Artists Are Hating On AI Art. Here’s Why

AI is everywhere, and there’s no way around it. It’s what helps us navigate our technologically advanced world. From picking out items in our shopping lists to assisting satellites in essential space explorations, AI is here to stay. And then, there’s AI art. Many people’s interest in AI art has been piqued because of NFTs and DALL·E 2, but, just recently, AI has been under fire by the artistic community around the world, and for good reason.

Much like how a person interprets another person’s work, they have the freedom to subjectively scrutinise whether this person’s work is art or not. It’s up to the person to decide whether what they see is art or otherwise. This article won’t discuss that side of the coin, but instead elaborate on the unethical and deceptive nature of AI art and why artists are mad.

The controversy largely began when an art piece made with AI was submitted and won first place at the Colorado State Fair in August 2022. Many argued how unfair it was, because all the artist had to do was input a few lines of text into a machine, and the piece was made. The organisers of the event cited that the artist followed the rules of the event, but they will start serious discussions about AI art for future events.

Many artists have also argued that with the increasing use of AI, their trade will become obsolete and threaten their livelihood. But in what way does it threaten artists?

AI does not generate art out of thin air. AI scans databases for art that it can use and modify to create “unique” art. Machine learning companies generate profits from “high quality media,”  and the quality of this media depends on training their AI to memorise a specific data set, or art style in layman’s terms. The AI will gather enough data until it can produce an acceptable final product, and it is the gathering of data where the problem lies.

The moment human-made art is uploaded online, the AI will immediately take that art and add it to its database. And those already uploaded have already been integrated into the system. These aren’t just works of art; billions of copyrighted images of artwork, photographs, and people have been collected online without the consent of the owner. And the artists online are not being protected and are also being exploited.

Stability AI, one of the largest AI image generators, funded the creation of the largest data set being used in AI, LAION 5B. Their data set contains nearly 6 billion points of  images and text data, including copyrighted and private data. Use of copyrighted data in commercial products is illegal, but they managed to get by as they use this data under the pretext of research. Regardless of what the intention was behind LAION 5B’s creation, we can safely say that it is being used for commercial purposes, as they weave their way through copyright law by a loophole, which is now being called “data laundering.”

Oftentimes, they target specific artists because of their style. A prime example of this is Greg Rutkowski, a Polish digital artist famous for his fantasy art style. He is known for his work in video games, such as Horizon: Forbidden West and the Witcher series, and tabletop games, like Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering. His name and work have been targeted over 250,000 times across other AI platforms that aim to mimic his style.

Since AI cannot forget, it will be imbued with the stolen data for the rest of time. This opens a door for businesses where they can simply rely on AI instead of human artists to generate images. Over time, these businesses can monopolise a single industry. Artists need to place their art somewhere, and almost everything is on the internet, so the AI cannot forget.

Because AI does not discriminate based on the images it takes, artists and people as a whole can become victims of identity theft and defamation. Deepfakes are a good example. It is where an AI takes a person’s face or body, digitally alters it, and then uses it for something else, oftentimes for malicious purposes.

As mentioned previously, AI is here to stay, and the creative community has acknowledged that fact. The community is instead fighting back against the system that infringes on the artist’s work and takes advantage of the talent of an individual. It’s about protecting artists against these unethical practices that attack their intellectual property and way of life.

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DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs Reveals “New” #1!

If you were one of the voters for the highly competitive DJ Mag Top 100 DJ poll 2012, you’d be pleased to know that the results were just revealed hours ago at a special ceremony during the Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). And who better to claim the #1 spot but the genius who helms A State of Trance (ASOT) shows and the man behind the juggernaut that is Armada, Armin van Buuren.

Yes! For the fifth time (which is a massive achievement for any DJ/producer in the world), Armin is #1 again after David Guetta knocked him off the top spot last year.

“I thought that was it, and house music was taking over. I’ve been really impressed by a lot of the new house guys, and I’ve been to a lot of house gigs over the summer. All that new energy that they’re bringing, I thought ‘OK, this is the future’. 2012 has been one of the best years ever for trance music. Maybe that’s because the focus has been on house music. It feels that trance is somehow more free”, Armin said of David Guetta’s win last year. (Source)

And how does he feel about claiming back his throne this year?

Joining him at the top ranks are none other than Tiësto at #2 and Avicii and #3. David Guetta is now at the #4 spot and deadmau5 is sitting comfortably at #5. Without further ado, here are the new heroes for DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs 2012:

For more information, visit their website.


CNY 2022: 7 Exciting Chinese New Year Movies To Catch In Cinemas

Are you ready to celebrate the Year of the Tiger at the cineplexes? When the coronavirus outbreak first happened in early 2020, many major releases were postponed and thankfully, several of them eventually ended up on streaming platforms.

This year’s Chinese New Year 2022 is hoping to pick up where 2020 left off with many festive movies schedule to hit the big screen (fingers crossed everything goes according to plan). From comedy flicks to drama action, here are CNY films featuring xxxx to spend your ang pao money on.

Co-workers Chaoyang and Zi Hong have been dating for more than a year, with marriage on the cards. When a client requests for a livestream of their reunion dinner to promote his products, the couple realises that neither have met the other’s family. Zi Hong is excited to finally get to meet Chaoyang’s mother, unaware of the latter’s estranged relationship with his mother.

Embarrassed by his mother Yan Ling’s occupation as a mama-san, Chaoyang decides to engage the help of a friend, Wei, to “rent-a-family”, resulting in a series of mishaps and hilarity.

The carefully constructed sham falls to pieces when the lie is eventually exposed over the reunion dinner on livestream. Will Chaoyang be able to repair the broken relationship with his mother and reconcile his differences with Zi Hong?

Due some poor life choices, Croc found himself behind bars at the mere age of 17. Now that he’s out on parole, he turns to his brotherly figure, Chief Liu, for assistance. His new job gets him acquainted to Zhi Ping Chen – a female farmer who’s determine to get to the bottom of her farm’s water blockage issues. Their constant bickering and conflict soon transform into a strong friendship. However, things get complicated when Croc discovers that Chief Liu is behind the water blockage problem.

The Covid-19 pandemic offered white-collar workers everywhere the chance to work from home. At first, it seemed like a luxury to be able to work outside the shackles of the office, but people quickly realized that it could also drive them insane.

For Coba, work-from-home has led to a daily cage match with his family. When he inadvertently learns that his mother’s homemade chili sauce is a hit with his co-workers, he convinces his family to turn the chili sauce into an online business in order to divert their attention away from conflicts. However, Coba didn’t expect that the sauce would become a timely internet sensation, thanks to families eating at home more often during the pandemic.

From deciding which type of bottle to use for the chili sauce, long-hidden family conflicts are on the verge of erupting again. Soon enough, the family’s daily tug-of-wars become even spicier than chili sauce……

“Men of the Dragon” helmer Sunny Chan directs this ensemble comedy that revolves around a family gathering gone sour. To big brother Dai (Dayo Wong), nothing is more satisfying than dining with his two younger half-siblings (Louis Cheung Kai Chung and Peter Chan Charm Man). But when his old flame (Stephy Tang) shows up as his brother’s girlfriend, kitchen nightmare strikes and it’s up to his part-time girlfriend (Lim Min Chen) to simmer down the situation.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, a teenager returns to his hometown to join a Malay wedding ceremony after quarantining. He takes this opportunity to take a walk to his secret place, named ‘Tao Hua Dao’, as it brings back a lot of sweet memories. Through the view of two kids (Hero & Feng), viewers will get to enjoy the sentiment moments about the people and the settings. This film also inspires audiences to be brave the journey of chasing our dreams, and be our own Hero!

Xiang Weixin (played by Li Mu), a 17-year-old high school sophomore, regards eating as the most important and most healing thing in life. The first time she met her senior Tao Youquan (played by Eric Zhou Xingzhe) was in the school’s welfare agency. At that time, Xiang Weixin lost her cash and could not afford her favourite pineapple bread. Tao Youquan decided to chip in the money for her, which made her feel deeply indebted to him.

Move over Ah Boys, it’s time for the Ah Girls to take the spotlight. Following the successful “Ah Boys To Men” movies, director Jack Neo is now focusing on the first batch of female recruits. These women will be tested to their physical and emotional limits as they undergo the challenging Basic Military Training.

“Singaporeans are very fortunate; we live in a relatively safe and stable world. But what if the population of young people drops below the level that we need to sustain our defence? We know that the birth rate of our society is dropping each year. Can our Singaporean women step up to the challenge of defending our nation, the same as we ask of our men? This is what I want to explore in our new movie. In a lot of ways, this mirrors the first batch of young men who were called up for NS way back in 1967,” Jack Neo was quoted as saying.

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“Cats” Is Getting Patched In Thousand Of Theaters After Its Opening Day

One of the more unusual films to come out this year, “Cats”, was released in cinemas last week.

While many things could be said about the film itself, it’s interesting to see that Universal Studio sent out a notice to thousands of theaters that they would be receiving an updated version of the adaptation – after the film had already premiered.

The Hollywood Reporter, who has obtained a detailed memo about the move, stated that the updated version will contain some improvement over the film’s CGI effects. They have also received word that the replacement was done under the request of the film’s director, Tom Hooper.

The 47-year-old director has reportedly been pretty up front about the film, saying that he was barely finished with his CGI-heavy flick for its world premier at Alice Tully Hall in New York, last week on Monday (16th December 2019). Some reports even suggested that he wanted to make extra changes to the film for certain effects.

Theaters will be able to download the updated film on Sunday (22nd December 2019) via a satellite server, while exhibitors who don’t have access to the server will receive a hard drive by Tuesday (24th December 2019), per Universal’s note. The theaters was also asked by the studio to replace the current version of “Cats” as soon as possible.

However, it might be a little too late for the film, as it has already been heavily pan by critics – receiving a rotten status on Rotten Tomatoes with 17% critic score (at the time of writing). Considering that the film cost around $100 million (RM 414 million) to make, and that the flick just garnered around $2.6 million on its opening day, it’s safe to say that it seems like this will be another Hollywood bust.

A post shared by Cats the Movie (@catsmovie) on Dec 21, 2019 at 6:11pm PST

Despite its efforts to better the musical, even with its 9 lives, the disastrous “Cats” can’t be saved.


Demi Lovato Responds To Romance Rumours With Nick Jonas

Seriously though Demi Lovato, do you want to “Ruin The Friendship” with Nick Jonas?

