nothing to lose, Bill and Dwight create a jaw-dropping 500-person prison centipede.

“Human Centipede Part 3 (Final Sequence)” is slated for release in theatres and on VOD on 22nd May.

The red band teaser trailer for Tom Six’s “Human Centipede 3: Final Sequence” is out!

Don’t say we didn’t warn you, but they really did show us how they formed the 500-person prison centipede in the short trailer.

So, what do you think? Are you planning to watch it? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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TMJ’s Former Trainer Got Emotional Upon Learning That His Majesty Still Remembers Him

Tengku Mahkota Johor (TMJ), Tunku Ismail Idris shared a video of a military retiree named Mejar (B) Mohd Fitri on his official Twitter page.

The clip, posted by Twitter user @dexterawit, is taken from Mejar (B) Fitri’s Facebook Live broadcast where he recalled how tough the Prince of Johor was, during his time in the military training when he was younger.

“Do you guys know that TMJ is actually a sniper coach? If you respect me (as a coach), His Majesty is also a sniper trainer. The emblems worn on his uniform is not just for show. He truly deserves it,” the man was quoted as saying.

The former Football Association Malaysia president responded to the tweet by writing, “Thank you for training me, Sir. Also, thanks to all the trainers who have trained me over the years. May God bless you and your families. Amen.”

Terima kasih Melatih saya Tuan. Terima kasih juga kepada semua Jurulatih yang melatih saya selama ini. Semoga Tuan sekeluarga diberkati ALLAH SWT. Amin🤲🏻 https://t.co/4mA78IiZAw

— HRH Crown Prince of Johor (@HRHJohorII) January 22, 2021

TMJ’s post eventually reached Fitri. “I don’t have a Twitter account. Can my friends help verify if it’s true that His Majesty TMJ tweeted this? I feel like I’m getting emotional. I didn’t expect him to remember someone like me,” Fitri wrote on his Facebook post, seemingly touched by TMJ’s heartwarming remark.

He continued, “See, even though 20 years have passed, he still respects and calls me and his teachers ‘Sir’. Even though his title is much higher than ours. May TMJ be blessed with good health and glory in this world and the hereafter.”

The relationship and respect between TMJ and Mejar (B) Fitri is truly inspiring. There’s no doubt that we wouldn’t be where we are without our educators.


JYP Apologises To Sunmi For Causing Her Fans To Unfollow Her

K-pop songstress Sunmi (선미) recently professed her love and support towards former boss Park Jin Young (박진영). In this case, the 27-year-old posted a photo of Park Jin Young – also known as JYP among K-fans – during their hang-out session yesterday (Sunday, 1st December).

“Fever Fever,” Sunmi wrote on the caption, before adding, “Please give him lots of love. He is going to hold a concert, too.” At the time of writing (Monday, 2nd December), the photo managed to gain over 600,000 likes online.

#박진영 aka #떡고 #Fever 픠버픠버 달아올라달아올라 많이 사랑해주세요 그리고 콘서트도 하신대요 @asiansoul_jyp

A post shared by  SUNMI (@miyayeah) on Nov 30, 2019 at 10:27am PST

However, not everyone were too keen with the post. As a protest, many fans decided to unfollow her on her social media platform. In response, the “Gashina” singer left some hilarious comments on the same post. “I’ve lost about a hundred followers in a minute since I uploaded the picture,” wrote Sunmi. She further added that she “didn’t mean to scare” her followers away with the picture of the famed producer.

Following the unexpected situation, JYP took to his official Instagram in order to clear the air. He updated his profile with similar photo of himself, along with the caption, “Sunmi, I heard there were people unfollowing you after you uploaded this post. Sorry sister TT,” written in both Korean and English.

#JYP_sister #선미 #Sunmi #JYP_Fever 선미야 너 이거 올리고 언팔한 사람들 생겼다며? 미안해TT Sunmi I heard there was people who unfollowed you after you uploaded this. Sorry sister TT

A post shared by  J.Y. Park (@asiansoul_jyp) on Dec 1, 2019 at 4:15am PST

In reality, Sunmi did not seem bothered by the fans’ response towards her actions. Instead, she has continued to show her undying support for JYP’s recent comeback. The former Wonder Girls star even posted another picture of the legendary singer-songwriter’s album cover.

For those who don’t know, the “Who’s Your Mama” jam-maker has just made his long-awaited comeback in the music scene with a song called “Fever”, featuring rapper SuperBee as well as musician BIBI.

Sources: AllKpop (1)(2). / Featured Image: Kstarlive.

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Marcia Strassman AKA The “Honey, I Shrunk The Kids” Mom Passes Away

Actress Marcia Strassman has passed away after a long battle with breast cancer, according to Deadline. She was 66.

Her sister, Julie Strassman, confirmed the news to the publication Sunday (27th Oct) afternoon. “She was the funniest, smartest person I ever met, and talented. She knew everything. Now I won’t be able to call her and ask her questions,” she shared.

When she was 18, Marcia left her hometown in New Jersey to travel west to Los Angeles in hopes of turning her dreams into a reality. In 1975, she received her breakout role in the TV hit, “Welcome Back Kotter”, where she played Gabe Kaplan’s wife. Soon after, the actress received a steady amount of roles in projects such as “Tremors”, “Third Watch”, “Providence”, and “The Rockford Files”.

Marcia not only conquered the small screen – she also found big success in movies as she starred in “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” (1989) and it’s subsequent sequel, “Honey, I Blew Up The Kids” (1992). Who can forget Diane Szalinski?

Marcia’s last role was in Hallmark Channel’s “Looking for Mr. Right”. The TV movie, also starring Vivica A. Fox, premiered this past summer.

In lieu of flowers, Marcia’s sister has asked fans to consider donating to an organisation fighting cancer in her name.


Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, & Simon Pegg In Talks To Star On Running Man

“Mission Impossible” stars Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, and Simon Pegg are reportedly in talks to star on popular Korean variety show “Running Man”.

A source from “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” responded to the reports, saying, “It is true that we are in talks to appear on ‘Running Man’, but nothing is confirmed yet.”

“Running Man”‘s production staff were contacted too, with a representative reiterating the same stance. They stated, “We are indeed in talks to have Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, and Simon Pegg appear on the show but nothing has been confirmed. They are positively looking over hte offer to appear on ‘Running Man’.”

If talks go through, the trio will most likely shot the show during their visit to Korea. They are expected to land in Korea on 15th and 16th July for movie promotions.

Tom Cruise, Henry Cavill, and Simon Pegg will visit the country along with director Christopher McQuarrie. This will be Tom Cruise’s 9th visit to Korea and Simon Pegg’s 2nd visit.


Contest: Win Concert Tickets To Watch Boyzone Live In Malaysia

Did you know that Boyzone is coming to Malaysia next month? For those that don’t know, the UK group is currently embarking on their farewell tour before disbanding.

In partnership with our friends at Star Planet, we’re inviting a few loyal Hype readers to join us at Boyzone’s upcoming “25th Anniversary Farewell Tour” here in Kuala Lumpur. It’ll be amazing to watch these seasoned performers go out with a bang!

Deets of Boyzone’s “25th Anniversary Farewell Tour” are as follows:

Ronan Keating, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch, and Keith Duffy will not only be celebrating 25 years worth of music, but they will also be paying tribute to deceased member Stephen Gately, who passed away in 2009. Consequently, the group will be releasing a final album after their tour in September. Sam Smith and Ed Sheeran have reportedly written some songs for the record.

Here’s a song from their upcoming album, “Thank You and Goodnight” :

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

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

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#Ted2: Liam Neeson & Morgan Freeman To Appear In The Sequel

Ted the talking bear is back and this time around, the sequel of Seth MacFarlane’s “Ted” will feature a star-studded cast including the award-winning actor, Liam Neeson!

On 24th September, the director of Ted, Seth MacFarlane confirmed on Twitter that the Taken actor will make a cameo appearance in the film after being casted as a villain in “A Million Ways to Die in the West“.

Yesterday Liam Neeson, today Morgan Freeman. Not a bad week for #Ted2.

— Seth MacFarlane (@SethMacFarlane) September 24, 2014

As seen in his tweet, Liam Neeson is not the only heavyweight actor who will be joining the cast of the sequel as the Lucy actor Morgan Freeman is set to be part of the film too. Hitfix has also exclusively reported that “Mad Men” actor John Slattery will be making a cameo appearance in the sequel as well.

Set to be the voice of the title character, MacFarlane will return to direct and co-write the script of the film. Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Barth, and Patrick Warburton will reprise their respective roles while Michael Dorn and Dennis Haysbert will join Freeman and Neeson as the new characters of the film. Amanda Seyfried, who also appeared in MacFarlane’s “A Million Way to Die in the West”, will be replacing Mila Kunis to become the female lead of “Ted 2”.

Slated for release on June 26, 2015, the film will be distributed by Universal Pictures.

Don’t say we didn’t warn you but you better watch the sequel, because if you don’t, this will happen:


Top 10 Movies To Look Out For (Part I)

Can you believe that we’re already nearing the end of January 2013?  Tomorrow, we’ll kick off our first movie screening of the year – but we’ve also been busy scoping out other movies you should be keeping tabs on! We’re honestly excited with some of the big ones that will be coming up this year.

Directed and written by Jonathan Levine, “Warm Bodies” is based on Isaac Marion’s popular novel of the same name. The American paranormal romantic film has several references to “Romeo and Juliet” and it focuses on the development of the relationship between Julie (played by Teresa Palmer) and a zombie named R (played by Nicholas Hoult). After R becomes involved with Julie, who happens to be the girlfriend of one of his victims, their romance sets in motion a sequence of events that might transform the entire lifeless world.

Written by Wentworth Miller (yes, that guy from “Prison Break”) under the pseudonym, Ted Foulke, “Stoker” is largely influenced by Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”. The film tells the tale of India’s (played by Mia Wasikowska) Uncle Charlie (played by Matthew Goode) who moves in with India and her unstable mother (played by Nicole Kidman) after her father dies. Not only did India have no clue that her Uncle Charlie ever existed, she also slowly comes to suspect the mysteriously charming man and becomes increasingly infatuated with him. The film also marks South Korean director Park Chan-wook’s English-language debut.

Directed by Sam Raimi, “Oz the Great and Powerful” is an American adventure film that’s adapted from L. Frank Baum’s popular novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”. Set before the novel and the 1929 film, “The Wizard of Oz”, this installment of Oz is all set to take you on a fantasy ride. The film, released by Walt Disney Pictures, stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs (aka “The Wizard of Oz”), Mila Kunis as Theodora, Michelle Williams as Glinda, and Rachel Weisz as Evanora. It will also be released in traditional 2D, Disney Digital 3D, RealD 3D, and IMAX 3D formats.

This Marvel Comics superhero film needs no introduction – yes, it’s that highly anticipated. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, “Iron Man 3” is the sequel to “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2”, and the seventh installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Needless to say, Robert Downey, Jr. reprises his role and “Iron Man” whereas Gwyneth Paltrow plays “Pepper Potts”.  Ben Kingsley plays the relentless “The Mandarin” aka Iron Man’s most famous for in the comics. Let the action begin!

Paul Walker is back! Alongside Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, and Michelle Rodriguez. “Fast and Furious 6”, otherwise more simply known as “Fast Six”, will be the first of the film series to finally move away from the underground car-racing theme. Hardly anything has been revealed about the plot yet save for some hints about a heist happening, a plane crashing, and a trademark car chase scene. It sounds like it could be interesting. Besides, who can say no to the all-star cast?

