Good news Johoreans! The highly-anticipated Toppen Shopping Centre has officially open this week – just in time for the year-end school holidays!
The new sprawling mall spans 1.25 million square-feet in size and has 4 levels of “retailtainment”, housing approximately 300 stores. If you’re wondering what’s all the buzz about, here are 5 reasons to entice you:
1. Integrated with IKEA Tebrau
As the third anchored-by-IKEA shopping centre in Malaysia and the fourth in Southeast Asia, Toppen is connected to the Johor Bahru IKEA mall at Taman Desa Tebrau. It’s also a stone’s throw away from the AEON Tebrau City mall (located opposite). So if you’re done exploring Toppen and IKEA, there’s still AEON.
2. 80% of the tenants are new to the city
Some of the new brands include e-sports arena The Pantheon, 9 to 9, and Concept Haus. Toppen offers a first-in-Malaysia flagship online-to-offline concept from Hush Puppies, premium streetwear and athleisure retailer. Shoppers can also find household names like Ben’s Independent Grocer (B.I.G.) and Harvey Norman there.
3. An open rooftop for public use
Toppen also claims to be the first Malaysian mall to introduce an open public rooftop where parents can take their young kids to the on-site playground or water play area. There’s also areas dedicated to sports in one space. They include a climbing wall, skateboard park and basketball court. But what we like best is the gorgeous rooftop garden that comes alive at night. It’s a great place to just chill and unwind.
4. The #JelesEk Festival
Did you know that this shopping centre is also dubbed as the most “TikTokable” mall in Malaysia? You can find various TikTok corners on every floor. Johorean stars Joe Flizzow and Joyce Chu have also created a special music video for Toppen.
The public are invited to dance and lip sync to the song. Participants will stand chance to win RM10,000 worth of prizes. That’s not all as TikTok is also organising treasure hunts in the venue.
5. First TGV Cinema with a Flexound Hall
Immerse yourselves in TGV’s next level of cinematic experience. TGV’s latest flagship now hosts the largest Flexound installation in the world and the first Flexound hall in Southeast Asia. According to the press release, the customised seats come with “embedded speakers which deliver true personal immersion through improved clarity of dialogue, tactile sensory effects and perfect sound quality independent of seat location”.
In short, you can now “feel” the sound.
Movie-goers can also find the first ever Coke Zone and Sony Interactive Zone at TGV Toppen. Snap some Instagram-worthy pictures, enjoy the free high speed Wi-Fi and if your smartphones run out of juice, the charging stations are at your service.
If you’ve experience Dining In The Sky, then you’ll probably love Lounge In The Sky. After all who doesn’t like to enjoy some food with a wonderful view and no borders to keep you down.
Be among the first in Asia to experience this unique dining atmosphere, as you and your friends will be hoisted up 150 feet in the air. This will give you an amazing bird-eye view of Kuala Lumpur whilst enjoying a specially-made canapes menu just for you.
The event will serve incredible dishes from Element’s executive chef, Steve Ariffin. And will also offer exclusive drinks from the winner of World Class Bartender 2016, Osmund Bernard.
The experience will be on a platform with an interesting design that allow for groups up to four pax, with a large hosting capacity of 32 pax per session. The platform also has an add-on-stage feature where live performances, presentations and events can take place.
This wonderful attraction is brought to you by TwoSpicy Entertainment, who specialises in creating unique experiences, in collaborated with Elements Kuala Lumpur. They bring this Belgian once in a lifetime experience to Elements Kuala Lumpur at TREC, Jalan Tun Razak.
“It was such a great and exclusive experience where four people would be able to seat together during their session while enjoying the view of KLCC. It is also recommended, and everyone should definitely give a try to feel the actual ambience of being lifted 50 meters up in the sky,” National gymnast Farah Ann expressed after experiencing it at the launch.
The launch of Lounge In The Sky will begin from 13th November 2019 onwards. The price for the tickets are as follows:
RM199 per pax for Economy Class (3 course Canape Platter)
RM299 per pax for Business Class (4 course Canape Platter)
RM499 per pax for First Class (4 course Canape Platter + gift)
The operation of the attraction will be from Tuesdays to Sundays with it being close on Mondays. The time for each session can be found below:
Four (4) sessions every Sunday, Tuesday to Thursday (6:00pm | 7:15pm | 8:30pm | 9:45pm)
Six (6) sessions every Friday & Saturday (6:00pm | 7:15pm | 8:30pm | 9:45pm |11:00pm | 12:15am)
The lounge will also provide customisation for private events and celebrations, and special corporate. For more information about Lounge In The Sky please visit their website here.
While K-pop idols might be all the craze nowadays, it’s important to not forget where their roots originate from. Let’s head back east to the land of the rising sun to pay attention to what started it all.
Japan’s most biggest and arguably most successful boy group, ARASHI, has been the face of the phenomenon. Debuting in the 90s, ARASHI continues to have a growing legacy despite being in the industry for more than a grand total of 20 years. The famous five who make up the superband – Satoshi Ohno, Sho Sakurai, Masaki Aiba, Kazunari Ninomiya, and Jun Matsumoto – continue to make their mark in the world, spreading the craze of ARASHI with them.
