GU- a sister brand of major Japanese fashion giant Uniqlo, is expanding in cities across Japan. The casual and affordable clothing brand targets young customers through not-so-typical marketing strategies such as flash mobs, public dance battles, and real-people “mannequins” on show window displays.
Take a look at the impressive moves from a fashion dance battle performed by groups of kids held in Kobe.

Live “mannequins” dance and change their clothes inside the show window in Ikebukuro—a major commercial district in Tokyo, and gathers a huge crowd.

Source: 1

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As an addition to Comedy Week happening on YouTube this week, KevJumba filmed a third episode of the series with his dad, My Dad is Asian.

This skit, or rather, series of mini-skits, is action packed with the two of them showing off their karate moves as they go head to head in battle over the bill! (SO RELATABLE!) You’ll see a side of Papa Jumba as you’ve never seen him before!

KevJumba snatching the bill

I think Kevin’s dad is the absolute bomb. Most of his viewers would agree that while Kevin’s videos are good on their own, they’re even better Papa Jumba makes an appearance! While the acting could use a bit of improvement, it’s the passion that counts- and trust me, Papa Jumba’s passion is very apparent through these skits! But I’ve got to say that my favourite part about Kevin’s dad would be his facial expressions! It’s his standout quality.

Wow, the above paragraph made it seem as though I’m REALLY into Kevjumba’s dad…

Anywho! It’s always fun watching the father-son interactions between Kevin and his father. This was a lovely addition to Comedy Week.

Watch the video which shows how their relationship is affected when it comes to financial advice, James Bond, and paying the bill!

The post Don’t Mess with Papa Jumba appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

Once I arrived to Incheon I quickly spotted some other tourists and tagged along with them to the subway. They told me they were from Malaysia, and I could tell by the 5 jackets they were wearing. I don’t blame them though, going from Singapore’s 35 degree humid weather to Seoul’s Vancouver-like 9 degree temperature was pretty shocking. An hour later I arrive in Hongdae, the University district on the north side of Seoul.

The great thing about Hongdae is that it’s where all the young, “hip” people hang out; there are a lot of universities and art schools around. Even at 12AM, there’s always somewhere good to eat and places to shop. There were a lot of nightclubs there too so if that’s of your interest, the hostels around Hongdae are a great place to book!

I spent a wonderful two weeks in Korea, seeing the best food, checking out Korean history, and doing some intense shopping.

One interesting thing about Korea is the apparent language barrier. While the airport, subway, and select restaurants have english translations, it’s not super easy to manoeuvre your way through, especially when finding something to eat. Not many people in Seoul have adapted the English language fully, meaning there is always miscommunication (can’t blame them though, I didn’t know a word of Korean before landing). I did have a friend show me around for most of the days, but the days I was without her was pretty funny. Blindly ordering from an all-Korean menu and having no idea what to expect was a hilarious memory of travelling.

Korean food is really awesome, everything from Korean BBQ, ddeokbokki (rice cake), fried chicken-and-beer, and the list goes on. If you can’t handle spicy foods though, Korea might not be the place for you. Oh, and alcohol is really cheap there too.

Soju is actually cheaper than water (1080 Won versus 1200 Won), and beer is priced just slightly above that.

My favourite food experience was going to the Noryangjin fish market and getting a nice piece of halibut cut up right infront of you and taken back to the restaurant upstairs to eat right away. Paired with that, we had some small octopuses that were still moving on the plate! They stuck to your lips when you put them in your mouth too, it was a hilarious feeling.

The other great thing about Seoul was the street food! Everything from tempura, to rice cakes, to corn dogs, it was all there; any time of the day! The best stall though was in Hongdae, right across from the Hongik University. This lady was selling “Ice Waffles”, essentially 5 scoops of ice-cream inside of a freshly made waffle… all for 1000 Won, or 1 Canadian Dollar. We went there three times during the last 4 days of our visit.

Is your mouth watering yet?

In addition to the great food, Seoul has a rich history filled with the overcoming of struggle. This is displayed by their massively attractive shrines, temples and museums. GyeongBok Gung is a massive royal palace that has a history of being burned down by the Japanese way back in 1592 and rebuilt 3 centuries later. Each building had a vivid pattern, symbolizing the five elements (Wood, Fire, Water, Earth, Metal).

