Hong Kong’s trailblazing kung fu luminary, Sammo Hung will be in town for the 12th Singapore Chinese Film Festival (SCFF) from 26 April to 5 May. He’s slated to participate in the Asian Film Awards Academy’s Masterclass Series on 4 May. SCFF’s “Filmmaker in Focus” will also be screening five of his seminal cinematic works. Having entered the film industry in the 1960s as a stuntman and extra, Hung’s since appeared in hundreds of movies, either as actor, director, stunt coordinator, or sometimes all three. Here’s an opportunity to immerse in the artistry of one of Asia’s most revered filmmakers ..read more

Gen Z and Gen Alpha may be some of the youngest demographic, but youth, as they say, is wasted on the young. Cosmetic procedures come and go. Dermal fillers are the new thing for Gen Z. Since the 2010s, Singaporean youth have no issues with plastic surgery. Back in the 2010s, a lot of teens underwent cosmetic surgery for issues ranging from double eyelids to breast augmentation. (Heck, even fish get plastic surgery in Singapore.) Gen Z may be the first generation to popularise vapes, facial fillers, and expensive facial care products – but the irony is that, according to experts, it’s making t ..read more

By now, you’ll have seen mentions of the Taylor Swift concert everywhere – especially on social media. She garners a lot of attention wherever she goes, and her Singapore concert demonstrated the power she wields. And it’s not just for her fans, but for the economy of wherever she’s touring. Some are calling this Swiftonomics or the Taylor Swift Effect. Singapore is the only city she’s is performing in in Southeast Asia, thanks to the Singapore government’s generous grant and forward planning. While having Tay Tay perform is a boon for Swifties, the Singapore leg of her performance got a lot o ..read more

Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” is a film that ambitiously attempts to capture the grandeur and complexity of one of history’s most iconic figures. The movie navigates the tumultuous life of Napoleon Bonaparte, exploring both the political and personal dimensions of the man behind the legend. While the film boasts epic war scenes and moments of awkward humour, it falls short of delivering a cohesive and emotionally resonant narrative. The flow One of the most notable aspects of “Napoleon” is its incorporation of awkward humor into the storyline. Scott, known for his mastery in creating visually stun ..read more

From the late 2000s and the 2010s, a whirlwind of young adult (YA) literature took centre stage, fueled by the blockbuster successes of movie adaptations. “The Twilight Saga” brought with it a craze for vampire boyfriends, and “The Hunger Games” popularised the post-apocalyptic dystopian landscape. Other YA fiction genres include the enduring legacy of “Harry Potter” and coming-of-age stories like “The Fault in Our Stars.” A decade on, the cinematic debut of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” serves as a testament to the enduring enchantment of these franchises. These YA na ..read more

The Axean Festival 2023 transformed the Goodman Arts Centre into a hub for all-things music on October 28 and 29. In addition to a packed event featuring Southeast Asian artists, the event also brought in artists from Japan, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. We caught up with NIO and Cicada, who brought their distinct sounds to our sunny shores, all the way from Taiwan. NIO Billed as an alternative pop artist, NIO prefers to push the boundaries of different genres. Being half British, his music is influenced by a lot of electronic, house, and afro-beat elements, seamlessly infused with soulful rhyt ..read more

Are you a huge fan of Nintendo? Singapore is set to host its first-ever Nintendo POP-UP STORE for a limited time period. This temporary event is set to showcase merchandise from beloved Nintendo franchises, including Super Mario, Animal Crossing, The Legend of Zelda, Splatoon, and Pikmin. What makes it even more special is the exclusive original merchandise on offer. Some items were previously available only in Nintendo’s Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto stores. Plus, there are activities in store for attendees. For decades, Nintendo has been at the forefront of the gaming industry, known for its iconi ..read more

Singaporeans may have a taste for all things modern, but we have a quirky little tradition up our sleeves. We absolutely love a good haunting story, especially during Ghost Month (this year’s Ghost Month ends on September 14). This is that special time in the Chinese lunar calendar when superstition takes the spotlight, and we dive headfirst into sharing spooky tales, ghostly encounters, and eerie happenings. Ghost Month has become a perfect excuse to get together, chat about the supernatural, and have a good old-fashioned scare while sipping on kopi or teh tarik. Kranji Beach Kranji Beach wa ..read more

We almost always assume that gender preferences are inbuilt. Girls naturally prefer pink and boys naturally prefer blue, it is said. Anecdotal evidence tells us this, and science to a degree often reinforced the idea. This is probably why some people (on social media, of course) were upset at Justin Trudeau wearing pink at a Barbie screening with his son Xavier due to the perceptions of the colour. Why should someone be upset about men in pink anyway? After decades of study, historian Jo Paoletti showed that in the US at least, from the early 1900s to the 1980s, fashion trends were large ..read more

Journey through the northern reaches of Thailand, where the echoes of the mighty Lanna kingdom still resonate, leaving behind a legacy that adorns the landscape with magnificent temples, fortified city walls, and a tapestry of cultural wonders. But the allure of northern Thailand extends far beyond Lanna’s grandeur. Discover the fascinating traditions and customs of the diverse hill tribes just outside Chiang Mai, each with their colourful heritage woven into the fabric of the land. And in the ancient city of Lampang, the iconic rooster bowl has a captivating history that connects Lampang to G ..read more