Book review: Lev Grossman's epic Bright Sword is a fluid retelling of Arthurian legend
The Bright Sword
By Lev Grossman
Del Rey/Paperback/674 pages/$40.91
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Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Labubu maker Pop Mart sees profit soar nearly 400% in first half of 2025
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Pop Mart is pledging to increase supply of the Labubu dolls, which have sold out in stores around the world. SHANGHAI - China's Pop Mart, which has taken the world by storm with its ugly-cute Labubu doll, reported a nearly 400 per cent first-half earnings on Aug 19 on high demand for the toys and a shift towards higher-margin overseas markets. Net profit of 396.5 per cent and a 204.4 per cent jump in revenue exceeded numbers flagged in an earnings preview in July forecasting revenue growth of 200 per cent in the first half of 2025 and a recurring net profit increase of at least 350 per cent on the year. Shares in Pop Mart have risen more than 200 per cent year to date, making the Chinese toy company more valuable than traditional industry giants like Barbie-maker Mattel and Hello Kitty parent company Sanrio. Pop Mart often sells its collectable figurines in so-called 'blind boxes' with buyers not knowing the exact design they will receive until they open the packaging. One of the major drivers of the toothy-grinned Labubu's success has been its popularity with celebrity fans, who include Lisa of K-pop group Blackpink, singer Rihanna and ex-soccer star David Beckham. Pop Mart is pledging to increase supply of the dolls, which have sold out in stores around the world. Its chief executive officer Wang Ning, in an interview with Chinese state media last month, said sales of Labubu will surpass 10 million units per day from September this year. Pop Mart classifies Labubu under its 'The Monsters' intellectual property (IP) characters. It said on Aug 19 that 'The Monsters' raked in 4.81 billion yuan (S$860.6 million) in the first half, accounting for 34.7 per cent of total revenue. Four other IPs earned over one billion yuan during the period, including 'Molly' and 'Crybaby', it added. The company now has 571 stores - 40 of which it opened in the first half of 2025 - as well as 2,597 automated robot shops across 18 countries and regions, it added. REUTERS
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
Conversational games, pitch zone and lifestyle market among highlights at SG Youth Forum 2025
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox SINGAPORE – What are acceptable pathways of success in Singapore? For Ms Clarice Song, 37, there is no fixed route. It should be shaped through exploration and fun, said Ms Song, co-founder of the youth organisation Bold At Work, adding: 'There are not enough conversations about how one can pursue alternate pathways in Singapore.' Hoping to encourage more of such conversations, Ms Song and her team created That's How We Roll!, a tactile game which encourages players to explore their own narratives of success and what it means to them. Inspired by the principles of design thinking and the storytelling elements of the game Dungeon & Dragons, the game encourages players to take charge of their life's narratives. The game is one of many youth-centred resources that will be showcased at the SG Youth Forum 2025 on Sept 6, where 30 organisations will be setting up booths. (From left) Bold At Work co-founders Clarice Song and Hong Ruoyi, project coordinator Jocelyn Teo, and intern Siti Al' Mira demonstrating how That's How We Roll! is played. Players are posed an open-ended question. They then roll the dice, and weave the dice symbols into their response, prompting reflection on how they might shape their own journey in life. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN Organised by National Youth Council (NYC) Singapore, the forum will be held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre and feature a variety of activities such as a dialogue, pitch zone, and workshops. The forum will spotlight the sentiments gathered from youth through various engagement sessions since November 2024 under the SG Youth Plan. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore NDP 2026 to be held at National Stadium to accommodate more Singaporeans Singapore Girl, 14, among 3 injured after minibus falls into Bukit Panjang canal Singapore Man to be charged after allegedly slashing another man with Swiss knife at City Plaza Singapore What led to Changi Airport runway incident involving 2 China Eastern Airlines planes in Aug 2024 Singapore FairPrice apologises after worm found in salmon bought from Bedok North outlet Singapore Married man who offered cash to 12-year-old girl for sexual acts gets 19 months' jail Singapore Recruits on Pulau Tekong to get six hours of drone training as part of new programme Also taking a booth is the Inter-University Network (IUN), which represents undergraduates from five autonomous universities in Singapore. It will be presenting their survey findings on how youths are redefining success. IUN president Edison Ng, 24, said forum participants 'can expect to be challenged, in terms of reflecting on the goals they have in life and how these goals came about'. 