“JET STORM” Tour and Finally Meeting Fans
ARASHI surprised South East Asian fans when news of their “JET STORM” Tour broke. The superband was finally going to pay fans outside of Japan a visit, a rarity in their case. The “JET STORM” Tour was held in 4 cities; Jakarta, Singapore, Bangkok, and Taipei as a tribute to fans who have endlessly supported them throughout their career. Over 1,000 fans gathered at Jewel Changi Airport in Singapore to get a glimpse of the larger than life artists.
2. Taking a Hiatus
As 2020 looms over the horizon, ARASHI has come to the grand conclusion that they will be taking a hiatus at the end of the new year. Much to fans lamenting, 20 years of hard work is no joke. The members of ARASHI intend to do as much as they can for their fans this year before the dreaded hiatus takes place, so fans should keep their eyes peeled for loads of exclusive events that will most probably take place!
3. Expanding Into Social Media
For the first time in 20 years, ARASHI has opened up on social media! Fans can now connect with their favourite Japanese boy band on a number of platforms; Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Tiktok, and even Weibo.
Member Jun Matsumoto mentioned that the reason for doing so was so that they could be closer to fans from all around the world in real-time. Apparently the hint was at the end of the sentence, as he then teased about special events being planned on social media specifically.
Tap that follow button, guys!
4. Now Available on Streaming Platforms
On top of that, fans can furthermore rejoice as ARASHI’s discography is finally available on all streaming platforms. Gone the days of purchasing CDs and waiting for them to be shipping from Japan, as now you can get all of ARASHI’s singles on Spotify and Apple Music!
“TURNING UP!”, the latest single from ARASHI, is also their first digital single that is not available as a CD. As ARASHI looks into the future of music streaming, it makes us wonder about what they have in store for us!
5. Upcoming Concerts and Future Events
With the passing of the late Johnny Kitawaga, the CEO of Johnny & Associates talent agency, ARASHI intends on honoring his memory by accomplishing as much as they can before their hiatus.
A challenge that they are gleefully rising up to with their boyish charm, ARASHI announced that their next concert will be held at the Tokyo National Stadium on 15th and 16th May 2020. As the stadium is currently undergoing renovations for the Olympics, Satoshi Ohno also mentioned what an honour it would be to perform there again. News of a Beijing concert in spring 2020 is also in the works, so fans better start booking their flights now!
ARASHI continues to set hearts on fire wherever they go, proving to be a force to be reckoned with. As fans bite their nails in anticipation of an inevitable end to this group, we can only hope for their future endeavors to be every bit as successful as they have been up until now.
So the “Friends” reunion is finally underway. After what seem like decades of anticipation, the show’s producers that have often said no have finally given in.
While the deal is far from concrete, news about the negotiation over at HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television have been positive thus far. So as we wait for the final decision of the reunion special, here’s are a list of question we like to see answered, if it does happen.
1.What happen to Ross and Rachel’s relationship?
Source: Marie Claire
A large part of the final season of “Friends” focuses heavily on the pair’s relationship, with their on-and-off status have fans screaming at the screen. So while the final episode hinted that the two will get married after the series, it would be nice to see a confirmation of what actually happened after.
2.How did Chandler and Monica’s kids turn out?
Source: Quora
So if a special does happen, it will most probably meant that several years have pass within the show. This is to reflect the age of the actors and actresses in real life. Going with this logic, it’ll be interesting to see how the kids will turn out having the uptight Monica and the laxness of Chandler as parents.
3.How did the Phoebe and Mike relationship turn out?
Source: Grazia Daily
Remember Paul Rudd’s character, Mike? Well we see him and Phoebe having the marriage of her dreams and all seems well in the series several episodes later (even the episode where they change their name). But it could all just be the honeymoon period, as we might not know exactly how their marriage turn out.
4.What became of Joey’s career?
Source: Joe
So we know Joey has quite the acting career, from his own spin-off series “Joey”. But things might not always be so bright and sunny at Los Angeles. So with a few years down the line, we are really interested in seeing how his career is going.
5.What happened to Joey and Alex’s relationship?
Source: Bekia
The same case as Ross and Rachel. We want to know! So with the show (“Joey”) leaving everyone with only a hint, a confirmation if they really got married would be lovely.
6. Will Alex appear on the “Friends” special?
Source: Film Web
Last thing about the Joey spin-off, promise. So if Alex does get together with Joey, then does this mean we will see the Andrea Anders’ character in the “Friends” reunion? Just wondering…
7.Did Joey ever pay Chandler back?
Source: Bustle
So we know Chandler and Joey are the best of friends. But Chandler pay for almost everything on Joey’s behalf in the series. This makes us think exactly how much does the actor owe his former roommate. Fortunately, the good people at Laughspin has help us figure it out, with them calculating the tap to a total of US$114,260. So with the Italian-American acting career taking off, we wonder, does he ever think of paying him back?
8. Will Chandler find his perfect job?
Source: YouTube
Going back to Chandler, fans know how much he hated his work at statistical analysis and data reconfiguration. He quit when he discovered he was being transferred to Tulsa. This lead to him landing a junior copywriter position through Monica’s help. So does Matthew Perry’s character stick with the job, or does he find a more perfect one down the line?
9. What has Rachel been up to?
Source: Showbiz Cheat Sheet
On the topic of work, Rachel basically quit her job offer in Paris to be with Ross back in New York, thus leaving her unemployed. So does Rachel find a job in the fashion industry like she wanted? Guess we can only find out if the reunion happen.