For those that don’t know, that’s one of our favourite tracks from Lovato’s newly-released 6th LP, “Tell Me You Love Me”. It’s been widely rumoured that the steamy tune is inspired by the singer’s BFF. Listen to the song and you’ll know that it ain’t just about a normal friendship.

The lyrics to Lovato’s “Ruin the Friendship” reads:

“Put down your cigar and pick me up/ Play me your guitar, that song I love/ Thirsty for your love/ Fill up my cup … Your body’s looking good tonight/ I’m thinking we should cross the line/ Let’s ruin the friendship … What’s taken us all this time?”

Does Jonas often post with cigars on his socials? Check. Does the handsome entertainer also play guitar? Double check. Plus, they’ve been besties for approximately 10 years. Eagle-eyed Lovatics were quick to out 2 and 2 together and zoom in on the 25-year-old star.

During an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”, the beloved host wasted no time in putting Lovato in the hot seat. “I’m told to ask these questions. I don’t care, I don’t. But supposedly there is a a song about Nick Jonas and because you just claimed to be so honest I think you should be honest with that answer,” asked DeGeneres.

After a couple of nervous laughter, the pop star – who looked super chic in her black-and-white ensemble – answered, “You know, something that I will always keep to myself is who I write my songs about.” Without missing a beat, the 59-year-old host replied, “I see. Okay. So it’s probably about him.”

So we guess the word is still out on who “Ruin the Friendship” is about.

In other news, Lovato was also recently rumoured be dating female DJ Lauren Abedini.

Sources: MTV, US Magazine, Entertainment Weekly/ Featured image: Getty.

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5 Highlights To Check Out At “The Batman Experience” In Sunway Pyramid

DC & Warner Bros. Pictures’s “The Batman” is hitting our Malaysian cinemas at this very moment and fans of the iconic DC Comics superhero are more than excited to see him on the big screens! But that’s not all they should be excited for.

In celebration of the movie release, Sunway Pyramid invites fans to come and experience “The Batman Experience” located at the Ground Floor Water Feature. The interactive pop-up event lets fans immerse themselves in Gotham City and the world of Batman. Here are 5 attractions of “The Batman Experience” that you should check out!:

Combining traditional and modern. Be amazed at the intricate Batman Wayang Kulit. Just look at the design and colours. Wonder what stories will be told?

If you’ve been a fan of Batman video games or maybe just video games in general, then you’re in for a treat at the Pop-up event as you get to play the video games provided! Not only that, you get to participate in some of the interactive games like the one below.

Now we all know The Batman is smart enough to solve basically all of The Riddler’s riddles and puzzles but do you have what it takes to solve whatever it is The Riddler is planning? Let’s find out.

Classic and modern Batmans coming together. Here you get to see figurines of Batman from different eras. Do you have a favourite Batman?

Who wouldn’t want to take a photo with the Caped Crusader himself? Kids and Adults can enjoy posing with the life-sized figure of The Batman and this is possibly the closest you’d get to getting a photo with Robert Pattinson.

It’s not often you get to see Batman running around a mall. You might even see multiple of them! Take photos and chill with Batman cosplayers and who knows, maybe you’ll get to even see who is behind the mask.

Don’t worry, there’s actually more to see at the “The Batman Experience”! Don’t miss your chance to see Batman cosplayers, participate in the games and stand a chance to win a life-sized figure of The Batman himself! This is an opportunity you don’t want to miss so head on over and have fun!

A post shared by Geeks In Malaysia (@geeksinmalaysia)

Be sure to catch “The Batman” showing in 124 cinemas today (Wednesday, 2nd March 2022)!


My Chemical Romance Shares First Reunion Picture Of Them Together

If you haven’t been sitting under a rock all this time then you would have already know about the My Chemical Romance reunion.

Though, being a fan on this part of the world, it will certainly be hard for us to see the band live and in action. Especially, since none of their shows announced include the SEA region. But, it certainly does feel good to see the members back together again in a picture they shared in their Instagram account.

The news of the reunion came last month, on the official My Chemical Romance Instagram account. The post announced that the band will be performing at Los Angeles’ Shrine Expo Hall taking place on 20th December. Tickets then went on sale on 1st November with it being immediately sold out in minutes.

Following the success, they then anounced 3 more shows that will be scheduled for 2020. The location of the 3 shows for the new year are Australia, New Zealand and Japan.

A post shared by My Chemical Romance (@mychemicalromance)

Earlier today (18th November), the group’s Instagram account then posted a picture of them together. The picture showed the members sitting on the floor together, seemingly discussing something in a rehearsal space.

The picture was also accompanied by the caption “11.15.19”, which is presumably the date it was taken. See the picture of the members below:

So what do you think about their reunion? We are stoked and keeping our fingers crossed that they decide to set one of their future shows here in Malaysia.

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#MilkcowMY: 2 New Outlets & A Cafe Expected To Open In 2015

Hailing all the way from Korea, Milkcow set the Malaysian dessert scene abuzz with its unique honeycomb ice cream. The brand opened its first Malaysian outlet at The Garden Malls, Mid Valley City on November 7th and had its official grand launch on November 28th.

The hype came as an unexpected surprise for Yeo Kian Howe, the co-founder of Milkcow Malaysia. Both Kian Howe and Blugroupe co-founder Ben Chin own the master franchise of the Milkcow brand. When asked about their decision to bring Milkcow to Malaysia, Kian Howe simply stated that it’s because of the rich milky flavour of the ice cream.

“I personally like it, my partner like it as well. When everyone likes the product so much, we knew that other people would love it to have a try as well,” said Kian Howe.

I love the concept of turning organic milk into ice cream with honeycomb topping so I thought our market would love to have this in Malaysia as well. After starting for about a month, the response has been ridiculous because we only planned to sell 300 cups a day! We are now doing 5 times of that now and struggling to cope with the demand. But everything has been going really well.

Best known for its premium soft serve ice cream, Milkcow was originally established by South Korea-based MCOSTAR Corporation Limited in 2014. Before venturing into the Korean food franchising business, MCOSTAR started its business in the apparel industry. However, the food franchising business helped the company and it has been on a steady progress for over a decade now.

Despite the language barrier, Blugroupe managed to sign the master franchise for Milkcow brand in Malaysia with MCOSTAR. Thus, they are currently overseeing the brand and planning to open more stores in the near future.

The brand’s first outlet at The Gardens Mall measures just over 200-sq-ft and space is very limited but that’s only because Milkcow Malaysia did not expect the response to be that crazy. Now that the brand is gaining wider appeal in Malaysia, we were told they’re planning to open 2 more outlets in the next 2 months. In fact, the brand is planning to open a café style outlet by the end of 2015!

Kian Howe revealed to us that the locations for the upcoming outlets have not been decided yet but they are definitely going to be opened in the shopping malls. As for the cafe, he said that they’ve only started to discuss about it and thus, nothing is in the works yet. He further stated that the cafe will take inspiration from the Milkcow cafe in Korea and the menu would be more compressed.

Served in a cone or cup, Milkcow soft serve ice cream was made using organic milk, a healthier alternatives to other brands of ice cream. This is how the brand differentiates itself from other brands of ice cream that is made from powdered or UHT milk and has a shelf life of 3 – 4 weeks. The must-try ice cream flavour is the Milky Cube, the signature soft serve ice cream with honeycomb topping.

The honeycomb they use is 100% natural and sourced from reputable local bee farms. Since the honeycomb is delivered in batch once or twice a day to the outlet, the honey they prepare daily will always be fresh because it only lasts a maximum of 3 days. But of course, honeycomb isn’t the only topping the store provides as 11 different toppings including homemade chocolate, macarons, organic cotton candy, and marshmallows are available too.

The soft serve ice cream without the toppings priced at RM8 while the rest are priced at RM11 or RM13, depending on the toppings. The Milkycube flavour is the most recommended flavour, but Macao Dream is a great alternative because the popcorn macaron isn’t too sweet nor flavourless.

Milkcow Malaysia is located at LG-K23, Lower Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, KL

Ooh it seems like Milkcow Malaysia’s new outlet is coming to us real soon!

On 11th February, Milkcow Malaysia updated their official Facebook page with a rather ambiguous picture that features their signature honey comb ice cream with an Egyptian pyramid as the background image. The caption reads: “Coming VERY soon this month! Stay tuned for more details.”

We don’t know about you but isn’t the answer obvious? We won’t spoil the fun for you so can you guess where will they open their new outlet? ;)

For more information, check out Milkcow Malaysia’s official Facebook page or follow them on Instagram.

*P.S: We hear that Milkcow is planning to bring its ambassador to Malaysia too! Check back our site for timely updates! ;)

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#HelloKittyRun: Celebrate Christmas With The Japanese Bobtail Cat In Singapore!

Hello Kitty, the world’s most famous feline character, will be celebrating Christmas on 19th December and she wants you to be a part of it!

Last year, Hello Kitty celebrated her 40th birthday in Singapore which featured a specially designed birthday cake and birthday song that was sung by 15,000 fans. The 5km Hello Kitty Run Singapore is considered to be the only Hello Kitty birthday bash in Southeast Asia.

This year, a new and exciting concept will be introduced as the event’s organiser has decided to introduce the Hello Kitty Night Run. For the first time ever, participants will be able to celebrate Christmas with Hello Kitty while enjoying the view of Singapore’s stunning city skyline. The fun run will start and end at The Float in Marina Bay.

Well, an exclusive runner’s T-shirt, a special edition commemorative Hello Kitty plush toy, a race bib, a finisher medal, a Hello Kitty shoe bag and a chance to celebrate Christmas with Hello Kitty in the most awesome-est way ever!

What are you waiting for? Register now on their website as the registration will close when capacity is full. It’s on a first-come-first-serve basis so you better go “make a run for it” before you lose your spot.

For more information, visit their official website or head over to their Facebook page.


Oscars 2021: Chloé Zhao Makes History As First Asian Woman To Win Best Director

This is probably the most deserving award of the night thus far – Chloé Zhao has just made history at the Oscars 2021.

The 39-year-old isn’t just the first woman of colour to be nominated in the Best Director category, but also the first to win for “Nomadland”! She joins Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”) as the only woman to win Best Director.

