11 Dope Things To Do In The Klang Valley This Week! (27th March-2nd April)

It’s the final week of March, guys! If your month’s been rather eventful so far, you can make up for it by filling the next 7 days with fun activities.

Here are our recommendations for you to consider – from exhibitions, to shopping and hiking, you’ll have a blast:

The first and largest anime-based experiential exhibition in Malaysia is now open!

From now till May 8th, 2023, visitors can experience the largest One Piece experiential exhibition in Malaysia, held at the Pavilion Hall at Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, Resorts World Genting, from 10am to 10pm, Monday to Sunday. Visitors are encouraged to book their tickets in advance and choose their preferred time slots for the morning, noon, or evening to ensure a smooth and hassle-free tour.

Thematic zones will include exclusive life-size FRP (fiber-reinforced plastic) sculptures of beloved One Piece characters such as Luffy, Katakuri, Yamato and many more. One of the zones will also include a 180-degree immersive interactive mini-theatre showcasing Luffy’s 25 years of adventures with the Straw Hat Crew which will bring back memories for true fans. The exhibition will also feature the largest, brand-new 3D sculpture of the Onigashima raid, complete with breathtaking fights like the epic showdown between Luffy and Kaido. This awe-inspiring sculpture is being unveiled for only the second time in the world, making it a must-see for all the fans.

Explore the exhibition’s 21 thematic zones, spanning an impressive 25,000 sq feet (the size equivalent to half a football field), to witness their favorite One Piece characters come to life in thrilling fights from the anime series, brought to the exhibition in vivid detail. This is a unique opportunity to experience an unforgettable, 45 to 90 minute tour, complete with interactive exhibits, authentic pirate artifacts, and engaging multimedia displays. Click here to purchase the ticket.

Location: Pavilion Hall in Skytropolis Indoor Theme Park, Resorts World Genting

Are you in need of a good laugh? Come watch Friday Night Mic, a standup comedy powerhouse featuring Princess Hannan and some of KL’s funniest new comics. Netflix celebrity Kavin Jay will serve as the event’s host! Click here to purchase your tickets.

Mark the date and visit UNIQLO’s newest store at Setapak Central Mall! Be one of the first visitors on that day and stand a chance to get special deals and gifts.

You know what comes after Ramadan, right? Obviously, Eid! Hence, if you want to impress your family, remodelling your home should be your first priority. Thank goodness the Big Sale has arrived! Head to the HOMElove Home & Living Fair, where you can shop for anything you need at incredible savings, from furniture to kitchen cabinets and appliances.

Date: 31st March-2nd April 2023 (11am-10pm)

In collaboration with the prestigious Japan Music Council, the MIA Music Department is honoured to present an exceptional evening of classical music. Discover the sublime majesty of classical music and an extraordinary cultural exchange between Malaysia and Japan. The concert will highlight the abilities of renowned musicians and singers, offering a varied programme that includes traditional and contemporary pieces in addition to Western classical music. Admission is free but do RSVP for your spot on Google Form.

The highlight of Ramadan? Bazaars, for sure! Come celebrate Raya with MyTOWN as they introduce an exclusive Raya version of their Bakers Galore. Enjoy a fantastic event where you can purchase handmade baked goods, including cakes, breads, cookies, pastries, and more.

The three-day Tamil New Year Edition of Indian Fashion Edge in 2023 will be dedicated to promoting togetherness in all endeavours, with a quality entrepreneurial focus, as well as showcasing a variety of unique businesses and goods under one roof. Don’t forget to shop ’til you drop and save the date now!

Date: 31st March to 2nd April 2023 (11am-9pm)

Location: Agenda Suria Convention Centre

Sparkle with confidence this Raya thanks to the Guardian Derma Fair 2023! You can choose from a wide variety of activities, including hand massages, skin tests, and freebies from Eucerin, Avene, and Cetaphil, among many others.

Date: 27th March to 2nd April 2023 (10am-9pm)

Unwind with a night of fun and games! Join REXKL for their Tabletop Games meetup for a night of board games, role-playing games, food, and beverages. Beginners, gamers, game masters, and anybody else searching for a group of new players to play with can all meet up here. Only RM25 per entry and RM20 for students, seniors, and jobseekers! Click here for more details.

If you’re looking for a healthier way to spend the weekend, look no further than Hulu Langat for a good hiking session. Located in Hulu Langat, Bukit Chenuang is a mountain next to Gunung Nuang, its larger sibling. Bukit Chenuang itself is a moderately difficult trek, but the peak offers a fantastic vista as a reward. Bukit Batu Kumbang, which is less known among hikers and sits 700 metres above sea level, will provide you an even better perspective. For only RM65 per pax, you’ll get a permit, official MGP Selangor Guide and sweeper, radio communication and basic first aid. Click here for more details.

In celebration of Rachmaninoff’s 150th birthday, The Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO) is putting on a massive concert for the well-known classical composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff, themed ‘Happy Birthday Rachmaninoff’. The concert will take place on 1st April & 2nd April 2023 at the Dewan Filharmonik. The concerts are also part of the MPO’s 25th anniversary this year, which celebrates glorious masterpieces from the classical music world.

The MPO also welcomes back Tokyo-born maestro Junichi Hirokami to the podium in these concerts; he has conducted the MPO in the previous seasons. Join the MPO in this fabulous birthday celebration of the famed classical composer of the classical music world, only at DFP. Click here for more details.

Date: 2nd April 2023 (3pm) *1st April tickets sold out

Location: Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS, PETRONAS Twin Towers

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#FantasticBeasts: Script Completed; Filming Starts Next Year

The casting news for the film adaptation of J.K Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to to Find Them” may come very soon as David Heyman, the producer of the “Harry Potter” film series, has revealed to The Telegraph that Rowling has completed the script of the film.

It’s no secret that J.K Rowling is set to conquer the world with her fictional world as Warner Bros confirmed that a Harry Potter spin-off film is currently in the works. It was also confirmed that the film will be shot at the Warner Bros complex in Hertfordshire, where all Harry Potter films were shot.

At the world premiere for his latest film “Paddington“,  David Heyman told The Telegraph that author J.K Rowling has “written a wonderful script” for the film.

“The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a trilogy series and has its story set at New York city in the 1920s. The story follows the adventures of wizard writer Newt Scamander and the magical community in the Big Apple. Though it has no relations to the Harry Potter stories whatsoever, Newt Scamander was once mentioned in Harry Potter as the author of a textbook that wizards must read in school.

No cast members have been announced so far but it will be directed by David Yates, the director for the final 4 “Harry Potter” films. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is expected to start filming next year before it hit theatres on November 18, 2016. A second movie is set for release in 2018 and a third in 2020, the studio said.

It has been reported that the mythical creatures from the book can be found in the Harry Potter theme park Diagon Alley. The Diagon Alley art director suggested that these strange-looking creatures represent the first time that the beasts have ever been visualised.

The official posters for the film have not been released yet but check out the fan-made posters below:


Hype’s Movie Review: Wonder Woman Steals The Show In “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”

After nearly 3 long years of patiently waiting, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” is finally here, and it does exactly what its title indicate: the movie introduces the Justice League on the big screen (get it, because it’s the “dawn”), thus kicking off the entire DC Extended Universe.

It doesn’t matter what critics think of director Zack Snyder’s technique, millions of DC Comics fans worldwide are guaranteed to pour into cinemas this weekend, making this superhero action flick a blockbuster hit. Viewers will probably enjoy “Batman v Superman” from the long anticipation and their hardcore love for their heroes than the actual film itself.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” takes place 18 months after the events of “Man of Steel”. But before that, we’re given a glimpse into the Spark Notes version of Batman’s origin story where Bruce Wayne’s parents are murdered at the back-alley.

The movie then cuts to the climax of “Man of Steel” and we see Bruce Wayne making a mad dash through the streets of Metropolis as the Wayne Financial building collapses, just in time to watch a friendly security guard lose his legs and a young girl becoming an orphan.

Then we fast forward to the present time, 18 months later. In the course of saving Lois Lane from a terrorist interview gone wrong, Superman is blamed for the deaths of several African villagers. Now branded as a controversial figure, Bruce Wayne together with most of the American government and the media have it out for Superman.

The hate towards Superman seems rather unfounded for the most part but it exists nonetheless. Likewise, the motivation of the characters from “Batman v Superman” come across as sloppy. As far as Bruce Wayne is concerned, reckless power left unrestrained makes Superman a threat to society. And so he dons his mask and cape to right Superman’s wrongs.

The rivalry between Batman and Superman is furious and nothing can deter them from waging this pivotal battle in the heart of Gotham. Although Batman may have grounds for vengeance, it’s Alexander “Lex” Luthor who has the appetite.

After hauling a chunk of green kryptonite found in the wreckage of Zod’s spaceship in the Indian Ocean, the young ego-centric mogul devises a “silver bullet” plan that could take down Superman. Any other villain would think twice before getting on Superman’s bad side. Not this bad guy though.

Instead of emulating the colour, warmth, and wit of Marvel’s superhero movie franchise, Snyder presents us with gods and monsters, duking it out against a backdrop of lightning and smoke. Majority of the battle scenes are set at night, making them hard for the audience to see.

As many might have suspected early on, there isn’t much of actual Batman versus Superman action during the duration of 150 minutes in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice”. An hour into the film, you are probably going to wonder: “Can we just get over this dispute so we can move on to Gadot’s Wonder Woman?”

If there’s one thing critics and fans can agree upon, it’s that Wonder Woman is a great addition to “Batman v Superman”, and will continue to play a crucial role in the DC Cinematic Universe. When Wonder Woman shows up unexpectedly and saves Batman and Superman from impending doom, she wields a confident smile alongside her shield.

To quote Kristy Puchko, when Gadot appears, it’s like someone switched a light on. The Amazonian loves being a warrior and this little insight gives the climatic destruction smack-down scene a bigger boost. “You get a great introduction to her, yet it doesn’t give too much away,” Deborah Snyder previously told USA Today.

If you’re eager for more Gal Gadot don’t worry, the actress is currently filming her solo Wonder Woman movie. Similarly, certain major cameos (*hint hint*) also provide a backdoor pilot to the 2-part “Justice League” movies in DC’s Extended Universe.

Bottom Line: While “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” is congested with trying to throw too many chips into the pot instead of solidifying on one story, it did give us Wonder Woman and a bombastic score by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL.

So there you have it folks, the DC Cinematic Universe ship has now officially set sail and we’re looking forward for better things to come.

