Hype’s Exclusive: “View” The “Odd” Side Of #SHINee In Their Latest Album

SHINee first debuted in 2008 with their single “Replay”, but at that time, no one expected the group to evolve into the Korean powerhouse they are now. Fast forward to 7 years later, the 5-member boy group is now a force to be reckoned with.

SHINee mesmerised thousands of fans from around the globe with the charming traits of humourous leader Onew, artistic composer Jonghyun, multi-faceted actor Minho, talented “Almighty Key“, and handsome maknae Taemin. Not only did the group make waves in Korean variety shows like “Star Golden Bell” and “Hello Baby”, they also continued to churn out hit songs after hit songs.

The group catapulted into international fame with the release of their 2nd and 3rd album, “Lucifer” and “Sherlock“. The albums, which featured tracks written and composed by members of the group, topped various physical and digital sales chart in South Korea. “Lucifer”, “Sherlock”, and “Hello” were amongst the popular tracks that derived from these albums.

In 2013, SHINee released 2 albums, which were titled “Dream Girl – The Misconceptions of You” and “Why So Serious? – The Misconceptions of Me”. Both albums were then compiled into an album titled “The Misconceptions of Us”. That year proved to be the year of SHINee, as “Symptoms (상사병)”, the secondary title track from their 2013 mini album “Everybody”, proved to be a crowd favourite. Various music sites even listed it as the best SHINee song ever produced.

With their increasing popularity, it was only a matter of time before SHINee got their own world tour. Fans’ wishes came true when the group announced their first world tour titled “SHINee CONCERT “SHINee WORLD III” in 2014. From South Korea to Indonesia to Mexico, they toured around the world and performed live in front of their fans. Unfortunately, Malaysia was not included in the list of their touring countries.

Their successful first world tour was followed by “SHINee CONCERT “SHINee WORLD IV”, which they recently kicked off in Seoul on 15th May 2015. No future shows have been scheduled yet, but Malaysia was once again excluded from their list of their touring countries. They did , however, perform in our country as joint headline acts at the post-race concert for the 2015 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix earlier in March this year.

SHINee continued to prove that they are capable of producing their own tracks with their own unique music style through their most recent effort, “Odd“. “Odd” has been described as a “mixture of diverse senses”, as multiple international producers such as Stereotypes and The Underdogs, LDN (London) Noise, G’harah “PK” Degeddingseze, Kenzie, and Steven Lee helped produce the album.

All thanks to our friends from M.E. Malaysia, we had the chance to talk to the boys about “Odd” and their hopes for the future through an e-mail interview.

Wanna know what went down in the interview? Read on to find out ;)

You just presented your 4th album “Odd”. Can you explain the concept for this album? Where did you get the motivation for the album? Is there any hidden meaning behind it?

Jonghyun: As you all can expect from our album titled “Odd”, it is a unique album just like the title. We wanted to show a variety of unique and odd elements through this album. Since this is our 4th studio album, we really put a lot of thoughts in it, both in musical parts and its artworks. I hope you like all the songs.

Please share the concept and music style of the title track “View” with us.

Jonghyun: Our title track, “View”, is a deep house track and it mixes SHINee’s unique feeling into the music. The style of the song is the kind that is not very popular in Korea, but we are trying different things to represent SHINee. The songs sound perfect for summer and we want our fans to spend their summer listening to our music.

We heard that the music video for your title track, “View”, was filmed in Thailand. Was there a reason for this? Are there any interesting stories you want to share with us?

Jonghyun: First of all, we wanted to shoot our video overseas. Secondly, all of us (SHINee members) had a wish to enjoy a vacation together in Thailand. What should I say about Thailand? It’s a place I wanted to go and play with the members. It was fun filming the MV as the exotic atmosphere in Thailand was well captured in the MV.

Minho: When we visited Thailand, it was one of the hottest seasons in the year. The members sweated a lot.

For this album, Jonghyun participated in writing and composing the songs, please tell us more about the tracks you have participated in. Where do you get the motivation for writing and composing songs from?

Jonghyun: It will be really nice if you listen to “Romance” as it’s a really unique and special song.

Minho: There’s also a song called “Love Sick”. I highly recommend fans to listen to it.

You recently had your 4th Asian Tour, what was the last thing you thought of before taking the stage?

Jonghyun: We were quite nervous. The concert was supposed to be held for 2 days, but the tickets were all sold out. So we added 1 more day as we wanted to satisfy our fans. We think that it was the first time a group has done that in Korea. With fans’ energy, we ended our concert safely and happily. Also, it was important that no one got hurt!

Minho: Fans prepared different events every day during the concert so I was really touched.

Going back to the album and the title track “View”, when you talk about SHINee, we cannot leave out the creative choreography. Please share the main points for this choreography with us.

Jonghyun: When you think of SHINee, precise, accurate, powerful and conceptual group dance would be the first thing that pops into your mind. Our title track, “View”, however, is a little different. You can find a more relaxed and groovy choreography this time round.

Minho: There is a part of the choreography where you can move your shoulders up and down with us. It will be great if a lot of people like it.

It was SHINee’s 7th anniversary since debut. So far, was there any memorable moment? Also, what do you want to achieve from now?

Onew: Even though I always says this to the fans, every moment is very precious to us. We cannot forget all the moments since our debut. We want to improve more and experience many things with you guys in the future.

We would like to express our utmost gratitude to M.E Malaysia once again for arranging the interview for us.

Visit SHINee’s official Facebook and SMTOWN’s official Twitter for more information.

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Hype’s Exclusive: David Choi “Stories” Us On New Album & Signing With A Label

With close to a million YouTube subscribers and a total of 125 million YouTube views to date, one guitar-toting singer is certainly no stranger to the music industry.

Having recently signed an exclusive licensing deal with Warner Music Asia Pacific, American-born Korean singer-songwriter and YouTube sensation David Choi is diving right into all the hard work that’s required of him to get his music out to the masses. In fact, the musician was in town for a quick holiday recently and yet, he took a few days off his break to promote his new album, “Stories of You’s and Me”.

Released on 14th April 2015, “Stories of You’s and Me” was self-produced by the independent artiste and features his beautiful works such as “All I Need” and “You and Me”. As he continues to tour and share his music with the people from all walks of life in every corner of the world, we jumped at the opportunity to meet up with him real quick while he was here to talk about the album, amongst other things.

Welcome back to Malaysia, David. It’s good seeing you again!

You’ve been an independent artiste for a long time but you’ve recently signed with Warner Music Asia Pacific. What made you decide to do so?

I signed a licensing deal with Warner because I wanted to share my new album with more people and the one thing that labels are good at is getting songs on radio, and also getting..you know, really awesome people like you guys to talk about it. Hopefully good things (laughs). But yeah, I’m really excited to work with them and they’ve been really excited to work with me – and that’s the best way. We’re both really excited to work with each other.

But a licensing deal means that you still have full control of what you do though, right?

Oh yeah, definitely. I still have full control of everything. They just help me promote.

Between “Forever and Ever” (2011) and “Stories of You’s and Me” (2015), what do you think are some of the changes that you’ve seen in your self, personality-wise and as an artiste?

Hmm. Personality changes? I think since “Forever and Ever”, I think I love my friends more because going through like, seeing deaths in your life, you learn to appreciate more..the time you spend with people and the opportunities that you get. And being able to put your music out there, these are all things that I’ve very appreciative of. As an artiste, I became more picky, I became more hard on myself. I was always picky, but never picky with myself. I would say that for this album, I became more picky with myself. And just the craft of songwriting, like..I really tried to put out the best songs that I can or at least songs I wanted to represent myself with. It was like a personal project and I know it’s not an album made to hit the mainstream radio waves but it was just something that I had to do.

Special thanks to Warner Music Malaysia for making this interview happen. We’ll leave you now with the music video for “All I Need”, a ballad off David’s “Stories of You’s and Me”.

Want his “Stories of You’s and Me” album? Get it here!

For more information, hit up David Choi’s website or Facebook page.


Hype’s Movie Review: #GoneGirl Is As Dark & Twisted As A Reader Would Expect

Movie adaptations of books are always something to look forward to, especially if you’re both a movie buff as well as an avid reader (well, obviously). 2 reasons: It can either surpass expectations and result in the director scoring big time brownie points, or it can tank and you’ll probably blacklist the director. Forever. One movie that did surprisingly well with reducing people to tears before receiving rave reviews is none other than “The Fault in Our Stars“. After that film, every other director who had the intention of turning a novel into a film knew they had big shoes to fill.

Which brings us to the newly released (at least in Malaysia) “Gone Girl“.

Published in 2012, “Gone Girl” by Gillian Flynn made the New York Times “Best Seller” list within weeks of its release. The novel tells the dark and shocking story of journalist Nick Dunne and his wife Amy Dunne’s difficult marriage. After losing his job due to downsizing, he relocates himself and his wife from New York City to his small hometown of North Carthage, Missouri. On their fifth wedding anniversary, Amy goes missing. Nick eventually becomes a prime suspect in her disappearance for various reasons.

The story was picked up by David Fincher, the multiple award-winning director who was responsible for “Se7en”, “The Fight Club”, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”, and “The Social Network”, just to name a few. But you get the idea on what you can expect from his mastery in his field of work, coupled with author Gillian Flynn’s assistance for the “Gone Girl” movie adaptation.

During the production of “Gone Girl”, there were rumours that Gillian Flynn overhauled the novel in order for it to fit the film format. However, having watched the movie, I found that it remained fairly loyal to the structure of the novel.

The movie came complete with scenes diary entries being written and narrated by Amy (played by Rosamund Pike) and it sounds just like the way it would if you read it with that voice in your head. The shots of Amy writing her diary entries were accompanied with flashbacks of Nick (played by Ben Affleck) and Amy’s past (but in Amy’s point of view), shuttling the audience between 2 times periods.

Sure, there were scenes that we would’ve never imagined to be so brutal and we have to admit that some acts seemed a lot shorter in the movie as compared to what you’d read in the book, but the plot is essentially unchanged, which is what a “Gone Girl” book reader would be eternally grateful for. And like the book, you get 2 different readings from 2 sides of the same marriage.