The landmarks were great places for couples, Namsam tower was covered in the infamous couple locks. Couples write messages and “lock-in” their love to be preserved forever. I think you’re supposed to throw away the key too, but I never asked…

Of course, what’s a visit to Seoul without Kpop? With the YG Entertainment building a 15 minute walk from where I was staying, I had to make a visit. While I didn’t brush shoulders with PSY or anyone from BIGBANG or 2NE1, it was a cool building to see in the middle of a calm neighbourhood.

We were also lucky enough to spectate a sport widely practiced in Korea: Starcraft! GOM.tv just opened their new studio in downtown Gangnam, so we swung by their studio to watch the last bracket.

Lastly, Seoul is known for its cheap shopping. With ladies clothing and accessory shops on every block (I lost count), it is paradise for the young crowd. I spent hours in different markets, Myeongdong and Hongdae mostly.

One interesting market was Namdaemun market (close to Myeongdong), filled with street food and counterfeit goods. Never in my life had I encountered more fake LV, Gucci, Coach, and Burberry in one place. They also had HUGE BUILDINGS of jewellery accessories. Rings, necklaces, headbands, and everything in-between filled these multi-story complexes, all for around $1 each. If you’re into that stuff, you could easily spend days getting lost in all of the madness.

A district called Dongdaemun is known for its massive shopping centers. There are probably a dozen buildings there that are like multi-story department stores, selling everything from clothing to housewares across 12 or more floors. While there is an abundance of shops, it was odd that there weren’t many shoppers inside of these centers, at least when we visited in the afternoon of our last day. This resulted in VERY AGGRESSIVE salespeople everytime we walked past them. “Excuse me friend! Come here, good sales!” they screamed as we passed by, making moves if we even made the slightest sign of eye-contact. It was uncomfortable, so I suggest you visit this market at night when all the shoppers flock there (some buildings had odd operating hours like 8PM opening and 8AM closing).

Although Seoul became more popular on the world map due to Kpop, there’s much more to Korean culture! So if you love spicy food, cheap shopping, and stunning historical landmarks, Seoul is the place for you! I hope to visit back soon :)

The post Seoul, Korea — Home to Good Eats, Beautiful Landmarks, and Unusual Shopping Districts appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

What occurred in Hong Kong the other night was a ‘BLACK’ rainstorm signal. Hong Kong has a 3-level system for rainstorms, increasing in severity from ‘AMBER’ to ‘BLACK’. A ‘BLACK’ signal means that residents are warned to stay indoors, schools are either closed or in a state of lockdown, and public transit is suspended for fears of floods and serious traffic congestions; essentially, Hong Kong is at a standstill.

Yesterday’s BLACK signal lasted from 4:10am to 9:45am, resulting in school closures, work abruptions, and floods in key traffic tunnels such as the original Cross-Harbour Tunnel (紅磡海底隧道). See a pretty incredible taxi ride through the tunnel that was quite literally “underwater” here.

Other severe weather conditions that can be found in Hong Kong include hailstorms, typhoons, and tropical storms (aka cyclones).

Think Tornado Moore in Oklahoma did some damage? Look through some of the most wickedly damaging weather Hong Kongers have withstood below. Don’t say we didn’t warn you next time you visit during typhoon season!

Source 1, 2, 3, 4

The post Extreme Weather: Hong Kong Edition appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

1) AX3 Battery: Thanks for sitting down to chat with us Janice. So what is your impression of Vancouver? Do you like it here?

J: I have never been to Vancouver, but I have been to Toronto many years ago for a show.

2) AX3 Battery: Anything specific you want to do here in Vancouver?

J: I actually heard there are some nice vintage stores here on Main Street! I was really looking forward to it because I love vintage clothing and handbags. I love how you have to dig through and find gems along the way.

3) AX3 Battery: What projects are you currently working on?

J: I co-produced the cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine” with Fergus Chow and I thought it was so much fun. Leon had confidence to allow me to venture into music production. That’s something new for me and I am really excited about it.

4) AX3 Battery: What is the proudest moment or successful moment so far?

J: I think I view success a little differently now, that is my proudest moment I have to say when you realize “you are not so successful after all”.

5) AX3 Battery: What is your definition of success now?

J: Oh it has totally flipped on its head. Of course everyone view success as, you know money, fame, recognition, popularity, favour. But I realize those things don’t necessary define who I am.

At one point I had all those things but it made me even more miserable. Why is that? And I realize that it’s because people don’t love you for you, they love you for all these things you have accomplished. So is that really success? I don’t know.

But now I have really come to terms with it and success is really where your heart is at with God. And when you get too proud, and you are somehow going to be humbled. Everyone will. So I learned that lesson and realized that is a good place to be.

6) AX3 Battery: What is your favourite song from your album?