Here’s also another fun fact, Zhao is the first Marvel Cinematic Universe director to win the prestigious award, with her next project “Eternals” set to debut in November. Fans are already anticipating for the trailer to drop (hopefully soon).

As we celebrate the filmmaker’s historic win, Twitter user @women_direct pointed out that there are still Oscar categories where no woman has won ever. “This is for anyone who has the faith and the courage to hold on to the goodness in each other, no matter how difficult it is to do that. And this is for you, you inspire me to keep going.” – Zhao said in her acceptance speech.

Congratulations Chloé Zhao for Best Director! @nomadland Yes may we have faith in the goodness in ourselves and others ❤

— Sandra Oh (@IamSandraOh) April 26, 2021

She nailed it. The whole thing. Like I said, a class act. Congratulations Chloe Zhao, a most deserving winner. Let's go!

— Lulu Wang (@thumbelulu) April 26, 2021

Actress Sandra Oh and director Lulu Wang also tweeted out their excitement shortly after Chloé Zhao gave her winning speech.


#Malaysia: Commuters Are Spending More Time In Traffic Jams Compared To A Year Ago

Do you feel like you’ve been spending more and more time stuck in the daily traffic jam? Well, you’re not alone.

In an online survey conducted by global car maker, Ford Motor Company, 55% of Malaysian commuters agreed that they have been spending more time in traffic gridlock compared to a year ago.

However, 17% noted a decline and the rest said that it was about the same.

Not only that, more than one in five concurred that their commute in the rush hour was the worst part of their day. Amidst rising fuel, tolls, and public transportation prices, 75% of Malaysian commuters also reported an increase in the cost of their daily travels.

1,050 Malaysian respondents were interviewed, with 37% of commuters stating that their daily commute was getting worse. However, not all commuters felt that way, as 30% said that their commute was getting better and 33% did not notice a change for the better or worse.

On a more positive note, Vietnamese commuters were the most likely to say that their commute had improved over the last year, followed by commuters in India and Indonesia.

Some 12,619 consumers joined the survey, which spanned across 12 markets, namely Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

The survey, which was concluded in January, was conducted by GlobalWebIndex in the Asia Pacific region, on behalf of Ford Motor Company as part of their promotions for their SYNC 2 voice-activated connectivity system.

Do you agree with the findings of the survey? Are you satisfied with the traffic conditions in Malaysia, or like the majority of respondents, unhappy with the long hours spent in traffic jams? Tell us what you think by leaving your thoughts in the comments box below!

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#GetWeirdTourKL: Let’s “Get Weird” With Little Mix In Malaysia In May 2016!

Little Mix has certainly come a long way since winning “The X Factor (UK)” in 2011.

Through their recent hit single titled “Black Magic”, the British girl group is finally getting the big break they deserve.

Little Mix consists of Jesy Nelson, Perrie Edwards, Jade Thirlwall, and Leigh-Anne Pinnock. The were formed exclusively for the 8th series of “The X Factor” in 2011 after successfully auditioned as soloists. They established themselves as one of Britain’s brightest pop acts after becoming the first-ever group to win “The X Factor”.

The group signed with Simon Cowell’s record label Syco Music and released a cover of Damien Rice’s “Cannonball” as their winner’s single. In November 2012, they made their debut with “DNA”, the album which charted in the top 5 in 8 countries, including number 2 in the UK and number 4 on the US Billboard 200. This made them the first UK girl group since The Pussycat Dolls to spend their first week in the top 5. They are also the first UK girl group to earn the highest debut US chart position by a British girl group, breaking the record previously held by the Spice Girls.

This year, Little Mix managed to sell 5 million singles and 2.5 million albums worldwide. They also won “Breakout Artist” at the Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles.

For the first time ever, the “X-Factor” girls will embark on an Asian tour and serenade fans with their signature hits including “Wing”, “DNA”, and “Move” in Asia. They will kick off the tour in Manila, Phillippines on 20th May, before continuing their tour in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

The deets about their gig in KL are as follows:

Tickets are now available for purchase via TicketPro and and all prices shown are inclusive of RM3 ticket handling charges and 6% GST.

We’ll leave you now with “Black Magic”. Enjoy:

For more information about Little Mix, visit their official website. Don’t forget to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


Hype’s Now Playing: Andrew Rayel Ft. Jonny Rose – Daylight

“Daylight to me is a miracle that happens every day, and brings happiness to everyone. That moment after leaving a club show or a festival and watching the beautiful sunrise with your friends and loved ones and having that revived feeling after a night of amazing company and music.” – Andrew Rayel

When 2014 saw the release of Andrew Rayel’s awe-inspiring studio album, we knew that it wouldn’t be the last we’d see of him. And we were right, because now, approximately one year later, “Find Your Harmony” returns in a deluxe version.

This special edition of Andrew Rayel’s outstanding album debut features 2 brand new originals by the top notch producer himself, and no less than 20 stunning remixes of some of his best tunes to date. With magnificent takes on legendary originals by a marvelous selection of artists, including Dannic, Omnia, Orjan Nilsen, MaRLo, Alexander Popov, and many more, “Find Your Harmony (Deluxe)” makes fans delirious once again.

One such track you can expect to be hearing from the deluxe edition is none other than the newly released “Daylight”, which features the captivating vocals of Jonny Rose. With “Daylight”, the Moldovan producer delivers another stunning tune, the reason you’re coming out of bed each morning, in more ways than one.

Whatever the future holds in store for Andrew Rayel, we can be sure that “Find Your Harmony” is only a piece of the puzzle. We’re expecting a lot more epic stuff from the Moldovan mastermind, so you better keep an ear out for new material. Because after all, that’s where you’ll find your ultimate harmony.

Don’t forget to check out our exclusive interview with Andrew Rayel here!

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

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CONTEST: Win Free Tickets To See DJ Rodion!

Have no plans or nowhere to go for your Merdeka Eve celebration this year? We’ll give you a plan. Heck, we’ll even give you free tickets! Yup. You heard right.

Thanks to the people behind the epic parties of Bedroom KL, we have FIVE PAIRS of tickets to give away to lovers of music and disco. Not just any disco though – Italian disco!

Send in a picture of you or of you and your friend partying to submit@hype.my. The best ones will get a pair each (for you and your friend) to go rock Bedroom Pavilion KL with DJ Rodion.

For more information, hit up Bedroom’s Facebook page.


Fun For The Whole Family! What Went Down At The IRONMAN 70.3 In Desaru Coast Johor

After the success of a very big cycling event in Johor last month, Desaru Coast has become an even more popular hotspot for a holiday destination filled with fun for the whole family. In case you haven’t heard, Desaru Coast was chosen to host this year’s IRONMAN 70.3 series event! After 2 years of postponement due to the pandemic, the long anticipated inaugural multisport IRONMAN 70.3 series event is finally back!

Sports enthusiasts have been waiting for this opportunity for so long and they finally got to chance to put their skills and endurance to the test. For your information, the highly anticipated multisport event was only ever held in Langkawi which makes this the first time it’s ever held in Desaru Coast, Johor. Here’s what went down:

The IRONMAN 70.3 series event proved to be an overwhelming success, as the Desaru Coast Multisport Festival (DCMF) witnessed 2,062 participants over the weekend with 47.5% being Malaysians. The multisport festival weekend featured iconic endurance sports events by the IRONMAN Group which included the IRONMAN 70.3, 5150 Triathlon series, IRONKIDS and the SPRINT distance races.

Parents were overjoyed to see their children compete in the IRONKIDS event on Friday (22nd July) while the adults test their endurance in the 5150 Triathlon series the next day. The main IRONMAN 70.3 event on Sunday (24th July) was officiated by Menteri Besar of Johor, Datuk Onn Hafiz Bin Ghaz. A 17km stretch of immaculate coastline, complete with crystal-clear ocean waves and white sand beaches, lined the racecourse, where 1,475 athletes (including 26 teams) competed.

The IRONMAN 70.3 athletes started with a single-loop 1.9km swim, followed by a 90km ride on a two-loop bike course and finally finished off with a 21.1km shaded run to the finish line at the Westin Desaru Coast Resort. 21-year-Kenshin Mizushima crossed the line as the top overall male finisher with sub five-hour finish (4:18:22) and was elated after achieving his personal best.

“I have trained for several months for this event, and I am happy to reach this level of performance. I had expected a tough course, and I tried to conserve as much energy for the run. My aim is to do a sub-four hour for the World Championships in Finland next year,” he said.

While waiting for the athletes to come to the finish line, audience got to chill at the beach at the Westin Desaru Coast Resort, try out some delicious snacks at the food truck vendors where they can get a nice view of the athletes mounting and dismounting their bikes and there was plenty to check out at the EXPO hall where everyone got to see exhibitions and buy official IRONMAN merchandise.

The weather was perfectly sunny throughout the whole weekend with a little bit of rain on Sunday but that did not stop anyone from having a good time and that most certainly didn’t stop the athletes from reaching their goals. Overall it was a fun-filled weekend for the whole family and we’d like to congratulate to all athletes who managed to achieve their personal best.

For those who didn’t manage to complete the race, don’t worry folks you will get to try again next year and who knows, you might be able to compete in the world’s championships in the future!

Check out our video below to see exactly how things went down:

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)


#Toll: PLUS Offers Discounts For NSE, ELITE, & NKVE Motorists On Christmas Day

In celebration of Christmas, PLUS Malaysia Berhad managing director Datuk Noorizah Abd Hamid announced that motorists who are travelling more than 100km using the North-South Expressway (NSE), North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), and the New Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) will enjoy a 20% discount.

However, the rebate is only available for those who pay electronically. The toll discount will take effect on Sunday (25th December) from 12am to 11:59pm.

“The toll rebate is offered to Class 1 vehicle users, (light vehicles with 2 axles and 3 or 4 wheels except taxi) who are travelling more than 100 km and paying tolls using PLUSMiles, Touch ‘n Go, or SmartTAG,” Noorizah said.

She also added that users of the electronic mode of payment would still need to pay for tolls but the rebates would be reimbursed when they reload within a period of 4 months (between 15th January and 14th April 2017) at PLUS customer service centres.

On a side note, the toll rebate is not applicable for toll plazas at Tanjung Kupang, Bukit Kayu Hitam, Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, and Penang Bridge.

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


#BIGBANG: Taeyang’s “Eyes, Nose, Lips” Is About Girlfriend Min Hyorin

If you’re like us, then Taeyang’s (태양) “Eyes, Nose, Lips” (눈,코,입) is your ultimate love song. But did you know that the song is about his girlfriend of 3 years, Min Hyorin (민효린)?