Here’s your first look at “Justice League Part 1” all together at the premiere of “Batman v Superman”.

And there it is. THE JUSTICE LEAGUE Mahalo Zach and Debbie and the WARNER BROTHERS OHANA Amazing night aloha j

A photo posted by Jason Momoa (@prideofgypsies) on Mar 22, 2016 at 5:53pm PDT

Don’t forget to check out some fun facts about Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and a handy guide to “Batman v. Superman”.

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Are Justin & Selena Back On?

A few days ago, 19-year-old Justin Bieber was spotted leaving a museum in Amsterdam with his iPhone in tow. Sorry, what we meant to say was, with his iPhone that has a questionable picture of his ex girlfriend Selena Gomez for wallpaper in tow.

The unlucky (or should we say, lucky?) shot provided by a paparazzo stirred rumours that the teen pop sensation and Selena might be back “on” again, if you know what we mean. And the rumours would’ve just petered out if Justin didn’t continue to fan the fire when he posted up a (what we think is a) recent picture of himself and Selena.

Of course, it has since been removed but we happened to have stumble upon it somewhere on the interwebs. Are you ready for the snuggly Instagram pic?:

Also, E! News reported that the ”Spring Breakers” actress was seen getting off a plane in Oslo, Norway, at the same time that her ex-beau was performing in the city. Which begs the question, what is going on here?

Are they back together? Or not? Or are they just really, really close?


Hafiz Mahamad Slammed For Documenting His Deceased Friend’s Funeral

This week has been a gloomy one for cosmetics entrepreneur Hafiz Mahamad, as his good friend, known as Loh (full name Wan Mohd Abdullah Wan Mohd Noor) had sadly passed away, after a long battle from a stroke.

Upon receiving the sad news, Hafiz rushed to Kelantan to bid his dear friend goodbye. In a 3-minute and 38-second long IGTV clip posted on his Instagram, he recorded the whole funeral process, including driving the hearse van and also leading the funeral prayer for the dead.

A post shared by Hafiz Mahamad (@hafizmahamad)

Hafiz’s pure intention, however, was met with quite a backlash from local netizens, with most of them arguing that his action of documenting the whole funeral process was deemed as rude and disrespectful. Apart from that, others also compared the tear-jerking clip to a vacation video!

Some of the content creator’s supporters, on the contrary, came to his defence. They stated that netizens should be more understanding on his controversial post, because there are a lot of lessons and also moral values to learn from what Hafiz has shared on his social media.

Take a look at some of the comments here:

Refusing to stay silent, Hafiz later took to his Instagram Story to shed some light on the matter. He reposted a clip of popular rapper-turned-social media star Caprice addressing his controversial action on his Instagram Story.

The Instafamous stated, “Only God knows my intention. I don’t want to blame anyone for their opinions on the matter; that’s your point of view. Some benefited from seeing my posting. Others also saw my video and claimed I was being nonsensical. I accept everything, because I cannot control your ‘heart’.”

What are your thoughts on this issue? Do you think Hafiz was using his friend’s death for a publicity stunt?


“Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2” Mystery Judge Revealed!

So, we’re not sure if you’ve already heard by now that DIVA Universal’s “Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2” will feature a thicker plot. What is this “thicker plot” we speak of? Well, “Hot Guys Who Cook” is all set to return with season two that features a “Mystery Judge“.

And who is this “Mystery Judge”, you ask? It’s none other than Malaysia’s popular radio and TV personality, Serena C!

On her watch, the “Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2” competition just got tougher – and perhaps a little funnier? We find out in an exclusive interview with Serena herself. She tells all about the boys’ need for bragging rights, awesome recipes, judging them, and some behind-the-scenes moments:

Hi Serena! Thank you for speaking with us. Where are you right now & what are you currently up to?

“I’m hosting events all over the place. Year end is a great time for emcees so I’m not complaining even though I am currently nursing a fever and quite a flu.”

Oh dear. You best rest up! What was it like working with so many good looking men for “Hot Guys Who Cook” Season 2?

“Hilarious! When put in a room – they become playful boys competing for bragging rights. I know a few of them personally so it was fun catching up. The rest were delightful to get to know. I know the girls will love this season. Lots of banter, laughter, and cheekiness. And great food too. I wasn’t kidding when I said these hot guys CAN cook! Very well too!”

As a judge, what were the criterias that were taken into consideration & how did the judging process work?

“There were 3 criterias: Presentation – the dishes had to look as good as the guys at least to catch a girl’s attention to begin with. Taste – as good as the dish looked, the taste obviously was of utmost importance. This IS “Hot Guys Who Cook”! Personality – you get to see how the guys prepare the food, which really brings out their personality. This tells a story about the dish as well, so it wraps up the criterias nicely.”

Which one of the guys particularly stood out amongst the rest?

“They ALL had very different dishes – with very different personalities! I’d say each guy’s HOT in his own way. And that translates to the dish they prepared.  Allan’s experienced and very comfortable with himself as a character – he prepared a beautiful roasted chicken with tapioca/ potato mash, homemade salad dressing on the side and topped it off with chocolates for the judge, all in less than 90 minutes. Paulo is bashful, sweet, but not someone to mess with in the kitchen. His secret weapon: mama’s recipe! Zain is heeky, but still considerate! He prepared two dishes – one without shellfish in case I was allergic (which I was). As for Adam, although he “inherited” his recipe from a friend, he’s a fighter – fully focused on executing it to the best of his abilities. Armando is meticulous and experienced when it comes to food, and you can totally see that in his preparation. He even helped Oli with the stove when Oli got the switches confused! Oli is another cheeky chap who’s also confident with his dish – and WHAT a dish that was. I might steal that recipe! Henry had been traveling a fair bit but the Asian in him is very apparent in his dish – infused with spice and color. George is experimental, adventurous and fun, and that totally translated onto his very interesting dish. Paul could win you over with just a smile, and to add to that, the exquisite dish! MAN, sometimes I wished I didn’t have to pick a winner.”

Alright, before we let you go, is there anything that you’d like to say to Hype Malaysia readers?

“Hello Hype Malaysia, I am Serena C, your girl representative on HGWC Season 2. I hope I did the girls proud and brought out more of the hot guys’ personalities for your viewing pleasure. Season 2 is definitely not to be missed – you’ll be eating out of their hands.”

The latest episode of “Hot Guys Who Cook Season 2” premieres 17th December (Monday) and will air every Monday after at 7pm only on DIVA Universal.

For more information, visit their official website.

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Hype’s Now Playing: The Chainsmokers ft Rozes – Roses

Last month, The Chainsmokers promised to release their song “Roses” featuring Rozes this month and they’ve delivered! Over the course of their recent tour travels, the duo enlisted videographer Rory Kramer to document their experience and compile it all into one beautiful music video.

The video starts on a plane, where Rory has to make his way back to coach while Drew and Alex enjoy the fanciness and luxuries of business class. Rory is heard saying; “You probably know them as the guys who wrote “#SELFIE” but I know them as the guys who did not upgrade me to business class, The Chainsmokers”.

The video for “Roses” covers the crazy amount of flying and travelling DJs have to endure while touring. However, the amount of exotic locations and experiences shown in the video clearly makes travelling across the world to play music worth it.

It also gives viewers and fans an inside look into what Drew and Alex do to unwind while relaxing in the hotel. From jumping off walls to spraying Alex with the shower head while he’s on the toilet, these guys obviously love their jobs and they sure know how to have fun.

Plus, it’s always nice when artistes give fans a look into their personal lives through music videos. Also, if you pay close attention, you’d see that the video also features The Chainsmokers’ visit to Kuala Lumpur last June. ;)

For more on The Chainsmokers, stalk them via these platforms: Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


Hype’s Now Playing: Calvin Harris Ft. Ellie Goulding – Outside

Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding team up for yet another gorgeous track!

While Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding got all cute and smoochy for their 2012 track “I Need Your Love”, the duo‘s latest collaboration “Outside” is set to be the new break up jam. Still two weeks away from its official release, Motion has already started to breathe new life into what pop EDM has come to expect of artist who are on par with Calvin Harris. Following his acid house drop “Slow Acid“, Harris now previews “Outside” with Goulding, a closer step back into the radio realm he has championed a long time ago.

“Outside” starts slow as Goulding’s airy voice urgently tells the story of being excommunicated from a relationship. Accompanying her beautiful vocals is a sinister counter-melody with a detached, string-like motif that Harris has created throughout the song. Of course, it wouldn’t be a dance track without those claps building up to the climax, where the lyrics take a vengeful turn.

Apart from the release of “Outside” with Goulding, Harris has previously announced that the album’s forthcoming tracks will be feature superstar collaborations. Harris also also released Motion‘s track list (see below) for fans to dwell on as they patiently wait for the release of his album.

Motion is set for release on November 4th. In the meantime, listen to “Outside” here.


“Sweet Valley High” Movie In The Works; “Legally Blonde” Writer To Co-Write

Two words: Jessica Wakefield/Elizabeth Wakefield.

That’s right. We’re talking about the Sweet Valley twins!

Created by Francine Pascal in 1983, the highly successful “Sweet Valley” young adult novel series chronicled the lives of identical twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield, who live in the fictional town of Sweet Valley, California. The series quickly gained popularity and spawned several spin-off series, including “The Unicorn Club”, “Sweet Valley Senior Year”, and “Sweet Valley University”.

The books ceased publication in 2003, but not without leaving a legacy of 603 books to its name and a popular television series which ran for 88 episodes between 1994 and 1997. Kids of the 80s would agree hands down that the “Sweet Valley” series was a phenomenon ;)

And now, it has been confirmed that a brand-new “Sweet Valley High” movie is in the works!

According to Deadline, Paramount Pictures has hired a set of cowriters – Kirsten “Kiwi” Smith and Harper Dill – to bring the “Sweet Valley High” adaptation to the big screen. For the uninitiated, Kirsten co-wrote “Legally Blonde”, “She’s the Man”, and “10 Things I Hate About You”, while Harper is known for her work on the new Fox show, “The Mick”.

No further details have been revealed, but with Kirsten and Harper joining forces to make it happen, it sounds like the “Sweet Valley High” movie is on the right track. It’d also be interesting to see who they decide to cast to play the beloved Sweet Valley characters e.g. Jessica, Elizabeth, Todd, Enid, Amy, Lila, so on and so forth.

We highly doubt that real-life twins Brittany and Cynthia Daniel, who played Jessica and Elizabeth respectively in the television series, will take on the roles though. The twins are 41 years old this year and in fact, Brittany just got married yesterday ❤

A post shared by Brittany + Cynthia Daniel (@brittanyandcynthiadaniel)

Fingers crossed that all goes well for our favourite childhood books!

Source: Deadline / Featured image: eonline.com.

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Byron Bay Bluesfest 5th Artist Announcement

Seven stages with over two hundred performances, the Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014 is where any music enthusiast would want to be next April! Featuring veteran names like John Mayer, Jack Johnson, Buddy Guy, Erykah Badu and many more, Byron Bay Bluesfest has just released their fifth lineup!

The latest addition of names to the already spectacular lineup brings an array of genres and there is something in it for everyone. From Latino Rock, Disco, Hip Hop, Reggae, Funk, JAM Band, Alt Country, Sweet Soul Music and Afrobeat to one of the greatest guitar slingers to ever walk a stage.

Set to be the greatest Bluesfest ever in Byron Bay next Easter, the fifth artist announcement features: Jeff Beck, KC & The Sunshine Band, Govt Mule, War, Seun Kuti & Egypt 80, Sly & Robbie And The Taxi Gang, Jason Isbell, Chali2na, Kate Miller-Heidke and Seth Lakeman. If you think this is it, it’s not! Stay tuned for the next artist announcement.

For more information on Byron Bay Bluesfest, check out them out on Facebook and on their website.

Here’s a preview of what went down at Byron Bay Bluesfest 2013.

Ain’t Nothing Like The Blues At The Byron Bay Bluesfest 2014

Byron Bay Bluesfest – Third Lineup Announcement


#Merdeka57: 5 Sen Teh Tarik At Teh Tarik Place All Day!

Say, what can you buy for 5 sen these days?

Maybe half a cube of ice (won’t even help you with your #ALSIceBucketChallenge), 3 popcorn kernels (movies would be that much boring and that much hunger-inducing), 3-and-a-half French fries (sure, if you were on a diet), and a whole lot less. Fret not! We know a place where you can score yourself a yummy glass of the all-time Malaysian favourite “anytime, anywhere” drink for only 5 sen.

This Merdeka (31st August, Sunday), Teh Tarik Place is taking it back to the old school and offering glasses of teh tarik at only 5 sen per glass. Why? Well, they are called the “Teh Tarik Place”, after all. What’s the catch? Nothing, really. Except for the fact that the Merdeka Day promotion is only valid for dine-in customers. Fair enough, if you ask us!

And where, you ask? At these Teh Tarik Place outlets:

So, what say you? Want a taste (or more) of your favourite “national beverage” this Sunday for only 5 sen?

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


Singapore Airlines Turned Down The Opportunity To Be In Crazy Rich Asians

Now that “Crazy Rich Asians” is smashing record left and right around the world, Singapore Airlines (SIA) is probably regretting the decision to be featured in the Jon M. Chu-directed movie.

“Crazy Rich Asians” prides itself in pushing for Asian representation in Hollywood. So why did Singapore Airlines turned down this golden opportunity? Word on the street has it that the carrier may have opted out due to fears of misrepresentation.

In speaking with The Wrap, film producer Nina Jacobson admitted that they were taken aback SIA choose to decline the chance for product placement considering the films setting is in Singapore. It makes sense, no? Especially with the luxurious flights and ultra-wealthy outlook it portrays.

“It was going to be an ad for Singapore Airlines! But they were not sure the movie would represent the airline and their customer in a good light. People want what Richard Curtis’ movies (“Love, Actually”, “Notting Hill”) do for England — they make you want to visit the country,” co-producer Brad Simpson added.

If you ask Jon M. Chu though, he thinks at the time, people just weren’t sure about the direction of “Crazy Rich Asians”. He shared, “People didn’t have faith in this movie. They didn’t know what this movie was. It seems obvious now, but when we were making it, everyone thought it was a little movie and they were very suspicious about what we were trying to do.”

Ultimately, the production went with an imaginary airline — Pacific Asean Airlines. Maybe SIA will consider to be in the sequels?

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#NobuKL: Robert De Niro To Fly In (To Malaysia) To Launch Restaurant On 20th May

Hollywood actor and producer Robert De Niro is expected to fly in here for the official opening of Nobu restaurant, a brand he co-owns with chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa and Hollywood producer Meir Teper.

The 71-year-old veteran actor will arrive the afternoon before and leave right after the launch.

It is a tradition for all 3 owners to be there at the official launch of every Nobu restaurant. They will take part in a traditional Japanese sake ceremony in which the lid of a sake barrel is broken with a wooden mallet and the sake served to everyone present.

Some 350 guests have been invited to Wednesday’s (20th May) cocktail event.

Because of the lid’s round shape, the kagami biraki ceremony is regarded as a symbol of opening to harmony and good fortune.

Nobu KL‘s Malaysian partners Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Tan Sri Syed Yusof Tun Syed Nasir would not be participating in the sake ceremony. Instead, there will be another “surprise” launch act for the 5 stakeholders – a third partner in the KL venture is Singaporean hotel tycoon Datuk Ong Beng Seng whose presence has not been confirmed.

De Niro starred in over 90 movies and got his first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, playing the young Vito Corleone in “The Godfather: Part II” (1974). He scored his second Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Jake LaMotta in “Raging Bull” (1980).

Nobu KL at the Petronas’ 3rd tower has been opened to the public since September 2014. The restaurant on level 56 of Menara 3 Petronas is designed by architect Severine Tatangelo of Studio PCH, California. The outlet has a 360° view of the city, an open kitchen, sushi bar, dining room, bar, and a club lounge.

Presiding over the kitchen is Ipoh-born Philip Leong from Nobu London Berkeley Street, who carries out Matsuhisa’s new-style Japanese-Peruvian cuisine.

Nobu KL will be the first in South-East Asia and the highest altitude Nobu restaurant presently. The restaurant is located at: Level 56, Menara 3 Petronas, Persiaran KLCC, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

At it stands, the Nobu brand has 33 restaurants worldwide.

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


#CLC: Meet CUBE’s New Girl Group Via The “CLC Love Chemistry” Documentary

After months long of anticipation and excitement, the moment we’ve been waiting for is finally here – CUBE Entertainment’s newest K-Pop idol group, CLC (CrystaL Clear), is finally going to debut.

Previously, a representative of the agency told Korean media outlet OSEN that the group is set to debut in the middle of this month. The rep said:

We are planning to debut CLC in the middle of this month. It will be CUBE’s first multinational girl group, as it includes Thai member Sorn. We recently finished filming for the album jacket and music video. A great deal of time and care has gone into the preparation, so we are planning to present you with something unique that is completely different from the basic girl groups.

The identities of the remaining CLC members have yet to be revealed, but netizens are speculating that the girl group will consist of Sorn, Oh Seunghee (오승희), Yoojin, Chang Seungyeon, and Jang Yeeun.

The members are known for busking in the artsy areas of Seoul and they have impressed many with their skilful singing and dancing.

On 9th March, CUBE Entertainment confirmed that CLC will debut with their first mini album come 19th March 2015. The agency also released some really cute pictures of the girls, as well as their profiles.

And now, to keep up with the momentum, the CLC girls have officially kicked off their introduction with the first episode of their documentary, “CLC Love Chemistry”.

The episode features the girls showcasing their talents as they sing on their streets, as well as helping out kids in need with a song that they composed themselves. Needless to say, we can’t wait to see what else CLC has to offer.

While you wait for CLC’s official debut on 19th March, check out our exclusive interview with the group’s only Thai member, Sorn (real name: Chonnasorn Sajakul ชลนสร สัจจกุล), where she talked about her hopes and dreams to change the face of the K-Pop music industry after she was crowned the winner of “tvN K-Pop Star Hunt S2“.

There was also a rare “Arirang Special” video which featured Sorn’s training sessions in CUBE Entertainment. It documented her daily training sessions comprising of singing classes, dancing classes, and language classes (just to name a few), with great emphasis on her perfecting her command in the Korean language.

[#CLC] 큐브엔터테인먼트의 글로벌 신인 걸그룹 ‘CLC’의 공식 트위터입니다. CLC 멤버들의 친필 메시지로 첫 인사 드립니다:) 앞으로 많이 기대해주세요! pic.twitter.com/vmk0AyNePs

For more information, hit up CLC’s Facebook page or follow them via Twitter here.

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Blogger Xiaxue Lands Film Role

As Xiaxue, outspoken blogger Wendy Cheng is wildly popular in the region for various reasons. From controversial pieces to product reviews, to some travel features and more recently, posts dedicated to Dash (her adorable son), there are no questions why she’s one of Asia’s biggest bloggers.

Today, it was announced that she will be making her big-screen debut in Singapore’s upcoming romantic comedy, “Our Sister Mambo”. The film will commemorate the Cathay Organisation’s 80th anniversary. Why her? Producer Choo Meileen said that it’s because Wendy’s vivacious and larger-than-life personality will definitely spice up the scenes.

I feel very honoured to be part of Our Sister Mambo. The film will not only be a huge milestone for Cathay Organisation, which is celebrating its landmark 80th anniversary in 2015, but for myself too; as it is the first time ever that I am appearing on the big screen! Although I will be acting as myself, I still consider it an exciting challenge. I look forward to working with the talented production team and cast – I’m sure it will be a fun and memorable experience!

Yup. Wendy will be playing herself in the film. Besides, who else better to play Xiaxue than Xiaxue herself, right?

Inspired by the classic 1957 Cathay film “Our Sister Hedy”, about a middle-class family with four unmarried daughters, “Our Sister Mambo” is written by “Army Daze” playwright Michael Chiang and will be helmed by “Pinoy Sunday” director Ho Wi Ding. It’s a story of lawyer-turned-chef Mambo, who tries to get her sisters Grace, Rose and June married off, but ends up cooking up one romantic misunderstanding after another instead.

Wendy will be starring alongside actress-director Michelle Chong, who plays the titular character Mambo in the film, which also stars veteran actor Moses Lim and actress Siti Khalijah Zainal.

“Our Sister Mambo” will go into production in August and will be released next year.


Star Wars: Mark Hamill’s Epic Shade At Ivanka Trump Draws Split Response

Many people (including celebrities) have publicly expressed their dislike for Donald Trump. One of them is Mark Hamill.

Known for playing Luke Skywalker in the “Star Wars” franchise, the 68-year-old actor took a jab at Donald’s daughter Ivanka Trump after she tweeted out “The Force is strong in my family“.

Ivanka posted a cute family photo with her husband Jared Kushner and their three children. Their youngest son, Theodore, is seen showing off his love for the “Star Wars” franchise by dressing up as a Stormtrooper.

However, one particular Jedi was feeling the love from the Trumps. Hamill, who has been vocal about his stand on the current political climate, shaded Ivanka by saying, “You misspelled ‘Fraud’.” He also included the hashtag #GoForceYourself for good measure.

While some found his joke hilarious, others thought he crossed the line because it involved a child. Some ever claimed that the veteran actor had turned “to the dark side” with his shady tweet.

— Brian Cates – Political Columnist & Pundit (@drawandstrike) September 29, 2019

— Daddy Beefdick is the troll with no teeth. (@iamabadman) September 29, 2019

This isn’t the first time Hamill has showed his distaste for the US president. He previously lend his voice to read out Donald’s tweets in The Joker’s voice and compared him to Jabba the Hutt.

Source: Twitter / Featured Image: Longroom.com

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#StarWars Spin-Off: Director Josh Trank Quits; Plot Will Be Boba Fett’s Origin Story

You’ve probably heard about this over the long weekend, but here we are once again confirming that director Josh Trank has indeed left the director’s chair on a yet-to-be-titled “Star Wars” spin-off film.

And apparently, there is a reason why Disney decided to let him go.

Lucasfilm officially confirmed the report by announcing on Friday (1st May) that the “Fantastic Four” reboot director will no longer direct the spin-off film. Trank himself cited a personal decision as the reason for his departure.

After a year of having the incredible honor of developing with the wonderful and talented people at Lucasfilm, I’m making a personal decision to move forward on a different path. I’ve put a tremendous amount of thought into this, and I know deep down in my heart that I want to pursue some original creative opportunities. That said, the Star Wars universe has always been one of my biggest influences, and I couldn’t be more excited to witness its future alongside my millions of fellow Star Wars fans. I want to thank my friends Kathleen Kennedy, Kiri Hart, Simon Kinberg, and everyone at Lucasfilm and Disney for the amazing opportunity to have been a part of this. May the Force be with you all.

Though the director cited a nasty flu as the reason for his absence at the “Star Wars Celebration” in April, various insiders told The Hollywood Reporter that Disney asked him not to attend while considering whether or not he is still the suitable director.

Sources also said that Trank’s behaviour is “erratic and at times very isolated”, making it difficult for the producers to pull the film together. The source added, “If you’ve got someone who can’t answer questions or who isn’t sure or is in hiding, that’s not good.”

Regarding Trank’s departure, Lucasfilm only stated:

It was a privilege to collaborate with Josh. We are grateful for the energy and love of Star Wars that he brought to the process, and we wish him all the best.

On a different note, TheWrap reported that the “Star Wars” anthology movie that Trank was supposed to direct will tell the origin story of Boba Fett, one of the most feared bounty hunters in the galaxy. He was a young Mandalorian warrior, who later became one of the fans’ favourite bounty hunters sent by Jabba the Hunt to capture Han Solo in the original trilogy. He was primarily portrayed by English actor Jeremy Bulloch in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi”.

A representative for Disney had no comment regarding the report that confirmed one of many rumours surrounding the 2nd spin-off film.

Disney and Lucasfilm are currently on the search for a new director before the production on Gareth Edward’s spin-off movie “Star Wars: Rogue One” begins this summer. Starring Felicity Jones, Ben Mendelsohn, and Riz Ahmed, Edward’s movie will follow a group within the Rebel Alliance who unites to steal the blueprints for the Death Star.

It is set to be released in December 2016 while the 2nd spin-off film that focuses on the bounty hunter is scheduled for release in 2018.

So, what do you think of the report on Trank? Are you excited to watch a “Star Wars” spin-off movie that centres on Boba Fett? Let us know what you think in the comments box below.

(Sources: StarWars.com, THR, TheWrap / Featured image via Screen Rant)


Girl Raped & Photographed Nude By Boyfriend’s Friend

A Vietnamese man took advantage of his friend’s girlfriend when the couple had a falling out. He started “having feelings” after meeting her and acted on them when he helped drive her to a wedding banquet.

The victim is a Hanoi University student. She met 32-year-old Pei Wanqin when she had a meal with her boyfriend. Both Wanqin and her boyfriend were staying in Taiping City. When the couple had an argument, Wanqin started exchanging messages with her. From then on, the two constantly communicated through text messages.

On 17th January, Wanqin drove the victim to Taiping City for a wedding. After the wedding, around 9pm, the victim asked him to drive her back to Hanoi as she wanted to prepare for her classes the following day. On the way back however, Wanqin kept touching her in the car even though she tried to stop him. He also refused to drive her back to Hanoi, citing different reasons.

Wanqin took her to a secluded area instead at 12am and tried to give her a hug, which she refused. Things got scary when he tied her to the car seat and while she struggled, attempted to sexually assault her. Later, he took her to a hotel in the city to rape and take nude photos of her.

He brought her back to Hanoi the following day, however, he had no intention of stopping his sexual assault. He checked into a hotel in Hanoi to rest and then messaged the victim, telling her to come to the hotel and ordered her to have sex with him. If she refused, he would send the nude photos he took of her to her boyfriend. At her wits end, she was forced to have sex with Pei Wanqin at the hotel.

On 19th January, she returned home and told her friends about the incident. Her friends encouraged her to lodge a police report. The police arrested Wanqin and discovered he had involvement with a theft case. Wanqin later confessed to raping the victim and has been charged for it.

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(UPDATE) #DashBerlin: Reported Missing After Bicycle Tour In Mayan Jungle

It has just been reported by a number of Mexican news agencies that the face of the Dash Berlin project, Jeffrey Sutorius, has been reported missing following a bicycle tour in the Mayan Jungle.

“It has been a couple of hours since Dash Berlin went on a bike tour of the Mayan jungle. On the way, he left the group and so far his location is unknown.”

This news has been confirmed by two news agencies in Mexico so far, with more coming in. As off now, three searches has been made to no avail. We pray and wish the best for Dash Berlin and hope this is resolved soon!

We will continue to update this post as more information comes in.

Dash Berlin’s fans, you all can breathe a sigh of relief now as the DJ/producer himself took to his Facebook page and Twitter to confirm that he’s fine.

Dash Berlin reportedly took to his Facebook page to announce to his fans that he’s ok. At this point we are still not sure why Dash Berlin is posting these messages using privacy settings to limit the posts to Mexico but we will keep you updated on the situation.

Well, thank God he’s okay! We’ll update this post as more information from his PR team comes in.


(Video) White Christmas? It’s Snowing In Resorts World Genting!

Christmas is made synonymous with snow by the Western media. The thing is, we don’t have snow in Malaysia. But, that doesn’t make Christmas any less festive here. Although, when we were kids, we did wish Malaysia would snow so we could build a snowman.

If you still haven’t moved on from wanting to play in the snow, or if you’ve got the travel bug wanting to visit four-seasoned countries, we’ve got you covered. Or should we say, Resorts World Genting has got you covered? In snow, that is!

Genting Highlands has always been one of the most idealistic recreational spots for those who live in Kuala Lumpur, Selangor or nearby areas. It’s a place where we can enjoy screaming our lungs out on top of a rollercoaster without having to be drenched in sweat or squint our eyes from the scorching hot sun. It’s also a really great place for us to just hang out at the cafes or just go sightseeing. Usually no snow, but good enough to get away from the weather.

Although, a TikTok video from Fadhilah Zulkefli (@pedzulkefli) has been the talk of the town for these past few days. Is it true Malaysia is finally snowing? The TikTok video from Fadhilah was of her in Central Park Genting Highlands, being packed with crowds. However, what has really caught netizens’ attention was the white “flakes” that fell on top of her head!

The “snow” might not be falling every hour of the day and is fake, but it sure does get us super stoked! The original creator of the video clarified that the “snow” is actually just bubble foam, and it only falls for 10 minutes every 2 hours. It is also stated that the “snow” won’t fall if it rains.

Central Park Genting jurrrr #fyp #fyl #gentinghighlands

There’s no entrance fee to Resorts World Genting’s Winter Wonderland, but it only starts from 4pm until midnight. And this will last ’til the 2nd of January 2022. So, guess we have less than a month to cure our travel bug and pay a visit to that one part of Malaysia that snows!

However, we do advise you to always keep your distance, keep good hygiene, and follow the given standard operating procedure if you decide to pay them a visit. Are you getting FOMO from the TikTok video? Because we sure are!


MCO 2.0 Extended To 18th February; Stricter Measures To Be Imposed

MCO 2.0 has been in full effect since 13th January. And unfortunately, a lot of our worst predictions are coming true.

It was originally scheduled to end by 4th February. However, it has been extended for another 2 weeks, to 18th February.

Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob stated that the extension applies to all states, except Sarawak. The decision was made after the Health Ministry reported that daily cases and infectivity rates were still climbing among both locals and non-Malaysians. “Following this, the National Security Council (NSC) special meeting has agreed to extend the MCO starting from 5th Feb to 18th Feb,” he said in the live broadcast.

Sarawak will be placed under conditional MCO. For the other states, interstate travel is still banned. Operating hours for permitted businesses will remain till 10pm. According to the New Straits Times, NSC will announce more details regarding the tightened SOPs.

With 5,728 cases reported on 30th January, it isn’t surprising that MCO 2.0 has been extended. It looks like Chinese New Year will be celebrated over zoom with loved ones this year!

Sources: The Star, Malay Mail, New Straits Times

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#Jayesslee: Get To Know The Twins!

Ah. We remember the first song we’ve ever watched them cover. It was way back in 2009. And back then, we were wondering, “Who are these sweet, talented girls?”. No, wait. Not just girls. They’re twins. Super pretty twins. Super pretty AND talented twins.

To date, that very same video has garnered more than 11 million hits!:

[youtube id=”DtXr0pIRSg4″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

We know. It’s hard not to want to sing along.

Now, if you asked Korean-Australian twins Janice and Sonia aka Jayessleethat many years ago if they thought that they’d grow up being YouTube artistes, they’d probably say no. As a mattered of fact, stumbling into the world of YouTube was purely by chance. “By chance” but to date, Jayesslee has oh, only about 342,922 subscribers and 58,900,251 total video views!

An excerpt from their official website reads:

Janice and Sonia have fond memories of their childhood. When asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Their answers were a variation of a teacher, a painter and at one point in time even a shop-keeper. Funny though, never did they mention a musician or a performer as something they wanted to become. They had no idea what was headed their way.

In 2008 the duo discovered the world of YouTube. Fascinated by the concept of connecting with an unseen audience all over the world, they created their first account under the name “Jayesslee”. The name was their attempt to be clever – fusing both of their initials and spelling it out.

Jayesslee’s first video was uploaded in their messy bedroom, doubtful that anybody would take notice. However the subscribers steadily increased over a year and it wasn’t until 2009 when the two saw a sudden boost in followers after their viral hit cover of Tamia’s “Officially Missing You”.

Hmm. It seems like both Janice and Sonia have conveniently forgotten that as Jayesslee, they are as gorgeous as they are extremely talented. Seriously. Who can fault those melodic voices?

As sweet as humble as they are, they insist that they still don’t know what hit them.

Not even after having packed their bags in 2010 and going to places all over the world (such as Singapore, United States, Canada, Malaysia) for their concerts. Not even after meeting and performing alongside fellow YouTube celebrities like themselves (such as KevJumba, Nigahiga, Andrew Garcia, Clara Chung, and David Choi).

Not even now, knowing that they’re heading out once again for their next big trip, the Jayesslee APAC Tour 2012.

Yup. It’s true. For the second time around, Jayesslee is hitting the road to meet their amazing fans. Oh wait, not fans. Because Jayesslee have always stressed that they don’t have fans – only many, many friends from around the world. In any case, guess which country is falling cozily into their tour grid?

For those of you who missed Jayesslee in Malaysia last year, here’s your chance to see them! Uh, for those of you who didn’t miss their performance in Malaysia last year and would really, really, really love to see Jayesslee again, well, we don’t see why not.

That’s all we’ve got for now but we’re pretty sure you’re already marking it down in your calendar. We’ll update it as we go along. We leave you now with Jayesslee’s latest video and beautifully done cover of Jason Mraz’s “I Won’t Give Up”:

[youtube id=”QI9rPwl1KuM” width=”600″ height=”350″]

For more information, visit their Facebook page or melt those ice-cold hearts with sweet serenades via their YouTube channel.

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Contest: Win A Copy Of Hardwell’s Debut Album, “United We Are”

Just like you, we’ve been waiting since what feels like forever for DJ/producer extraordinaire Hardwell to finally release his debut album. Having seen him during his “I Am HARDWELL” tour in both Vietnam and Australia, and also while he was here at Zouk Club Kuala Lumpur, we expected only greater things to come from the boy.

Just as you would expect, his debut album, titled “United We Are“, is everything we never even knew we needed. And we know how some of you would like to get your hands on a copy too!

The good news is, thanks to our friends from Sony Music Malaysia, we’ve got 3 copies of Hardwell’s “United We Are” up for grabs. All you need to do to stand a chance at winning one is this – read our exclusive interview with Hardwell here and answer the following questions:

E-mail your answers with your details (Name, IC, Contact number) to submit@hype.my. Good luck ;)

For more information on Hardwell, visit his Facebook page.


Joey Crowned Twisties Superstarz X Winner

After weeks of grooming and challenges, Joey Tong Shyn Kae (Joey), 17, was announced the winner of The Twisties Superstarz X talent competition, taking home the prize of an original song recording and the filming of a music video worth RM25,000. Joey also walked away with the coveted “Superstar” title, proving that life is truly better twisted.

Joey amazed spectators and judges at the Twisties Superstarz X final showdown by debuting a four-chord song she created by combining more than 15 songs originally performed by international singers such as PSY and Taylor Swift. Not only was her voice spectacular but her musical creativity was definitely bold, wacky and unpredictable, with a standout style that embodies the Twisties proposition that “Life’s Better Twisted”.

The 2nd prize of studio recording time worth RM7,000 went to Aster Kyle Gunasekera (Kyle), 26 , who sang “Forget You” by Cee Lo Green during his final musical battle against Joey.  The 3rd prize of music lessons (instrument or vocal) worth RM 3,000 went to Diary of Us, a brother and sister duo comprising of Trysha Gayle Hadjiril (Trish), 18, and Scott Daryl Hadjiril (Scott), 19. Diary of Us performed Animal by Neon Trees with Scott on the guitar.

Before the final showdown, six finalists were chosen, beating out hundreds of others who auditioned at on-ground roadshows nationwide and also online. The six finalists not only had to go through four twisted challenges to come out tops but also underwent many grooming sessions with celebrity mentors Prema Yin and Altimet who helped polish their innate musical talent.

When it came to showdown night where the six battled for the top spot, Altimet, Malaysia’s top rapper and singer-songwriter kicked off the show with a bang, showcasing his rapping skills with his new number “Kalau Aku Kaya”. Prema Yin was also there to support her protégés, performing her new song “Mexico” alongside a medley of pop hits with her band.

Aside from the main prizes, the finalists also received challenge prizes based on the four challenges: Joey took home an iPod Nano for The Voice Challenge, Diary of Us won The Rhythm Challenge and took home a Polaroid camera, while The Style Challenge landed Joey RM500 worth of shopping vouchers for Zalora and The Superstar Challenge prize of Skullcandy Headphones went to Kyle.

The Twisties Superstarz X Finale was held at Aquasonic, Sunway Pyramid. For more information, visit their official website.


#AirAsiaGo: Flight Booking Fees Of RM25 For Any Flight Bookings Omitted!

Effective immediately, AirAsiaGo.com is removing the flight booking fees of RM25 for any flight bookings made through the Malaysian site.

The fee will be omitted for both AirAsia and AirAsia X destinations and is applicable for both mobile and web booking.

General Manager of AirAsiaGo, Darren Goh said, “We at AirAsiaGo.com have always worked towards the main goal of convenient, easy and affordable travel for all and this is another step to ensure a great travel experience from the booking process itself.”

The timely decision coincides with one of the heaviest booking periods of the year ahead of the festive season and AirAsiaGo.com passengers can rest assured that it is here to stay. All passengers can enjoy additional 8% off for their hotel bookings by keying in the promo code: AAGO8.

For further information, visit www.airasiago.com. For real-time updates, hit up their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

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New Skies Open As AirAsia Flies To Busan, South Korea!

AirAsia X has further expanded its network in Asia Pacific by adding a new route to South Korea’s second largest city, Busan. This is its second destination in South Korea, with the first being Seoul! AirAsia X will be offering four flights a week between Gimhae International Airport, Busan, and the Low-Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) from 15th July 2013. It would be using the Airbus A330-300 aircraft with 12 premium flatbed seats and 365 economy seats.

AirAsia X CEO Azran Osman Rani said the airline’s entry into Busan was in line with the strategy of adding flight frequencies and destinations to priority Asia Pacific markets:

We estimate that more than 60 per cent of AirAsia X passengers using this route will be first-time visitors, which will contribute significantly to tourism growth, allowing AirAsia X the opportunity to open up new market segments from Malaysia and Busan with affordable fares.

The airline will be offering launch fares to Busan from Kuala Lumpur from as low as RM199 (economy) and RM699 (premium flatbeds). Online bookings are available from today to 28th April 2013 for travel between 15th July 2013 and 30th April 2014 next year.

For more information, hit up AirAsia’s website. Now!


(UPDATE) Hype’s Now Playing: BIGBANG (GD&T.O.P) – 쩔어 (ZUTTER)

BIGBANG‘s leader G-Dragon and rapper T.O.P. has finally made their long-awaited sub-unit comeback through “쩔어 Zutter” (translation: “Dope”), their unit track from the August release of their “MADE” series. It marks the duo’s first project together since the release of “High High” in December 2010.

The song, which was released on 5th August (Wednesday) at midnight KST, was revealed to be written by the duo themselves, with the help of YG hitmaker Teddy. The meaning of the song was beautifully combined by the duo and the official music video simply allows fans to interpret the song better.

In the video, they can be seen having fun as the comical plot that revolves around a gangster and swindler. Some scenes also provided answers to some of T.O.P’s recent questionable Instagram posts, which include photos of a pig. The duo also proved their originality and their trend-setting nature through the thought-provoking song by inserting some witty references to their personal lives and the K-Pop entertainment industry. They promised an epic good time with fans as one of its rap punchlines are incredibly catchy and easy to sing along too:

This song is sick, my rap is sick, my style is sick, I’m kinda sick I shake my legs, I make money, I walk in the sky, ay do you wanna.

“Zutter” wasn’t the only music video that BIGBANG released for their “MADE” series E. YG Entertainment released “Let’s Not Fall in Love” on the same day, featuring all 5 members of the group.

The group has consistently been releasing 2 tracks per month starting from May, with the full album titled “MADE” scheduled to be released on 1st September 2015. So far, they have already unveiled 6 title tracks namely “Loser” and “Bae Bae” from MADE series “M”, “Bang Bang Bang” and “We Like 2 Party” from MADE series “A”, as well as “If You” and “Sober” from MADE series “D”. All of the title tracks came with their own music videos, except for “If You”.

The group will conclude their promotional activities by releasing the full album on 1st September 2015.

Watch the “Zutter” MV making film and dance practice video too, while you’re at it ;)

For more information, visit BIGBANG’s Facebook page and Twitter.


Ticketing Details For NEX7’s Concert In Malaysia Revealed

Chinese boy band NEX7 is set to hold its inaugural concert in Malaysia this coming February.

The concert in Malaysia will be part of the group’s “NEXT TO YOU” world tour which also include Thailand, Hong Kong, Macau, and more.

A post shared by iMe Malaysia (@ime.malaysia)

The Malaysian leg is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 24th February 2019, 7pm at Menara PGRM, Kuala Lumpur.

Priced at RM688 (VIP), RM588 (Cat 1), and RM388 (Cat 2), the tickets will go on sale this Saturday, on 5th January 2019 at 12pm. Tickets can be purchased via ticketcharge.com.my.

NEX7 is a 7-member band consisting Zhu Zheng Ting, Justin, Bi Wen Jun, Huang Xin Chun, Ding Ze Ren, Fan Cheng Cheng, and Li Quan Zhe.

Thanks to each of the member’s unique charm, the band managed to attract different range of fans. Despite being recently debut, the group has conquered various music charts and awards last year.

Details for “NEXT TO YOU” World Tour in Malaysia are as follows:

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WINNERS: Flight, ETA 11 Days

Thank you all for taking part in our “Flight” movie contest and thank you all for diligently tweeting us! A whole lot of you will be joining us at TGV 1 Utama tomorrow night for the exclusive premiere screening. Of course, all this was made possible by United International Pictures Malaysia so special thanks to our friends for making this contest happen. Yay!

Kindly collect your tickets from our counter at TGV 1 Utama from 8pm onwards. Remember, tickets are strictly non-transferable. Hype Malaysia reserves the right to refuse the collection of tickets for those who attempt to transfer it from one contest winner (in whose name it is registered) to another person.

[youtube id=”62eovImCGCY” width=”600″ height=”350″]

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


Ticket Prices For K-Pop Music Wave 2017 In Penang Announced

The ticket prices for the K-Pop Music Wave 2017 in Penang are out!

Organised by Golden Warriors Film & Entertainment, the team behind the upcoming K-Pop Sensation 2017 featuring Jessica Jung and Kang Gary, the upcoming festival is set to conquer Penang on 24th November 2017 (Friday).

K-Pop fans would be delighted to know the large event will feature Hallyu star Rain (otherwise known as Bi or Jung Ji Hoon), TS Entertainment’s B.A.P (an acronym for Best Absolute Perfect), MBK Entertainment’s T-ARA, as well as “Running Man” duo Kim Jong Kook and Haha (Ha Dong Hoon).

Prior to the event, T-ARA leader Qri (Lee Ji Hyun) will also appear at the event’s press conference at MMall Times Square, Penang at 6pm on 2nd September (Saturday).

Details for the K-Pop Music Wave 2017 are as follows:

Note: Fans can purchase the ticket during the event’s press conference or via www.kpopmusicwave.asia starting at 1pm on 2nd September. An early bird discount of 20% is only available on 2nd September.

Singer and actor Rain unveiled “The Best Present” (최고의 선물), a song dedicated to his wife, Kim Tae Hee, early this year while T-ARA recently released their final group album “What’s My Name” (내 이름은). Aside from that, the boys of B.A.P are making a comeback this September.

For more info, hit up Golden Warriors Film & Entertainment’s Facebook page and K-Pop Music Wave’s website.

Sources: K-Pop Music Wave’s website, K-Pop Music Wave’s Facebook event page, GOkpop Malaysia / Featured image: K-Pop Music Wave’s Facebook event page.


Hype’s Now Playing: Florence + The Machine – What Kind Of Man

Florence + The Machine returns with new music.

After teasing fans with a nearly instrumental track earlier this week, Florence Welch has finally announced plans for her third studio album and released the official video for the group’s latest single “What Kind of Man.” Directed by Vincent Haycock and choreographed by Ryan Heffington, the video opens with a montage of the singer debating the elements of chaos in terms of a romantic bond between two people.

The video then leads to powerful images of Welch topless during a sex scene and being involved in a car crash before it goes up a tempo where Welch is seen surrounded by men during a dance sequence that evokes torment and power struggle. Just like the track, the video tune builds slowly and leads to a heavily textured, soulful, brass-heavy pop song.

“What Kind Of Man” is a track off Florence + The Machine’s upcoming album “How Big How Blue How Beautiful” which is set for a June release. The track list for the album can be seen below:

Watch the emotional and powerful video for “What Kind of Man” below:

For more on Florence + The Machine, follow them via these platforms: Website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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The Internet Is Flying Without Wings Because Westlife Is Reuniting!

The wait may finally be over! One of UK’s biggest boybands – Westlife – will be getting back together.

This news comes courtesy the band’s former manager Louis Walsh. The “X-Factor” judge confirmed that a reunion between Mark Feehily, Shane Filan, Nicky Byrne, and Kian Egan are definitely in the works.

“A Westlife reunion is definitely going to happen – but I have no idea when. I’m still really good friends with all of the lads… I was chatting to Mark Feehily last night about the Christmas album he’s bringing out, and it’s amazing. I’d forgotten how talented he is. I think the reunion will be great, but it’s up to them to decide when they will do it,” Walsh told RSVP Magazine.

Since the Irish music mogul’s comments were made public, fans on social media have been going on a frenzy at the possibility of a Westlife reunion. Several fans are also having their fingers crossed that Brian McFadden (who quit the group in March 2004 to focus on his family and solo career) will rejoin the reunion.

For those that don’t remember, the Westlife members split and went separate ways in 2012 after 14 years together in the music business. To echo many fans, it would be a dream come true if the quartet reunite.

Sources: Daily Mail, Unilad / Featured image: Sligo Today.


(UPDATE) #LIFETour2017: Mayday To Rock Out In Kuala Lumpur This October!

Good news, Malaysian Mayday (五月天) fans! Your favourite Taiwanese rock band will be holding their “LIFE Tour 2017” (人生无限公司) in Kuala Lumpur!

Brought to you by Star Planet and Live Nation, Mayday’s upcoming concert will be held on 28th October 2017 (Saturday).

In celebration of their 20th anniversary, the concert theme “LIFE” conveys the message of “breaking through” and “challenging oneself”. Through their 10th world tour, the rock band strive to push their limits and deliver an unforgettable Mayday concert experience to fans from all around the world.

Mayday is made up of 5 members – lead vocalist Ashin (阿信), guitarists Monster (Guai Shou 怪獸) and Stone (Shi Tou 石頭), bass guitarist Masa (瑪莎) together with drummer Guan You (冠佑). Known as “The Chinese Beatles” and “King of Concert” in Taiwan, the band released their first album, titled “Mayday’s First Album” (五月天第一張創作專輯), in 1999 under Rock Records.

To date, the boys have released 9 studio albums including “Viva Love” (愛情萬歲), “People Life, Ocean Wild” (人生海海), “The Second Round” (第二人生), and most recently “History of Tomorrow” (自傳) aka “Album No. 9″ (作品九號), which held the hit single, “Here, After, Us” (後來的我們).

Ticket prices and venue for Mayday’s “LIFE Tour 2017” Malaysian tour hasn’t been announced yet, so stay tuned to this post for more updates!

Get ready to leaving the surface of the earth, Mayday fans!

Star Planet has announced that the ticket launch for the Taiwanese band’s Malaysian concert will be held at Quill City Mall, Kuala Lumpur on 8th July. Besides that, online sales is set to commence at 5pm on the same day while phone booking and outlet sales will start sales on 10th July.

Each customer can buy up to 6 tickets at the launch and the first 1,000 customers will be given freebies including concert posters and PP folders. The first 500 customers with a purchase of RM1,000 or above in a single receipt will receive a limited-edition tumbler.

Besides that, each rock zone ticket buyer gets a one-
time lucky draw to win cash voucher or express lane pass. Also, Star Planet Members can enjoy a 10% discount on 2 tickets (except RM278 and RM198 tickets) if purchase is made at the launch.

For more info, hit up Star Planet’s Facebook page.

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Hype’s Exclusive: Far East Movement On #Identity, #KPop Stars, & Discrimination

As the first Asian-American group to earn a #1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Far East Movement has a lot to live up to.

Between 2003 and now, the boys e.g. Kevin Nishimura, Prohgress (James Roh), DJ Virman (Virman Coquia) have released several chart-topping singles such as “Like a G6” and “Rocketeer”; played at big international festivals; and their songs were even featured in major movies and TV series.

A post shared by Far East Movement (@fareastmovement)

More recently, Far East Movement dropped their 5th studio album, titled “Identity”, which took them 4 years to make. Featuring international artistes such as Tinashe, marshmello, EXO’s Chanyeol, SNSD’s Tiffany, SISTAR’s Hyorin, Yoon Mi Rae, and Elijah Blake, the album fuses musical elements from both the east and the west.

We caught up with Kevin and Prohgress on the 3rd day of “It’s The Ship” 2016. Here’s what went down:

Congratulations on the release of “Identity”! It has been 4 years since your last album, what was your creative process like?

Kevin: It was slow (laughs). I think we really just needed to take a break and refocus because you go through a lot of ups and downs as an artiste. We would be in studio trying to make too much, trying to just try. And I think that that in itself is frustrating. It was like 24 hours, 2 days in a row with no sleep, months at a time just in the studio. You get your record labels and companies and different people saying things like “Ah, that’s not marketable,” “That’s too Asian,” and this and that, so we just needed to get all of that noise out of our heads. So that’s what we ended up doing, we took a break. We started taking trips to Shanghai, Seoul, Tokyo, Jakarta, and just everywhere in Asia to just soak in that far east. That’s what the Far East Movement was essentially all about, it was cultures that we were raised on in the States and needed to understand why we are the way we are and that kinda slowly inspired this album. We started gaining confidence and identity; we would write songs on the road and on the airplanes; and we just want to visualise and keep in touch with all the people we met until this album started taking shape.

Compared to collaborating with American artistes, what was it like working with K-Pop stars?

Kevin: We’ve been producing for artistes in Asia but it was a different process. There are always these collaborations between east and west artistes but it was always like a company thing or it’s like big companies with the money going, putting big people on big tracks and just release it. We kinda wanted to take a different approach. Though there’s a language barrier and a cultural barrier, we treated that process with respect in a sense. So we took a lot of trips out there to just vibe with the artistes and to write the songs together, to craft something that they liked but yet something that was different than what they’re used to doing in their groups or whatever they do. We wanted to slowly craft these songs to kinda reflect both artistes, and that’s what made it really fun and organic.

Most of your fans only see you guys from the crowd. Can you tell us what’s it like being onstage? Is it as magical and fun as we imagined?

Prohgress: Oh yeah! It’s just so much fun when the crowd goes crazy because dance music is all about the energy. When they’re all jumping with us and everything, it’s just the best feeling in the world.

Kevin: He’s (Prohgress) notorious for his stage diving at every show!

Prohgress: You know in Asia, I think they’ve been doing their bicep curls. The first couple times when we do it here, we would fall, every time! No matter how many times I call them to come in front of me. But these days, I’m lasting (during stage dives) a little bit longer.

What’s the one go-to song that gets everyone crazy?

Kevin: Well, we like to mash up EDM and hip hop. We always like to represent L.A. so we’ll throw in songs like “The Next Episode” or any old school Dr. Dre tracks. It’s crazy because you know we grew up in Downtown L.A., thinking that, “Oh, this is just for L.A. heads,” but when we drop that in a different part of the world, everyone goes, “West Coast!” And that’s a good feeling.

Most of your gigs are late at night. How do you keep up with that kind of lifestyle?

Kevin: Disco naps. You do a quick nap right after you eat and you’re good to go.

Kevin: Aww, man. What is this interview rated (laughs)? I have too many. I don’t know how deep we can go before we start losing people.

Prohgress: Gulity pleasures though? I don’t know. We definitely partake in a lot of fun (laughs).

You guys met in high school and have been making music together for the longest time. How do you resolve any creative arguments?

Prohgress: Rock, paper, scissors (laughs). After a while, you kinda just get the vibe. We just support each other with our ideas but we definitely have arguments though, that’s for certain.

Do you have any tips for aspiring young Asian artistes to get bigger recognition globally?

Kevin: You know what, we personally feel that they’re huge! We’re seeing K-Pop conventions in L.A. do 3 sold-out nights at the STAPLES Centre and that’s more than most L.A. acts. So many people ask us this question but from a L.A. perspective, they are already huge! The bridge that we wanted to make on this album was inspired by the fact that we’re seeing Asian music becoming global. A lot of it is because of YouTube and the Internet, so everyone is on an equal playing field right now. The only way they’re gonna get any bigger is by getting Grammys, I guess. But I’m sure they’re winning awards in their own language.

Is there any discrimination for Asian artistes in America?

Kevin: Yeah, absolutely. I think that it’s changing, for sure, and there are more dance producers that are Asians now. There’s no colour lines but that (discrimination) will always be there. At least from what we’ve seen when we first started until now and it’s weird. The world is getting so much more divided and something needs to change but I don’t know what’s it gonna be.

Do you have any new materials coming up?

Kevin: We spent so much time making our new album, so we really don’t really wanna put out a bunch of new music right now. But our next project that we’re working on is our own company that is called Transparent Music Asia. We’re putting out Dumbfounded, who is an amazing freestyle battle rapper. We’re expanding our own company and I think that’s the next step for us as entrepreneurs. Our love for music makes us wanna bring up the next generation.

Thank you so much for the chat, guys! We hope to see Far East Movement perform in Malaysia soon ;)

Special thanks to our friends from The Livescape Group for arranging this interview.

Meanwhile, make sure to check out Far East Movement’s website, Facebook page and Instagram.

Featured image: Far East Movement’s Instagram.

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Son Ho Young Attempts Suicide

Son Ho Young is currently in the hospital recovering from a suicide attempt.

According to police, Son Ho Young attempted to kill himself by lighting a piece of ignition coal in his car at 4:40am on 24th May. He was found by a passerby after he had escaped from his car, and was rushed to the hospital. The South Korean police went on to explain, “He lighted the ignition coal to commit suicide, but then a part of the car caught fire. We haven′t been able to confirm whether there was a will because the inside of the car is burnt badly, and we are trying to take a closer look”.

A source close to Son Ho Young told enews, “We′re currently trying to figure things out. He was having a very hard time, and we′re sorry about the news”.

A few days ago, Son Ho Young′s girlfriend was found dead in his car. Police sent the body to the National Forensic Service and found she died of gas poisoning, leading them to conclude she committed suicide. Son Ho Young attended the wake for her funeral soon after.

Oh dear. Our thoughts are with Son Ho Young. Please get well soon!


Hujan Spills Their Music (& #BBMM) Plans!

The biggest New Year’s Eve party of the year is just around the corner and it’s all set to rock your socks off. Slated to happen on 31st December 2012 at Stadium Malawati in Shah Alam, the BlackBerry Music Mania Concert and Carnival (#BBMM) is expecting up to 5,000 attendees.

And we don’t doubt that come New Year’s Eve, people will be flocking to Shah Alam because #BBMM will feature the ever-popular band from Indonesia, Sheila On 7, local rock scene heavyweights Hujan and Bunkface as well as the country’s foremost hip-hop family, Kartel (featuring Joe Flizzow, Altimet, SonaOne, and Ila Damiaa).

Last week, we spoke to Hujan’s frontman, Noh Salleh, and he shared with us what fans can expect from their #BBMM New Year’s Eve gig:

Hello Noh! Thank you for speaking to us. How is it going? What are you guys currently up to right now?

“Everybody’s got their own agenda these days. AG is busy with the studio, Azham Ahmad is in the midst of wedding preparations (he’s getting married in March 2013), Izzat has been focusing on his studies in LimKokWing University of Creative Technology (LUCT), Dimas spends most of his time in Jakarta manning his gymnastics class, and me..I’m sleeping most of the time. Haha! But in all seriousness, for Hujan, we’re currently preparing our Malaysian tour which will take place in January 2013. InsyaAllah, it’s still in the planning process.”

Hujan was first introduced to us in 2006. Since then, you’ve gone from performing at small gigs to award hows. How’s that treating you?

“We’re really grateful to have been given such a wonderful musical journey that’s filled with so many experiences that have taught us to be more mature. Especially with our respective families and friends. Of course, it’s all thanks to our fans that have never stopped supporting us since day one. To be honest, we had no idea that Hujan would take off the way it did. It’s amazing that we’ve come so far, done so well, and have survived until now. Really, it’s not all us – it’s all because of the undying support from our family and friends. Thank you.”

What would you say was your most memorable gig and why?

“I guess that would be the one in Kuching about three months ago. We performed at an outdoor venue and by virtue of our name, it really started to ‘Hujan’. And by that I mean heavy rain right at the moment that we started to play! It was like a storm and the set was pretty riot but everybody didn’t care – they were all dancing in the rain. Until today, I fail to understand why they stayed on until the end of our gig. I wrecked five microphones because of the rain and the last one we had to wrap in plastic. But that one died as well by the end of our set. The funny thing is that there were no videos of our performance at all because no one had guts enough to video it. Not with a camera, not even with a phone because of the storm. I cried towards the end because I was so touched by the support – sshh! Don’t tell anyone!”

[youtube id=”S02oAhp3mj8″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

How would your upcoming performance at BlackBerry Music Mania stand out from all of your other performances?

“It’s a secret! Clue: fast and furious.”

Leave a message for Hype Malaysia’s readers and tell them why they should be rocking out at BlackBerry Music Mania for New Year’s Eve this year.

‘Ah, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life if you don’t come. True story!”

To score passes to the hottest New Year’s Eve concert and party in town, all you gotta do is purchase a BlackBerry Curve 9220 or BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone! Yup. A pair of concert tickets will be given out* with every purchase of a BlackBerry Curve 9220 or BlackBerry Curve 9320 smartphone from 1st December to 25th December 2012. Tickets can be redeemed at any AirAsia RedTix outlets.

* While stocks last. See Terms & Conditions on the event website for more info.

Alternatively, you could also hit up Wanista to find out how you can snag FREE tickets to what is slated to be the biggest New Year’s Eve party of the decade. Let’s rock out!

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CONTEST: Flash Your “Suit & Tie” & Win Justin’s Album!

Yay! Thanks to our awesome friends from Sony Music Malaysia, we’ve got FIVE copies of Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience” album to giveaway to FIVE our of lucky readers/followers.

As always, most creative submissions win! So show us what you’ve got.

[youtube id=” 0umrvtA_pNc” width=”600″ height=”350″]


Disney’s “Paperman” Debuts Online

Disney Animation’s “Paperman”, a beautiful origami-based love story that is currently in the running to bag the “Best Animated Short Film” award at the Oscars. And if you’re wondering why a six-minute-plus-long video has been nominated out of the blue, well, consider these facts:

“Paperman” utilizes a technique called, “final line advection”, which brings together the expressiveness of 2D drawing immersed with the stability and dimensionality of CG.

In layman’s terms, it is the act of blending hand-drawn and computer-generated imagery in an innovative (possibly never-done-before) way.

But the short film is short – it was released in accompaniment of Wreck-It-Ralph’s credits. If you didn’t manage to catch the urban fairytale, here, let us do you a huge favour:

[youtube id=”aTLySbGoMX0″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

Beautiful, isn’t it? And who said that chivalry is dead?


Cho Miyeon: 5 Fun Facts About BLACKPINK’s Supposed 5th Member

A few pre-debut photos of South Korean sensation BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) have been circulating online recently. The pictures show the 4 members – Jennie, Jisoo, Rose and Lisa – with another girl, which everyone believe to be current (G)I-DLE member Cho Miyeon (조미연).

For those who don’t know, it was reported that YG boss Yang Hyunsuk originally planned to promote BLACKPINK as a 9-member all-girl ensemble. However, it was later announced that he had a changed of mind and decided to debut 4 of the girls first.

“Although we don’t know exactly what he was thinking, the remaining 5 trainees are still at YG and BLACKPINK is thought of as an advance party, in a sense, back at the company,” said a source from the entertainment company.

Based on the photo above, Miyeon was pictured in the middle of the other BLACKPINK members. For fans who would like to know more about the 22-year-old starlet, check out this list of 5 fun facts about her:

During her middle school years, she auditioned for a spot in YG Entertainment. It was also reported that she joined the entertainment company around the same time with BLACKPINK member Jennie.

The aspiring star has spent over 5 years as a trainee. She was slated to become a part of BLACKPINK’s original lineup. However, her stint with YG was cut short after she departed with the company in February 2016, 6 months before the “Kill This Love” hit maker’s official debut.

Although the main reason for her departure from YG remains unanswered up until today, word has it that Miyeon was caught on a vacation trip in Japan with fellow YG trainee alum, Jung Jinhyung. As a result, she was asked to leave BLACKPINK as well as the agency for good.

Miyeon then signed a contract with Cube Entertainment – home to famous past and present K-pop acts such as B2ST, 4Minute, BTOB, to name a few – and spent 8 years of training at the company. She eventually made it in the lineup of (G)I-DLE with other talented members including Jeon Soyeon, Soojin, Yuqi, Minnie and Shuhua.

The girls made their much-anticipated debut with the release of their 1st EP called “I Am” in May 2018. The girls have been sweeping the K-pop scene by storm with their record-breaking achievements.

Check out some of our favourite tracks of them here:

In addition, (G)I-DLE has gained K-fans’ attention thanks to their appearance on Mnet’s survival show called “Queendom”. In this case, the 6-member girl band was notable for pushing the limits in terms of showcasing various colours and sides of themselves in their stage performances.

If you don’t believe us, feel free to watch these clips below:

Miyeon revealed once in a radio show despite not getting the chance to debut together with Jennie (as well as Jisoo, Lisa and Rose), they still keep in touch and maintain a close relationship with each other.

Not only that, the 4 girls also left some sweet congratulatory message for her to celebrate her long-awaited debut with (G)I-DLE. Check out BLACKPINK’s reaction to Miyeon’s performance with her current group below:

Do you have any other fun facts to share about Miyeon or (G)I-DLE as a whole? Hit us up in the comments section.

Sources: Koreaboo, K-pop Profiles, Wikipedia.

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#MH17: “Blown Out Of The Sky”

A Malaysian Airlines Boeing 777 aircraft, #MH17, has been shot down on the Russian-Ukraine border in an “act of terrorism”, killing all 295 people on board including around 100 children. The plane which was due to have landed in Malaysia at 6am this morning was from Amsterdam and was last known to have been in the Ukranian airspace.

#MH17 exploded into flames at 33,000ft as it was apparently hit by a sophisticated surface-to-air missile over territory near Donetsk held by pro-Russian rebels who the Ukrainian government says are backed by the Kremlin.

Eurocontrol said Ukrainian authorities had barred aircraft from ground level to 32,000 feet but the doomed aircraft was cruising at 33,000 feet, still within range of sophisticated ground-to-air weaponry, when it was hit. “The aircraft was flying at Flight Level 330 (approximately 10,000 metres/33,000 ft) when it disappeared from the radar. This route had been closed by the Ukrainian authorities from ground to flight level 320 (32,000ft) but was open at the level at which the aircraft was flying,” said Eurocontrol.

However, Malaysia Airlines has confirmed that the usual flight route was earlier declared safe by the International Civil Aviation Organisation. International Air Transportation Association has stated that the airspace the aircraft was traversing was not subject to restrictions.

For Malaysia, this is all coming a little too soon after Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 went missing in March this year. Here are the day’s developments so far:

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak have also since released an official statement regarding the above issue.

As such, and out of respect for the family, friends, and loved ones of those who were on board the #MH17 flight, we will no longer be updating this post.

For more timely and verified updates, please visit Malaysia Airlines’ official website and follow their Twitter account. Families of passengers and crew may contact +603 7884 1234 (Malaysia) or +31703487770 (Netherlands).


Hype’s Exclusive: Staying High With The Queen Of The Clouds, Tove Lo

Known for her elegant heartfelt electropop sound and raw lyrical honesty, Tove Lo first broke into the music scene and gained worldwide popularity with her hit single “Habits (Stay High)”. The track crashed into the UK Top 10, reached #3 on the Billboard 100, sold over 3 million copies worldwide, peaked inside the iTunes Top Ten in 40 different countries, and have captured the attention of Lorde, Ellie Goulding and Katy Perry.

The 28-year-old singer from Stockhold, Sweeden who supported Katy Perry on her Australian Tour, was also featured on Alesso‘s “Heroes (we could be)“. Having recently gone through a surgery to remove a cyst on her vocal chords, Tove Lo released her debut studio album “Queen Of The Clouds” in September 2014.

Featuring singles “Habits (Stay High)” and “Talking Body”, we recently got in touch with the singer for a quick catch up. Here’s what went down:

Your entry into the music industry started with you writing songs for other artistes including Icona Pop and Cher Lloyd. Have you aways wanted to work in the music industry?

Since I was a teenager, yes. I knew I would be happy as long as I would do music in some way.

What lead/inspired you to release music as an artiste yourself?

Just the fact that I had very personal songs I couldn’t give away. And I wanted to release something just the way I wanted it. My voice, my words, kind of.

Yours singles “Habits (Stay High)” and “Not On Drugs” are rather dark. What inspired those songs and is there something about the drug metaphor that appeals to you as a songwriter?

It’s me. I’m all happy and bubbly on the outside but inside I’m dark and twisted as f*ck. I like drug references because they explain so well all the over whelming feelings of love.

How would you describe your sound to someone who’s never heard of any of your stuff before?

Dirty pop you can dance and cry to at the same time.

Who would you say was your musical inspiration as you were growing up?

I listened to stuff like Nirvana, Hole, Silverchair. Later on that became more Robyn and Lykke Li. I think you can hear it all in my songs.

What song on your EP would you say is your personal favourite and why?

On my EP..hm.. I have to say “Habits” cause it opened the world for me.

What can you tell us about what’s currently in the pipeline for you this 2015?

I’ll be on the road for most of this year. I’ll be working on my next album and I’ll release some more bad *ss videos!

Tell us ONE thing about Tove Lo that not a lot of people know.

I’ve gotten that question so much I have nothing left to say haha. I have 3 kidneys. That’s kinda weird?!

Tove Lo’s album “Queen Of The Clouds” can be purchased via iTunes. Big thanks to our buddies at Universal Music for arranging this interview for us.

We leave you today with “Talking Body” by Tove Lo:

Now if you want more of Tove Lo, stalk away via these platforms: Website, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Hype’s Now Playing: Deorro & J-Trick — Rambo (Hardwell Edit)

Having the Monday blues? This will help.

Hold on to your bandannas people, the official video for “Rambo” (Hardwell Edit) is finally here. “Rambo” first made waves when Hardwell first played it during his impressive Ultra 2014 set and we now have some pretty radical visuals to go along with this high octane track.

The video, set in the middle of a liquor store heist, follows a brave customer who makes it his goal to stop crimes at hand. How does he do that? With his dance moves, of course! Inspired by a Rambo film posted, no surprise there, the hero leads the robbers into a psychedelic world that brings the robbers to their knees.

The whole video is set to the fit the sound that Deorro & J-Trick layed out and is a much watch for fans of the track.


#UNBlue: World Turns Blue For United Nations’ 70th Anniversary

Though our country was shrouded in haze, the iconic Petronas Twin Towers joined more than 200 landmarks around the world in commemorating the 70th anniversary of the United Nations by being lit up in blue on Saturday night (24th October).

The Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak also highlighted the occasion on his official Facebook page by posting a photo of the twin towers illuminating in blue in the city centre.

The photo came with the caption, “Today, we illuminate our Petronas Twin Towers to join the celebration of 70 years of United Nations. Spectacular sight.”

24th October is celebrated as “UN Day” as it is the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. The global celebration, which moved across countries and continents, began in New Zealand. The landmarks that took part in the event include the Sydney Opera House in Australia, the Pyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall of China, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, and the Empire State Building in New York.

The landmarks were all lit up in blue, which is the official colour of the United Nations.

According to CBC, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon had expressed hope that “by turning the world UN blue for a day, we can light a way to a better tomorrow”.

Well, we certainly hope the world would have a better future. As Ban said, “without the United Nations, our world would be a far bleaker place.”

You can check out the rest of landmarks that were lit up in blue through United Nations Information Centre‘s official Flickr account.

Source: The Star Online, CBC, United Nations Information Centre.


Hype’s Now Playing: Naughty Boy – Runnin’ (Lose It All) ft. Beyoncé & Arrow Benjamin

British DJ/producer Naughty Boy, who is best known for his work with Sam Smith, hits the airwaves again with “Runnin’ (Lose It All)”, his latest collaborative track with Beyoncé aka Queen Bey and Arrow Benjamin.

Needless to say, it gave us major goosebumps.

The song, which was released last Thursday, opens with a slow, somber piano line before turning into an energetic and emotive electro jam. Beyoncé showcases her soulful yet powerful vocals throughout the entire song until Arrow Benjamin steps in with his quivering vocals in the final verse.

Though both singers did not appear in the accompanying music video , it is still too beautiful to be overlooked. It features a man and a woman running towards each other underwater before their passionate exchange.

“Runnin’ (Lose It All)” sort of marked Queen Bey’s comeback since “Beyoncé: Platinum Edition” was released last November. It’s also the first new piece of music we’ve heard from her since she collaborated with Nicki Minaj for “Feeling Myself“.

Take a listen to the song below for your listening pleasure:

Are you hitting that replay button already? Well, you are not alone. We’ll be playing this song on repeat today.

For more information, visit Naughty Boy’s official Facebook page.

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#Halloween: ISMA Says It’s A Ploy To Make Muslims Godless

Halloween celebrations are organised by non-Muslims worldwide to shake the faith of Muslims and turn them godless, Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (ISMA) alleged today.

Its president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman said it was likely that atheists were behind the events, claiming further that Halloween celebrations were also intended to spread atheism. He told a press conference:

We notice that such events are held to test moral limits or religion, and they are usually done by groups which are not religion-based — they are usually organised by non-Muslims. What they are doing is promoting something that is anti-religion. Maybe it is done by atheists who want to shake one’s faith.

ISMA ulama council chief Aznan Hasan also suggested that Halloween celebrations may be a concerted effort to weaken Muslim faith. “If it’s an isolated event, then it signals the poor understanding of Islam among Muslims, but what concerns me more is that if they are a form of planned attack (on Islam),” he told the same press conference. Aznan also said such events were intended to make Muslim Malays “forget who they are” as celebrations like Oktoberfest and Halloween are western constructs.

Zaik had made a similar accusation against the organiser of the Oktoberfest beer festival earlier this month. This was echoed by other hardline Muslim groups, as well as conservative leaders from PAS, the Islamist party in federal opposition pact

ISMA’s detractors, however, argued that the Malaysians have long participated in such celebrations, and that there is no data to suggest that such events have led to Muslims abandoning their faith.

Commenting on this, Zaik insisted that the Oktoberfest and Halloween celebrations were done to instil atheistic values and that they were designed to encourage Muslims to question the teachings of Islam. “It is a process. It is not just today. The reasons why they (non-Muslims and liberals) dare to question (the position of Islam and the Malays) is the culmination of such events,” Zaik said.

The coming Halloween festival came to the attention of several conservative Muslim groups after banners promoting the annual event were put up at an international school in Seremban. According to a report on Sinar Harian Online today, Ikatan Guru Muslim Malaysia (IGMM) deputy president Mohd Azizee Hassan said the celebration is inappropriate as it clashes with Malaysian culture and traditions.

Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain, and is celebrated every year on 31st Oct, which is the eve of the Western Christian feast All Hallow’s Day or All Saints’ Day. In modern times (like now), typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (or the related “guising”), attending costume parties, decorating, carving pumpkins into jack-o’-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted house attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films.

A photo posted by lainey ying ツ (@laineyyyx) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:20pm PDT

Malay rights groups like Isma and Perkasa have previously hit out at a number of events that they claimed could possibly ruin Malaysia’s image as an Islamic country and bring ruin to the nation. One such event is the Oktoberfest beer festival, which was held at a shopping mall car park in Selangor. Although the event was promoted to non-Muslims, conservative Muslim groups urged their supporters to rally against the event and venues that serve alcohol as part of the festival.

Last Sunday, a young Malaysian Muslim invited flak when he organised the “I Want to Touch a Dog” event at the Central Park in Bandar Utama, an event he said was merely to offer Malay-Muslims here the opportunity to pet canines, an animal that many in the community regard as culturally taboo. Muslim leaders from both sides of the political divide have since been up in arms over the event, claiming that it was deviant and could lead Muslims astray from the country’s accepted form of Sunni ideology.