So 10 seasons in and hundreds of episodes later, the “Friends” series have definitely rack up their fare share of side characters. So with the reunion special possibly pulling through, we’re just wondering whether we get to see some of the side characters reappearing in the show. Maybe give us fans that nostalgia kick?
Congratulations are in order for Chiling Lin (林志玲) and Akira aka Ryōhei Kurosawa (黒澤 良平).
The Taiwanese supermodel and Japanese actor-singer held their traditional wedding ceremony in the southern city of Tainan, Taiwan.
The 44-year-old bride arrived at a traditional ancestral hall of the Wu Clan Association of Taiwan in Rolls Royce limo around 3pm this afternoon. Her father Lin Fan-nan (林繁男) was seen walking Chiling down the aisle before handing her over to the 38-year-old entertainer.
According to reports, the newlyweds were clad in a Ralph Lauren tailored-made wedding dress and suit respectively. Tainan mayor Huang Wei-cher gifted them with items linked to traditional marriage rites, such as oil, salt, firewood, vinegar and tea.
Taipei Times also mentioned that Chiling and Akira received a set of silk bedsheets and pillow cases as well as dried longan and longan honey. These are traditional blessings to welcome more sons in the couple’s family.
During the exchanged of vows, the handsome groom thanked Chiling for agreeing to marry him and promises to make her the happiest woman in the world. In her emotional speech, the bride also thanked Akira for helping her “to believe in love again” and vow that they would be together for better or worse till old age.
The couple released a joint statement, clarifying that the wedding venue was chosen because her mother Wu Tzu-mei (吳慈美) lived not far away from the ancestral hall; plus she and her cousins used to have fond memories here.
Following the traditional ceremony, a wedding banquet was held at Tainan Art Museum Building in the evening around 6pm before an after party took place at a nearby hotel.
Some of the A-list celebrities that were invited include Dee Hsu (徐熙娣), Kevin Tsai (蔡康永), Mickey Huang (黄子佼), Ariel Lin (林依晨), Huang Bo (黄渤), as well as Wang Leehom (王力宏) and his wife Lee Jinglei (李靚蕾).
Marvel has just given fans something to get excited. While the Infinity Saga is over, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is far from slowing down.
In addition to what has already been revealed, Disney and Marvel Studios have just announced 5 new untitled movies for 2022 and 2023. This further affirms Marvel will be releasing a minimum of 4 movies per year moving forward.
Source: Movie Web
Just to recap, here are the featured films already confirmed for Phase 4:
Although “The New Mutants” isn’t going to take place within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the “X-Men” spin-off is slated for release on 3rd April 2020.
Based on several clues that have already been discussed, here are some future MCU films that could be among the Untitled Marvel Films:
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
“Blade”
“Captain Marvel 2”
“Ant-Man 3”
“Fantastic Four”
The next big “Avengers” movie (Secret Invasion?)
“Deadpool 3”
“X-Men” reboot
Source: MCU Direct
What do you think those Untitled Marvel Films could be?
It was just a normal day, except that Blake Lively cleared out her entire Instagram account and only left one post.
The only Instagram post is an IGTV dated back from 20th September and it’s the trailer for her new movie The “Rhythm Section”. Here’s how her Instagram page looks like now:
That means all the lovey-dovey pictures and birthday tributes with husband Ryan Reynolds have vanished! Taylor Swift first popularised this gimmick and many other Hollywood celebrities have been following the example. So don’t panic guys, there’s no trouble in paradise.
This isn’t the first time the 32-year-old actress has pulled this off. Last year, Lively did a similar stunt when she deleted her Instagram (and even unfollowed the Deadpool actor for awhile) to generate buzz for “A Simple Favor”. It worked.
BIGBANG member Daesung (강대성)’s owned building located in Gangnam, which made headlines in the past for its alleged involvement with illegal business, is said to be currently in the process of demolition.
For those who don’t know, the building was involved in a controversy after it was reported that the place had been running as a home for prostitution and other forms of adult entertainment ever since the idol left for his mandatory military enlistment in March 2018.
Source: Koreaboo
At the time of writing (Monday, 18th November) almost all floors of the building – except for the 1st and 4th level – are undergoing demolition. Not only that, some parts of the floors were already rippled completely without leaving any signs and traces. “There were many shops in the past. But now there are none except for a cafe on the 1st floor and a hospital on the 3rd floor,” said one of the building officials.
According to AllKpop, the 30-year-old has purchased the 8-storey high building back in November 2017 before his military enlistment. However, it was reported that he sold it upon knowing the controversy surrounding the building.
In addition, the police recently announced that they will continue with investigation on all the individuals involved for “violations of health code laws, prostitution, drug usage, and more”, as reported by AllKpop. The news further added that 45 people have been booked while 82 other individuals have undergone interrogation.
They also revealed their plan to summon Daesung – since he was just discharged from the military last week (Sunday, 10th November) – for further investigations.
“The Fast and The Furious”, a series about fast cars and crazy actions scenes has been a beloved franchise, as evident by their 8-film run with them set to return with a 9th.
But as much as we enjoy their over the top set pieces, we also came to love the cast in it. And few is as synonymous with the series than, Paul Walker. So much so, that he’s set to appear in the latest film, despite being dead for 6 years.