The BIGBANG (빅뱅) member recently told the cast of MBC’s “Radio Star” that he wrote the lyrics while thinking of his bae. “I heard a rumour that it’s about a random woman that I don’t even know. The truth is that the song is about Min Hyorin,” he said.

The 2014 single, taken from his 2nd studio album “Rise”, topped all Korean music charts and it was also ranked #1 on the Billboard K-Pop Hot 100 Chart. “Eyes, Nose, Lips” was composed by Teddy, Dee.P, PK, and Rebecca Johnson, with lyrics by Taeyang and Teddy.

In a recent interview with Dazed and Confused, the idol said, “Honestly, I think people change after meeting they love. I didn’t have many romantic relationships, and the romantic side of  me was beginning to disappear. I felt ‘dry’. However, after I fell in love with (Min Hyorin), I rediscovered the romantic side of me. It feels as if rain is softly touching my dry heart. Thanks to love, I feel a lot more relaxed now. For that alone, I am thankful for love.” Aww <3

28-year-old Taeyang and 30-year-old Min Hyorin first met on the set of the singer’s “1AM” (새벽한시) music video back in September 2013. YG Entertainment confirmed the couple’s relationship in June 2015, adding that the actress is the singer’s first girlfriend.

They are officially the cutest K-Pop couple ever! In our books, at least ;)


CONTEST: Coldplay Live 2012 DVD + CD Giveaway

Did you miss Coldplay Live at Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) on 13th November 2012? Well, that’s what we’re here for – to surprise you big time! Thanks to our friends from Warner Music Malaysia, we’re giving away not one, not two, but FIVE copies of Coldplay’s first concert film/live album in nine years!

Yuh huh. You could snag one of these copies, a film documentation of Coldplay’s acclaimed “Mylo Xyloto” tour, and watch it from the comfort of your own home. More than three million people have already watched it (us, including!), why not you too, right?

And..that’s it. The best and most creative submissions will be published alongside the winners announcement in a post. So here’s your chance to shine, and be rewarded!

[youtube id=”EB-NbV4JTjU” width=”600″ height=”350″]

1. Please state your full name, IC number, e-mail address and contact number in your contest entry.

2. Winners will be announced on our Facebook page and a winners list post.

3. Contest is open to those residing in Selangor only.

4. Prizes are strictly nontransferable. Hype Malaysia reserves the right to refuse the collection of prizes for those who attempt to transfer it from one contest winner (in whose name it is registered) to another person.

5. Submissions close on the 3rd December 2012 (Monday).


Resorts World Genting: 3 Entertainment Outlets To Let Your Inner Child Out

The holidays are finally here and that means it’s the perfect time to plan a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. Contrary to popular belief, Malaysia is actually a perfect place for a short vacation as it is filled with ideal destinations to unwind.

Enter Resorts World Genting. Even though it’s currently undergoing renovations and thus making its outdoor theme park unavailable, this venue has come up with 3 other attractions for its visitors to check out and enjoy.

In line with these new entertainments, here are 3 spots you should visit when you are at Genting.

If you’re a fan of virtual reality, you are gonna love The Void.

Being Asia’s first hyper-reality experience, The Void integrates Hollywood characters with its state-of-the-art technology, physical stages, and multi-sensory effects. Thus, providing players an immersive virtual reality experience.

The themes of attractions are Star Wars: Secret of the Empire, Ralph Breaks VR, NICODEMUS: Demon of Evanishment, and Ghostbusters Dimension. Through embarking on these journeys with The Void, players will get to travel beyond the reality to see, smell, touch and experience the impossible.

Fret not if you’re not familiar with the chosen Hollywood narratives as it is not directly connected to the movie franchises.

Considering how its outdoor theme park is currently undergoing renovations, Genting has come up with a solution to satisfy your wild spirit. Spanning over 400,000 square feet, Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park promises endless fun for everyone.

The theme park is divided into three sections: children, family, and thrill. At the child section, kids can enjoy rides like the classic merry go round. As for the family section, parents can look forward to riding the majestic double storey carousel accompanied with carved horses and chariots that spins gently.

If you are looking for something more exciting, head over the thrill section. Here, visitors can expect a hella good time with rides like the intense Power Surge that spins upside down and Spin Crazy that rotates 360 degrees in the air.

The following prices are for the Preview Pass which allows guests to have an unlimited amount of experience based on the availability of the rides.

Here we come full circle as it is a sweet reminiscent of our childhood carnival memories. At BIGTOP, guests will get the opportunity to enjoy some classic arcade and carnival games.

Not only does it have a circus theme, but it is also filled with games ranging from the classic ring toss, lobster pot, cutting-edge arcade games, to Spacetime Squad Virtual Reality that transport players into a thrilling adventure of fighting evil robots.

If you’re feeling a little tired, you can take a breather and snap some #ootds for your Instagram. With its circus design and colourful light bulbs, you will get Instagram-worthy photos in no time!

The video game park operates on a cashless system. To enjoy the facilities, visitors are required to obtain the EziCash Card.

For more information, head over Resorts World Genting’s website over here.

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#Wolverine3: Patrick Stewart Confirms That He Will Play Professor X

Patrick Stewart‘s involvement in “Wolverine 3” is no longer a hush-hush top secret.

Plenty of rumours have emerged online ever since the 75-year-old actor hinted that the older versions of Professor X and Magneto will return to the “X-Men” Universe. And today, while speaking with Collider, the actor finally (and once again) confirmed that he will indeed return to reprise his role as Professor X in the 3rd “Wolverine” standalone movie.

“I think what you say is true. There is a project in development. I understand that Professor Xavier will be making more than an appearance, however, and that intrigues me,” Stewart said.

As it was recently rumoured that the film will be adapting Mark Millar‘s “Old Man Logan” storyline, he jokingly added:

And the idea of an old Wolverine – I’m really looking forward to Hugh Jackman getting old. You know, damn him. He looks so great! So I’m hoping to see him covered in prosthetics, you know? And then he’ll make me look better if that’s the case.

20th Century Fox has yet to confirm the report, but we do know that Stewart’s Xavier already met Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine at the end of “X-Men: Days of Future Past“. The story might take place right after the events of that sequel, should he appear in the final “Wolverine” standalone film. At time of writing, it is unclear whether Ian McKellen will return to reprise his role as Magneto.

Check out Collider’s full video interview with Patrick Stewart below:

The 3rd “Wolverine” movie, which has been in development since 2013, will see the return of Jackman in the titular role. He is currently working on this film with director James Mangold and writer Michael Green. He will be seen next in “X-Men: Apocalypse” with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, which is set to be released on 27th May 2016.

The “X-Men” spin-off films, “Deadpool” and “Gambit”, will be released on 12th Feb 2016 and 7th Oct 2016 respectively while “Wolverine 3” is slated for release on 3rd March 2017.


#F1: A Once-In-A-Lifetime Opportunity To Spend A #NightAtSepang With Airbnb

Ever wanted to wake up to the sweet roar of the world’s fastest engines, right outside your window? How about a midnight stroll, with a race insider, through the world-class circuit? What about getting really close to your favourite drivers, or witnessing every second of the race, in real-time, right from the cosy confines of your couch?

Well, the race to a “Night at Sepang” has begun.

Airbnb takes comfort to a whole new level by giving motorsport fans a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spend a night at Sepang International Circuit (SIC), home to the world’s hottest race.

From Monaco to Melbourne, Formula One (F1) racing is the world’s fastest and most prestigious race that travels across 5 continents and draws global television audiences in the hundreds of millions. Having hosted the race since 1999, Sepang International Circuit will be hosting the 17th edition of F1 from 27th to 29th March. For one exclusive weekend only, the famed track will be listed on Airbnb, offering 2 lucky winners (and up to 3 friends each) the chance to spend a night right at the heart of the action.

Located right on the Sepang circuit, the grandstand corporate suite will be transformed into a unique living experience as it is furnished and designed to be your home away from home, an oasis at the heart of the world’s hottest race. Surrounded by the buzz, adrenaline and excitement of one of the most prestigious races in the world, winners will get to enjoy spectacular views overlooking the track’s steepest bend.

Inside this open-plan home, guests will find a large living room, with panorama windows affording the greatest, uninterrupted view of the racetrack, one master bedroom, a small kitchen, a dining area and a bathroom. The lucky guests will find the modern conveniences of home – Wi-Fi, a widescreen TV, a coffeemaker, a microwave, a home entertainment system – as well as a plethora of books, board games, DVDs and video games for their own enjoyment.

The unique overnight experience will be full of highlights as former pit reporter and TV personality Sanjeev Palar will be the Airbnb host for the guests. Once races have ended and the stadium lights switch off, Sanjeev will lead guests on an intimate “Midnight Track Tour” and share stories and snippets of the track he knows so well. The group will then settle into the listing for the night and enjoy all the comforts of home before they awake to the revving of engines.

Sanjeev aims to leave a memorable stay for the lucky guests as he will serve a traditional Malaysian breakfast for them. Sepang officials will then lead on an exclusive “Pit Walk” where fans can experience behind-the-scene action at the teams’ pit. The winners will also get to enjoy all the fun activities and entertainment surrounding the race: the Carnival, drifting and karting at the Xtrack, and the after-race concert with K-Pop artistes Girls’ Generation (SNSD) and SHINee.

Guests will also, of course, get to watch all 3 sessions of the race – practice, qualifying, and race day itself.

Airbnb has more than a million listings in 190 countries around the world. The Sepang trackside is the latest addition to Airbnb’s “A Night At” campaign, designed to unlock places around the world where it’s never before been possible to spend the night. Some of those experiences have included a KLM plane in Amsterdam, Galeries Lafayette in Paris, an IKEA store in Australia, and a ski lift in Courchevel in the French Alps.

Wanna know how you can win this ultimate race experience? Easy.

Visit the Sepang listing on Airbnb before midnight on 22nd March (Singapore time), contact the host through Airbnb’s messaging feature and tell them why you’d like to spend the night in Sepang International Circuit during the race weekend (in English – maximum 100 words).

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

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#Travel: Relive Your Childhood Dreams In These Amazing Treehouses In Malaysia

Have you ever wanted to live your childhood dreams of sleeping in a treehouse? Well, now you can!