J: 他不慣被愛 is definitely my favourite. There is something about it, just the composition and the feel of it. I must say that I really worked my butt off in this album. I used 2 years to accomplish it and that’s unheard of in the Hong Kong music industry because everything moves really quick. So I really struggled within myself.

I was at a studio booth and I was actually crying and I had the lyrics up in my face so that Mark Lui wouldn’t see me crying. I was so frustrated with myself and I was like “Why aren’t these songs coming to life?” But I realized I really needed to push myself because I was so conformed by my old ways of doing things and I realized that I need to push myself in areas I got a little too comfortable. I am actually really grateful Mark pushed me to that place because he didn’t become too complacent. Even though there were tears and sweat involved. At the end it was all worth it.

7) AX3 Battery: It there someone you would like to collaborate with?

J: 明哥(Anthony Wong)! I am so grateful that I really get to meet him at this trip. This is not really my first time meeting him, but I’m just so thankful for the opportunity to really get acquainted with him. We had time to share and to know more about what kind of music he likes. And I heard he is working on a new album so maybe I can somehow find my way in to helping him? I appreciate his artistry, his vision, and the fact that he is actually doing something different in the HK music industry. He is very down to earth and a humble guy.

8) AX3 Battery: Have to ever thought about having a concert here in Vancouver?

J: Yes please! I would love to. It was ages ago when I did a show in Toronto.

9) AX3 Battery: What would you like to try to do?

J: I think I would love to try acting if it was in English but not in Cantonese. I always was intrigued by very complex roles like psyco and action films. I am always wanting to try new things, whether I am good at it or not. But I would love the opportunity if it comes .

10) AX3 Battery: And finally, what keeps you charged?

J: I got to say God, Jesus. Because He really is the purpose of my life. And the most important person in my life. So He keeps me going.

The post Airplane Wednesdays: Special feature- Janice Vidal (Exclusive Interview) appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.

I know that this weather of ours has been spotty lately with all of this on-and-off sunshine; however, we cannot let such a meagre obstacle stop us from preparing for what’s really important: the upcoming summer season! While having fun in the sun and sand is a crucial element to creating wonderful summertime memories, one must always remember to stay both stylish and healthy. Sunblock and hats are must-haves for staying skin-cancer-free; while you may think that a good tan is the most important thing to obtain from being outdoors on a hot day, you don’t want to come away with a much less pleasant gift from those UV rays! Now, before this post becomes a lecture on the dangers of the sun and on skin cancer prevention, let’s get to the cute hats!

In the picture below, I was enjoying that interesting bout of hot weather and sunshine that we had a few weeks back- English Bay was spectacular on that particular day. While I bought this hat for $10 in San Francisco at H&M, it is readily available for an equally affordable price at local H&M stores. And though I also possess several other hats in other materials and in darker colours, I feel like nothing spells out summer more than a straw hat. What do you think?

Check out the collage below for some summer hat inspirations:

1. (H&M) This straw bowler hat trimmed with a cute black ribbon is an adorable twist to the usual straw fedora hats that usually adorn the heads of many a female during the summertime.

2. (H&M) With a brim that is a tad wider than the typical fedora, this particular style will provide that extra bit of style and shade that will have you being both effortlessly fashionable and skin-cancer-free.

3. (Forever 21) Want to try out the baseball cap trend that has been running rampant lately (although it has been vastly popular among many Asian females for a long time)? Why not go big and wear this piece featuring an exotic tropical flower print that will have you in vacation mood for summer.

4. (Forever 21) A beach side necessity: straw floppy hats with a bright, bold scarf to add some flavour to the equation while keeping you safe from excessive lobster burn.  While the floppiness may not allow for this hat to be worn while walking around town, its droopy design will give you an alluring air of mystery.

5. (H&M) Another type of hat that may be a valuable asset to your closet: a slightly more structured version of the floppy hat that is the perfect way to attain a look of classic glamour while staying cool in the warm rays of the sun. Think of wearing this piece while dressed in white and sipping a happy hour drink on the patio.

6. (Yesstyle.com) This two-tone fedora with a striped band gives a little edge to the usual design.

Thank you for reading this week’s Trendy Tuesday, I hope that you all think of incorporating some head-wear into your ensembles this summer. Not only will such items add an extra element of style to your outfits, they are invaluable ways with which to keep you healthy and happy.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

The post Trendy Tuesday: The Top 6 Hats You Need for Summer appeared first on AX3 Battery | Asian Entertainment and Lifestyle Online Magazine.