(Part II of our “Top 10 Movies To Look Out For” tomorrow!)


(UPDATE) #SunghaJung: Guitar Prodigy To Perform In Malaysia In April

Get your money ready because Sungha Jung will be returning to Malaysia!

If you’ve missed his previous shows in Malaysia, fret not, ‘cos the guitar prodigy will be performing for fans for one night only this coming April.

Sungha Jung is just 20 this year, but has already achieved mainstream fame due to his talent in playing the guitar. The musical genius began his career by uploading covers on his YouTube page, and as of now, his 11-year-old channel has more than 1 billion views and over 4 million subscribers.

The musician, who is of Korean descent, has also collaborated with several artistes inside and outside of South Korea, including BIGBANG’s G-Dragon, 2NE1, Jason Mraz, Trace Bundy, Brown Eyed Girls’ Narsha, and more. His more popular pieces include his rendition of the “Pirates Of The Caribbean” theme song, Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On”, and Yiruma’s “River Flow In You”.

Well, we’ll leave you with his beautiful cover of Chanyeol and Punch’s “Stay With Me” to prep you for his show:

Tickets are not available yet, but you’ll be able to buy them via tix.my from next week onwards.

Wind Strings Music has released the ticketing info for Sungha Jung’s live shows in Malaysia. Tickets can be puchased via www.tix.my (Kuala Lumpur) and my.wsm.asia (Sabah).

*All ticket prices are exclusive of 6% GST but inclusive of RM3 processing fee.

Alternatively, you can contact the ticketing hotline at 017-2289849 (Kuala Lumpur) or 013-3400119 (Sabah) to buy tickets.

For more info, keep a lookout on PJ Live Arts’ official website and Facebook page, as well as the event’s Facebook page. For updates on Sungha Jung, check out his website, Facebook page, and Instagram.

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4 Netizens Under Investigation For Insulting Agong On Social Media

Any form of speech that may instigate hatred towards the monarchy is against the law – including remarks or insults posted on social media.

Four Twitter and Facebook account owners are under investigation by the police after posting statements that may contain elements of hate towards the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA).

One of the individuals being investigated is Sungai Pelek assemblyman Ronnie Liu Tan Khiew who posted on his Facebook stating, “Now in Bangkok. They are saying No to the King.” In the post, he included photos of anti-governmental protest that’s happening in Thailand.

The police have then summoned Liu after his post could be seen as instigating hatred towards the YDPA. The 52-year-old was detained in Cheras and the gadgets he used to upload the statement were confiscated.

Bukit Aman CID director Datuk Huzir Mohamed said, “On 21st October, an investigation was launched against a statement uploaded by a Facebook account owner named Ronnie Liu Tian Khiew. Investigations have been classified under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act for inciting hatred or insults towards the monarchy and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act for misusing networking facilities.”

Other than that, Huzir also disclosed several other individuals for uploading similar remarks towards the YDPA on Twitter and Facebook. The second individual is a Twitter user, @mxdriv, who tweeted an insult which was aimed towards the YDPA.

The third investigation involved another Twitter user, @LiewLipNan, who questioned the authenticity of the National Security Council’s post. He asked, “Wasiat Raja-raja Melayu? Where is the document of this will? Which history professor verified this? Which institution verified this? This is merely a political propaganda. Why is the National Security Council spreading fake news?”

The fourth case involved a Facebook user that goes by the name of Ho Ruey Terng who blamed the Agong regarding the Covid-19 situation in Malaysia. However, the user recently claimed that his account was hacked and insisted that he got framed.

The owner of the account proceeded to lodge a police report on 25th October, alleging that his account was hacked. After doing so, he uploaded a post on his Facebook page with the police report included.

In the post, he stated “As the current situation seems to get out of control, I hereby attach my police report made on 25th October 2020, 3:23 pm. I hereby hope that everyone will give time to the police to catch the real culprits and prove my innocence.”

All the cases and individuals are currently being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act and Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act.

Huzir asserted that, “The public are reminded to hold in high esteem the principles of the Rukun Negara that is loyalty to King and Country to avoid any possibility of insulting the King or government.”

Sources: MalayMail, Sinar Harian, BFM Twitter, Malaysia Gazette.


BTS’ Jimin Takes Part In The #SorryJungIn Campaign On Social Media

If you’re on Twitter, you may have come across the hashtag “#SorryJungIn” which is currently trending online.

This came following the recent broadcast of SBS’s ‘Unanswered Questions’, which covered the tragic news of an adopted child named Jung In (정인).

The baby unfortunately left the world last year in October after suffering from severe damage to the pancreas and other major organs. It was also discovered that her limbs and collarbones were broken and she was suffering from gastrointestinal bleeding as a result of the injury!

Shockingly, it was revealed by the investigative journalism programme that the poor child was repeatedly abused by her adopted parents. The investigations revealed that they had regularly assaulted Jung In physically multiple times. Not only that, the father and mother also had abused her mentally by neglecting and leaving the child all alone inside their car or house.

The 16-month-old baby’s day care teacher and paediatrician had suspected a possible case of child abuse. However, their reports to the authorities were ignored three times. The culprits, only known by their surnames Jang and Ahn, were later arrested by the Seoul Yangcheon Police Office on 13th October 2020.

Many netizens were completely infuriated after the tragic reports came to light. A lot of them took to Twitter to express their grief over the loss of Jung In. Others also trended the hashtag “#SorryJungIn” to voice out their regret for not being able to protect the baby.

Just when we thought the case was close, a petition was launched online to fight for Jung In’s justice and also to spread awareness about child abuse cases. Additionally, Jimin from BTS also took to Weverse to showcase his support towards the movement.