Source: Big Frog 104
The actor in questioned, aged 40, tragically died in a car accident back in 2013. Resulting in a major script change for “Furious 7”. The studio even went as far as bringing in his brothers, Cody and Caleb Walker, to finish up the rest of the movie scenes, with the help of CGI.
This lead to the iconic ending of “Furious 7”, with many feeling like it was a fitting send off for the actor from the series. However, studio executives apparently have other ideas. As Ladbible revealed, a source close to the casting department are looking for a double for the decease actor.
The news was then picked up by Twitter user Daniel Richtman, who then shared the story to his 78.6k followers. This resulted in many fans of the actor and the series getting outrage, despite the news being unconfirmed.
It's been long enough. They are bringing back Paul Walker's character, Brian, to FF9. https://t.co/320dprmC1S
One displeased fan wrote, “This is not only unnecessary but absolutely distasteful and disgraceful.”
“Completely undermining the ending of Fast 7 and Paul himself. Disgraceful,” another user commented.
A follower also commented, “No, Paul’s character Brian had a beautiful sendoff that doesn’t need to be used to gain more money from. It gave us a sense of closure and finality to his and Jordana’s respective characters.”
Source: Page Six
Cody previously opened up on reprising Paul’s character, after he helped finished filming “Fruious 7”. Speaking to Metro, he left the door open for his return stating that “anything is possible” with the series.
The new installment titled “Fast And Furious 9”, has already finished filming ealier this month. And is set to release in cinemas on 21st May 2020.
If you haven’t been sitting under a rock all this time then you would have already know about the My Chemical Romance reunion.
Though, being a fan on this part of the world, it will certainly be hard for us to see the band live and in action. Especially, since none of their shows announced include the SEA region. But, it certainly does feel good to see the members back together again in a picture they shared in their Instagram account.
Source: NME
The news of the reunion came last month, on the official My Chemical Romance Instagram account. The post announced that the band will be performing at Los Angeles’ Shrine Expo Hall taking place on 20th December. Tickets then went on sale on 1st November with it being immediately sold out in minutes.
Following the success, they then anounced 3 more shows that will be scheduled for 2020. The location of the 3 shows for the new year are Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Earlier today (18th November), the group’s Instagram account then posted a picture of them together. The picture showed the members sitting on the floor together, seemingly discussing something in a rehearsal space.
The picture was also accompanied by the caption “11.15.19”, which is presumably the date it was taken. See the picture of the members below:
So what do you think about their reunion? We are stoked and keeping our fingers crossed that they decide to set one of their future shows here in Malaysia.
Raja Ilya recently revealed the real reason on why she decided to turn down her role in a Marvel superhero movie.
According to the “Estet” actress, she had to reject the offer of starring in the film as it involved a kissing scene, which is against conservative Islamic values.
Talking to Harian Metro, Ilya (real name Raja Ramilah Begum Raja Mohammad), shared that she felt a little upset to let go of the golden opportunity. However, she put her disappointment after knowing that her upcoming movie “KL Vampires – her 1st take on action film – will be releasing in local cinemas after 2 years.
“I was deeply moved. Looking back on how difficult it was for us in order to carry out all the action scenes. To get us all geared up, we went through a whole month of training session. Besides that, the premiere of the movie also serves as an answer to fans’ question on when will the film will come out in cinemas,” she further added in the interview.
Additionally, the 34-year-old was also asked about her marriage with husband, Trent Garrett as well as plans on having a baby. Ilya responded by saying that “married life is so much fun. Thank God after a year since tying the knot, we understand each other a lot. In regards on getting a child, my husband and I are planning to have our own baby next year. Plus, I’ve been busy in arranging my schedule as I am planning to make my comeback in the industry,” she told Berita Harian.
Ilya further added that her husband has been very supportive of her. “I was thinking of slowing down (career), but he always encouraged me to continue with my activities in the entertainment platform. My husband often motivates me to keep on sharpening my skills in acting. This includes expanding my career overseas,” said the Kuala Lumpur-born starlet.
“In this case, he knew about me attending auditions in the US for career opportunities at the country. Therefore, he suggested I try my luck by signing with a local talent agency in Perth, Australia. I haven’t received any feedback yet so far but Trent has been showing non-stop support for me in order to pursue my career as an actress,” Ilya further added.
Source: Instagram
In another news, Ilya recently took to her Instagram to express her frustration towards airline company Malindo air. According to Ilya, she had to take the issue to the extreme measures, demanding further explanation from them.
“I’ve been patient for so long, I had experience in working for airlines too. I’ve never treated passengers with this kind of manner based on my experience as a cabin crew,” she wrote on her Instagram, before adding, “Today, I feel like it was just too much. Sending e-mails and phone calls seems to not function at all. What options do we have to voice out our complaints to the individuals in charge?”
In the lengthy caption, she also recalled back her past experience with the air flight’s poor service, “Not once, but many times!! To the point that we were not informed that the luggage were left at the airport. When we arrived at Perth, we were told that they were not able to bring out the bags along as a result of overload.”
“When boarding the flight, some of the cabin crews served their passengers as if they were the enemies of their country. They even served their food like they were giving them to beggars,” she further added in the caption.
Source: femagonline
Ilya’s upcoming film “KL Vampires” is set to debut in local cinemas this coming Thursday (14th November).
Want to have a fun family holiday? Then head right over to LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort right now. Thanks to their recent partnership with Touch ‘n Go eWallet, visitors can now enjoy discount up to 35% off.