Whether you’re a curious traveler or just on a short weekend getaway, you’d be delighted to know that Malaysia is home to many stunning tree top accommodations. While many of these treehouses are hidden deep within lush rainforests, some are located by the beach. So if you want to take your outdoor adventure to new heights, here are some incredible treehouses to choose from for your next break:

Delicately designed to minimise impact on the natural environment, Permai Rainforest Resort is a relaxing eco-resort set in the pristine Borneo rainforest, close to the ever popular Damai beach. The resort’s 20-feet-high treehouses are well spread out to ensure privacy, making it the perfect place for a quiet getaway. If you’re feeling adventurous, the resort offers a variety of activities for guests such as jungle trekking, mountain climbing, kayaking, snorkelling, Irawadi dolphin watching, and night firefly tours.

JapaMala Resort’s tree top chalets offer comfort and convenience in the arms of nature. Simple yet luxurious, the chalets are perched high above the jungle canopy, situated only a short walk up from the beach. Each unit is equipped with air-conditioning, iPod docks, flat screen TV, DVD player, and a full mini-bar thoughtfully stocked with wines and champagne. And that’s not all, JapaMala’s resident spa outlet, SAMADHI Spa, has an array of traditional and therapeutic treatments to restore the mind, body, and spirit.

3. Terra’s Tree House, Cameron Highlands

Wanna get away from the hustle and bustle of the city life? Then Terra’s Tree House is the place to be. Located inside a farmland area, the treehouse hideout is an oasis of serenity within the cool hills of Cameron Highlands. There are 6 treehouses and each unit comes with simple amenities, a bathroom, as well as limited electricity (only available from 6:30pm to 10:30pm). But who needs that when you have fresh air and a whole forest to explore, right?

Note: Organic ingredients will be provided for guests to cook their own meals.

Durian lovers, rejoice! Balik Pulau, the rural and rustic area southwest of Penang island is a reputed durian connoisseur’s paradise and one of its orchard, Green Acres, offers farm stays. Its spacious and airy accommodations include a private Musang Loft Treehouse that overlooks the hills of the island. Home to 450 matured durian trees, the orchard has over 32 different durian cultivars to taste from so be sure to book your stay during the durian season (between June to August).

Malibest Resort’s treehouses are placed directly above a sandy white beach, overlooking the beautiful ocean. As the resort is strategically located on Cenang Beach, the lively area is filled with tourists and things to do. From water activities to local nightlife, the budget resort is perfect for couples, friends, and families. There’s even free Wi-Fi at the lobby area.

Located at Gunung Pulai in Johor Bahru, Rainforest Treehouse is surrounded by an ideal natural environment and is only 20 minutes away from the city! The homestay, which is built and owned by Ah Yao, features 7 treehouses – 5 small ones (up to 6 pax) and 2 big ones (up to 12 pax). Though the amenities prepared are pretty basic (mosquito nets, beds, blankets, and pillows), each unit comes with electrical outlets! And that’s not all, the bathrooms are supplied with fresh, cold water sourced directly from the mountains. Other facilities include giant hammocks and a large communal hall.

Planning for a tranquil getaway? Look no further than Melina Beach Resort. The family friendly eco-resort is situated on a secluded beach at the foot of Mount Kajang on Tioman Island. Their one and only treehouse chalet, which can accommodate up to 2 guests, is nestled in the branches of a sturdy beach almond tree, overlooking the main beach. The beach is blessed with a healthy coral reef, making it the best place for snorkelling and scuba diving. Guided treks can also be arranged for patrons who want to explore the nearby rainforest.

If treehouses aren’t your thing, check out these glamorous camping sites in Asia or quiet retreats within Klang Valley.

Sources: The Smart Local, Next Trip MY, Places and Foods, Johor Now.


Namewee’s Banned Film “Banglasia” Resubmitted To Censorship Board For Approval

Namewee’s controversial movie “Banglasia” is no longer banned in Malaysia according to producer Fred Chong, Group CEO of WebTVAsia.

At the press conference of “Rise: Ini Kalilah“, Chong confirmed that the movie has been resubmitted to the Film Censorship Board of Malaysia (LPF) and aimed to be released in Malaysia by end of this year or early next year.

The 2014 movie was previously banned over scrutiny of 31 scenes that were deemed objectionable by the censorship board. But after the 14th Malaysian General Election, the new ruling government party Pakatan Harapan (PH) has lifted the ban.

According to Chong, several scenes in the movie have been reshot and some new footages have been added to make the movie more relatable to today’s audience.

“Banglasia” tells the story of a group of multi-cultural individuals coming together when their cultural tolerance and understanding are put to the test.

The cast include Bangladeshi actor Nirab Hossain, Malaysian comedian Saiful Apek, Malaysian-based Singaporean actress Atikah Suhaime, and also Namewee himself

The movie also features legendary Datuk David Arumugan of the Alleycats, YouTuber Joseph Germani, female tattooist Kinki Ryusaki, and more.

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Gareth Emery Announces Hiatus From Long Haul Traveling

Well, this came as a complete surprise to us!

DJ/producer Gareth Emery took to his Facebook page to make a few announcements in one massive announcement a few hours ago. In a lengthy post, Gareth (otherwise more affectionately known as “Gaz”) confirmed that he’ll be taking a year-long hiatus from long haul traveling in the coming year. By long haul, this means that we probably will not be seeing him in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia anytime in 2015 although he was just here to play at Zouk Club KL last month. While the news came as a shock to many, Gaz had pretty good solid reasons as to why he had to make the difficult decision.

It’s true what he said and we’re sure that many touring/traveling DJs/producers can attest to that – having to play at clubs and festivals around the globe constantly makes it difficult to be where it matters most. As such, Gaz has decided that perhaps it’s time he misses out on all the action in the dance music scene to attend to his impending Daddy duties. Aww :)

In case you missed it, here’s what he posted up:

As mentioned in his post above, Gaz will be back in 2016 with new material because the time he’s taking off will also allow him lots of studio time to work on his upcoming third album. We can’t say no to that now, can we?

Congratulations, Gaz and Kat. You’re going to make great parents!

Can’t wait to see the baby pictures in March :)

For more timely updates, stalk Gareth Emery on Facebook or Twitter.


DJ Craze Squeezes All His Skills Into An Epic 3 Minute Mix

DJ Craze shows us what real #DJing is all about.

A couple of months back, A-Trak took to Instagram to talk about “#RealDJing.” The Canadian DJ discussed how every DJ has their own style, but one thing that all of his fellow musicians need to do is take more risks. Today,Nicaraguan American DJ Craze posted a video that shows dance music fans exactly what the World Champion turntablist was talking about.

Before getting into his routine, clips of Paris Hilton, Pauly D and Steve Aoki performing can be seen while Daniel Tosh’s commentary on DJing plays in the background. DJ Craze then quickly proves the comedian wrong with his insane “New Slaves Routine” set to DJ SNake’s remix of Kanye West mega hit and some fitting quotes from West.

Precision scratching and manual looping are just the tip of the iceberg, proving that although there’s a great expanse between ‘button pushers’ and the insane turntablism that can be seen in the video − and that plenty of techniques in that expanse are real and skilful, there are still very few DJs who are as entertaining as Craze.

Watch DJ Craze’s epic mix in the clip below.

For more on DJ Craze, stalk him on these platforms: Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.


#HKGC: A “Purr-fect” Date With A Global Icon At The Hello Kitty Gourmet Cafe!

Also known as Kitty White, the much-loved global icon recently showed us a new facet of her multiple passions by displaying her refined palate as a a food connoisseur.

Going beyond her hobbies of baking cookies and making pancakes, she has now opened the first Hello Kitty Gourmet Cafe at the Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall in Petaling Jaya.

Featuring some of her favourite dishes, the gourmet cafe aims to reach out to more refined, mature fans aged between 18 and 35. It also marks the first time that Kitty White is showing off her culinary genius in Malaysia. The cafe can accommodate up to 150 patrons at any one time.

Fans of Hello Kitty can expect to taste some of the best European cuisine, which are considered as the cafe’s signature dishes. The cafe also features an all-day breakfast made to order – including a live salad bar, where every dish is handcrafted by a chef in full view of patrons.

The official grand opening of the Hello Kitty Gourmet cafe was held on Monday (26th October) night and it was hosted by the very lovely Miss Tourism International 2012, Gabriella Robinson.

Guests and members of the media were invited to the event that was later joined by Sanrio Hong Kong’s chief operating officer Caroline Tsang and Hello Kitty herself. The event was followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony joined by the cafe management, Caroline, and Dato’ Ngeow, Managing Director of Sunway Pyramid.

Am Roberston, marketing director for the cafe, said in a statement:

We really wanted to showcase a new aspect of Hello Kitty that has not been prominently embraced before by her fans around the world.

“While we will also have an extensive range of Hello Kitty merchandise that will be exclusive to our outlet here in Sunway Pyramid, the focus is on letting patrons experience what it is like to be part of her life,” she added.

The Hello Kitty Gourmet Cafe is operated by HKTY Holdings Sdn Bhd.

It is located at the Oasis Boulevard, Ground Floor at Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall. It is open from 10am to 11pm from Monday to Thursday and 10am to 12am from Friday to Saturday.

For more information, visit the cafe’s official Facebook page.

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Malaysian TikToker Reveals You Can Earn Up To RM20K/ Month On TikTok

Who doesn’t want to make “easy” money? Everyone dreams of making money without having to do the work. Unfortunately, such a job can only exist in our dreams. There is also a misconception that becoming a content creator translates to making easy money.

There is also a misconception that becoming a content creator translates to making easy money. While there are a lot of internet celebrities out there nowadays, they’d still have to compete with millions of people posting their content online. Although their income isn’t fixed, one does wonder roughly how much can one earn posting TikTok videos.

Originally posted on the @MalaysianPayGap Instagram account, a university student shared how much they’ve earned for posting videos on TikTok. According to the anonymous TikToker, they revealed they make RM4K a month for their content. They elaborated that they earned the money by receiving gifts from live broadcasts (which can then be redeemed for money), doing paid reviews, or receiving video gifts from followers. This can be achieved once you apply for the Creator Fund on the TikTok app after reaching certain criteria.

Another way for TikTokers or online content creators to earn money is through sponsorship and affiliate marketing. The Malaysian content creator, who has 1 million followers, also shared that those who are on Weekly Rankings on TikTok can earn from RM10k up to RM20K per month. “My advice is to keep posting your videos on TikTok, I started my TikTok in January,” they said. The IG page claimed that the TikToker and their story have been verified.

The post was then reposted on Twitter by @razharahman, who encouraged others to start making content to earn a living. He also advised aspiring TikTokers to register for Suruhanjaya Syarikat Malaysia (SSM) and declare income tax. Netizens gave their thoughts on the IG and Twitter posts with many being curious as to what kind of content this anonymous TikToker produces to be able to earn RM4K a month.

While there are comments encouraging people to start making content as a side job, as seen above, some netizens also find it worrying that many young people would rather become influencers than further their studies. Others believe that doing TikTok as a full-time job is not sustainable.


Madonna & Diplo Take Over The Tonight Show

More than just a talented singer, Madonna is also a brilliant performer. On Thursday night, the Material Girl proved that she can also play the whistle and cow bell as well put on an epic show. Madonna accompanied by Jimmy Fallon and the Roots performed her well-loved track “Holiday” on “The Tonight Show” and delivered a stunning performance.

In the clip, everyone can be seen dressed in island-themed button-ups while Madonna looked stunning in fishnets and a top with gold chain prints all over it. Together with Fallon and The Roots, Madonna is seen jamming out in the green on the show in the hilarious clips.

Following her performance with “The Roots,” the singer performed quite possibly the most epic show of all time on “The Tonight Show” alongside Diplo.

In suit of a music video, Madonna is seen getting her makeup done in her dressing room, before she kicks down the door of Diplo’s dressing room, dragging him out before she goes on to dance around the studio. She ends her performance with her single “B*tch, I’m Madonna” on stage.

Madonna’s new album “Rebel Heart” is now available on iTunes.

Watch Madonna’s epic performance of “B*tch I’m Madonna” below:

Madonna – Bitch i'm Madonna ( on the Jimmy felon) by mdollaworld1


#OneDirection: Zayn Malik Calls It Quits, Group To Go On As A 4-Member Band

Last week, One Direction‘s Zayn Malik walked away from the band’s world tour after being signed off with stress. A photo had earlier emerged of him holding another woman around the waist. A second photo, taken from behind, showed him standing close to the woman. Their hands and arms looked as though they were linked.

He returned to the UK shortly after being forced to defend his relationship with his fiancee, Little Mix singer Perrie Edwards.

News have now surfaced that the 22-year-old has quit One Direction, as confirmed by the band in an official statement on their Facebook page. As we speak, there’s undoubtedly a crashing sound of millions of hearts breaking all over the world. In fact, fans on Twitter immediately responded with teary Vine videos and the #AlwaysInOurHeartsZaynMalik hashtag.

Undoubtedly, this is the sad mark of an end of an era, of One Direction as a 5-member heartthrob pop boy band.

My life with One Direction has been more than I could ever have imagined. But, after 5 years, I feel like it is now the right time for me to leave the band. I’d like to apologise to the fans if I’ve let anyone down, but I have to do what feels right.

The band’s Wikipedia page has also been quickly updated with a sentence, “Zayn Malik was formerly a member.”

In a statement, the rest of the group said:

We’re really sad to see Zayn go, but we totally respect his decision and send him all our love for the future. The past 5 years have been beyond amazing – we’ve gone through so much together, so we will always be friends. The 4 of us will now continue. We’re looking forward to recording the new album and seeing all the fans on the next stage of the world tour.

Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Harry Styles, and Louis Tomlinson signed with Simon Cowell’s record label Syco Records in 2010 after finishing third on “The X Factor”.  The group has put out 4 albums, and its hits include “Best Song Ever” and “Story of My Life”.

The group’s latest album, “Four,” came out in November 2014.

One Direction will continue their world tour as a 4 piece and record a 5th album later this year.

Sources: One Direction Wikipedia, BBC, One Direction’s Facebook page.

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#PitchPerfect3: New Footage Shows Anna Kendrick, Hailee Steinfeld & Gang Rehearsing

You better aca-believe it! The Barden Bellas are back in a big way as rehearsals for “Pitch Perfect 3” are already in full swing.

The movie’s Instagram account shared a behind-the-scenes videoclip showing Anna Kendrick, Hailee Steinfeld, Rebel Wilson and the rest of the cast learning choreography for one of the big musical numbers.

“We choreographed a couple numbers and I need to keep stretching,” Anna Camp shares in the clip. “The music is harder than ever and better than ever,” declares Brittany Snow. Other members that made appearances in the video include Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, and Chrissie Fit.

Although this short teaser doesn’t hint what songs might make the cut during the 3rd instalment in the series, viewers get to see the amount of hard work and preparation that goes into the rehearsals. For now, we’ll just have to rely on Wilson teased when she told the camera: “Day one, what can I say? Crushed it.”

A video posted by Pitch Perfect (@pitchperfectmovie) on Jan 20, 2017 at 2:36pm PST

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A video posted by Pitch Perfect (@pitchperfectmovie) on Jan 19, 2017 at 11:24am PST

For those wondering about the absence of Alexis Knapp (who portrays Stacie Conrad), fret not, the fan-favourite character is still listed as a member of the film’s cast.

“Pitch Perfect 3” is set for release on 22nd December 2017.


#ITSTHESHIP: Fresh Talkin’ With #Jillionaire

As the excitement for Malaysia’s most epic cruise party continues to build, we took a moment to speak to one of the acts from the It’s The Ship lineup who will be pretty much (but happily) stranded on the ship with everyone else, Jillionaire. Otherwise known as part of the Major Lazer trio. Also known as “Jilli”. But we’ll introduce him to you as Chris :)

Not a complete stranger to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Chris has been here previously with the Major Lazer crew. Here’s the thing though – he’ll be playing a solo set at It’s The Ship for the first time ever to a Malaysian crowd. Is it going to be challenging for him? Has he already got his set planned out? We find out in this exclusive interview with Jillionaire:

Hi Chris! How is it going? Where are you right now and what are you currently up to?

Hey, how are you? I just got home. I had a studio session so..I just got home from the studio.

What were you looking forward most to when you heard that you’re coming to Malaysia?

I was in Kuala Lumpur with Diplo as part of Major Lazer in November or December 2012 – we played at a club. Man..it’s Asia, you know? It’s just such an amazing place and it’s so far away from where I am. Different culture and different lifestyle as compared to the West too so I’m definitely looking forward to going back.

I don’t think Malaysians have ever seen you play solo and It’s The Ship is going to be the first time for us! Taking those 2 factors in, how are you planning your set?

Yeah! It’s going to be my fist time doing a whole solo tour over in Asia, in fact. I’ve been to Seoul before but outside of South Korea..I haven’t really done much in Asia. So I’m really looking forward to it. I think It’s going to be a lot of fun, yeah..it’s going to be crazy!  I’ll probably include a little bit of dance elements in my set, mix it up a bit, and get a good dance party going, you know? Give people something they can remember!

Your gigs with Diplo are especially high energy. How do you unwind after a show or ride out the adrenaline rush?

Hmm..we’re very low-key guys, you know. We would always like to give 100% on stage but once we get off stage, I mean, after shows we would usually just hang out with friends who came with the show and decompress. Maybe we’ll go to the after party. We’re just really low-key, you know? We just pretty much hang out just us or we’ll hang out with the crew afterwards.

Does that mean you’re gonna party with us after your set on It’s The Ship? Is there anyone in particular that you’re looking forward to seeing?

Oh, definitely! I’m gonna be on a ship and there’s nowhere for me to go so I’m definitely going to be hanging out. Hell yeah! I’m gonna see all the DJs and I have some friends who are playing also so..it’s something I definitely wanna check out. My friend LOUISAHHH!!! is playing and of course Lil’Jon who’s my homie..he’s playing as well. Maybe also catch some of the local DJs because I know that there are some local Malaysian DJs in the lineup as well so I wanna see those guys.

Let’s talk about this huge project that you’ve got that’s already in the works – your record label. What inspired you to do that and how long have you wanted to do it?

It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do ever since I started doing this full time since 2010. I travel a lot and I meet a lot of people who are super talented, you know, they can create new music and do all those crazy stuff. And you know what? Everybody is just trying to get help to get their music out there. So if I can use whatever relationships and connections that I have to help other people get there then..yeah. It’s just basically me..using my relationships to benefit others.

What would be some of the stand-out qualities that you’ll be looking for prior to signing an artiste on “Feel Up Records”?

There are no particular qualities that I would look for, actually. We just wanna work with people we like and the music that we like. I guess..we wanna work with people who are ambitious, hardworking, and self-motivated. It’s more like, “Hey, I have this product that I think you guys can help me get it out there” and I’d be like, “Okay, let’s just work together and see how we can make this happen”. Everything is a collaborative effort and we don’t wanna exercise creative control over somebody else’s work but we can help give direction and ideas, and tell people what they should or shouldn’t do..just kinda help people along with their path. So if they have an idea of what they wanna do then we, as “Feel Up Records”, can definitely help them – like release an EP, make a music video, you know? From that standpoint.

The music sphere has evolved in the recent years and now the electronic dance music spectrum is huge! How have you as a producer adapted to changes?

Music is constantly evolving and there’s very little that we can do to control it. To make a little bit of difference, we have to adapt every day. Because every day there are new producers, artistes, sounds, and there are also new young kids who are coming up with some crazy stuff! Stuff you wouldn’t have though much of a few years ago. It’s just about keeping your head to the ground and listening to what’s coming out or checking out what’s happening on SoundCloud and social media, listening to a lot of promos and just kinda keeping up with what’s out there.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/147062942″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Do you actually have time to do that though e.g. be on social media, listen to all the promos that flood your inbox, etc. considering your busy schedule?

Man, you know what? To be honest, sometimes I don’t! I try to listen to them as much as possible, I mean, I try to listen to everything that people send me. I think it’s important to do that because you might never know when you’re going to overlook something that’s crazy or groundbreaking.

This is a good one! I guess, uhm, I’ve always listened to Brazilian Tropicália or Brazilian free jazz from like the 70s or the 60s. So that..is pretty much it.

Last but not least, what would be the one advice that you’d give to your Malaysian fans in preparation for your It’s The Ship 2014 gig?

One word of advice? Wear really comfortable shoes (laughs) and loose clothing, because it’s going to get crazy!