'Ultimately, we hope to send the message that there is not one definition of success, and youths should be free to chase whatever they want to do,' he added. Friendzone, a social organisation whose mission is to connect communities and youths through conversations, will invite visitors to a game of Sometimes Life Sucks and Sometimes Life's Good conversational poker at its booth. The poker cards contain tough conversation starters, such as 'share a memorable or relatable quote/lyric that inspires you', designed to spark meaningful conversation and deepen social connection. Sometimes Life Sucks and Sometimes Life's Good conversational poker cards by Friendzone. PHOTO: FRIENDZONE The cards are among the ways Friendzone co-founder Tham Jun Han, 32, hopes the social organisation can help cultivate a kampung spirit in neighbourhoods. 'Friendzone was inspired by our time living in NUS student residences, which had a very strong sense of community,' he said. The forum will be attended by Mr David Neo, Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, and Ms Goh Hanyan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth. Mr Neo will take part in a dialogue discussing how youth can be more involved in shaping Singapore's future. At the forum's project pitch zone, 20 youth-led initiatives will be given the platform to showcase their ideas to attendees, who can then vote for projects that resonate with them to receive up to $2,000 in funding. Among the other activities are a free colour analysis demo station by image consultants, a youth-led lifestyle market, and live panels hosted by Singaporean content creators such as The Hop Pod, Charlene Chew and James Reiner.
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Straits Times
The Projector cinema closure exposes harsh reality of Singapore's leisure industry
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Film buff Adora Tan, 28, reminiscing her movie experiences at The Projector on Aug 19. She visited the cinema upon receiving news of its closure. SINGAPORE – It is heartbreaking. From its founding in 2014, I have reported on indie cinema The Projector. Its sudden closure on Aug 19, with no warning, proves one more rule about the leisure business in Singapore: Hipster credibility is not enough. The loss of the cinema at Golden Mile Tower does not just mean the loss of a screening venue. It is also the loss of a cultural hub that brought musicians, deejays, comedians and performers of every stripe closer to audiences. Through its film festivals and other events, it championed causes, from LGBTQ+ to European film to various charities. It is the loss of a venue that tried to make cinema-going a full night out, complete with a compelling food selection, live music and a bar, with the menu often matched to the films. Over its 11-year history, The Projector became a brand synonymous with these qualities: cosmopolitan, tasteful, eclectic, cool. As it turns out, being cool in Singapore – whether the business is noodles, doughnuts, fashion or film screenings – is no guarantee of long-term success. Such is the brutal reality of the leisure industry in Singapore. Being cool or hip means being in a niche. A sign announcing its closure is seen at The Projector on Aug 19. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG Having a mainstream audience is tough enough. In the past few years, veteran cinema operators like Filmgarde and Eng Wah have exited the business. Cathay Cineplexes has closed outlets in West Mall, Jem, AMK Hub and others as it tries to pay debts, despite having access to the same blockbusters made available to the industry's biggest players, Golden Village and Shaw. What is interesting about The Projector's immediate closure on Aug 19 – the same day that it announced it was closing – is how sudden and unexpected it was. Film distributors I spoke to had no idea, and were told only hours before the media statement was sent at noon on Aug 19. Like me, they had believed that the cinema's loyal core of supporters – many of whom donated money to help it ride out the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions – would keep the place financially stable for years to come. The underside of a seat in The Projector's cinema hall on Aug 19, bearing the title of the 2005 film Good Night, And Good Luck, which takes on new meaning after the indie cinema announced its sudden closure. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG The only iceberg on the horizon was the en-bloc sale of its birthplace and current home, Golden Mile Tower. But as the most recent sale talks had ended without a deal, everything looked fine – for a few more months at least. But as many Gen Z hawkers have found out, social media buzz can take you only so far. For now, all that remains is to tie loose ends. Membership cardholders will have to wait for liquidators to be appointed before refunds can be processed. There will also be a meeting for the creditors on Aug 29, according to a notice published in the Government Gazette on Aug 19. As for alternatives, festival and art-house film distributors say they will work with Golden Village and Shaw. The big players are less risk-averse than The Projector – an award-winning three-hour study of depression might be a financial risk that mainstream cinema chains are not willing to take – but there is wiggle room. And where there is room to negotiate, there is hope.