I must say though that I had expected the Missouri town that Nick and Amy to be a whole lot sleepier than what was pictured in the movie. That was my only gripe. No, wait, that wasn’t my only gripe. Rosamund Pike delivered an excellent performance of her character Amy – heck, she truly shined and it was nothing short of amazing. Not so much for Ben Affleck for his role as Nick though.

That having said, we applaud David Fincher who having done this one so well! It’s no surprise that “Gone Girl” has overtaken “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” as his highest-grossing film in US.

“Gone Girl” is out in a cinema near you now.

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

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#BonIver: Acclaimed Indie Folk Act Announces Asia Tour; Includes Singapore

Bon Iver’s upcoming show in Singapore is about the closest we’ll ever get to see them performing live on stage.

The American indie folk act announced that they will be embarking on an Asian tour next year. Malaysia has not been included as part of their touring destinations, but you can still make your way to our neighbouring country, Singapore.

Formed in 2007, Bon Iver is an acclaimed indie folk band led by Wisconsin singer-songwriter Justin Vernon. The name is derived from the French phrase bon hiver, meaning “good winter”, taken from a greeting on Northern Exposure.

Titled “For Emma, Forever Ago”, their debut album was mostly composed and recorded by Vernon over 3 months spent in his father’s cabin in northwestern Wisconsin. The record garnered critical acclaim and was touted by Rolling Stone magazine as “one of the all-time great breakup albums”.

In 2012, they released a follow-up album called “Bon Iver, Bon Iver” and it showcased a different musical direction due to a collaborative effort featuring various other musicians. They won Grammy Awards that year for “Best New Artist” and “Best Alternative Music Album” for “Bon Iver, Bon Iver”. They also announced their intent to take a break from performing, with the label asserting that the band has not broken up.

In 2014, they released a new song titled “Heavenly Father” for Zach Braff’s film “Wish I Was Here”. They also debuted 2 new songs during their first show in almost 3 years at the Eaux Claires Music Festival in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

There weren’t any plans for a new Bon Iver album yet, but the band announced that they would embark on an Asian tour for the first time ever. They will kick off the tour in Seoul, South Korea on 21st February, before they move to Taiwan for their gig at the Taipei International Convention Centre on 24th February.

As for their gig in Singapore, the event deets are as follows:

Tickets for their show in Singapore will be made available from Monday (23rd November) at 9am on the Sistic website. They are also available for purchase at 10am at Sistic box offices and via phone purchase.

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


Never Mind The Haters, Lady Gaga’s An ARTPOP Film Is Here!

That’s not going to stop Lady Gaga! The Bad Romance singer has been getting an overflow of hate lately and has taken it to Twitter to share her thoughts about it.

I put so much love into my music, into my shows, I make it all for you. I’ll never understand the overflow of hate sent my way.

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) November 20, 2013

Or maybe thats what entertainment is now. It’s more fun to point & laugh than appreciate the artist. I’ll keep rehearsing my steps #showbiz

However, Lady Gaga proves to not be severely affected by the hates with the release of An ARTPOP Film just minutes ago. Starring the Applause singer herself, An ARTPOP film, directed by Inez and Vinoodh starts off with Lady Gaga talking about her latest album ARTPOP and how she feels about it.


Eminem Unleashes The Monster With Rihanna

Eminem releases his collaboration with Rihanna, The Monster a week before the release of his Marshall Mathers LP 2 album. The album which is set for release on November 5th, 2013 (Tuesday) features the single Rap God which debuted at Number #2 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs last week.

The chemistry between the duo is undeniable. Having worked with Rihanna before on his 2010 hit Love the Way You Lie, The Monster is set to be featured on Marshall Mathers LP 2 and the standard edition of the album which is produced by Dr. Dre and Rick Rubin will also feature Kendrick Lamar, Skylar Grey and Nate Russ from Fun. while the deluxe edition will feature Sia and Jamie N. Commons.

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#Twitter: Micro-Blogging Platform Down For Maintenance

Did you wake up this morning unable to sign in to your Twitter account? Do you spot some friends complaining on Facebook about the inability to access Twitter?

It’s not just limited to you and your friends alone. Users reported problems on the Twitter application for Android and iPhone smartphones, while tweets on the computer application TweetDeck were showing up as having been posted a year ago.

Twitter is currently experienced a partial outage, the nature of which was not immediately clear, the company said. “Something is technically wrong. Thanks for noticing – we’re going to fix it up and have things back to normal soon,” the microblogging service’s welcome page said.

Chillax and let them sort it out. They’ll be up and running again soon enough!


#XMenApocalypse: First Look At Kodi Smit-McPhee As Young Nightcrawler

Nightcrawler, a mutant with the power of teleportation, has returned to the “X-Men” film franchise. Since “X-Men: Apocalypse” will set its story in the 80s (a decade after “X-Men: Days of Future Past“), Kodi Smit-McPhee (real name: Kodi Andrew Johan Smit) has joined the cast to portray the young Nightcrawler instead.

The Australian actor recently took to Instagram to offer us a first look at his character:

Best known for his role as Owen in horror movie “Let Me In”, Smit-McPhee lent his voice in animated feature film “ParaNorman” as Norman Babcock and earned various awards and nominations for his roles in “Romulus, My Father” and “The Road”. He was also one of the main actors in last year’s “The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes“.

For his upcoming “X-Men role”, he will be portraying Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler, a fictional mutant created by Len Wein and Dave Cockrum. The mutant made his first comic book appearance in “Giant Size X-Men” #1 back in 1975. The live-action version of the character was first portrayed by Alan Cumming in Bryan Singer’s 2003 movie, “X2: X-Men United”. Despite Cumming’s brilliant performance, he won’t return to reprise his role in Singer’s upcoming “X-Men” film. The director hired Smit-McPhee instead so that he can portray the younger version of Nightcrawler in the 1980s.

Today marks the first day of the filming for “X-Men: Apocalypse” in Montreal and the director decided to tease his fans by releasing the first photo of Kodi Smit-McPhee as the mutant:

The director teased his fans by removing the photo from his Instagram in less than 2 hours. The official Twitter account of “X-Men Movies” also shared a 6-second video of the mutant’s ability, but the tweet was immediately deleted as well. Before the tweet was deleted, they wrote, “Don’t blink or you’ll miss it. Check out this first look of @KodiSmitMcpheee as #Nightcrawler in #XMenApocalypse.”

Few hours later, they’ve decided to share the video again via the tweet below:

In case you missed him… See the first look at @KodiSmitMcPheee as #Nightcrawler in #XMen: Apocalypse.https://t.co/IPOxFDg8ta

— X-Men Movies (@XMenMovies) April 27, 2015

James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, and Lucas Till will reprise their respective roles in “X-Men: Apocalypse” too. Oscar Isaac will portray the titular villain while Olivia Munn will play Psylocke.

Newcomer Lana Condor joined the cast as Jubilee while Sophie Turner, and Alexandra Shipp will play the younger versions of Jean Grey, Cyclops, amd Storm respectively. Ben Hardy was recently confirmed to be playing Angel and Evan Peters may show up as Quicksilver again.

The movie is slated for release on 27th May 2016 and it will be based on a screenplay written by Simon Kinberg, Mike Dougherty, and Dan Harris.

As for Smit-McPhee, he will be seen next in Nine Network’s 8-part drama series “Gallipoli” in 2015.

What do you think of the new Nightcrawler? Do you think Smit-McPhee can pull off the character? Share your thoughts in the comments box below.

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A charity concert organised by the 1Malaysia Penang Welfare Club is expected to gather more than 80,000 people at the Ho Chiang school field in Jalan Lim Lean Teng on 20th April 2013 (Saturday).

Club president Geh Choh Chun said, the 1Malaysia Penang International Charity Drive, themed “Unity, Peace and Prosperity”, was aimed at collecting RM5 million for charities in the state. He said the public needed only to donate a minimum of RM1 to watch the concert, adding that donation forms would be published in local newspapers.

He said the public should bring the original copy of the form to redeem their tickets at the ticket collection centre. “They can choose from two zones whereby, RM1 is the minimum for the Unity Zone, and RM2 for the Peace Zone. Entrance is free for children below 12”, he told reporters here Monday. Additionally, Geh also mentioned that there would not be any political speeches, talks or dialogues that night.

The event, sponsored by several private companies, will feature local and international artistes such as Ning Baizura and Suchitra who will be sharing the stage with several international artistes such as American hip-hop artists Busta Rhymes, Red Foo of LMFAO, Ludacris, and Swizz Beatz, and Asian superstars Gigi Leong, Grasshopper, Leon Lai, Alan Tham, Hacken Lee, and George Lam.

Goh said free shuttle bus services would be provided at several locations, such as Autocity Juru, Pacific Megamall Perai, Prangin Mall Komtar and Queensbay Mall, Bayan Lepas to reduce traffic congestion.

For more information, the organiser can be contacted at 010-5122368.


#MidValley: Fax Machine Causes Fire At Shopping Mall

On Tuesday (30th May), a small fire broke out at a store located on the 3rd floor in Mid Valley Megamall. The incident, which happened around 8:30pm, was caused by a malfunctioning fax machine.

Fortunately, it was quickly brought under control by the Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department, who arrived at the shopping mall at 8:38pm. Moreover, there were no casualties reported.

Don't know what's happening but Bomba and ambulans just arrived at Mid Valley weh. Seems serious. Can see from my opis. pic.twitter.com/TEJ3EWRDuF

— Syefri Zulkefli 🇲🇾 (@chapree) May 30, 2017

“The department was alerted when we received a distress call from the public after the fire alarm at the shopping mall was sounded,” said Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department director Khirudin Drahman. “Checks by the Fire and Rescue Department showed that the fire started in a room in the 3rd floor.”

In a Facebook statement, Mid Valley Megamall said that smoke was detected at the lower ground floor at 8:20pm. The mall also apologised for the distress the fire had caused, adding, “The safety of our customers and visitors remain our utmost priority.”

In another news that took place around the same time as the fire, a woman collapsed on the 3rd floor of Mid Valley Megamall. The Star and Oriental Daily reported that the incident is unrelated to the fire and was sent to a nearby hospital for treatment. China Press noted that she collapsed due to health reasons.

Sources: NST, Malaysiakini, The Star, Oriental Daily, China Press.