Thank you so much for you time, Chris! We’ll see you at It’s The Ship ;)

Also, special thanks to our friends from Livescape Asia for organising this interview. Don’t forget to check out Jillionaire’s sounds via his SoundCloud right here.

For more information on It’s The Ship, click!

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#SpiderMan: 6 Frontrunners Screen-Tested On #CaptainAmericaCivilWar Set

There has been a sort of excitement surrounding the cast for the upcoming Spider-Man movie as it, understandably, has been sparking periodical rumours online. Now, it seems like we will be nearing the end of the rumour-mongering as several insiders revealed that Marvel Studios is ready to choose an actor who could play the webslinger.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, 6 shortlisted young actors were subjected to a “secretive, all-day screen-testing process” on Saturday (30th May) in Atlanta. They are Tom Holland, Asa Butterfield, Judah Lewis, Matthew Lintz, Charlie Plummer, and Charlie Rowe. Marvel is expected to make the final decision soon based on their performance.

Holland appeared in the 2012 disaster film, “The Impossible”, while Butterfield has made appearances in “Hugo” and “Ender’s Game”. Lewis and Lintz will be taking up their respective roles in the upcoming drama, “Demolition” and the “Pixels” movie. Plummer and Rowe have made their presences known through the small screen, as Plummer had a recurring gig on HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” while Rowe appeared on Fox’s “Red Band Society”.

A worldwide search was launched, with 1,500 hopefuls from around the world auditioning, but only the 6 aforementioned up-and-coming actors made it to the final round. The decision was made in the last 2 weeks or so. The final 6 were flown to Atlanta for screen tests, which, coincidentally, is where “Captain America: Civil War” is currently being filmed. This is not surprising, considering that the superhero equipped with spidey-sense will be making his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the Captain America movie.

Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios, was spotted at the tests alongside “Spider-Man” producer Amy Pascal and “Captain America: Civil War” directors, Joe Russo and Anthony Russo. Though a result is expected to be made early this week, another source from Marvel warned that “there is a slim chance that Marvel won’t like any of the choices and could keep looking”.

Earlier in February, news leaked online that Dylan O’Brien and Logan Lerman were eyed by Sony to play the webslinger. Then, a week later, The Wrap debunked those speculations when they stated that there was a “95% chance” that the next Spider-man was going to be from the Latin or Africa-America descent, definitely “not white”. In April, another contradictory report was released, stating that Butterfield, Holland, Nat Wolff, Timothee Chalamet, and Liam James, amongst others, have been shortlisted to take up the coveted role, with Butterfield rumoured to be Marvel’s top choice.

Marvel and Sony Pictures have plans to expand the upcoming “Spider-Man” movies into a trilogy and incorporate it into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the same time. A younger actor is preferable as the studios have expressed their interest to send the character back to high school.

Who do you prefer out of the 6 shortlisted actors? Do you think they will be able to make it as Spider-Man, or will the studios continue searching? Sound off in the comments box below.


A&S Is Offering Up To 70% Discount For Cordless Vacuum Cleaners At Lazada

Looking for portable vacuum cleaners that are affordable? The A&S by Neatsvor Robotic Vacuum Cleaner is your answer.

A&S and Neatsvor have partner up to launch a series of multi-function vacuum cleaners – namely the A&S by Neatsvor V390 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, A&S by Neatsvor X500 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, and A&S A100 Handy Cordless Vacuum Cleaner.

A&S has also collaborate with Lazada Malaysia for a storewide discount up to 70%! You might want to mark your calendar because this exclusive brand mega offer on A&S Day is happening only on 29th July 2019 (Monday) from 12pm – 2pm. Besides vacuum cleaners, items like washing machine and soundbars are also on discount.

Here are some facts about the vacuum cleaners listed above:


Marvel: Disney Fires Guardians of the Galaxy Director James Gunn

Disney, who owns Marvel Studios, has decided to sack James Gunn as director of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”.

This news comes after a series of his old twisted and controversial tweets resurfaced this week. His tweets and previous blogpost saw him making crude jokes on pedophilia and rape.

In February 2011, Gunn’s official website published “The 50 Superheroes You Most Want to Have Sex With: 2nd Annual Poll Results” where graphic blurbs were often created for each entrant. For instance, he called the card-throwing X-Men mutant Gambit a “Cajun fruit”. He added that the idea of his private parts rubbing against Gambit’s in a threesome “makes me sick to my stomach”.

The filmmaker also made fun of LGBT superhero Batwoman, hoping that a Marvel-DC crossover could happen with Tony Stark “turning her”. He then suggested that Iron Man’s playboy alter ego “lose the current prison p*ssy and go back to the ‘stache”.

He also called X-Men villainess Emma Frost “a rude bitch” for finishing off on the face of super heroine Spider-Woman. The Flash, who reportedly received many votes from the queer fans, was not spared either. “I have no idea why this is. But I do know if I was going to get f**ked in the butt, I too would want it to be by someone who would get it over with quick.”

Between 2008 to 2011, Gunn also tweeted out some offensive jokes, saying, “I’m doing a big Hollywood film adaptation of The Giving Tree with a happy ending — the tree grows back and gives the kid a blow job”. In another, he wrote, “The Expendables was so manly I f**ked the s**t out of the little pussy boy next to me! The boys ARE back in town!”

Not long after coming under fire for his years-old, off-colour tweets for “slut shaming” and “using anti-gay languages”, Gunn issued a lengthy apology on his social account. He said: “A couple of years ago I wrote a blog that was meant to be satirical and funny. In rereading it over the past day I don’t think it’s funny. The attempted humour in the blog does not represent my actual feelings. However, I can see where statements were poorly worded and offensive to many.

“I’m sorry and regret making them at all. People who are familiar with me as evidenced by my Facebook page and other mediums know that I’m an outspoken proponent for the rights of the gay and lesbian community, women and anyone who feels disenfranchised, and it kills me that some other outsider like myself, despite his or her gender or sexuality, might feel hurt or attacked by something I said,” the director continued.

He added, “We’re all in the same camp, and I want to do my best to make this world a better place for all of us. I’m learning all the time. I promise to be more careful with my words in the future. And I will do my best to be funnier as well. Much love to all.”

Despite his apology, Disney Studios chairman Alan Horn has condemned Gunn’s actions.
“The offensive attitudes and statements discovered on James’ Twitter feed are indefensible and inconsistent with our studio’s values, and we have severed our business relationship with him,” Horn was quoted as saying.

Gunn had been working on the script for “Guardians 3“, which is expected to debut sometime in 2020.

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Twin Towers @Live 2013 Leaves Fans Breathless

Twin Towers @Live 2013 held at the base of the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers on 22nd and 23rd March 2013 was a roaring success attracting more than 50,000 fans over both days to watch its stellar artiste line-up.

The two-day music gala opened on 22nd March (Friday) with Atilia who set the mood with renowned numbers like “Selagi”, “Indah”, and “Sangkar”. Next up was K-Town Clan who took to the stage to keep the energy going with catchy numbers like “Backstreet’s Back” and “Trap Intro”.

The K-Pop phenomenon received a warm welcome from its fans when U-Kiss hit the stage with their boy charms. Performing their signature songs like “Never Land”, “Standing Still”, and “Someday”, the band received a rapturous response from the sea of K-Pop fans, who were all dancing and taking photos and videos to capture the best moments throughout the band’s performance.

The stage was then dominated by the energetic performance of Demi Lovato. Despite an earlier short downpour, her fans stood ground to watch her perform her biggest hits that include “Unbroken”, “Here We Go Again”, and “La La Land”. The one-hour show brought on a screaming frenzy among her fans who managed to catch her first ever performance in Malaysia. To close out the first night of performance, DJ Face took to the stage and switched the crowd to a party mode.

Returning with the same vigour on 23rd March (Saturday), the Twin Towers @Live 2013 stage opened with local boy Caprice, who then handed the floor to the Earth Hour celebrations.The show continued with a spirited performance by internationally-recognised Malaysian, Mizz Nina.

Both Malaysian artistes got the crowd pumping as the opening acts for the night’s two headliners Backstreet Boys and 2NE1.

2NE1 were on stage next bringing their K-Pop vibe with tracks like “Lonely” and “I Am The Best’, that brought their fans to their feet, dancing and singing along to their performance. The girls who are set to make their US debut this year, were charming and addressed their fans in both Korean and Bahasa Malaysia.

It was a sight to behold with the quartet performing heart pumping dance moves to their numbers and featuring energy levels which are exclusive to the K-Pop genre.

The stage was then home to Backstreet Boys, who performed to thousands of ecstatic fans. Their rendition of their chart-topping hits like “Larger Than Life”, “I Want It That Way”, and “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)”, truly brought the superstardom feel to Twin Towers @live. The crowd sang and danced along to each and every number of the hits they belted.

Malaysian fans were given a special treat with the performance at the Twin Towers @Live 2013 especially with the Backstreet Boys set to embark on their 20th Anniversary celebration world tour. Expressing their love and gratitude for their fans across Asia, the group also performed some of their much loved dance moves that brought their fans literally to their feet.

Closing the night was DJ Tatsuro who opened the outdoor dance floor at the Twin Towers. Blending beats and sounds from various genres; including hip hop, electro-house, dubstep and trap, he kept the crowd going until 2am.

For more information, visit their Facebook page.


Because It’s All About The Dress, Right?

If you think this is a sequel to the infamous film Princess Diaries.. you got it wrong.

Since yesterday, the buzz on the street (and around the world) is Anne Hathaway’s wedding. But here’s the thing – we already knew she was going to get married eventually. What people didn’t know was or rather haven’t seen was..her dress!

Check out the ravishing bride spectacular off-the-shoulder Valentino gown, beautifully backlit for her sunset ceremony in Big Sur with new hubby Adam Shulman. (Source)

Apparently Valentino is a good friend of Anne Hathaway. Valentino even said that Anne is like his very own daughter. Well, “papa” Valentino has certainly done his “daughter” proud with this charming swirl of wedding white.

Adam got down on one knee in 2011 and the couple got married last weekend.

The Dark Knight Rises star said “I do” on Saturday night infront of more than 100 guests in Big Sur, California. The couple who has been engaged since November, began dating in 2008. (Source)

Cheers to the newlyweds – may they have a very happy life together. Mazel Tov! Queen Clarisse Renaldi (that’s Julie Andrews in the Princess Diaries, duh) would be thrilled.

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#KimJongNam: Half-Brother Of North Korea’s Leader Believed To Have Been Assassinated In KL

The half-brother of North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un has been found dead in Kuala Lumpur, reported South Korean media Yonhap News Agency citing a South Korean government source.

Several other South Korean media have also reported the news, with TV Chosun, a cable television network, stating that that Kim Jong Nam was believed to have been assassinated by 2 female North Korean operatives yesterday (Monday, 13th February).

News is still scarce, but it is believed that the 45-year-old was poisoned at a Kuala Lumpur airport, and the suspects are currently still at large.

While talking to Reuters, Malaysian police has confirmed that an unidentified North Korean man died while en route to the hospital from a Kuala Lumpur airport. Police did not reveal the identify of the man, but an employee in the emergency ward of Putrajaya hospital disclosed that a Korean born in 1970 by the surname of Kim passed away there.

Kim Jong Nam was the eldest son of former leader Kim Jong-il and was once considered to be the leader of the country. However, he reportedly fell out of favor with his father in 2001 after his attempt to enter Japan on a false passport was foiled.

His later years were spent outside of North Korea and he has repeatedly talked about reforming North Korea. He has also been allegedly targeted for assassination by Kim Jong Un previously.

We’ll update this post with information as soon as we have it.

Sources: Channel NewsAsia, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal.


TWICE Is Keeping Their Promise By Returning For A KL Concert

Onces in Malaysia were crushed last year when TWICE (트와이스)’s concert in Kuala Lumpur was cancelled at the 11th hour.

Both fans and the K-pop stars were in tears during the send-off at KLIA airport. However, the ladies of TWICE promised fans that they will be back to finish their incomplete task. Guess what? It’s finally happening!

In addition to dropping teaser images for their 7th mini album “Fancy You”, TWICE also revealed their world tour scheduled for 2019. The K-pop stars will be kicking their tour next month in Seoul and will be closing it with a bang in Malaysia.

It looks like TWICE’s KL concert will be handled by IME again.


“Crossfire Hurricane” On Sundance Channel

For 50 years, The Rolling Stones defined creativity, and now, Crossfire Hurricane, a critically acclaimed new documentary, gives viewers exclusive insights into the journey of these rock n’ roll icons.

The film illustrates the Stones’ evolution from being, as Jagger vividly describes it, “the band everybody hated to the band everybody loves” through the hedonistic 1970s and Keith’s turning-point bust in Canada to the spectacular touring phenomenon we know today. Richards also reveals the song that he believes defines the “essence” of his writing relationship with Jagger more than any other.

Crossfire Hurricane, which is directed by Brett Morgen, made its debut at the recent London Film Festival. Produced with the full cooperation of The Rolling Stones, it combines extensive historical footage, much of it widely unseen, with contemporary commentaries by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood, and former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor. Period interviews, extensive live performance material and news archive give the production a truly kinetic aura and no-holds-barred approach.

The Rolling Stones had gone from being the band that everyone hated to the band that everyone loved. We’d gone from unacceptable to totally acceptable. Everything had changed. We became a kind of institution and we hadn’t even got to be 40 yet (laughs).

Crossfire Hurricane will premiere exclusively at midnight on New Year’s Eve (31st December at midnight) on Sundance Channel HD on Astro b.yond (channel 438).

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

For more information, visit their official website.

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#Alvivi: Alvin Tan Apparently Seeking Asylum In US

It seems that he’s (kinda) back online again as Channel NewAsia, via a correspondent’s personal Facebook account, have reported that they’ve spoken to him recently. As recent as 24th September. Apparently, the 25-year-old Malaysian “sex blogger” Alvin Tan Jye Yee claims to have fled to US, where he intends to seek political asylum.

Alvin allegedly said, “I’m busy starting a new life here (in the US), apart from awaiting my final asylum hearing. I’m here to seek political refuge from the tyranny of UMNO – simple as that.”

The Department of State produced a Human Rights Report on Malaysia in 2013 which explicitly cites my case as a repression of internet speech rights

If all else fails, I can easily publish more “seditious” materials on my Facebook to taunt the authorities and get them to be hot on the pursuit of me again, therefore creating an even more well-founded fear of political persecution to bolster my asylum claim.

Just in case you’ve forgotten, Alvin Tan and his “partner”, 25-year-old Vivian Lee May Ling (you may know them best as the “Alvivi” pair) are still facing criminal charges under Malaysia’s Sedition Act as well as the Film Censorship Act for their controversial online uploads, including a “Bak Kut Teh” photo deemed insulting to Islam on Facebook as well as pornographic images on their blog, “Sumptuous Erotica“.

Sessions Court judge Abdul Rashid Daud granted an application on 12th May this year by the pair to have their passports released so that they could shoot a documentary in Singapore. The judge granted them the period between 18th May and 3rd June. We reckon that was when he first applied for asylum-seeker status because he has since disappeared from the public eye following a documentary shoot in Singapore.

And he sounds like he’s pretty confident of getting asylum status in the United States.

In any case, the court has since issued a warrant of arrest for Tan after he forfeited the RM20,000 bail that was imposed on him after he failed to return his passport. It was also previously reported that even the Interpol is after him.


FamilyMart To Open New Outlet Near Wangsa Maju LRT

There’s no stopping FamilyMart Malaysia from spreading their awesomeness throughout the Klang Valley.

The franchise has just announced the opening of a brand new outlet at Old Klang Road’s The Scott Garden today (Monday, 9th October). But that’s not all though, it appears that there’s going to be another outlet in Wangsa Maju.

Since making their debut in Malaysia last November, the popular convenience store franchise has expand to over 20 stores in our country. Since opening more stores, FamilyMart has been drawing in more customers with items such as hot piping Oden, freshly brewed coffee, ready-made snacks and bentos, fried chicken, onigiri, alcoholic drinks like sake, soft drinks, and more.

Word on the street has it that a new outlet is currently undergoing renovation near the Wangsa Maju LRT. Where, you ask? We suspect that the store taking over what used to be Little Oven Bakery (famed for their bread choices and Portuguese Egg Tarts) may be FamilyMart; based on the equipment brought in. It’s located on the same row as the popular economic rice outlet (Restoran 10号 Mixed Rice).

We’ve reached out to FamilyMart Malaysia for confirmation.

We can officially confirm this: FamilyMart Malaysia is indeed opening a new outlet at Wangsa Maju.

Last night (Wednesday, 10th October), workers were seen installing the FamilyMart signboard up. It’s been announced that the outlet near the Wangsa Maju LRT station will open on 16th October (Monday).

Stay tuned to this page for more updates.

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7 Movies With Dramatic Celebrity Transformations

In some of the movies we’ve seen, Hollywood stars changed the way they look in order to fit the movie role. The changes can be minimal but some were a little too extreme, so much so that the actors become unrecognisable. These stars were willing to transform themselves into someone else so that they can portray their character perfectly and accurately. From drastic weight gain/loss to real piercings, these celebrities are the epitome of dedication and hard work.

Without further ado, here is the list of movies with the most dramatic celebrity transformations!

Based on the life of AIDs patient Ron Woodroff, “Dallas Buyers Club” tells the story of a struggling AIDS patient who smuggled unapproved pharmaceutical drugs into his club. To perfectly play his role as an AIDs patient, Mathew McConaughey dramatically lost an extreme amount of weight to play Ron Woodruff. The film also features Jared Leto portraying his gender-bending role as trans woman, Rayon, who is a HIV-positive drug addict. Leto also lost weight for his role and waxed his entire body including his eyebrows. Due to their breakthrough acting, both actors have bagged several prestigious awards including Golden Globe Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and Academy Awards.

Before Jared Leto lost weight in the film “Dallas Buyers Club”, the singer-actor once played John Lennon’s killer Mark Chapman in a film titled “Chapter 27”. To perfectly resemble Mark Chapman, Jared Leto forced himself to put on weight instead of wearing fat suit for the film. Because Leto is a vegetarian, his stuck to a diet of soy sauce and ice cream mixture in order to gain around 70 pounds. However, Jared Leto revealed in an interview that the excess weight gain has costs him some health issues including the increase of cholesterol and the development of gout.

Christian Bale continued to prove his acting ability through several transformative roles in movies such as “The Psycho”, “The Fighter”, “American Hustle” and so on. However, his transformations are a cause for concern as he’s known for his extreme yo-yo diets to. In the “The Machinist”, Christian Bale had lost an extreme amount of weight to portray his role as a troubled industrial worker who hasn’t slept in years. His 63-pound weight loss is said to be a record for any actor for a movie role. The film producers claimed that Bale wanted to drop down to 100 pounds but he was not allowed to go below 120 pounds due to health issues.

American actress Rooney Mara went through a major transformation to play Lisabeth Salander in the novel-turned-film, “The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo”. In the film, Lisabel Salander is a young computer hacker that was described a pale, skinny young woman with short hair, bleached eyebrows, and multiple body piercings and tattoos. Thus, Rooney Mara got her eyebrows bleached and did piercied parts of her body including multiple ear, eyebrow, and nipple piercings. Once the filming wrapped, the actress removed all the piercings except the right nipple piercing for possible sequels.

Charlize Theron went through the most drastic transformation to portray her role as real-life serial killer Aillen Wuornos in “Monster”. The actress bore a striking resemblance to the criminal once she put on weight and did, oh, only about a tonne of things to her face including blotchy makeup, teeth prosthetics, and bleached eyebrows. Her jaw-dropping role gained her endless praises from the critics and the actress was awarded an Oscar for her outstanding performance.

Tom Cruise wore an all-over fat suit and bald wig to portray his role as Les Grossman in “Tropic Thunder”. It was a shocking transformation as Tom Cruise is rarely known for his comedic roles. However, his cameo performance in “Tropic Thunder” has made it one of the most memorable scenes in the film. His transformation in the film also inspired One Direction to don the same look in the “Best Song Ever” music video as well.

“Cloud Atlas” has the most transformations to date as most of the cast transformed into different characters from different eras for the film. The film is based on the novel of the same name by David Mitchell and it tells a single story that unfolds in multiple timelines as six different stories from six different eras are strangely connected. It’s hard to pinpoint which of them had the most dramatic transformation as they are unrecognisable! However, the notable transformations (to us, anyway) are definitely the cross-racial and gender bending roles of Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving and Ben Wishaw.