This is done in line with the country’s 2020 budget plan for a cashless future, that has been fully embraced by the two companies. The pair have now joined forces for a more digital friendly experience at one of the best theme parks in the whole of SEA region.
So from now until 31st December, enjoy a 35% off from your purchase on tickets of up to four people in a single receipt. The tickets promotion is for a one-day pass or combo tickets for either adult, child or senior citizen.
In order to enjoy the promotion, simply purchase the tickets with the eWallet app, that’s it. But be careful, because the admission is only valid on the same day of the ticket purchase, so make sure to plan beforehand.
But wait, there’s more. Users of the eWallet service can also enjoy a 10% discount on merchandises found in the theme park. So you can bring the magic of Lego back to your homes.
If you ever find yourself sweating buckets and need a drink, don’t worry, as Touch ‘n Go has got you covered with another 10% discount on food and beverages on outlets found in LEGOLAND Malaysia.
Please note, this does not include the Bricks Cafe & Bricks Restaurant in LEGOLAND Hotel.
From left: Serena Tang, Director of Partnership & Business Development of TNG Digital Sdn Bhd; Wilson Soon, Chief Financial Officer of TNG Digital Sdn Bhd; Ignatius Ong, CEO of TNG Digital Sdn Bhd; Kurt Stocks, General Manager at Legoland® Malaysia Resort; Thila Munusamy, Director of Sales and Marketing at LEGOLAND® Malaysia Resort.
So what are you waiting for? Go download Malaysia’s leading eWallet service, Touch ‘n Go eWallet right now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
The promotion period ends on 31st December 2019. For more information, updates and terms & condition on the promotion or other on-going promotions, please visit https://www.tngdigital.com.my/promotions or check out https://www.legoland.com.my/.
The K in K-pop does stand for Korean, but often at times the artists involved in the industry happen to be of many other nationalities and ethnicities. One of them, for example, would be Amber Liu. A starlet who exploded on the scene with her girl group, f(x), under SM Entertainment, Amber grew to be a fun, well-loved idol known by all. So it was rather shocking to see her name trending on Twitter in a negative light.
The American-born Chinese star found herself in hot water only minutes ago, as a clip of her talking about a racially charged situation (where a black man was handcuffed by a white policeman, simply for eating a sandwich at a train station) on a radio show went viral.
like i said, amber is not clueless. right here in this video she explains police brutality, and how black ppl today get pulled over bc of their skin color. she understands how racism works, she’s just ignorant. pic.twitter.com/jmZrDK5k8P
Fans are quick to jump to the star’s defense but this issue tackles at a bigger problem that Americans have, and they are not about to let her off the hook that easily.
i hope you understand that you will have to earn back the trust of the community you’ve disrespected. i do hope you leaned from this.
also to ambers fans remember that although she’s apologized, no black person has to accept her apology.
Spending long periods of time overseas is not an excuse, Amber. It’s 2019. The internet has made the corners of the world more accessible than ever. Social media puts it at your fingertips. The harassment of Black people on public transit has been ongoing & extremely publicised.
Amber to be quite honest your lack of judgement just shows that the insensitivity of minorities in those situations shows the lack of knowledge in a black life vs another POC live. Please just remember that black people practically walk into war everyday because they are black.
“Amber” is currently the number 1 worldwide trend, as Americans everywhere seem to be contributing their two cents in regards to the issue. While the backlash that Amber received from her initial statement may seem justifiable, it also makes us wonder why is it that celebrities who are misinformed or ignorant about social issues feel the need to voice out their opinions on such huge platforms. Amber has over 2.4 million Twitter followers, which is also what adds to the rage felt by the black community.
As K-pop fans face the conflict of wanting to forgive their idols but also feeling the need to ‘cancel’ them for problematic behaviour, it’s an interesting turn of events. #AmberLiuIsOverParty is also a growing hashtag under the plenty of replies to the pop star’s apology, as are fans begging others to leave the idol alone.
Regardless, we can always expect this reply whenever anything seems to break out on Twitter:
Idol singer-actor Cha Eunwoo (차은우) recently sat down and spilled some tea on his past dating experiences.
The 22-year-old made his appearance on MBC’s “Radio Star”. During the session, he recalled the time when he was asked out by a female idol for a date.
During the session, Eunwoo revealed that he received a text message from the girl. He further added that they were introduced to each other through mutual friends. However, he decided not to pursue the girl.
Instead, the only interaction that was shared between the two was only backstage on a TV programme, with both of them passing by each other. “I didn’t exactly reject her, I just didn’t respond. Afterwards, we just awkwardly greeted each other and just passed by,” said Eunwoo during the chat.
Source: MBC
Additionally, the “Rookie Historian Goo Haeryung” actor was asked whether if he was popular back when he was in high school. He responded by saying that he was not really famous despite being a class president as well as a captain for his basketball team.
“I was not popular (back in the day). To be considered popular, you will usually receive boxes of chocolates, right? I only had some chocolates left on my desk,” he further added. But he did admit that he was in a relationship way back before he even made his official debut. “I’ve dated before. Way back when I was in high school during my trainee days,” he confessed.
