Latest news with #SinarDaily
The Star
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Sean 'Hongdae Guy' Solo is in Malaysia, invites fans to hang out with him today
Photo: Sean Solo/nstagram Sean Solo (pic), better known online as the 'Hongdae Guy', has touched down in Kuala Lumpur, bringing his infamous catchphrases and comedic flair with him. He has shared his locations with followers on his Instagram today (July 24) saying that he will be in the "Sunway area" around noon, specifically stating that he will be at Myburgerlab Sunway University Area at 12pm followed by Sunway Pyramid's Oasis area at 2pm. In a quick video update, he will be shooting content and hanging out around those spots and welcomed followers to come "Say hi and hang out", telling his followers to just come say hi as he would love to meet them. "I had such a good time in Malaysia today, Kuala Lumpur is awesome, I love it, amazing. The people, food," he said in the clip. Known for his sharp-witted skits that mock the exaggerated behaviour of certain young men in Seoul's buzzing Hongdae district, Sean has carved a name for himself through his unique comedic style. With overly expressive gestures and hilariously awkward English, such as 'Do you live alone?' and 'Are you open-minded?', his videos parody the bold, often cringeworthy attempts made by some local men to woo foreign tourists, particularly Western women around the Hongdae nightlife scene. Hongdae, located near Hongik University in Seoul's Mapo area, is a hotspot for nightlife, street performances and alternative youth culture. It's a favourite among local students and international visitors alike. Within this energetic setting, the 'Hongdae Guy' persona emerged as a satirical symbol of a certain type of overconfident young man, and Sean's take on it has struck a chord with global audiences. Earlier this month, Sean teased fans via his Instagram story, announcing his upcoming trip: 'Going to Malaysia 22nd to 25th! Who should I collab with?,' he wrote, hinting at future collaborations and inviting suggestions from his followers. Sean, also known by his TikTok handle @itsseansolo, helped turn the 'Hongdae guy' stereotype into an international comedy trend. His sketches expose the awkward charm and misplaced confidence of these fictional characters, poking fun while maintaining a light-hearted tone. As a result, his content has not only gained massive online traction but also made his catchphrases part of global meme culture. – Sinar Daily
The Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Star
Organiser denies claims of Chinese-only language G-Dragon shows
The G-Dragon concert, part of the K-pop star's highly anticipated world tour, took place at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, on July 19 and 20. Photos: Handout Concert organiser Star Planet has denied allegations that signage and announcements at the G-Dragon concert in Kuala Lumpur were predominantly in Chinese, following backlash from local fans on social media. In a statement released by the company, its chief operating officer Carmen Liew clarified that it is inaccurate to state that signage and announcements were predominantly in Chinese, noting that all international events use bilingual materials in both English and Chinese. "For the G-Dragon concert in particular, live announcements were also made in Bahasa Malaysia and essential notices were likewise available in Bahasa Malaysia,' the organiser told Sinar Daily. The company added that it has taken note of public feedback and will consider incorporating more Bahasa Malaysia in future events involving K-pop or local artistes. "That said, we've noted the feedback and will certainly consider incorporating even more Bahasa Malaysia for future K-pop or Malay artist events," she added. The G-Dragon concert, part of the K-pop star's highly anticipated world tour, took place at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, on July 19 and 20. Social media users had voiced frustration over the high number of attendees from mainland China and alleged that Malaysian fans were sidelined. Another point of criticism involved ticket scalping, with fans accusing the organiser of insider ticket sales to buyers in China. One viral post alleged that all VVIP, VIP and Cat 1 tickets were snapped up by agents and resold at inflated prices, while genuine fans were left with limited options or forced to buy at mark-ups. Fans also raised concerns that the ticketing system lacked security, with no codes required during the fan club presale, making it vulnerable to bots. Some users also claimed their tickets were cancelled over suspicious activity, while scalper tickets remained valid. Accusations were also made that tickets under the "FAM" category were distributed through insider networks linked to the organiser. Star Planet again has firmly denied the claims. They said the allegations of ticket scalping are entirely baseless and without any supporting evidence. "We want to firmly reiterate that Star Planet had no involvement in any insider ticket sales for the G-Dragon tour. "It is also important to note that all ticketing activities or actions for a world tour of this scale are conducted under close oversight and require coordination and approval from multiple parties, including the tour's official management," said Liew. The company added that ticketing activities for international tours require oversight and approval from multiple parties, including the tour's official management, to ensure transparency and compliance with global standards. Addressing one specific case that went viral, the company said a ticket was voided due to suspicious activity but reinstated after verification. Star Planet acknowledged the global problem of scalping and said it is working with its ticketing partner to improve bot-filtering systems for future events. "We fully understand the frustration and disappointment experienced by fans who were unable to secure tickets for this highly anticipated event. "Scalping remains a widespread issue globally and presents an ongoing challenge for event organisers. "To address this, we are in active discussions with our ticketing partner to explore and implement more advanced bot-filtering solutions aimed at minimising scalper activity and ensuring fairer access for genuine fans for upcoming shows," she said. – Sinar Daily
Sinar Daily
2 days ago
- Sinar Daily
Two men lose over RM470,000 to investment and phone scams