Rest in peace baby angel🥺😭😭😭😭May your soul take a good rest and get a better life with better people around next time and never go through such a thing ever again!🥺#정인아_미안해 #SorryJungin pic.twitter.com/Tt6XQ8j5Ml

— JAngel⁷🔰 FESTA greetings😘💜 (@jangel_butter_u) January 3, 2021

They took her childhood.They took her youthThey took her smileThey took her tears of happinessThey got her good day.They took away her dreams They took her breath awayThey took her life. They took her life. #SorryJungin#정인아_미안해 pic.twitter.com/uiu6qBHzHB

— ♡̷̷dilara (@taeftdilara) January 3, 2021

[WEVERSE] #BTS Jimin raises awareness on #정인아_미안해 #SorryJungin. pic.twitter.com/jKe0iQnCJH

— Malaysian Kpop Fans (MKF) (@msiakpopfans) January 4, 2021

If you are from Korea, please sign the petition, for fans all over the world use the hashtags and RT information to spread awareness. #정인아_미안해 #SorryJungin https://t.co/zEKDg8nRCK

— BTS Global Charts⁷ 💜 (@BTSGlobalCharts) January 3, 2021

This is very heartbreaking. May Jung In’s soul rest in peace. :'(

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#DescendantsOfTheSun: Relive Unforgettable Drama Moments With The OST Line-Up

“Descendants Of The Sun” has captured our hearts in many ways. We loved the “Song-Song” couple, the topless jogging military men, and the heart-wrenching moments whenever an attack separates our favourite leads.

But as K-Drama fans would know best, the essence of any great series, is the original sound track (OST). Feast your ears (and eyes) to these tailor-made OSTs, which has sold over 20,000 copies, from the hit drama to prep yourself for the drama’s finale:

KBS enlisted hip hop queen Yoon Mi Rae (윤미래), to sing the drama’s main theme, “ALWAYS”. Although the songstress is famous for her rap music, she sang this soft ballad beautifully. This is Yoon Mi Rae’s 3rd OST collaboration with K-indie band Roco Berry.

As the title suggests, “ALWAYS” is a song about loving someone always, whenever and wherever they are.

“Everytime” is a light-hearted song that serves as the theme for lovers Yoo Shi Jin and Kang Mo Yeon. EXO’s Chen (첸) and Punch (펀치) collaborated for the 1st time and they sang about how a couple’s hearts flutter every time they see each other. Just like what happens all the time when Captain Yoo sees Dr. Kang!

After the song’s release, it took over music charts such as Melon, Mnet, Genie, and more.

Davichi (다비치), the queens of OST, lent their angelic voices for the drama with “This Love” (이 사랑)! Unlike “Everytime”, this track is a tearful love song and is the theme for supporting lead couple Yoon Myung Ju and Seo Dae Young’s tragic love story.

Producers of the drama have been recruiting A-list singers its OST line-up and adding R&B goddess Gummy (거미) to the list is no exception! The singer sings emotionally for “You Are My Everything” and the music video allows fans to re-cap the most important moments of the lead couple.

Like “Everytime”, “You Are My Everything” topped various local music charts after its release.

Part 5: Mad Clown featuring Kim Na Young – Once Again

It is very common in K-Pop to combine rap and ballad together and part 5 of the OST line-up is a soulful track that unites Kim Na Young’s (김나영) beautiful yet sorrowful voice and Mad Clown’s (매드클라운) extraordinary rapping skills for “Once Again” (다시 너를).

This music video allows fans to watch all the heart-wrenching highlights of the Yoon Myung Ju and Seo Dae Young couple.

K.will’s (케이윌) “Talk Love” (말해! 뭐해?) is another chart-topping track from the drama that is a refreshing love song with an upbeat tone. The track also has very strong spring vibe that K.will is famous for.

“Talk Love” is the 2nd song (aside from “”Everytime”) in the OST line-up that is not a ballad. It’s nice to finally hear something happy, no?

“With You” by power vocal artiste Lyn (린) is a romantic love ballad about the importance of being with the ones we love. The melody of the piano and violin complements Lyn’s smooth voice well. Thanks to the drama’s popularity, “With You” was ranked #1 in 6 out of 7 music charts in its first week of release!

Remember how heart broken we were when we saw Seo Dae Young sneak into the hospital to see Yoon Myung Ju? “By My Side” is K-ballad’s legendary trio SG Wannabe’s (SG 워너비) contribution to the drama and we are completely drowned in their amazing voices.

Part 9: M.C THE MAX – Wind Beneath Your Wings

Last but not least, M.C The Max’s (엠씨더맥스) dramatic ballad track, “Wind Beneath Your Wings” (그대, 바람이 되어) is the latest track that was released last week, which makes another male ballad trio to join the OST line-up. We think that this beautiful song matches our leads’ heartbreaking romance really well, don’t you?

Part 10 will be JYJ Junsu’s track, the song that was used for Kang Mo Yeon’s broadcasted confession to Yoo Shi Jin.

Part 10: XIA (준수) [JYJ] – How Can I Love You

One of our favourite parts of “Descendants Of The Sun” that we could probably watch over and over again has to be episode 8 and episode 9, where Kang Mo Yeon’s “last words” was broadcasted to the entire camp by accident. XIA’s (준수) “How Can I Love You”, the song that played right before Kang Mo Yeon’s very unintentionally public confession to Yoo Shi Jin, is such a sweet ballad that it balanced out the cute but otherwise embarrassing moment perfectly.

Aren’t you excited for the finale this week? :)

For more drama updates, visit KBS’s Facebook page.

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#CaptainMarvel: Marvel Eyes “Guardians of the Galaxy” & “Inside Out” Writers

Meg LeFauve, who produced and co-wrote Pixar’s upcoming movie “Inside Out”, and Nicole Perlman, writer of Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy, are in talks to write “Captain Marvel.” The movie is one of Marvel’s key projects as it marks the company’s first female-driven movie.