8 Things Not Allowed Into OneRepublic’s Kuala Lumpur Concert

Are y’all excited to see OneRepublic live in Malaysia? We’re less than a week from seeing Ryan Tedder and his band in person.

In anticipation of next Wednesday (25th April)’s concert, event organiser WGW Entertainment Sdn Bhd has unveiled a list of items that are prohibited into Stadium Merdeka. To avoid any hassle of leaving your belongings behind, you may want to pay attention to the list.

What are the restricted or prohibited items? They are:

To avoid expected traffic jam, the organiser is advising concert-goers to take public transport instead. On the concert day, only the Stadium Merdeka main entrance will be open to public. Conveniently, the entrance is directly accessible via Maharajalela KL Monorail Station.

Alternatively, those attending OneRepublic’s concert can also disembark at Merdeka MRT Station. It’s approximately a 10-minute walk to/from the Stadium Merdeka. If taking the public transport is too troublesome, you can always choose to carpool with your friends or hop on a ride-sharing platform such as Grab.

In the meantime, we’re still running our OneRepublic concert contest – which is about to close soon. Good luck to those who have entered ;)

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“The Little Mermaid” Movie Casts Androgynous Model Andrej Pejić

Androgynous model Andrej Pejić has once again proved her gender will no longer be in the way of her career path as she has been cast as one of the mermaid sisters for the live-action adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid”.

The 22-year-old Australian model was known for her gender-bending role in the fashion industry as she struts down the runway as either a man or a woman. She first expressed her desire to pursue acting during an interview with La Monda Magazine last year and has since done a short film in New York. The model was featured in David Bowie’s “The Stars (Are Out Tonight)” music video along with another gender-bending model Saskia be Brauw, Tilda Swinton and David Bowie himself.

With such a talented model featured in the live adaptation of the classic fairy tale, there is yet to be official news about the rest of the cast or the release date. The film will be directed by the award-winning filmmaker Sofia Coppola who has previously directed “The Virgin Suicides”, “Lost in Translation”, and most recently “The Bling Ring”.


MTV CO:LAB Announces 4 Malaysian Winners

Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB announced Darren Ashley, Danial Nazreen, Joel Raj, and Muhammad Hafiz Mohtar Rasali as the faces behind the four champion Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB submissions from Malaysia. Selected from almost 50 registered projects, these final four country winners represent the most creative Malaysian talent across the four creative categories: DJs, Vocalists/Instrumentalists, Film Makers, and Motion Graphic Artists.

The four Malaysia-based frontrunners emerged from a highly competitive field based on their exceptional portrayal of the theme “Pulse of Your City”. Darren Ashley’s Vocalist and Musician project was a spontaneous song composed and recorded in one day using Kaoss Pads. The project represents the pulsating heart of Kuala Lumpur hence, aptly named “Heartbeat”.  While Muhammad Hafiz’s Motion Graphic Design submission was a colourful insight into Malaysia as a bubbling, bustling melting-pot of cultures that coexist in peace.

Each submission was determined based on public voting which took place from 1st – 9th May, and local mentor assessment. Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB local mentor DJ Goldfish (Alvin Teoh), assessed each of the project submissions for their creativity and originality (35%), craft and skill (35%), relevance to the theme (20%) and WOW factor (10%).

These four winners from Malaysia will join a pool of 28 country winners in total across the seven participating Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB countries – India, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – out of which only four will be selected as the final regional champions.

Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB is an integrated social platform that enables Millennials from across seven countries in Asia Pacific, to share stories about their communities through music. The projects submitted in the first phase were based on the theme “Pulse of the City” and can be viewed here.

For more information about Lenovo-MTV CO:LAB contest mechanics and official rules, visit their website.


Waltzing With El Bulli’s Chef Ferran Adrià

Presented by Life Inspired, “El Bulli: The Last Waltz” is a one-hour documentary featuring the last dinner served at El Bulli, a small restaurant that overlooked Cala Montjoi in Spain, a bay on Catalonia’s Costa Brava. It was a restaurant that could only accommodate 8,000 diners a season but yet it received more than two million requests.

Needless to say, El Bulli, the forever legendary Michelin 3-starred restaurant, is one of the most iconic restaurants of time.

On 30th July 2011, the restaurant closed its doors to become the “El Bulli Foundation”, creativity centre slated to open in 2014. El Bulli’s head chef, Chef Ferran Adrià served a spectacular last dinner accompanied by the best chefs in the world, all of whom had worked at El Bulli at some point in their career. Together, they became the best team ever seen in a kitchen.

We spoke to Chef Ferran Adrià, the man behind the five-time winner of the World’s Best Restaurant award, shortly after the last dinner and he waltzed us down memory lane as he recalls his time spent in El Bulli.

What is the one moment you will never forget from the last meal at El Bulli?

“To be honest, there wasn’t just one moment in particular. The whole day was magical. The happiness we all felt during the last 24 hours is indescribable. elBulli has transformed into the elBulliFoundation and for us it is very emotional to celebrate this change together with our companions who have previously shared their passion for cooking with us.”

The feeling of closing El Bulli – was it one of relief? Sadness? What was it like to close something you had taken so many years to build?

“It was not a closure. We were happy because elBulli went through a transformation that has guaranteed it a permanent point of reference in the creative sphere. We needed to transform ourselves, and on the 31st July 2011, elBulli started its transformation into elBulli Foundation.”

What are you most proud of having achieved at El Bulli?

“Just to be able to construct a philosophy that previously had been implanted in many corners of the world. The feeling of risk, the passion, the creativity and the freedom in our office.”

What will you tackle in 2013 and beyond? What new projects are in the pipeline?

“We are focusing on elBulliFoundation and the Bullpedia, although I’m sure that other interesting projects will emerge as we go along.”

What is the best advice you have ever received in your culinary career and from whom?

“To create is not to copy. Jacques Maximin. During a chat about cookery in 1987.”

Was it during a difficult or challenging period in your career?

“It was at a point of inflection in my career. It made me see that if I wanted to enjoy my profession to the maximum level, I needed to feel free to do what I wanted.”

Did you keep anything from the restaurant for memory’s sake?

“Just the marvelous moments, of which there are many, that were produced there.”

Now that the restaurant has closed, ten (or more) years down the road, how do you want it to be remembered?

“As a place where the chef’s loved their profession and tried to give it all that they could.”

The last waltz, given another opportunity, would you have done anything differently?

“No. The Last Waltz was made naturally and without preparation. It showed the reality that we lived on the last day of elBulli as a restaurant, for that reason it could not have been improved. If we had been prepared, the emotivity, the realism, the transparency that we achieved would have been impossible to reproduce.”

Since 2011, El Bulli has been reconstituted as the El Bulli Foundation. What does the foundation hope to achieve and what are some of the projects unfolding right now?

“The object of the elBulliFoundation is creativity. In elBulli it was already our main objective, but now with the elBulliFoundation we can dedicate ourselves to it in a much more exclusive way. A fascinating project driven by the elBulliFoundation is the Bullipedia, where our aim is to realign all the available knowledge of cooking to boost teaching and facilitate creativity.”

What was your most challenging task in all your years at El Bulli?

“To not lose the vision, the appetite to learn, and to be led by my passion for cooking.”

What would be your best moment while working at El Bulli?

“Probably the last day, when we started the transformation of elBulli into the elBulliFoundation.”

Okay, let us in on a secret – do you have any guilty pleasures?

“I am a huge fan of F.C. Barcelona and when they win a game I feel immensely happy!”

“You must have passion for cooking. Cookery is a hard profession, but if you have a passion for it you will find it much easier. ‘Passion, Risk, and Freedom’. The slogan of the elBulliFoundation.”

Watch the talented chefs prepare the last menu and serve the last dish, “pêche Melba” in tribute to the father of the modern cuisine, Auguste Escoffier, a French chef, restaurateur, culinary writer who popularized traditional French cooking methods, and a legendary figure among chefs and gourmets.

“El Bulli: The Last Waltz” first aired on 1st January 2013 (Tuesday) at 9pm. If you missed it, fret not! It’ll be repeated on 27th January (Sunday) at 9pm, only on Life Inspired (Astro B.yond Channel 728).

Don’t miss this last glimpse of this beautiful little restaurant before it reopens as a creativity centre in 2014!

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Tinder: These Pick-Up Lines Are Most Effective In Getting A Response

Due to nationwide lockdowns, more singletons than ever have turned to dating apps to seek a partner, often resorting to dodgy pick-up lines and dreadful jokes in the hopes of scoring themselves a date.

But which one gives you the best chance of receiving a swipe right? Fortunately, ManySpins.com have done the research so you don’t have to! Using Tinder, they created identical profiles with different pick-up lines in each bio to see which has the highest success rate.

In the hopes of digging deeper and finding out why some pick-up lines are more effective than others, Manyspins.com surveyed 4,320 people to uncover their views. When asked ‘Do you like pick-up lines?’, 86% of participants said that they do and only 14% disagreed.

This just goes to show that your dating success is down to your choice of pick-up line after  92% of participants agreed that the wrong pick-up line can be enough to put them off someone and swipe left, so what kind of pick-up lines do we prefer?

Interested in digging deeper, they asked participants what kind of pick-up lines they are most likely to swipe right on and receive the following response:

Taking a range of pickup lines that fit into these different categories, Manyspins.com took to Tinder to see which is most likely get you a response.

4,320 people aged 18-65 were surveyed on their pick-up line opinions to help further explain why some were more effective than others in the study.


Henry Golding’s Gay Scene In “Monsoon” Gains Traction Among Fans

Henry Golding is turning heads when a trailer for the gay film “Monsoon” showed a scene of him kissing another male actor.

The Malaysian-British actor plays Kit, a Vietnamese-born man who seemed to have a love interest for African-American Lewis, played by Parker Sawyers.

“Monsoon”, however, is not entirely about Kit’s sexuality, but also focuses on cultural alienation following his return to Vietnam after fleeing as a child. Nonetheless, what got the attention of everyone was Henry, a straight actor, playing a gay role.

The actor spoke to Attitude recently on why he took this role, “I’m going to accept this role because of the journey it represents in this man,” explained Henry. “It’s not a journey into his queerness. It’s a journey into his history,”

When speaking about his co-actor, Henry recalled, “When I was talking to Hong in LA, he already had Parker in mind for the role, and so I Googled his name and his image and was like, ‘Damn, he’s handsome, he’s tall, he works out, I could be in worse positions!'” The actor also mentioned that his wife was more excited about Parker than him.

