ATEEZ conquers global charts with new EP ‘SPIN OFF : FROM THE WITNESS’

South Korean boyband ATEEZ continues to dominate several global music charts with the release of their new EP, ‘SPIN OFF : FROM THE WITNESS’. The eight-member pop group’s latest release debuted at No. 1 on iTunes in several major music markets worldwide, including South Korea, USA, Italy, Sweden, the Philippines, Indonesia, Brazil, and more.

The pirate kings of the K-pop high seas are starting the year right with one of the most exciting new ‘single albums’ from Sony Music Entertainment Korea so far, taking comprehensive musical storytelling one step further with the release of a spin off that recount their tales through a third-person witness account. In this extended universe, a new perspective is explored, with more questions than answers given through the cinematic trailers and powerful delivery  of their new tracks.

Oscar-Winner Damien Chazelle Explores Early Hollywood in "Babylon"

Academy Award-winner Damien Chazelle (La La Land, Whiplash) is taking things to a whole new level. Go behind the scenes and experience the movie magic of Babylon in a newly released featurette about the director.

Watch the film’s “Damien Chazelle” featurette at https://youtu.be/IdLdRK5XyC8

From Damien Chazelle, Babylon is an original epic set in 1920s Los Angeles led by Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Diego Calva, with an ensemble cast including Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo and Li Jun Li. A tale of outsized ambition and outrageous excess, it traces the rise and fall of multiple characters during an era of unbridled decadence and depravity in early Hollywood. 

Maya builds more ‘digi-palengke’ in Central Visayas

Maya, the country’s all-in-one digital banking and money app, is making cashless transactions a lot easier in public markets nationwide with the rollout of the Paleng-QR initiative in Central Visayas, starting with Bohol province.

Maya has transformed Bohol’s Tagbilaran City Public Market into adigi-palengkein today’s ceremonies led by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Bernadette Romulo-Puyat and Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap.

The Paleng-QR Ph initiative is spearheaded by the BSP and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and it aims to empower the City Government of Tagbilaran to help public market vendors and tricycle drivers accept cashless payments from any customer via the QR Ph, the country’s standard for QR payments.

“Small merchants and Filipino consumers are not only enjoying a hassle-free payment experience for their everyday transactions with Maya QR but also creating a financial footprint that allows them to access more advanced banking services offered by Maya,” said Mar Lazaro, Maya’s Head of Enterprise Business.

"Magic Mike's Last Dance" Official Posters Reveal the Final Tease

Christmas came early. Check out the official posters for Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” – only in theaters across the Philippines in 2023.

Watch the film’s trailer at https://youtu.be/MRVXQeGjCMs

About “Magic Mike’s Last Dance”

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes the third installment of the blockbuster “Magic Mike” film franchise, the musical comedy “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.”  The creative team behind the first film “Magic Mike,” which garnered praise from critics and audiences alike, has reunited to create the magic again in “Magic Mike’s Last Dance”: Channing Tatum reprises his role as Mike Lane and Steven Soderbergh returns to the helm with a script from Reid Carolin, who also wrote the first two films.  And starring alongside Tatum is Salma Hayek Pinault (“House of Gucci,” “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard”).

The Official Soundtrack to Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody feature star-studded remixes and originals

The 35-song compilation also contains rare, reimagined versions of ‘Don’t Cry For Me”

Ahead of the January 8 theatrical release of TriStar Pictures’ Whitney Houston biopic, Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody, RCA Records and Sony Music Entertainment has dropped the official 35-song soundtrack, serving as a musical memoir of the cinematic voyage. Listen here.

“This totally unique soundtrack album brings many of Whitney’s classics into 2023 and beyond. Contemporary, current and often scorching, if you love Whitney’s music, you must own this album,” says Clive Davis.

Featuring music spanning two decades of Houston’s legendary career, I Wanna Dance With Somebody (The Movie: Whitney New, Classic and Reimagined) includes nearly two hours of remixed and original versions of Whitney Houston songs, with special guest features by BeBe Winans, Clean Bandit, Kygo, Lucky Daye, SG Lewis, Samaria, Jax Jones, Leikeli47, P2J, Oxlade, Pheelz, and more.

GoTyme Bank Wins Innovation Award from Visa

Their uniqueness and first-to-market initiatives paid off in more ways than one.

GoTyme Bank was recently honored for its excellence in the field and efforts to expand Visa's payment services in the Philippines in 2022. 

The award for "Best Innovation of Card Acquisition" was bestowed to GoTyme Bank in recognition of its milestones in innovation and performance that stem from its high standard of client-first mentality, which made all its transactions and processes smooth and easy for clients. Such an award from Visa is no easy feat and is undoubtedly held in high regard, making this one of GoTyme Bank’s biggest wins of the year.

Music, Costume Design of "Babylon" Take Spotlight in New Featurettes

Paramount Pictures has just shared behind-the-scenes featurettes about the costume design and original score of the eagerly anticipated Babylon, in theaters across the Philippines starting February 1st.  

Step into the wardrobe of Babylon with costume designer Mary Zophres, and listen to a score for the ages from Academy Award winner Justin Hurwitz, composer of the original soundtrack.

Costume Featurette: https://youtu.be/cPFAHU8Z6EA

Scoring Featurette: https://youtu.be/z3Olw9Qb9vc

UNIQLO expands presence in the Philippines with new stores in 2023

Japanese global apparel retailer UNIQLO is welcoming the Spring/Summer season with a new roster of stores in the country. 

For the first half of the year, UNIQLO is opening new stores located in Robinsons Antipolo and SM City Bataan. In addition, the brand will open its doors to their first roadside store in Eastern Metro Manila, the Marquinton Roadside Store, in Marikina. 

“We thank our customers for continuing to show their support for UNIQLO. Through opening these new stores, we aim to reach even more Filipinos and give them easier access to our LifeWear products, providing quality pieces that are fit for every type of lifestyle,” says Geraldine Sia, Chief Operating Officer of UNIQLO Philippines. 

HONOR X9a 5G with ultra tough Premium OLED Curved Screen to arrive on January 19

HONOR Philippines has officially revealed the launch of HONOR X9a 5G, its first phone in 2023 that will change the concept of premium. Sporting a premium curved OLED screen, the HONOR X9a 5G will be the first in its price point.

Leading global smart devices provider, HONOR, dropped the official teaser of its first launch of the year. HONOR X9a 5G is the latest addition to the HONOR X Series delivering best-in-class visuals and performance with a Premium OLED Curved Screen, high-capacity durable battery, and the Qualcomm® Snapdragon® 695 5G Mobile Platform, all engineered to fit in a pocket-sized body.

Unlikely Friendships, Unexpected Fates in "A Man Called Otto"

From Marc Forster, director of Oscar-nominated films (Finding Neverland, The Kite Runner) and blockbuster movies (Quantum of Solace, World War Z) comes the inspiring tale, A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks.

Watch the film’s trailer at https://youtu.be/tCsSuaVsMIw

Based on the # 1 New York Times bestseller A Man Called Ove, A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), a grump who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife. Otto is ready to end it all, but his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door, and he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol – she challenges him to see life differently, leading to an unlikely friendship that turns his world around. A heartwarming and funny story about love, loss, and life, A Man Called Otto shows that family can sometimes be found in the most unexpected places.