LeFauve and Perlman are not a writing team, but the studio is putting them together even though both of them pitched different ideas.

The director and titular actress have yet to be announced, but the film is slotted for release on 2nd November 2018.

The film will focus on air force pilot Captain Marvel, also known as Carol Danvers, whose DNA was merged with an alien after an accident. The resulting alteration suffuses her with the super powers of strength, energy project, and even fly to space. In addition, she also served NASA and The Air Force, as well as various incarnations of The Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Despite having previously written comedy-drama “The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys,” this will be LeFauve’s first try in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Perlman was the scriptwriter for James Gunn’s “Guardians to the Galaxy”.


#Snapchat: Social Media App To Shut Down Lens Store On 8th Jan

The social app is shutting down its lens store this Friday (8th January), despite the fact that it was selling tens of thousands of filters per day.

The social media app shared a short announcement regarding the closure on the “Learning the Basics” page for lenses. It said:

This Friday (8th January 2016) we will be closing the Lens Store. You can purchase Lenses that you’d like to use again and again before Friday at 12:01 a.m. PT.

But on the bright side, users can still puke rainbows or make demon faces on the app, even after the store vanished.

The company also told TechCrunch that any purchased lenses will stick around even after the closure, adding that it will offer a rotating selection of 10 free lenses (up from 7).

Snapchat first introduced its lens store in September 2015 as a way to spice up users’ selfies.

Wth the camera in selfie mode, users can choose from a variety of free wacky lenses that changed daily. The lenses could turn users’ faces into a living nightmare or have rainbow puke spew from their mouths.

Some older lenses would disappear from the feature and users could purchase them for 99 cents per piece through the lens store.

Snapchat told TechCrunch that the company is shutting down the store to focus on advertising and shift resources to “other fun projects”. Its ad business includes sponsored lenses for movies and TV series.

So, do you have any favourites that you’d like to keep? Go snap them up now before it’s too late!

Sources: TechCrunch, The Verge, Engadget, Bustle, Snapchat.

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7 Things To Look Forward To At Mysterious World

You are one night’s sleep away from Mysterious World!

Given that we have not had a rave in Kuala Lumpur since March, this weekend is definitely something every raver should be looking forward to. Now, it’s no mystery where the centre of the EDM scene will be this weekend and to hype up your spirits, here’s a list of reasons why Mysterious World in Kuching is not something any raver would want to miss out on.

Pronounced as “dubs”, DVBBS is made up of brothers Chris and Alex Andre. Hailing from Canada, the duo is best known for their international hit “Tsunami” featuring Borgeous. Heavily influence from a variety of genres, including house, electronic and dubstep, DVBBS have played alongside names like Steve Aoki, Tiësto and MSTRKRFT. Having developed a reputation for their outrageous stage conducts, ravers can expect nothing but a good time with DVBBS.

Known for his creative, unique and original sounds, hardstyle dutch DJ Ran-D has performed at festivals such as Qlimax, Hard Bass, Defqon.1 Festival, Decibel Outdoor Festival, Thrillogy, Reverze, Q-BASE, X-Qlusive and The Qontinent. As one who lives in the moment, Ran-D is set to make every raver’s dream come true.

Okay, now every hardstyle fan will know that Headhunterz is enough of a reason to go for Mysterious World. A veteran in electronic dance music festivals, Headhunterz has played at Electric Daisy Carnival, Tomorrowland and he’s always the one kicking off Defqon.1. With a list of chart-topping collaborations, ravers can expect to lose their heads to Headhunterz this weekend.

4. Eat, sleep, rave, repeat with Frontliner

Known for his versatile approach to the genre, hardstyle DJ and producer Frontliner works closely with Headhunterz. A genius at creating masterful hardstyle anthems that he has bestowed upon ravers during mega music festivals, Frontliner will assure ravers of nothing but a fantastic time.

Belgian jumpstyle and hardstyle producer, Koen Bauweraerts, better known as Coone has been producing since 2002 when he started with hard house productions. Coone recently signed with Dim Mak Records (Steve Aoki’s label), Coone also manages his own label Dirty Workz. Having worked on tracks with Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike as well as Steve Aoki, there is just no stopping the swag with Coone.

6. Experience a ticking time bomb with David Gravell

Busting out one solid production after another, the world has embraced the uniqueness of David Gravell’s sound. Open to different styles, Gravell is best known for his bangers “Megatron”, “Timebomb”, and “Nighthawk”. Receiving heavy support from Armin van Buuren, Gravell has played at massive festivals including A State of Trance 650 in Utrecht and Creamfields.

Aside from the crazy lineup of international acts, Mysterious World is also set to bring together some of Malaysia’s very own up-and-coming DJs. Featuring names like Hana K., Bass Agents and Daniel Ang, ravers can expect a solid time at Mysterious World.

Mysterious World takes place on September 5th & 6th. Set times are as follows:

Date: 5th & 6th September, 2014 (Friday & Saturday)

Venue: Sarawak Cultural Village, Kuching Sarawak Malaysia

More information can be obtained here and on Facebook.


(UPDATE) #iKON: Boy Group To Debut After BIGBANG’s “MADE” Series Wraps Up

Just like you, we have been waiting for YG Entertainment to announce the official debut of iKON. Following BIGBANG‘s triumphant return to the Korean music scene, the company finally shared some good news about its upcoming boy group.

On 17th June, a music industry insider revealed that that the agency is planning to debut iKON after BIGBANG wraps up their “MADE” series promotion this September.

According to the insider, the new boy group already “made over 50 songs in preparation for their official debut”, adding that they will “make their first step into the music industry by officially releasing their debut track as early as the end of August”.

iKON has their debut ahead of them in late-August. While the exact time frame is subject to change, it will not happen later than the second half of this year.