Despite being married, some people doubted his sexuality after seeing the trailer. But, one thing we can be sure about is his profound acting skills and personality. Here are some of the thirsty response from fans on Twitterverse after watching Henry in action:

I’m generally not one to vouch for heteros playing queer characters buttttt since I’m petty and personal I’m all for this simply because I know the locals are losing their little raisin minds over this 🥰 https://t.co/MknsD50Bqu

— ஶ்ரீ | shre (@GejalaSosialite) September 28, 2020

if you told me this movie starring henry golding and parker sawyers had a runtime of 406 hours i would watch it on repeat

— benjamin dean (@NotAgainBen) September 24, 2020

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#FantasticBeasts: Deleted Scenes Include Romance Between Lead Characters

Previously, producer David Heyman revealed that “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” has more deleted scenes than any of the “Harry Potter” movie.

While we know that it’s always impossible for filmmakers to fit everything into a standard 2-hour film, it’s still nice to know what scenes didn’t make the final cut. As they say, we humans are curious by nature.

Some of the film’s biggest “aww” moments are the interactions between the titular characters. And yes, we are talking about the budding romance between Jacob Kowalski (played by Dan Fogler) and Queenie Goldstein (played by Alison Sudol) as well as Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne) and Tina Goldstein (played by Katherine Waterston).

In speaking with Cinema Blend, Heyman revealed that he took advantage of Sudol’s musical talents during the production of “Fantastic Beasts” by asking her to write a “write an alma mater song” for Ilvermorny. The scene showed Queenie and Tina performing the tune to Jacob and Newt while they were in the magical briefcase and during the course of the song, viewers will be able to see “the boys slowly falling in love with them”. But as “there’s a lot of stuff going on outside”, the beautiful scene was cut off. Boo :(

The British producer said, “They’re all good scenes, but again, there’s more, there’s probably more cut out of this one, than any of the ‘Potter’ movies. I’m not trying to fuel DVD sales, but more, it just, it was really about the story and the best way to tell this story, and we couldn’t, the film would be lovely with them in.”

Another deleted scene involved Jacob being dumped by his fiancee, Mildred. The scene saw the No-Maj returning to his tiny apartment after his bank loan had been rejected. Upon hearing the bad news, Mildred hands him a ring and walks away. Describing it as “the most beautiful scene, tender and very funny,” Heyman explained that the scene was cut because the audience “didn’t need a reason to fall in love with Jacob” thanks to Fogler’s impressive acting.

Hopefully we get to see those deleted scenes, including the one about Credence Barebone getting on a boat, in the Blu-ray or DVD. In the meantime, feel free to check out our “Fantastic Beasts” movie review and some fun facts about the characters in the film.

“Fantastic Beasts 2” is slated for release on 16th November 2018.


Remember Daniel Powter? The #BadDay Singer Will Be Performing In KL

Daniel Powter first gained worldwide fame when he released his mega-hit single “Bad Day” back in 2005.

Although he experienced some success with other songs such as “Free Loop (One Night Stand)” and “Love You Lately”, the Canadian musician has been off the radar for music fans in this region. Maybe that’s about to change soon.

Back in 2012, Powter told Metro UK that “Bad Day” provided him with great financial income but “it eclipsed me as an artist – it was such a big song. I’d be promoting it and arrive in countries and people would be like: ‘We’re already so done with this song.’ It took me a long time to get away from its shadow“.

It took a toll on him after he turned to drinking and drugs, before checking himself into rehab. “It was very lonely and I felt isolated. I was travelling and spending all my life alone in hotel rooms. You don’t always meet people with the best of intentions in the music business. There was a lot of attention but not all of it was real. It was quite dark. Some people deal well with it and I didn’t,” he recalled.

Thankfully that’s behind him and he can now appreciate what the song did for his career back then. If you can’t recall, here’s the “Bad Day” music video to refresh your memory:

Last year, the 48-year-old singer released his latest record “Giants”. Guess what? Powter is embarking on his Asia tour this month and he has included Japan and Malaysia in his pitstops.

The details to Daniel Powter “Live in Malaysia” are as follows:


#SB50: Turkish Airlines Releases Very Real “Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice” Ads

If you’ve always wanted to fly to Gotham or Metropolis, here’s your chance! Sorta.

In true Super Bowl epicness, a pair of very real Turkish Airlines ads were released to announce their new destinations – Gotham City and Metropolis.

The Gotham City commercial features “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” character Bruce Wayne (played by Ben Affleck) while the Metropolis commercial focuses on Lex Luthor (played by Jesse Eisenberg). Their respective missions are fairly simple – to sell viewers on using Turkish Airlines to visit their hometowns

So expect to hear wonderful things about Gotham City and Metropolis in the ads:

The truth is, despite what the ads and spokespeople tell you about Turkish Airlines’ new destinations, something’s about to go down in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice“. Big time.

Fearing the actions of a god-like super hero left unchecked, Gotham City’s own formidable, forceful vigilante takes on Metropolis’s most revered, modern-day saviour, while the world wrestles with what sort of hero it really needs. And with Batman and Superman at war with one another, a new threat quickly arises, putting mankind in greater danger than it’s ever known before.

BONUS: About a week ago, Turkish Airlines released a special “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” promo trailer featuring Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman in her civilian guise as Diana Prince. In case you missed that one, watch it below:

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” stars Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Callan Mulvey, Tao Okamoto, Amy Adams, Laurence Fishburne, and Diane Lane. The film is slated for release on 25th March 2016.

For more information, visit the movie’s website.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Lyn – Love Story

Hot on the heels of the release of “The Legend Of The Blue Sea” (푸른 바다의 전설), SBS has dropped the music video for its OST (Original Soundtrack), titled “Love Story”. The fantasy-romance drama stars Lee Min Ho as Heo Joon Jae, a genius yet handsome conman, and Jun Ji Hyun as Se Hwa, a mermaid from the Joseon era who attempts to adjust to life on land.

Helmed by “City Hunter” director Jin Hyuk and written by Park Ji Eun (of “My Love From The Star” fame), the 20-episode drama tells the tale of the centuries-spanning love of the world’s last mermaid and the man who saved her.

Featuring Lyn’s smooth yet soulful voice, the song is an emotional love ballad about how true love cannot be hidden. Just like other OST projects (read: “Descendants Of The Sun”, “Uncontrollably Fond”), the 3-minute-long music video is a compilation of scenes from the drama.

“The Legend Of The Blue Sea” premiered in Malaysia on 17th November and is broadcasted on Channel ONE HD (Astro Ch. 393) every Thursday and Friday at 8:10pm.

For more information on the series, hit up ONE TV Asia’s website.


Main Villain For Black Panther 2 To Be Played By Henry Golding?

When Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige announced the full slate for Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Phase 4 at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, many were saddened that “Black Panther 2”.

It’s safe to assume that the sequel is likely to be in MCU Phase 5 and will come out after 2021. The currently untitled “Black Panther 2” is still in pre-production, but word on the street has it that Marvel has chosen Namor to be the main antagonist.

The news comes courtesy of We Got This Covered, who also revealed that “the real Mandarin will appear in ‘Shang-Chi’ and Taskmaster will be the villain in ‘Black Widow'” before Marvel made the official announcement.

According to the publication, part of the plot may involved Wakanda coming under attack from another ruler under the sea. Remember in “Avengers: Endgame” when Black Widow was speaking to a couple of other heroes through a hologram?

Okoye shared that there has been seismic activity in the ocean on the African plate. “It’s an earthquake under the ocean. We handle it by not handling it,” the female African warrior told Natasha Romanoff. Was this a foreshadow of the emergence of Namor and the Atlanteans?

We Got This Covered also reported that “Crazy Rich Asians” star Henry Golding is being eyed to portray Namor. The Marvel character is a human-mermaid hybrid that possesses super-strength and aquatic abilities. Much like DC’s Aquaman, Namor is the lord of the mythical undersea kingdom of Atlantis.

The 32-year-old Malaysian actor previously responded to fans suggesting that he should be included in Mavrel’s “Shang-Chi”. “Marvel is coming out with amazing, amazing, sort of productions and going forward, they’ve got a whole new generation of superheroes that they’re going to explore. It’s an honour to even be in that sort of conversation,” he was quoted as saying.

Golding added, “I think there are many dream projects. I’m a lover of sci-fi. I’m a huge comic book fan for years and years. I love anything that’s really going to take me out of my every day to break through my own reality and take somebody on a journey and a story. I can’t wait to explore all types of movies and films. For me, it’s really about the project. It’s about the material. It’s about the filmmakers.”

It’s already been confirmed that Ryan Coogler will be returning as director. Cast members Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, and even Michael B. Jordan are expected to reprise their roles. Killmonger was killed off in the first film, so the character’s spirit will probably speak to T’Challa on the ancestral plane.


#AustralianSurvivor: Reality TV Series To Be Shot On Pulau Tiga In Malaysia

Malaysia is not just a tourist destination. Over the years, our beautiful country has been earmarked as an ideal filming location by many international filmmakers.

Now, according to Australian news portal news.com.au, the Ten Network announced that it would revive “Australian Survivor” this year and it will begin filming on a tropical island off Pulau Tiga in Sabah, Malaysia.

“Survivor” is a well-known reality competition TV series that was produced in many countries throughout the world. In the show, contestants are isolated in the wilderness and split between 2 “tribes” to compete for cash and other prizes. It uses a system of a progressive elimination, allowing the contestants to vote off other tribe members until only one final contestant remains and wins the title of “Sole Survivor”.

Titled “Australian Survivor”, the Australian version of the show was adapted by the Nine Network and aired in 2002. The celebrity version later aired in 2006 on the Seven Network, but both incarnations only lasted one season due to low ratings.

For the revival of “Australian Survivor”, it will begin filming on Pulau Tiga, which was previously used as a filming location by the US version of the show. Titled “Survivor: Borneo”, the show was shot in 2000 at the island that now has a resort, a campsite, a restaurant, and a national park.

However, news.com.au stated that the island will be presented to viewers as a remote isolated spot. Sources also said that early work on the series is currently underway and key production hires have been made.