Most of K-netizens expressed their surprise upon knowing that he was close to dating the female idol. On the other hand, some also pointed out that it is understandable for the Astro member to go through such situation since his friendly and approachable image really helps in making everyone feel comfortable around him. Check out some of their comments here:
“Even among celebrities, he’s exceptionally handsome without even plastic surgery…I think the women would feel too pressured to ask him out at all. People who are too pretty or too handsome have surprisingly little experience with dating because their standards are so high”
“He was probably too good-looking for them to approach…”
“He’s probably the top among all celebrities his age…I’m a guy and even I wish I could live just one day with that face..”
“It’s too hard for people to approach him because of his aura.”
We really applaud Eunwoo for being very vocal and open when it comes to his dating life. Do you think it is okay for other K-pop idols to do the same as what he did? Share with us your thoughts.
QSR Brands (M) Holdings Bhd’s owners, whose company control the operation of KFC and Pizza Hut in the region, are considering selling the company. This comes after they initially rejected a public offering earlier this year.
The Malaysian company major shareholders, that includes private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, are working closely with an adviser. This is to attract interest of potential buyers for a controlling stake at QSR, according to a source.
The source who wish to remain unidentified, has also noted that a deal could value QSR at RM6 billion (US$1.4 billion).
Source: Foodie
QSR’s backers, state-owned Johor Corp. and pension fund Employees Provident Fund, have also reportedly asked for non-binding offers to be submitted before November ends.
The insider also added that the shareholders have decided to pursue a stake sale instead of reviving a potential listing as previously planned. This is because of weak local markets leading to a lack of initial public offering. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Malaysian IPOs have just raised $452 million this year, with only a single deal going more than $100 million.
Source: Focus Malaysia
Malaysia is currently the worst performer in the Asian exchange after a 5.7% drop in benchmark gauge this year. Only Laos and Mongolia have posted worse returns.
The company currently operates 830 KFC outlets in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Cambodia. Along with KFC, the company also operates more than 470 Pizza Hut restaurants in Malaysia and Singapore. It would be interesting to see whether a change in ownership will have any impact with the stores’ operations.
Any fans of Indonesian soap operas here familiar with singer-actress Cinta Laura Kiehl? For those who don’t know, the 26-year-old is well-known among Malaysians for her starring roles in TV series such as “Cinderella: Apakah Cinta Hanyalah Mimpi” and “Upik Abu dan Laura”.
10 years have passed since appearing in her last drama “Air Mata Cinta”. Now, the German-Indonesian beauty is all grown up and is set to comeback with a bang. To celebrate the good news with her fans, Cinta was in town for a special appearance at the recent Lazada 11.11 Super Show over the weekend.
Source: Sony Music
Not only that, she also dropped by to promote her latest single after a 7-year long break from the music scene called “Vida”. The sexy Latin-pop number is a true gem and we instantly fell in love with it.
A day after the Lazada event, we caught up with Cinta where she spilled the deets on her return to singing, her music and acting career as well as her plans for the upcoming festive season.
Why did it take 7 years for you to release a new song for fans?
So, I started singing back in 2008, my 1st single was called “Oh Baby”. I was 14, I was really young at that time. And thereafter, I further released songs like “You Say Aq”, “Guardian Angel”, “Cinta Atau Uang” and my last song before my hiatus “Tulalit”. I am very much grateful for the success that all the tracks have achieved and also for the people who have found joy in my music.
But as an artiste, I personally was not happy with my previous songs because all of the songs were given to me by my label. And it absolutely was not representative of who I was, it didn’t reflect my personality at all. So finally in 2012, I decided to quit because I was sick of singing songs that gave people the wrong ideas of who I am.
What was the inspiration behind your new single “Vida”?
“Vida” is my 1st single after my 7-year hiatus. So, back in 2018, my label reached back to me during my long-term break from music. They reassured me that I was going to have complete freedom of my music and they want me to be proud of the music that I have made. You can hear or notice the essence of my personality (in the song) because I enjoy listening to the reggaeton genre. “Vida” is quite Latin, though it’s still a pop track. And the word vida itself means life in Spanish. I just want to comeback with an upbeat song that would really get people excited and to just celebrate their life.
So, the single talks about being attracted to someone. Are you the type that will make the first move?
To be honest, NO! (laughs) I would rather have a man pursue me. I don’t purposely or intentionally do this but I do play hard-to-get. That’s just the way I am. I will usually place a wall in front of me because I do take my time in getting to know someone. But, even though I don’t like making the first move, I do believe that women need to be confident, and they shouldn’t be scared to express the way they feel.
The music video was hot and we love it! Was it challenging filming those scenes & executing the choreography?
Filming the music video was not that hard but it was more stressful because I wanted to comeback to the music scene proving to people that, ‘Look, when I’m the one in charge of my music and everything to do with my career, this is what you get’. And I’m a perfectionist, I’ll make sure that everything that I do is the best at my capabilities.
And so, I had a lot to prove with this music. So, the video was planned 2 months before we actually shot it. I learned the choreography for a month before shooting the clip. And the music video itself took 2 days to shoot, which is rare especially in Indonesia – where they utilise one day to finish the shoot. So we were very prepared.
Congrats for winning Best Film Actress at the recent Latino Film awards for the movie “Goodnight”! What was the experience working with the cast & crew?
For me, I really like the concept of the short film, where it talks about sleep paralysis. It was a concept that was never explored in many horror-thriller movies. And in some countries they often associate sleep paralysis with superficial myths such as ghosts or witches sitting on your chest. Since director George Heras also had his own experience (suffering from sleep analysis), we bonded over that.