The group already amassed a huge following, despite not having officially debuted. Fans of the group have also taken to Twitter to share their excitement about the announcement:

#IKON IS FINALLY GOING TO DEBUT OMFG THEY ARE GOING GO KILL THE CHARTS AFTER MAKING US WAIT ALL THESE MONTHS/YEAR!!!

— Ceilakha.blvd (@Ceilakhas_Blvd) June 17, 2015

they're going to debut! finally, after so many prayers i said to God #iKON

Korean netizens also found it hard to believe that YG will finally debut iKON, as the entertainment powerhouse is known for delaying their artistes’ debut or comeback.

iKON was previously slated to debut in January this year.

However, the report coincided with YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun Suk‘s earlier interview with TV Report.

After BIGBANG, iKON’s album will come out. These days, I have been holding meetings with iKON once every 3 days. For now, I think WINNER will be next following iKON’s debut album release. WINNER has already built up a fandom after debuting last year. They also won a rookie award. I think it’s only right to give iKON a debut opportunity first.

iKON members were chosen through Mnet’s survival program “MIX & MATCH” earlier last year. The final member, Bobby, made his name known through the 3rd season of rap competition “Show Me the Money 3″. He was featured as a rapper in HI SUHYUN’s “I’m Different” .

Great news, peeps. In an interview with OSEN, YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun Suk confirmed that new K-Pop idol boy group iKON’s debut date is set for 15th September! He also explained that due to BIGBANG’s monthly releases between 1st May until 1st August, followed by their full MADE album release on 1st September, iKON was forced to adjust their debut schedule to avoid the overlap with their senior.

Are you ready for iKON’s debut? Because we are ;)

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Siti Nurhaliza Warns Fans Against Fake Concert Announcement

Take note SitiZoners! Do not fall for fake details regarding Siti Nurhaliza‘s upcoming concert in Sabah.

According to the edited poster posted by the local singing icon below, she is scheduled to perform for several nights in a concert held at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) this April.

The “Kau Kekasihku” hit-maker has confirmed that she’s not participating in the concert. She further assured everyone that the event is actually fake and probably isn’t going to take place.

“Attention guys! I’m not involved with this event, nor will I be present at the mentioned venue and on that date as mentioned. To the person responsible for this matter, I request to not make use of my name and photos. I’m not taking part in this concert,” she wrote on the caption.

Siti continued, “I really hope that those who are involved will not make fun of such matter. As for the other artistes, I’m not really certain on whether they will be appearing or not. But I’ve never accepted any invitation to perform at this event. Please don’t fool the public.”

Apart from Siti, the concert allegedly features other big names in the music scene including Hael Husaini, Dayang Nurfaizah, Amy Search, Cakra Khan, among others. Even the three aforementioned local acts took to the comments section to shut down the false claims.


Hype’s Now Playing: BoA – Kiss My Lips

BoA proved that she is indeed the queen of K-Pop through the official music video for her latest single, “Kiss My Lips”.

Earlier last week, SM Entertainment teased BoA fans by releasing a series of preview videos, as well as the full tracklist of her upcoming studio album. The agency also debuted a series of teaser images:

“Kiss My Lips” is the title track of BoA’s 8th studio album of the same name. Its music video is also the 2nd video that BoA has released as the music video for “Who Are You“, the 1st track off her latest album, was pre-released on 5th May.

According to Soompi, BoA was involved in the album’s creative process as the songs were all written, composed, and produced by the artiste herself. All the 13-second preview videos that her agency has uploaded on their official YouTube channel showed that there is a mix of music genres in the album. There are upbeat dance tracks like “Smash” and “Shattered”, but there are slow tracks like “Home” to give fans a very mellow feeling.

A total of 12 tracks will be featured in the album, featuring artistes like Gaeko and Eddy Kim.

Though no artiste was featured in BoA’s “Kiss My Lips” music video, the artiste got us hooked on the song with her sexy, sultry voice. She also showcased her classy side while dancing energetically to the song.

BoA’s 8th album has been released on multiple music sites today, but the physical album will only be available in stores from 13th May onwards.

Hit up BoA’s official website and Facebook page for more information.


“It Ain’t Over Till The Fatboy Sings”

Quentin Leo Cook. Norman Quentin Cook. So many names, but most of you would only know him  by one – Fatboy Slim.

DJ, musician, EDM icon, and record producer, Fatboy Slim has won numerous MTV Video Music Awards (ten, TEN) and two Brit Awards and is hailed the pioneer of the big beat genre that broke into the mainstream channels way back in the 90s.

You know what we’re talking about – his best known tracks are such as “Praise You”, “The Rockafeller Skank”, “Weapon of Choice”, and “Right Here Right Now”:

[youtube id=”ub747pprmJ8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

It may be a cliché but the life of block rocking DJ Fatboy Slim closely mirrors the sentiment of one of his biggest hits. Criss-crossing the globe for more than 20 years, you’ll see him spinning at a Las Vegas VIP club one day, to hundreds of thousands on a South American beach the next, and then at an after hours club in Eastern Europe the day after that.

The question is, where is he going to next?

Next up, he’ll be bringing his acid house inspired blend of perfectly synched visuals and ground-shaking tunes back to Malaysia. Yes, M-A-L-A-Y-S-I-A. Thanks to ace party planners Future Sound Asia!

To purchase your tickets online, hit up AirAsia RedTix. For more information, head over to Future Sound Asia’s Facebook page or its official event page.

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Spotify In Malaysia: Press Play!

Hello music junkies. We’ve got awesome news this morning. Spotify, the leading music streaming service, launched yesterday in Malaysia!

Don’t know what Spotify is? Spotify is a better way of listening to music. With the launch, Malaysia’s music fans can now enjoy totally free, on-demand, legal access to over 20 million tracks. No need to buy or download – just hit play.

Listen on your computer, mobile, table, and even home entertainment system. Simply search for any artiste, album, or track. Discover new music by checking out the collections of friends, artistes, and celebrities. Or you could just sit back and enjoy Spotify Radio. And if you want to take your Spotify with you on the go, there’s also Spotify Premium (RM14.90 a month) for the ultimate music player on your mobile device.

And because music is social, so is Spotify. Share music on Spotify, Facebook, Twitter, your blog, and your e-mail. You can also follow other people so when they discover music, you do too!

For more information on Spotify or to sign up for an account, hit up their official website.


Quentin Tarantino Says Retirement Plan Is Definite

Quentin Tarantino certainly wasn’t joking when he said that he’ll retire after his tenth film.

Currently at the helm of his eighth film “The Hateful Eight”, the multiple award-winning filmmaker has revealed that his retirement plan is definite during a Q&A at the American Film Market. The revelation came after he revealed his plan to develop “The Hateful Eight” in 70mm film.

Back in 2012, the director mentioned his intention to retire as he told Playboy that he “wants to stop at a certain point” and that “the directors don’t get better as they get older”. His intention only seemed more serious when “The Hateful Eight” actress Jennifer Jason Leigh talked about being brought into Tarantino’s circle just before his retirement.

Both Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson who were also at the Q&A session respectively asked the audience, “You don’t actually believe that s*it, do you?” and “What’s Quentin going to do with himself if he’s not doing this?”. Much to audiences’ dismay, Tarantino surprised them by saying:

I don’t believe you should stay on stage until people are begging you to get off. I like the idea of leaving them wanting a bit more. I do think directing is a young man’s game and I like the idea of an umbilical cord connection from my first to my last movie. I’m not trying to ridicule anyone who thinks differently, but I want to go out while I’m still hard… I like that I will leave a ten-film filmography, and so I’ve got two more to go after this. It’s not etched in stone, but that is the plan. If I get to the tenth, do a good job and don’t screw it up, well that sounds like a good way to end the old career. If, later on, I come across a good movie, I won’t not do it just because I said I wouldn’t. But 10 and done, leaving them wanting more, that sounds right.

With only 2 films left, it just seems like the director is ready to take some time off filmmaking as he described that his days would consist of “writing plays and books, going gracefully into my tender years” when he’s not making movies.

Besides, “The Hateful Eight” might become one of the best films he has ever made since he doesn’t want to screw up his filmography. After all, most of his films such as Django Unchained and Pulp Fiction were nominated for several prestigious film awards such as the Oscar awards and the BAFTA awards. The production for “The Hateful Eight” will begin in January 2015 and the film stars Walton Goggins, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth as Oswaldo Mobra, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, and Channing Tatum.

For more information about “The Hateful Eight”, visit its official Facebook page.


Fintech Company OctaFX Sponsors Ideas Academy’s Students’ Exam Fees

University students don’t just struggle with only exams but the exam fees as well. Some have been lucky to have their scholarships to back them up while others had to work part-time to pay for their fees.

Fortunately for the students in Malaysia under the tutelage of the Ideas Academy, the international broker company OctaFX has sponsored the Cambridge IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) curriculum exam fees! Read more:

It is understood that the fintech company had reached out to the institute for collaboration to sponsor the students’ Cambridge IGCSE exam fees. It was reported that all the students involved were able to pass the exams back in December last year. OctaFX was, of course, invited to witness the students’ graduation ceremony that took place back on 24th February last month.

“This is absolutely amazing for our school and, needless to say, for our students. We cannot thank OctaFX enough, and our entire team is excited about putting the much-appreciated equipment to good use!” said Ideas Academy’s marketing executive, Ms. Simran.

Apart from the motivational speech given during the graduation ceremony, the fintech establishment’s webinar speaker and expert Gero Azrul made a generous donation by providing new IT (Information Technology) equipment to the teaching staff, which can be seen in the photo above. After the success of this joint initiative between OctaFX and Ideas Academy, the two entities are reportedly in talks to deepen their relationship by collaborating on future projects.

For your information, OctaFX is an international broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011 while Ideas Academy is a renowned institution that specialises in working with children from underprivileged families including those with refugee backgrounds since the year 2012.

You may visit OctaFX and Ideas Academy‘s official website or social media pages if you wish to know more about the companies themselves.

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#Marvel: “Avengers – Infinity War” Films To Be Retitled; Captain Marvel Confirmed For “Avengers: Infinity War”?

“Captain America: Civil War” directors Joe and Anthony Russo aka the Russo brothers have confirmed that the next 2 Avengers films will be retitled. Yup, the ones that are currently being referred to as “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1” and “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2”.

The brothers said that it’s because the current titles give the “misleading” impression that the films are closely connected. In a discussion with Uproxx, Joe revealed, “The movies are two very different movies.”

“The intention is we will change it; we just haven’t come up with the titles yet. But, yes, we will change it. And, yes, that is a scoop: we will retitle them,” he added.

The Russo brothers first made their Marvel debut with 2014’s “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”. The film was met with critical acclaim, with Rotten Tomatoes singing high praises about it:

Suspenseful and politically astute, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is a superior entry in the Avengers canon and is sure to thrill Marvel diehards.

More recently, sibling directing duo made another formidable impression in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) with “Captain America: Civil War”. So it’s safe to say that they have beyond high expectations to meet for “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1” and “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 2”.

Our “Captain America: Civil War” movie review here.

In other news, the Russo brothers may have also just confirmed Captain Marvel for “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1”.

Captain Marvel, also known as Carol Danvers, is an air force pilot whose DNA was merged with an alien after an accident. The resulting alteration suffuses her with the super powers of strength, energy project, and even fly to space. In addition, she also served NASA and The Air Force, as well as various incarnations of The Avengers and S.H.I.E.L.D.

Last we checked, we’re only due to see Captain Marvel on 8th March 2019 when her solo film is released.

But in speaking about “Avengers: Infinity War – Part 1” during an event at the Smithsonian Institute, the Russo brothers (perhaps accidentally-on-purpose) mentioned Captain Marvel by name. A fan quickly pounced, asking, “Did you just confirm Captain Marvel?” To which the brothers replied, “Um….Captain Barvel. Totally different character.”

Now, the golden question is, who is going to play Captain Marvel? Keep checking back with us because we’ll be updating all y’all with more details as soon as we know!

Meanwhile, check out the full Marvel movie slate scheduled through 2020 here.


#Apple: This Cookie Monster iPhone Ad Is The Cutest Thing This Week

Apple ads have featured a slew of celebrities in the recent months, including the likes of Bill Hader, Jamie Foxx, Jon Favreau, and Stephen Curry. The tech giant has been busy promoting the hands-free capabilities of Siri lately.

According to MacRumors, on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the A9 processor and M9 motion coprocessor allows Siri to continuously listen for the “Hey Siri” command without needing to be plugged into power. On older devices, “Hey Siri” is available, but only while an iOS device is charging.

Its latest ad, the iPhone 6S “Timer ad” engages another well-known A-list celebrity, Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster, to put hands-free “Hey Siri” feature to the test. The hilarious clip show Cookie Monster baking cookies and using Siri to set a timer. As he impatiently waits for the cookies to be done, he also uses his gravelly voice to command Siri to play a waiting playlist – Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle”.

And in true Cookie Monster nature, he then proceeds to kill time by switching the oven lights off and on, eating some flour, reading, pacing around the kitchen, gobbling up a wooden spoon, and basically doing everything that he can to contain his impatience. In the end, Siri reveals less than a minute has passed.

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#AirAsia: Low-Cost Airline Offers Up To 50% Discount On All Destinations

Wanderlusters, with so many long weekends next year, it’s time to plan the holiday you’ve always wanted :)

In conjunction with AirAsia X’s 9th anniversary, the budget airline is offering discounts of up to 50% for all its destination! Booking starts from Monday (24th October) till 30th October for a travel period between 9th January 2017 to 18th June 2017.

The promotion covers flights operated by AirAsia Malaysia, AirAsia Thailand, AirAsia Indonesia, AirAsia Philippines, Malaysia AirAsia X, Thai AirAsia X and Indonesia AirAsia X.

In a statement, AirAsia Group’s Chief Commercial Officer, Siegtraund Teh said, “This is a no-holds-barred promo offering up to half-off fares across our network. That’s up to 50 per cent off fares to our destinations across Asia and beyond.”

“From Kuala Lumpur to Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, New Zealand, Iran, Maldives or even Mauritius, this is the best chance to check out those destinations you’ve always wanted to see at even more affordable prices,” she added.

This could also be the chance to try out AirAsia’s Premium Flatbed during long-haul flights, as guests can enjoy premium complimentary products and services including priority check-in, priority boarding, priority baggage, 40kg baggage allowance, complimentary meals as well as a pillow and duvet.

Go on, book your next holiday here or via AirAsia’s mobile app.

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


#EXO: SM Accused Of Copyright Violation; VM Production Put Controversy To Rest

Remember that time EXO dropped the comeback bomb at 2014 Mnet Asia Music Awards (MAMA)? Oh you know, that awesome teaser video that was shown right after their performance? Well, it seems like the motion graphic art pieces featured in the video weren’t originally created by SM Entertainment at all.

Yes, we are talking about these 3 motion graphic art pieces:

According to Soompi, EXO’s agency SM Entertainment was being accused of plagiarism as Swedish graphic designer Erik Söderberg tweeted to ask which agency had used the motion graphic art pieces created by 2 other graphic designers and himself in the comeback teaser video without permission.

Erik and the other designers were made aware of the similarity between the motion graphics art pieces featured in EXO’s videos and the designers’ videos when Tumblr user orisonofkyungsoo compared the motion graphics side by side. The user stated that the graphics are originated from “Fractal Experience – 4D Metatron” by Erik Söderberg,  “Dancing Shapes” by Carlo Vega“/”Gray Keys” by Carlo Vega), and “Illusion” by Alexander Nusic:

A Twitter user asked Erik why the EXO’s video was blocked by him, he responded by saying that SM Entertainment had not given them any response after they sent their notice of copyright infringement in December last year. Thus, he ended up contacting Youtube so that he could make a report about the copyright issue on the teaser video.

In response to this situation, VM Production, the production company behind EXO’s teaser video denied that it was a plagiarism and stated they had “paid the graphic designer for permission for use.” “We are surprised at this situation and have contacted the graphic designer for further action, ” VM Production reps added.

@netizenbuzz VM Production had used copyright protected material from me and others when making the video. They made the mistake, not SM.

— Erik Söderberg (@eriksoderberg) January 14, 2015

SM Entertainment has also (finally) responded by saying:

EXO’s comeback teaser was produced professionally by a production company for the “MAMA” ceremony on December 3rd. We have asked VM Production for to take quick action and will work hard towards making sure that EXO’s comeback teaser is back up in service.

In just a few hours, Erik later announced on his Twitter that the teaser idea is already back up online, with the proper credit to the graphic designers involved in the video. He also thanked Seo Dong Hyeok for solving the problem almost immediately.

EXO fans – the video is back online and everything seems to be sorted out. Happy that Seo Dong Hyeok solved this fast and correctly. =)

What do you think of the alleged accusation? Are there any other issues that you think SM Entertainment should address in 2015? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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