Ipoh police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the victims, aged 61 and 56, lodged their reports on Sunday. 22 Jul 2025 07:33pm Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily. Ipoh police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad. Photo by Bernama IPOH - Two men have lost a total of RM474,212.58 after falling victim to a non-existent investment scheme and a phone scam, according to police. Ipoh police chief ACP Abang Zainal Abidin Abang Ahmad said the victims, aged 61 and 56, lodged their reports on Sunday. "The first victim, a site supervisor, lost RM307,315 after being duped by the 'KKR Investment' advertisement on Facebook promising between 10 and 20 per cent returns in a short time. "Enticed by the offer, the supervisor made 14 transactions to six different bank accounts between April and July, only to realise he had been scammed when he was asked to make additional payments supposedly for profit withdrawal,' he said in a statement today. He said in the second case, a 56-year-old former factory worker lost RM166,897.58 after receiving a call from an individual posing as a Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) officer in June. Abang Zainal Abidin said the individual also claimed the man's phone number was linked to illegal moneylending activities ('ah long') and urged him to lodge a police report. "The victim was then connected to another individual posing as a police officer from Bukit Aman, who instructed him to transfer money from his Employees Provident Fund (EPF) account to a company account for investigation purposes. "The fund transfer was made on July 7 before the victim realised he had been duped and lodged a police report,' he said. Abang Zainal advised the public to be more cautious of investment offers that promise high returns in a short period and not to trust unsolicited phone calls from unknown individuals. - BERNAMA More Like This
Sinar Daily
2 days ago
- Business
- Sinar Daily
Recycling facilities mandatory at shopping malls from Jan 1, 2026
Any shopping mall that does not provide (recycling facilities) will not be granted a business licence by the local authority. 22 Jul 2025 06:59pm Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. Photo by Bernama Photo illustrated by Sinar Daily. KUALA LUMPUR - The National Council for Local Government has decided that all shopping malls must provide recycling facilities effective Jan 1, 2026, said Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming. He said this requirement will be part of the business licensing conditions imposed by local authorities on premises owners, in line with the Ministry of Housing and Local Government's effort to phase out single-use plastic bags. According to him, the move is also part of the ministry's proactive efforts in managing plastic waste in the country. "Any shopping mall that does not provide (recycling facilities) will not be granted a business licence by the local authority,' he said when winding up the debate on the Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Bill 2025 in the Dewan Rakyat today. The Bill was later passed by a voice vote after being debated by 10 Members of Parliament from both the government and opposition blocs. Nga said the Bill followed the passage of the Solid Waste and Public Cleansing Management (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Local Government (Amendment) Bill 2025 yesterday, which, among other things, aim to empower the courts to issue community service orders for littering offences in public places. Through the enforcement of such orders, he said, the ministry is confident that littering, which clogs and pollutes drains and waterways, can be addressed progressively, thereby helping to reduce flash floods, especially in urban areas. Nga also stated that the community service order would apply to everyone, regardless of status, and even foreign tourists found guilty of littering in public could be subjected to the same. "Imagine whether it's a Datuk Seri or a Tan Sri - if they are ordered to sweep the streets (under a community service order), it would raise awareness about maintaining public cleanliness,' he said. In addition, he said pet owners are also subject to the same regulations if they are found to have deliberately left pet waste in public areas, as it is considered litter. "I stress that under the Madani government's administration, everyone is treated fairly, and I emphasise that the objective of the community service order is not to punish but to raise public awareness and foster a sense of responsibility in keeping public spaces clean,' he added. - BERNAMA
Sinar Daily
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sinar Daily
Star Planet denies claims of Chinese-only language and ticket scalping at G-Dragon KL concert
Concert organiser Star Planet has denied allegations that signage and announcements at the G-Dragon concert in Kuala Lumpur were predominantly in Chinese, following backlash from local fans on social media. In a statement released by the company, its Chief Operating Officer Carmen Liew clarified that it is inaccurate to state that signage and announcements were predominantly in Chinese, noting that all international events use bilingual materials in both English and Chinese. "For the G-Dragon concert in particular, live announcements were also made in Bahasa Malaysia and essential notices were likewise available in Bahasa Malaysia,' the organiser told Sinar Daily. The company added that it has taken note of public feedback and will consider incorporating more Bahasa Malaysia in future events involving K-pop or local artists. "That said, we've noted the feedback and will certainly consider incorporating even more Bahasa Malaysia for future K-pop or Malay artist events," she added. The G-Dragon concert, part of the K-pop star's highly anticipated world tour, took place at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, on July 19 and 20. Social media users had voiced frustration over the high number of attendees from mainland China and alleged that Malaysian fans were sidelined. Another point of criticism involved ticket scalping, with fans accusing the organiser of insider ticket sales to buyers in China. One viral post alleged that all VVIP, VIP and Cat 1 tickets were snapped up by agents and resold at inflated prices, while genuine fans were left with limited options or forced to buy at mark-ups. Fans also raised concerns that the ticketing system lacked security, with no codes required during the fan club presale, making it vulnerable to bots. Some users also claimed their tickets were cancelled over suspicious activity, while scalper tickets remained valid. Accusations were also made that tickets under the 'FAM' category were distributed through insider networks linked to the organiser. Star Planet again has firmly denied the claims. They said the allegations of ticket scalping are entirely baseless and without any supporting evidence. "We want to firmly reiterate that Star Planet had no involvement in any insider ticket sales for the G-Dragon tour. "It is also important to note that all ticketing activities or actions for a world tour of this scale are conducted under close oversight and require coordination and approval from multiple parties, including the tour's official management," said Liew. The company added that ticketing activities for international tours require oversight and approval from multiple parties, including the tour's official management, to ensure transparency and compliance with global standards. Addressing one specific case that went viral, the company said a ticket was voided due to suspicious activity but reinstated after verification. Star Planet acknowledged the global problem of scalping and said it is working with its ticketing partner to improve bot-filtering systems for future events. "We fully understand the frustration and disappointment experienced by fans who were unable to secure tickets for this highly anticipated event. "Scalping remains a widespread issue globally and presents an ongoing challenge for event organisers. "To address this, we are in active discussions with our ticketing partner to explore and implement more advanced bot-filtering solutions aimed at minimising scalper activity and ensuring fairer access for genuine fans for upcoming shows," she said.