The cast and crew were so easy to work with. And surprisingly, all of the actors are American of Latin descent. So, when I won the award (Best Actress), I wasn’t present because I was here in Kuala Lumpur. The interesting part was they all thought that I was a Latina. So, I found that it is really cool to be accepted among the South American community because I have always been fascinated with their culture.
You’ve worked in film and also TV. Which one do you prefer more and why?
I personally love film-making. So, I will choose film over TV. I feel like movies are much more well thought out. It takes a crazy amount of planning and you really get to delve into your character deeply before starting to shoot. You know, you really get to live the life of a person for a standard period of time. I think film can change someone’s life – it can change people’s perception, it can bring people to an emotional journey. I think film has really shaped our society.
Are you currently focusing solely on music or are there TV or movie projects in the works?
I love acting, so I would never just let go of my passion. So, I’m doing both. I will have my next song coming out this coming 22nd November called “Caliente”. And on 12th December, my upcoming movie called “Jeritan Malam” is coming out.
We saw you dressed up as Maleficent on Instagram. Is she your favourite Disney villain?
Actually, Angelina Jolie (Maleficent actress) is my favourite actress. So, if she wears any other Disney character, I would probably try to embody her. Not because of the Disney character, but because of the actress herself. I think Angelina Jolie is very talented, gorgeous and I’m in love with her humanitarian works with the United Nations (UN).
Christmas is next month. How are you celebrating?
My parents live in Bali. So, for the past couple of years it has always been a tropical Christmas celebration for us. (laughs)
Complete the sentence: All l Want For Christmas Is….
All I want for Christmas is a beautiful Christmas Eve dinner with my parents. 🙂
Last but not least, as we approach the year end, what’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in 2019?
I think I realised that patience is so important because good things really does take time. You know, I have this personality whereby I like things to go according to plan and to move quickly. But sometimes in certain industries, especially in the entertainment scene, there are so many unforeseen obstacles that come your way and you just can’t expect things to go according to schedule. If you accept the journey and by being patient, you will finally feel the benefits. And it really feels good and you will appreciate your achievements even more.
Much thanks to the good people at Sony Music for this wonderful opportunity. For those who are interested, do follow Cinta on her Instagram to check out her latest updates.
Yes, we know, October is only just coming to an end, but be that as it may, the merry jingle of Christmas will soon fall upon us. So it’s never to early to prepare for the most wonderful time of the year.
Some of the biggest artist are giving it their all to bring the Christmas cheers to your home. So without further ado, here are 8 Christmas albums to help you light up your atmosphere this Christmas.
1. “The Christmas Present”
Artist: Robbie Williams
Release Date: 22nd November 2019
The former Take That singer has describe the album as a passion project and he’s been working hard on it for the past 3 years. The album will feature notable singers such as Rod Stewards, Bryan Adams and Jamie Cullum, all of whom will be performing a duet with the 45-year-old Brit.
Singer-actress Lea Michele certainly knows how to fill your holiday with glee with her third album release, “Christmas In The City”. The holiday album will also be a first for the “Glee” actress as she has never done a festive record before. The artist hopes to capture the spirit of Christmas in New York City in the album, which is also the reason for the album’s name.
3. “Christmas: A Season Of Love”
Artist: Idina Menzel.
Release Date: 18th October 2019
This will be the second album from the “Frozen” star. The album will feature 18 tracks with duets performances with Billy Porter, Joshua Ilan Gad, and an original song with fame pop star Ariana Grande in “A Hand for Mrs. Claus”. Another original song in the album includes “At This Table” which Idina Menzel cowrote with Jonas Myrin.
4. “Light Of Christmas”
Artist: TobyMac.
Release Date: 3rd November 2019
A Christmas album but with a hip hop twist? Christian hip-hop artist Toby McKeehan, better known as TobyMac, is certainly bringing something different to the table. The album will feature 10 songs with notable collaboration with artist Owl City. If you’re not sure how you would take his songs, then checked out one of his songs below.
5. “The Best Of Pentatonix Christmas”
Artist: Pentatonix
Release Date: 25th October 2019
Pentatonix – the Grammy-winning a cappella group – is back! The group have announced their new Christmas collection which will feature all of their fan-favourite holidays tunes and collaborations into 1 album. But that’s not all, as the album will contain 4 new songs. So head right over and save it on Spotify and Apple Music today.
6. “The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Collection”
Artist: Danny Gokey
Release Date: 25th October 2019
“The Greatest Gift: A Christmas Collection” is the newest album from acclaimed soul singer Danny Gokey. The album will be a mix of Christmas classical and original songs, which features mainstays such as “Come Let Us Adore Him,” and “Angels We Have Heard On High,”, along with 3 originals written by the “American Idol” alum himself.
7. “Last Christmas: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack”
Artist: George Mihcael, Wham!.
Release Date: 8th November 2019
The album will features songs from George Michael and Wham!, where Michael originally was a part of. Songs will included timeless classics such as “Faith” and “Fast Love” performed by the late British singer and, of course, “Last Christmas”. So if the album will sound as good as the trailer looks, then it is certainly in good hands.
8. “A Fabulous Christmas”
Artist: John Barrowman
Release Date: 6th December 2019
John Barrowman may be known for his role in “Doctor Who” as Captain Jack Harkness, but he isn’t green on the mic either, with the 52-year-old having 5 top 40 albums since 2007. Featuring a host of Christmas classic “Sleigh Ride”, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and “Silent Night”, the album might be one to check out.