A number of senior production personnel have been hired to work on the programme, including Trent Pattison, the challenge guru who previously worked on several US seasons of “Survivor” and “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!” last year.

Channel Ten’s chief programming officer Beverly McGarvery said that picking a location that used by a previous series was deliberate. “We’ll end up collecting an island location — most likely a location that has had a series of Survivor shot there before,” she said.

Just because bringing that expertise to the table is really critical.

McGarvey also said that the producers are “really involved” in reviving the series. “We think the purity of the concept is something that will really resonate with Australian audiences,” she added.

Filming will commence sometime in March and continue for almost 3 months. The new season of the show is expected to air towards the end of the year.

Source: news.com.au via The Malay Mail Online.

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#LaughFactory: Harith Iskander & Jason Leong Nominated As “Funniest Person In The World”

Just recently, our sportsmen and women brought pride to our country in the Olympics, and now, our local comedians are prepared to represent the country in Laugh Factory’s “Funniest Person In The World” contest.

In the running for the title are local funnymen Harith Iskander and Jason Leong, both whom have made names for themselves in the local and regional comedic industry. A total of 89 comedians from over 50 countries are nominated, but only 20 comedians will advance to the next round.

As of time of writing, Iskander has the highest score with 442,162 points while Leong is following close behind with 431,106 points. Ranked 3rd is Filipino comedian Alex Calleja, who has racked in a total of 223,330 points so far.

However, there’s a catch: in the semifinals, each country will be allowed only 1 representative. This means that even if Iskander and Leong both rank in the top 20, only one of them (the one with the higher score) will be allowed into the 2nd round.

In Round 2, the top 20 will be sent to perform in Helsinki, Finland, in front of a panel of experts and celebrities. The competition will be held on 4th and 5th December, and the top 5 will proceed to the finals. At the end of the competition, the comedian who ranks 1st will be awarded a prize of US$100,000; the 2nd with US$10,000; the 3rd with US$5,000.

You can vote for your favourite comedian here. Voting closes on 2nd October.

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


Hype’s Exclusive: CNCO Talks Little Mix, English Album, Love & More

Latin music isn’t exactly new to us. We’ve been jamming to the likes of Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, and Jennifer Lopez over the past few years. Ever since “Despacito” blew up last year, the genre is experience a huge resurgence. New boyband CNCO is hoping to carry on the mantle.

Richard Camacho, Zabdiel de Jesus, Joel Pimentel, Erick Brian Colon, and Christopher Velez, who were touring Asia, dropped by Kuala Lumpur last week. Before their awesome performances took place in The Gardens Theatre, Sony Music Malaysia invited us to have a little chat with the handsome guys.

A post shared by Sony Music Malaysia (@sonymusicmy)

During our session, we got the boys to share about their exposure with Asian culture throughout the past few weeks, their time together with Little Mix, future music plans, and some important people in their lives. Of course, we also touch on the topic of love.

Hype: What has been the highlight of your Asia Tour so far?

Joel: Seeing just how much people are supporting us right now. We didn’t expect so many people to turn up; the love we’ve been receiving so far, and the smiles on their faces just because we’re in their country.

Richard: The difference of the cultures as well. These cultures are very different for us as well, so it’s cool to be in a place where we don’t know anything about. Everything has been a culture shock – the way they live, the way they dress, everything that they eat, it’s so different from each other and our culture.

Hype: Chris, you were probably the only one among the boys who was separated from your family and loved ones during “La Banda” (Mexican reality-singing competition produced by Simon Cowell). Could you share with us some memories during that chapter?

Christopher: It was hard because I started from scratch and I was away from everybody. Not having their constant support was hard but it helped me grow a lot. I became more mature and I was able to help my family. So I’m really fortunate and I wouldn’t change anything because I grew a lot. We all have our struggles. But I think I’m really positive.

Hype: Joel, we know that your late grandfather was and still is important in your life. Can you talk about how he inspired you throughout your life?

Joel: He has been an inspiration since I was 8 years old. My heart is still healing. Obviously I’m not completely healed cause he was like another father figure to me in my life. What I learn from him is always to be myself. If I want to do something, to always do it out of love. Something I remember that he would always tell me is to be self-conscious of what’s happening around – be aware of who you’re surrounded with.

Hype: Y’all collaborated with Little Mix on “Reggaetón Lento”. How did that came about?

Richard: We first recorded the songs by ourselves and we were going to release it in English. That was our plan. But Sony called us and said that Little Mix heard the song and they loved it. So they send their version that they recorded and we loved the remix.

We recorded the video in different places, like they were in London and we were in LA. In the video, you can’t even tell that we’re in different places. We got to perform together in the “X-Factor” (UK version). After that, they showed us around London. The song has opened a lot of doors for us.

Richard: We saw how great they sing, how great they dance… We also met their vocal coach. He was fire you know (laughs)! So now we know where they get their techniques from.

Zabdiel: Exercises for warm up by using a bottle of water. You put a straw in it and you just blow it.

Richard: Yeah, but with a tone, say a scale from 1 – 10. It opens up the vocal cords.

Hype: Are there any plans to work on an English album? Maybe more collaborations in English?

Joel: It’s in the plans for sure but I don’t think anytime soon cause I think what’s working right now is Spanish-Latin music. So we’re gonna continue and focus on that. But we’re definitely open to do something in English. And hopefully we can go to countries that don’t speak much English and have like our Latin fans sing our songs in English. That would be cool.

Richard: We wanna release more features. We’ve trying to do more English stuffs as well.

Hype: Do you have any favourite lyric from your songs?

Zabdiel: It’ll probably be the ones we wrote because we feel more attached to it. Maybe like “Bonita” and “No Me Sueltes”.

Christopher: I really like the verse in “Primera Cita” from the first album. I really like words and the meaning of the song. (Side note: It’s about the experience of going out on a first date.)

Joel: A whole bunch of things – God, our family, fans, the music.

Richard: We’re still young so we haven’t had enough experience (in relationships). Every day we learn more about what life is and the struggles, the good and the bad. So sometimes we get into character when we’re performing. That’s the cool part about music, you can be whoever you want.

Hopefully CNCO will be back in KL in the near future ;)

Feel free to check out our review on their showcase performance here.

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#NightRunMY: Ignite The Runner In You At The PUMA Night Run 2016

PUMA is all set to flag off the 3rd edition of its PUMA night run Malaysia at the Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam, Selangor on 20th August 2016.

With 10,000 slots available for registration, this will be PUMA Malaysia’s biggest Night Run event to date.

2016 also marks the 1st year in which the night run will be held at Dataran Kemerdekaan Shah Alam instead of Setia Alam, where it was organised in the past. But expect the night run to come back bigger and better as the stakes are also higher this year.

There are RM12, 000 worth of prizes to be given away – the top finishers of the men and women categories will each receive RM2,500 worth of PUMA vouchers, while 2nd-placed runners in both categories will receive RM2,000 worth of PUMA vouchers. 3rd-placed runners in both categories will each receive RM1,500 worth of PUMA vouchers.

The entry fee for the PUMA Night Run Malaysia 2016 is set at RM85 (inclusive of GST). Upon successful registration, all participants would receive the PUMA Race Kit which comprises a PUMA Night Run tee, PUMA towel, PUMA shoe bag, finisher’s medal (to be given after the race) and other sponsored freebies.

Registrations for the PUMA Night Run begin on 1st April 2016 via www.puma-nightrun.com.my. Registration is limited to 10,000 runners and closes on 31st July 2016.

For more information, visit their website or Facebook page.


#CultOfChucky: Plot Details & Teaser Trailer For Horror Sequel Revealed

The 7th film for the “Chucky” franchise is in the works!

Universal 1440 Entertainment has officially confirmed that production on the upcoming horror sequel, titled “Cult of Chucky”, is set to begin in Canada on 9th January. The film is written and directed by Don Mancini, who co-wrote the original film and both wrote and directed the last 2 movies in the series – “Seed of Chucky” (2004) and “Curse of Chucky” (2013).

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been nearly 30 years since Chucky first terrified moviegoers in ‘Child’s Play’. Since then the films have generated millions in worldwide box-office revenue. Now Chucky’s back with more scores to settle in his trademark twisted style, and you can bet he won’t stop until he gets his revenge,” said General Manager and Executive Vice President of Universal 1440 Entertainment, Glenn Ross.

The official plot for “Cult of Chucky” is as follows:

“Confined to an asylum for the criminally insane for the past 4 years, Nica Pierce (played by Fiona Dourif) is erroneously convinced that she, not Chucky, murdered her entire family. But when her psychiatrist introduces a new therapeutic ‘tool’ to facilitate his patients’ group sessions — an all-too-familiar ‘Good Guy’ doll with an innocently smiling face — a string of grisly deaths begins to plague the asylum, and Nica starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t crazy after all. Andy Barclay (played by Alex Vincent), Chucky’s now-grown-up nemesis from the original Child’s Play, races to Nica’s aid. But to save her, he’ll have to get past Tiffany (played by Oscar-nominee Jennifer Tilly), Chucky’s long-ago bride, who will do anything, no matter how deadly or depraved, to help her beloved devil doll.”

Relive some of Chucky’s best moments in the announcement trailer below:

Starring Brad Dourif, who reprises his role of the titular killer doll, the new Chucky movie will be released in an unrated version on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD this fall, just in time for Halloween.

The release date has yet to be confirmed, so stay tuned to this post for more updates!

Sources: Coming Soon, Entertainment Weekly.

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#FlightLogTurbulence: GOT7 To Hold Concert In Malaysia This December!

Malaysian IGOT7s, are you ready to see your favourite idol singers?

JYP Entertainment’s GOT7s (갓세븐) will be performing in Malaysia this coming December as part of their “Flight Log: Turbulence” Tour. Save the date guys, the concert is on 4th December :)

This is not the first time that the group has performed in Malaysia. GOT7 held their first Malaysian fan meeting at KL Live in March last year. The music video for “A”, which was taken from the group’s 2nd mini-album, “GOT♡”, was also filmed in the country.

Having won the “Best New Artiste Group” award at the Seoul Music Awards, GOT7 consists of members JB, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, Bambam, and Yugyeom. But prior to their debut in 2014, JB and Jinyoung originally debuted as pop duo JJ Project in 2012 while Mark, Jackson, BamBam, and Yugyeom appeared on the 4th episode of YG Entertainment’s “WIN: Who Is Next”.

To date, the idol group released 5 Korean EPs including: “Got It?”, “Got Love”, “Just Right”, “Mad”, and “Flight Log: Departure”.

Their most recent comeback album, titled “Flight Log: Turbulence”, features the title track “Hard Carry” (하드캐리), a tracked written by earattack (who previously worked with GOT7 in “Fly”), YOOJIN, and Lish. The members also participated in the album’s lyrics writing process.

Note: All ticket holders will receive a GOT7 “Flight Log: Turbulence” album!

Tickets will be available via www.ticketcharge.com.my. Fans can also buy tickets at Speedy music outlets, Victoria music outlets, Neway Karaoke outlets, The Mines shopping mall, and TicketCharge office.

For more information, visit Three Angles Production’s Facebook page and GOT7’s Facebook page.

Sources: Three Angles Production’s Facebook page, Hallyu Malaysia.


This Is What Minzy Thinks About A Possible 2NE1 Reunion

Gong Min Ji, or better known as Minzy (공민지) is forging a new path for herself as an independent artist.

Following her departure from Music Works in April this year, the 26-year-old singer released her new single “Lovely” in May. She’s also scored a cover spread for the July issue of Nylon magazine.

Being an independent artist has its pros and cons – although she’s no longer backed by a major label, Minzy now has full creative control over her art. “Now, I think that I can do everything on my own. I am no longer becoming what someone else wanted me to be. Instead, I think that I found my own path. I’ve become a stronger person,” she told Nylon.

How does she feel after leaving Music Works and YG Entertainment? “I feel like I’ve grown more as a person after going through many incidents and situations,” the K-pop star was quoted as saying.

Of course, the topic of conversation touched on the possible reunion of 2NE1 (투애니원). “The members joke around, saying, ‘Sure, let’s do one before we’re all grandmas’,”the South Korean entertainer quipped, before adding, “If we get the chance, we want to reunite in a cool, 2NE1 way.”

Hopefully, 2NE1 will make a comeback in the future.

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6 Reasons We’re Actually Tatsu From “The Way of The Househusband”

Who is Tatsu you ask? Well, he goes by many names but the most infamous one has to be “The Immortal Dragon”. If you were unlucky enough to have made his acquaintance during the time this legendary yakuza was actively involved in his many assignments, well, さよなら私の友達 (sayonara, my friend).

But if like us, you only knew of Tatsu as a dedicated househusband in Netflix’s The Way of the Househusband, who leads a pretty mundane life after retiring from a life of crime, then you’re in luck in more ways than one. Our obsession with Tatsu has led to us spending hours analysing his yakuza life, and guess what? We’re more similar than you think.

Let’s not kid ourselves. We’ve all become plant parents or have thought of becoming one in the past year, since the start of the pandemic. Just like Tatsu, deep down inside, we’ve got so much love to share.

Cooking new recipes or learning to make some new dishes has in one way or another taken up most of our free time. Those Tasty videos and viral TikTok recipes got the better of us, but that’s ok ‘cause if it’s good enough for Tatsu, it’s good enough for us.

Talking to our pets has become one of the ways we’ve gotten physical interaction from another living being. From heartfelt conversations to reprimanding them for not listening to our advice, we’ve done it all. And who’s to say they don’t actually understand us?

Aaahhhh… fitness. A growing love-hate relationship that’s survived longer than many of our “real” ones. Yoga, Zumba, dance, barre, and HIIT, we’ve done it all and survived through most of them. We do have our own Immortal Dragon in us, after all.

In 2020, many eCommerce sites have experienced a surge due to the pandemic. Most of us have been spending our time (and money) on online shopping but sometimes, what we see is not what we get. Always remember, “wear the clothes and don’t let them wear you”. So, summon your inner Tatsu and rock that unexpectedly cute pink and frilly top with confidence!

Looks familiar? Been there, done that. With so many deals and steals, it’s sometimes hard to resist the urge to shop. When else are you gonna get that amazing pair of pants for 75% off? Note: We’re not really the “Immortal Dragon” so remember to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Catch Tatsu and all his antics in “The Way of the Househusband” on Netflix today!


Batman: Robert Pattinson’s Trouble Bulking Up May Cause Film’s Delay

Getting the role of a superhero in a film is a wonderful oportunity. But this also means lots of work from actors and actresses to add or lose body mass in order to match up to their comic book counterparts.

Few have managed to get into the right shape. Examples include Chris Evans as Captain America, Christian Bale as Batman, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and the list go on. Despite this, not all human bodies are that accepting to the transformation, as Robert Pattinson found out.

The Brit, who is set to play the new Batman, has been hard at work training in preparation for the role as seen here. Nevertheless, a new report claims that the star is having trouble bulking up to play the Gotham Dark Knight. It is believed that the 33-year-old is finding it difficult building up muscle even with his intensive training.

This troubling report has left many questions hanging over at the new “Batman” film. One of which, is whether this trouble in muscle built may cause for delays for the film? Especially since it has been reported that filming will start late 2019 or early 2020.

“I’ve also heard that Robert Pattinson is having a little bit of trouble bulking up. I think it’s probably impossible for him to fully bulk up because he just has a slight build,” Randolph told We Got This Covered.

“But I think it’s hilarious they are like, ‘Maybe if we gave him a few more weeks, he might bulk up’. If he hasn’t bulked up by now, he’s not going to bulk up. Just accept you have skinny Batman and deal with it,” she later added.

Hopefully everything will turn out well for “The Lighthouse” star and we do hope that fans will accept Pattinson’s Batman, even if he turns out skinnier than what was drawn in the comic books.

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David Beckham’s Son Trains With QPR

He might have retired, but David Beckham certainly wasn’t planning on letting his legacy “die” there and then. His eldest son Brooklyn has reportedly trained at the junior academy of London club Queens Park Rangers (QPR) and bookmakers are already offering short odds that the 14-year-old will emulate his father by playing for England.

QPR said on Twitter that he was training with them but had not officially joined their academy.

Beckham senior, who began his career by joining Manchester United’s academy also at the age of 14, retired from the game last week after helping Paris St Germain to the French league title but now has a home in London. Bookmakers are offering odds of 12-1 that Brooklyn will play for England but only 9-2 to play in the Premier League.

Well, well. We might just have another exciting generation of “Beckham in football” in the near future! Can’t say we’re not the least bit excited about this.


#AliceInWonderland: New Teaser Trailer For Sequel Arrives Online!

Disney has released a short teaser clip for “Alice Through The Looking Glass“, the sequel to Tim Burton‘s 2010 fantasy film, “Alice in Wonderland”.

This 11-second teaser shows Mia Wasikowska reprising her role as Alice. In the video, she wears a bold and bright dress as she falls through a door in the sky. The video also features Sacha Baron Cohen as Time, who is said to make the film even more trippy.

In this upcoming sequel, Alice must head out on a journey and spans across time as something is not right with Mad Hatter (played by Johnny Depp). She encounters the younger versions of some very familiar characters. The reason for Mad Hatter’s madness is most likely has to do something with his father Zanik Hightopp, a character played by Rhys Ifans.

As the saying goes, it would not be a Disney movie without the “parental struggles”.

Anne Hathaway will be returning to the sequel as the White Queen and Helena Bonham Carter will play the role of the Red Queen.

Matt Lucas, Ed Spellers, Stephen Fry, Toby Jones, Alan Rickman, Michael Sheen, Paul Whitehouse, Barbara Windsor, and Timothy Spall will return to play their respective roles.

“Alice Through The Looking Glass” is set to premiere on 27th May 2016.


Rob & Rita, Sittin’ On A Tree

Looks like there is a new addition to the Kardashian team! Rumours have been circling around suggesting that striking Rob Kardashian and singer Rita Ora are dating. After tons of denial and speculation, surprise! Both of them came out publicly on Twitter as lovebirds.

The baby brother of Kim Kardashian posted a variety of photos on Twitter looking comfy and lovey-dovey with Rita. Dare we say, they are indeed a cute couple. “Boo @ritaora”, he captioned in a Twitpic of him kissing on Rita’s cheek:

Rob and Rita has never confirmed that they are a twosome but it’s alright, judging by the photos we know your story guys!


#Ebola: First Suspected Case In Sarawak

A 24-year-old Zimbabwean student in Sarawak has been placed under observation for suspected Ebola virus infection.

Ebola is basically a haemorrhagic fever that starts 2 days to 3 weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pain and headaches. Typically, vomiting, diarrhea and rash follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. Around this time, affected people may begin to bleed both within the body and externally. Ebola is often fatal to humans and monkeys. A recent outbreak has caused more than 2,000 deaths in West Africa this year and thousands more worldwide.

The suspected case in Sarawak was confirmed by State Assistant Public Health Minister Datuk Dr Jerip Susil, who said that the patient reported himself to Kuching Specialist Centre on Saturday evening feeling feverish.

“He told the hospital that he had been in contact with students from Nigeria and the private hospital took all necessary precautions. Doctors there contacted the state Health Department, and the patient was then moved to the isolation ward at Sarawak General Hospital on Sunday,” Dr Jerip told a hastily press conference arranged press conference after rumours ran wild online on Monday.

Dr Jerip stressed the patient had not developed Ebola symptoms and that the Nigerian students he came in contact with were totally fine. He said it was untrue the university and private hospital had been sealed.

“The patient under investigation is not vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea. Nonetheless, the state Health Department had activated “high precautionary measures. Medical personnel will be going to private university to carry out contact tracing,” said Dr Jerip, urging for public to be calm.

He added it was currently the flu season and that had it been a local who went to the hospital with fever, the precautionary measures would not have been applied.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah Monday also gave his assurance that the Health Department will monitor closely for the virus and that the people need not panic following the report that a foreign student at a private institution of higher learning is being quarantined at the Sarawak General Hospital (HUS).

Noor Hisham said the student from Zimbabwe was already in Malaysia since February and was quarantined for fever, sore throat, and cough since 13th September.

“This is a standard operating procedure where hospital staff are taking precautions. The student has no history of international travel records or came into contact with an Ebola patient in the past 21 days before showing the symptoms,” he said. Noor Hisham also said for the time being, Zimbabwe is not listed as an Ebola infected country.

He also stressed that if there was an Ebola case in Malaysia, the ministry will be the first to announce it and will also inform the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Samples from the 24-year-old Zimbabwean student have been collected for testing with results expected this week. The US’s Centre for Disease Control had also been informed as a precaution.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Chris Martin & Ariana Grande – Don’t Look Back In Anger (One Love Manchester)

Nothing made our day more than watching Coldplay frontman Chris Martin belt out to Oasis’ 1995 chart-topper, “Don’t Look Back In Anger”, at the “One Love Manchester” benefit concert just a couple of hours ago.

For those of you who are not in the know, the concert was held at the Emirates Old Trafford cricket ground to benefit those who were affected by the Manchester Arena explosion. The attack, which happened just as Ariana Grande finished her set, killed 22 fans and injured more than 100.

The pop star rallied together her friends in the music industry to hold the “One Love Manchester” concert to raise funds for those affected. Performers include Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Coldplay, Katy Perry, Take That, Pharrell Williams, Niall Horan, Miley Cyrus, Usher, Robbie Williams, Little Mix, and The Black Eyed Peas.

“One Love Manchester” also featured heartfelt video messages from Stevie Wonder, Dua Lipa, David Beckham, Demi Lovato, Kings of Leon, Rita Ora, and Kendall Kardashian.

The concert closed out with survivors taking the stage alongside Ariana Grande before a crowd that’s estimated to be at least 60,000 strong for “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”.

According to Variety, “One Love Manchester” successfully generated $2.6 million in donations over the 3-hour period. All net ticket proceeds from the concert will benefit the “We Love Manchester Emergency Fund” created by the Manchester City Council and the British Red Cross.

Check out the other videos from the “One Love Manchester” benefit concert below:

1. Black Eyed Peas & Ariana Grande – Where Is The Love

4. Pharrell Williams & Miley Cyrus – Happy


Illi Najwa Saddique Apologises Over Punjabi Wedding Controversy

The government will call upon Illi Najwa Saddique, the Malaysian Muslim who married Indian hockey athlete, Manpreet Singh Pawar, to clarify on their religion status.

This apparently came after a clip of Illi and Manpreet’s Punjabi wedding ceremony circulated online, sparking a heated debate among netizens.

Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Ahmad Marzuk Shaary said authorities were still waiting for a complete report on the case from the Johor Islamic Religious Department. According to him, “From the information we have received so far, the woman is still a Muslim and there has been no application from her to change her religious status.”

“We did not receive any application from her to marry overseas. From my readings on social media, I understand that the woman is still a Muslim and the bridegroom (Manpreet) had converted to Islam last year. We will only know the full story after we hear it from the woman herself,” Ahmad Marzuk spoke to the press.

Not long after the issue came to light, Illi later came forth to apologise over the unexpected controversy. The Johor-born clarified that the mistakes that had happened were due to her and her husband’s ignorance. Illi also confirmed that Manpreet has converted to Islam since the end of last year.

Additionally, Illi revealed that the couple tied the knot on 16th December in a private ceremony. Their marriage certificate will be obtained this Wednesday (23rd December). She clarified, “My name will always be Illi Najwa Saddique. His family has been calling me Navpreet since 2012, as it’s difficult for them to call me by my real name.”

In shedding light on the viral video, Illi made it clear that they never asked for their wedding to be recorded, as they were already aware on the consequences that they would face. However, things went “out of control” after the Indian media shared the clip online.

“We didn’t say that what we did was right, but we had no choice. I’m not happy about the whole process and he (Manpreet) had not agreed to it. After he found out about the news, he requested for everything to be withdrawn,” Illi was quoted as saying.

Sources: Berita Harian, Harian Metro, The Star.

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Concert Review: Steve Garrigan Powered Through Kodaline Show Despite Feeling Unwell

Like many millennials, we first took notice of Kodaline through their 2013 hit, “All I Want”. Its infectious chorus and heart-rending lyrics was deeply resonating on so many levels.

We’re not alone in saying that the Irish group’s music has been the soundtrack to many events in our lives. Imagine our delight when it was announced that Kodaline was returning to Malaysia to headline their own tour.

Back in 2017, the quartet graced us with their presence for the Good Vibes Festival. Unfortunately, they only performed a few songs. With a full concert, we were looking forward to the full experience.

Held in KL Live on 3rd March (Sunday), the night first started off with a rendition of the lead single, “Follow Your Fire”, off their latest album. The song was a good opener as it was instantly recognisable and received a soaring welcome. It was also cool hear the effect that was used to deliver the verse “did you follow your fire” in the chorus section.

While “Head Held High” initiated sing-alongs among the audiences to the “la la la”, one of our highlights was during the acoustic rendition of “The One”. This performance slowed things down and allowed for a bonding session with the lead singer and the crowd. “I wrote this song for a friend,” Steve Garrigan explained how it came about.

The stripped-down version of “The One” showed off Steve’s artistry as a singer and a guitarist. We got to admire Steve and his bandmates showing off their slick guitar skills. It was a sight to behold when everyone in the audience was encourage to filled up the concert venue with their phone lights during their performance.

After “Love Will Set You Free”, Kodaline tricked the crowd by saying it was their last performance for the night. Lights were turned off and this obviously caused a reaction among the crowd. They were demanding for an encore by chanting “ALL I WANT, ALL I WANT, ALL I WANT”.

It didn’t take long before Kodaline returned to the stage to deliver the fan-favourite smash hits “All I Want” and “High Hopes”. This time, the sing-alongs were louder. The two beautiful tracks were the perfect way to end the night. Even though, the band has recently adopted EDM influences for their latest materials, these two tracks serve as a reminder that the essence of the band is their honest lyrics.

A post shared by Hype Malaysia (@hypemy)

Even though Steve’s voice broke a couple of times (poor chap was feeling under the weather), he still gave his all throughout the duration of their concert by belting out note after note. The singer-songwriter even assured Malaysian fans, “We will be back soon.”


#Shipsomnia: Music & Arts Festival Cruise Sets Sail To Ibiza, Barcelona, & France

Dubbed “The Tomorrowland of the seas”, Shipsomnia, which made its debut in Singapore last year, will set sail halfway across the world for its next instalment.

The music and arts cruise vacation unveiled its new global edition scheduled to set sail in the Mediterranean roundtrip to Barcelona, Ibiza, and Sête on 14th – 18th June 2017.

Having impressed fans with its sold out inaugural chapter, “The Search for Lost Rhythms”, which travelled from Singapore to a private island in Phuket this past January – whereby over 70% of its cabins booked within just 4-days of launch – Shipsomnia is now equipped with an all new ship for the debut of its new chapter, “Tale of the Kraken”, in what’s set to be the first of its kind to travel to the dance music hub of Ibiza and beyond.

Earning a reputation from international media as “The mother of all floating festivals”, the 5D/4N immersive vacation experience will uncover the “Tale of the Kraken” and help soothe the savage beast with its eclectic rhythms at sea. Expect the biggest names in the underground scene to take centre stage on board and at a massive surprise sunset party in Ibiza.

Endless activities tailored to an international community of Shipsomniacs such as excursions with artistes, secret parties at private villas, parasailing, casino gambling or their aquatic themed carnival-like night “The Shipsomnia Ball” are only a few example of what awaits as part of this edition.

Tickets to Shipsomnia are very limited and sure to be snatched up fast with half of the capacity or more pre-booked from returning Shipsomniacs. Travellers are advised to register on the waiting list to increase their chances of securing a spot by gaining access to the booking system 24 hours before it opens to the public on 4th September 2016.

For full details on this epic vacation, hit up their website.

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Hype’s Exclusive: Break A Move With Wrecking Dance Orchestra At #DanceDanceAsia

No one can do the “Tron”-inspired dance routine better than Wrecking Crew Orchestra (WCO), one of the pioneers in adopting the signature LED suits for their performances. Formed in 2003, the Osaka-based 8-member dance group made a splash with their “Tron” dance in 2012 after the videos of their performances went viral. They wowed the audiences with their perfectly synchronised performance while wearing the electroluminescent light suits designed by iLuminate,

Even before their video went viral, the group frequently filled the venues of their showcases both at home and abroad. Other than attracting more than 8,000 audiences for their 10th anniversary live performances in Tokyo and Osaka, they were invited as representatives from Japan to entertain over 2,000 guests at the 60th anniversary of the establishment of a Japan-Myanmar diplomatic relationship in Yangon last Spring.

Having performed in so many countries in the past, the award-winning dance group came to Malaysia last year and left a lasting impression through their worldwide hit “Beat Bumper” at Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) and the George Town Festival. To promote exchange and collaboration among street dance groups in the ASEAN region, the dance group was invited to join the “Dance Dance Asia– Crossing the Movements “, an event proudly presented by Japan Foundation Asia Center.

The event was held at KLPac from 6th to 8th Feb. This is the 3rd time the group has performed in Malaysia but this time around, they ditched the “Tron” dance beccause they wanted to return to the original style that established their names in the Japanese street dance scene. Together with Time Machine and Blue Tokyo, WCO delivered us one of the most satisfying performances in years. As they constantly evolve in pursuit of new possibilities for street dance, the group successfully defied the impossible with their synchronised routines.

We attended the press conference of the project last Thursday and managed to sit down with Yoko, the leader of the group for a chat. Here’s what went down during our one-on-one interview:

Given that we are about to see a special version of the show (as described in the booklet) this weekend, what are the differences you had in envisioning this dance piece?

Well, we didn’t do anything specifically special for our show in Malaysia because we came to Malaysia last year and we’ve been doing a lot of performances in Asian countries. For this cultural exchange, it’s something really important for us perform in Malaysia again because it’s our passion to perform more in Asian countries. So, in that perspective, we are just putting all our efforts into doing these performances.

When performing a dance piece, how do you approach creative process? Where do you draw inspiration from?

In terms of inspiration, of course, music takes a huge portion of it because it’s street dance. I think about a dance piece all the time, every day in my life. Even when I’m reading manga, watching TV, spending time on the computer, or seeing people walking on the street, I always think about creating the pieces. So this is how I get inspired most of the time because I combine these with music in a creative way.

For the Tron-inspired performances, do you usually incorporate movie elements into your choreography?

I think around year 2008, some artistes have already started wearing these LED light suits for their live performances. So after seeing those performances, I thought it’d be a good idea to combine these performances with my performance too.

Having travelled to so many countries in the past, what’s the most memorable moment for the group?

Oh wow, that’s a really difficult question [laughs]. In our country, dance is a common language. I mean, wherever we go, everyone enjoyed and everyone had fun so that makes dance a common language or the universal language. But if I had to pick one really memorable country to perform in, that would be Kazakhstan because at that time, the temperature was -20°C. It was very cold but we had to perform so that’s something really memorable for our group.

What do you think would make a great dancer?

Well, that’s another difficult question haha. But those great dancers that I know of, their personalities and characters are also great. So I think characters and personalities that go well together will create the greatness of being a dancer. Having said that, I think it’s really important to see how special and different these great dancers are as compared to the ordinary dancers. They’ve got something very strong and they’ve got the originality within them, so I think that’s the condition of being a great dancer.

For more information about Wrecking Crew Orchestra, visit their official website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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#KualaLumpur: Flash Flood Could Have Been Caused By Poor Drainage System

Heavy rainfalls might not be the sole cause of the flash flood last week.

Instead, clogged drain outlets and culverts could have been the culprit to the disaster that caused 115 vehicles to be submerged, said the president of the Institute of Engineers, Tan Yean Chin.

Tan said that silt and debris could have been washed and deposited at the outlets of drainage systems and culverts during a downpour, which caused them to clog up and accumulate the deposits. The cross-sectional area of the drains and culverts would then be reduced, impeding their ability to carry away water efficiently.

After stating that strict enforcement was important, he added:

We would like to recommend that for new developments in the Klang Valley, the zero-additional discharge principle be imposed on developers as one of the approval conditions. This means that new developments approved must not contribute to additional surface water runoff.

Tan also suspect that nearby construction works could have caused the floods:

Contractors must adopt a professional approach and use authorised hydrological data from the Drainage and Irrigation Department in the design of temporary drainage systems during construction works.

Best management practices regarding silt traps, culverts and drains must also be incorporated.

Tan’s suspicions coincides with the findings of climate expert Prof Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah, who agreed that rapid development and poor drainage system of Kuala Lumpur contributed as one of the reasons the flash flood happened.

Last Thursday, scores of vehicles were trapped in several major roads in Kuala Lumpur following a downpour during the rush hour. Some of the roads that were affected included Jalan Pudu, Jalan Pantai Bahru, Jalan Lingkungan Budi, Jalan Tuanku Abdul Halim, Jalan Semantan, and Jalan Bangsar.


#RIPTangYi: “Justice Bao Jr” Actor Commits Suicide Over SPM Stress

According to The Hive, local TV series teen actor Tang Yi is believed to have committed suicide on Tuesday (24th November) due to exam-related stress. It is said that he was unable to cope up with the pressure after being unable to answer Additional Mathematics questions for his “Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia” (SPM).

Source: Kwong WahTang Yi is best known for his role in Malaysian version of “Justice Bao Jr” and a few other Chinese-language TV series.

Before he passed away, the 17-year-old student told his teacher that he wanted to go home as he was unable to answer the examination questions. The teacher asked him to stay, but according to Oriental Daily, Deputy Police Chief Mohd Sukri Kaman said that the boy didn’t want to listen to his teacher, left the exam hall, and went home anyway.

Tang Yi did not turn up for the 2nd paper in the afternoon and the concerned teacher decided to call his mother, who later called the aunt and asked her to check on him.

Source: TheHive.AsiaTo the aunt’s surprise, Tang Yi was found dead with his necktie wrapped around his neck and tied to a window frame in his room at Taman Jinjang.

The young local actor has been described as a brilliant student by his school teachers. Previously, he obtained straight As for his PMR (Penilaian Menengah Rendah). As for his SPM trial exams, he scored 9As 1B.

Tang Yi previously confessed to his family that he was disappointed about his SPM trial result. Thus, It is believed that the exam pressure heavily affected the actor and caused him to commit suicide.

Source: TheHive.AsiaRIP, Tang Yi. You will forever be missed.

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#Nickelodeon: Asia’s First Nickelodeon-Themed Attraction At Sunway Lagoon

Visitors to Sunway Lagoon will have more to look forward to in 2015, once Malaysia’s premier theme park opens Asia’s first Nickelodeon-themed attraction in collaboration with Viacom International Media Networks Asia.

Officially named as the “Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon”, it is expected to feature more than 12 attractions for fans and visitors of all ages. Ahead of its introduction, a 1,700-square-foot Nickelodeon retail store opened at Sunway Lagoon this holiday season last week, becoming Nickelodeon’s first retail launch in Asia.

Themed in Nickelodeon’s signature orange, the one-stop store will carry an extensive range of Nickelodeon merchandise, from t-shirts, slippers, stationery and school supplies to toys, apparel, Nickelodeon branded drinks, party items, home-ware and licensed products from Nickelodeon hit TV shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Following the launch, Nickelodeon characters including SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Dora the Explorer, Boots, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles will be making special appearances at Nickelodeon retail store daily on selected times.

“As we continue our strategic relationship with Sunway, I am really excited that Malaysia is joining our growing list of international retail destinations, expanding the Nickelodeon branded experience in Asia,” said Gerald Raines, Senior Vice President of Recreation Business Development for Nickelodeon.

“We have experienced a lot of exciting times here at Sunway Lagoon with over 20 years in operation, having provided a unique experience for visitors of all ages. The opening of the Nickelodeon retail store will certainly give families an exclusive opportunity to get a gist of what to expect from the upcoming Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon, which will open in the first half of 2015,” said Sean Choo, General Manager of Sunway Lagoon.

“Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon” – the first Nickelodeon-themed land in Asia, will be set amidst 10 acres of lush tropical rainforest to resemble a hidden world within a jungle “lost” to the public since 1997. The result is a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors, unlike anything experienced before. The planned attractions include a Rain Fortress – an interactive water play area using reactive technology, a Water Spray Area, Giant Aqua Tube Rides, daily signature slime deluge and a variety of other water slide attractions.

Sean also added, “The opening of this new feature cements our commitment to our visitors to continuously raise the bar in wholesome family fun for all ages at Asia’s one-stop fun destination.”

“Nickelodeon Lost Lagoon” will add to Sunway Lagoon’s five existing parks, namely its Water Park, Amusement Park, Extreme Park, Interactive Wildlife Park and Lynton V Harris Scream Park. The 88-acre Sunway Lagoon is already home to Vuvuzela, the world’s largest water ride and Waterplexx 5D, first 5D waterplexx in the world. It is also the only attraction in the world to win Asia’s Best Attraction by International Association of Amusement Park and Attractions (IAAPA) for four consecutive years (2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).

Full gallery of pictures, courtesy of our friends from Viacom International Media Networks Asia here:

For more information, kindly contact Sunway Lagoon at +603-5639 0000 or log on to Sunway Lagoon’s website or its Facebook page.


South Korean actor and model Nam Joo Hyuk (남주혁) will be setting off on his Asia Fan Meeting Tour in Kuala Lumpur!

The heartthrob gained international fame when he played supporting roles in college romance series “Cheese in the Trap” and historical drama “Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo“. He also co-starred in the youth sports drama “Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo”. His most recent project is tvN’s fantasy-romance series “The Bride of Habaek”, in which he plays a narcissistic water god.

Organiser Galaxy Group is proudly announcing Nam Joo Hyuk Private Stage [Close-Up] in Kuala Lumpur, which is slated to happen on 21st October 2017, 6:30pm at KWC StarXpo Centre. Ticket sales will start on 23rd August 2017 – that’s tomorrow!

Get a ticket and stand a chance to get one of these special fans benefits:

1) Hi-touch
2) Group photo
3) Signed poster

Don’t miss this chance to see your oppa! ;)

For more information about the fan meeting, please call Galaxy Group Hotline at 03-2282 2020 or www.galaxy.com.my. Stay tuned to the Galaxy Group’s Facebook page for more updates. Tickets will be available on www.buytickets.com.my.

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(UPDATE) #Chatime: Taiwanese Company Terminates Contract With Malaysian Master Franchisor

Taiwan-based La Kaffa International Co Ltd, the parent company of popular bubble milk tea Chatime, has terminated its Chatime master franchisor contract with Loob Holding Sdn Bhd with immediate effect starting today.

According to a The Edge Markets report, La Kaffa terminated the contract with its sole Malaysian franchisee due to a disagreement on royalty and ingredient sources.

Chatime was founded in 2005 with over 800 retail outlets across countries like Taiwan, Malaysia, China, India, Macau, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Dubai, Vietnam, Canada, UK and the US.

To date, there are 116 Chatime beverage outlets in Malaysia alone. Malaysia is Chatime’s largest international market in terms of revenue and Malaysian stores accounted for half of Chatime’s revenue from international markets, according to La Kaffa chairman Henry Wang.

Upon making the announcement at a press conference today (Friday, 6th January), Henry Wang said that the company will take over the business operations and development of all Chatime stores in Malaysia. “Food and beverage products can easily be substituted. Businesses must continue to reinvent themselves by introducing new brands and products based on market demand to attract customers,” he explained.

He also added that La Kaffa has plans to set up its first regional operation centre in Malaysia within the first quarter of 2017.

Following Taiwan-based La Kaffa International Co Ltd’s decision to terminate its Chatime master franchisor contract with Loob Holding Sdn Bhd a few weeks ago, the latter will give up the Chatime franchise.

According to a report by The Star Online, Loob Holding CEO Bryan Loo confirmed that there were disagreements and disputes over various business and operational matters. However, despite the fact that Loob Holding and/or its sub-franchisees were still operating all 165 outlets in Malaysia, all the current outlets will cease using the Chatime branding. It will take effect after 45 days and Loob Holding has given the notice to La Kaffa in a letter last week.

This is in accordance with the franchise agreement.

As at time of writing, the official Chatime Malaysia Facebook page is no longer accessible. It is unknown if the page was taken down by Loob Holding.

Moving forward, Loob Holding will create its own brand for its 165 outlets.

Sources: The Edge Markets, The Star Online.