9. “Merry Christmas” Deluxe Re-Release
Artist: Mariah Carey
Release Date: 1st November 2019
Yes, the album is a re-release. But this isn’t just any re-release, as this deluxe anniversary version contain rare remixes, an unreleased live concert track, and Mariah’s new festive rendition of “Sugar Plum Fairy”. All of these and more in an additional second disc. This is in addition of the other iconic tracks “Silent Night”, “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, and all the others songs from the original 1994 album. Whether you’re a fan of Mariah Carey (lamb) or not, this album is certainly one to look out for.
Bonus:
Other new Christmas singles include:
10. Jonas Brothers – “Like It’s Christmas”
“Now this is a Christmas song I would love to be played at my workplace,” Michaela Cates
commented.
11. Alessia Cara – “Make It To Christmas”
“Who else could make a good depressing Christmas song, but Alessia. The music is upbeat, for the most part, but the lyrics are sad,” wrote Jody Rye.
There comes a time in every Malaysian’s lives where they need to choose between science streams or art streams. But this choice can be very restrictive and might not be able to grasp the actual talent and ability of students.
Well, worry no more as new reports from NST has announced that the two streams will be scrapped by 2020. According to Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, the new system replacing it will have more relevant subjects, including electives.
Source: Malay Mail
For everybody in the know, the news have actually been floating around the education ministry for quite some time. But, while previous reports have all been proposal and ideas. It seems that they finally got it approved with letters about the changes being sent to secondary schools nationwide.
The changes in the system will see that old art/science streams be replaced with the new STREAM (Science, Technology, Reading, Arts, Music) education. And to help schools cope with the changes, the letters that was send to them contain information on ways to encourage, evaluate and explain about the new subjects to students.
Source: Rojak Daily
But not all schools have the ability to implement this changes effectively, particularly, those located on the poorer areas. Thus, special care and patients is needed for these schools as recognised by Teo.
“This (the abolition of arts and science for Form 4 students) needs to be done according to the capabilities, availability, suitability (facilities/infrastructure), as well as considerations of each school,” she was quoted as saying.
Source: Facebook
So while it might be too late for those of us that have already passed form four. This might prove to be a wonderful opportunity for the newer generations to showcase their talent.
Daniel Craig is coming to the end of his James Bond run. And with the release date for his last Bond film, “No Time To Die”, coming closer at 9th April 2020. Rumours have started to spread on who will be the next to don the British icon.
While many names are being considered to take up the role, from Tom Hardy to Idris Elba, one name seems to stick out to the surprise of many. That is the relative newcomer to the scene, Henry Golding, who made his big screen debut in 2018’s “Crazy Rich Asian” and is now seen on “Last Christmas”.
Source: Tom + Lorenzo
During a recent interview with Jimmy Fallon on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”. The host noted that the actor should be the next James Bond, and even showed his Vegas leaderboard on odds of him getting the role. He then picked Idris Elba out of the bunch, before letting loose on his thoughts of the role.
He said, “If you’re a male movie star, it is literally the most iconic role possible. You’d be an absolute idiot not to sort of think and aspire for a role like that. I mean, who knows?”
Source: YouTube
Of course, it would be too early to say if the 32-year-old would get the role or not. But it might not be too far fetch, as the Vegas leaderboard Fallon brought out did show him having a 10 to 1 odds. And with the role being as prized that it is, the odds seems pretty good.
Add in to the fact, that Golding is a person that has been jumping at every opportunity given to him, it might not be too long before we’ll be seeing ourselves an Asian James Bond.
If you’re curious about the interview, then check it out in the video below:
So what do you think about Henry Golding being chances of being the next James Bond? Do you have a better person in mind? Feel free to let us know all about it, in the comment section below.
Source: Cinema Blend. Featured Image: Just Add Color.
Recently, the CEO of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), Ahmad Idham Ahmad Nadzri found himself in hot water after voicing out his opinions on popular streaming platform Netflix.
According to the film director, the contents should undergo filtering process from the government. Not only that, Idham further claimed that he has received reports from worried parents on the uncensored contents provided on Netflix for underage audiences, which might resulted in negative affects among local youths.
Not long after that, Idham received further criticism after a photo of him and other FINAS personnel allegedly agreed to cooperate with an upcoming streaming platform known as Aflix went viral on Twitter. For those who don’t know, the picture was posted on Aflix’s official Instagram back in September.
As a result, local netizens were left fuming. In this case, some of them have called out both FINAS and Aflix for their lack of competitive spirit. Not only that, a few celebrities like Sharifah Sakinah and Shamaine Othman also gave their two cents on the matter – expressing their disagreement against FINAS’ proposal to filter Netflix’s mature content.
Check out some of their comments below:
Ethical content is the new "shariah-compliant" 👀
Meleis ni tak boleh ke promote brand sendiri tanpa sekat brand lain? Afraid of competition much? 💁🏻
As a response to the ongoing backlash, Coach Fadzil, a representative from Aflix took to his Instagram to clarify the whole situation. According to Fadzil, the videos that will be available for streaming will be completely different from Netflix.
He further explained that the company did not receive any form of assistance from other outside parties as the streaming platform has not launch yet. Feel free to read his full statement here:
